MBNA
This office campus was constructed over a 12-year period utilizing a consistent design team and construction manager to provide a first class facility for the former MBNA Bank. McHenry & Associates, Inc. was responsible for the mechanical and electrical design of all buildings. The four main buildings are approximately 200,000 sq. ft. each, with an attached two level indoor parking garage. The campus also includes A 36,000 sq. ft. child care facility and connecting bridges elevated above street level to allow climate controlled travel between buildings throughout the year. Some major features include:
- Central water-source heat pump loop system with closed-loop fluid coolers and indoor spray-water storage tanks incorporated into the architecture of the building.
- A 100-ton geothermal ground-source heat pump system was designed for the campus childcare facility with dedicated heat pumps for daycare rooms and classrooms.
- Building ventilation air systems were designed for each building to provide 100% outside air to the buildings and to actively control humidity levels. Indoor air quality is monitored through building energy management systems to provide a productive work environment. Each ventilation system was designed with heat recovery to maximize energy conservation.
- Design of energy management systems and lighting control systems for each building on the campus.
- Heated indoor parking structures with automatic vehicle fume exhaust and intake air systems. Building heating systems were provided with emergency back up from garage heating systems by interconnection for use in the event of heating system failures.
- Snow melting systems for building entry walkways and child care playground areas.
- Fire protection systems throughout with dry pipe systems in parking garages and chemical fire suppression systems for technology equipment rooms;
- Power quality features including full lightening protection, harmonics mitigation, UPS for main and intermediate technology equipment rooms with UPS distribution to workstations in large portions of the open office areas;
- Full power backup to all systems provided by diesel engine generators serving paralleling switchgear to provide redundancy with automatic control and monitoring. Each building included underground fuel storage for maximum backup duration;
- All systems were integrated into the architectural features of the facilities to minimize visibility and noise to the campus and surrounding buildings.
