Consulting Engineering
Loudoun County Public Schools is the third largest school division in the Commonwealth of Virginia. To accommodate the student population, LCPS built the new, 110,400 SF Hovatter Elementary School to serve 960 students in 1st through 5th grade. This project is unique in that CMTA’s Design and Technology Solutions teams joined forces with CMTA’s Energy Solutions team—who had an existing Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC) with Loudoun County Public Schools—to create this state-of-the-art facility. Accordingly, CMTA provided full MEP engineering, technology, security, audio/visual, and general contracting services for the new elementary school.
The two-story masonry construction incorporates steel-framed structural systems, interior CMU partitions, and single-ply membrane roofing. The HVAC system consists of four-pipe chilled water / heating hot water with air distribution to rooms and other zones via VAV terminal units. Related systems involve high-efficiency gas-fired boilers, air-cooled chiller, VAV air handling units, and packaged rooftop air conditioning systems. All building HVAC systems are controlled by a web-based DDC building automation system. The enhanced Dynamic MERV 15 air filtration provides excellent indoor air quality, boosting students’ cognitive function and improving their ability to learn while lowering the overall energy impact.
Hovatter Elementary School was designed with decarbonization and energy efficiency in mind. As a part of the school district’s performance contract, the facility was outfitted with a significant solar array. CMTA’s Energy Solutions team installed 1,250 450-watt high-efficiency solar modules, which offsets 95% of the building’s total electric usage. With the district’s planned 25.2 MW of solar energy, Hovatter Elementary’s impressive 562.5 kW equates to just 2.2% of the district’s total planned renewable energy! By contributing to Loudoun County Public Schools’ renewable energy goals, Hovatter ES is doing its part to reduce the district’s carbon footprint while generating significant energy savings.
Due to the prioritization of energy efficiency and sustainability in the building’s design, Hovatter Elementary School was recognized in 2020 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as “Designed to Earn the ENERGY STAR” with a perfect score of 100. The school is also designed to conform with Virginia CHPS Criteria (VA-CHPS), a tool that serves as a guide for developing energy-efficient, comfortable, environmentally responsible, and healthy learning spaces.
