CASE STUDY: HAMBLEN SCHOOLS

Jun 10, 2022 | Design, Health & Safety

The trend toward green construction practices, projects, and technologies is only continuing to grow in 2021. Implementing these practices allows construction companies to construct greener buildings that are more energy efficient and better for our environment. For commercial buildings especially, it’s crucial to consider facility efficiency improvements for 2021 and beyond.

TOP 3 WAYS TO IMPROVE FACILITY EFFICIENCY

Sustainability is important—is your organization’s building structure up to par? Buildings use about 40% of the world’s energy and contribute to as much as 40% of global carbon emissions. In the United States, facilities are responsible for 49% of the country’s energy use and three-quarters of all electricity usage. Here are Skilled Services’ top ways to improve facility efficiency and how they can limit energy output to create a better environment for all.

Foot-Candle measurement explained in a graphic

PRESERVATION

Letting buildings deteriorate is costly to everyone involved, whether it’s the owners, patrons, or environment at large. The upkeep and improvement of older buildings is sometimes the greenest option overall—especially when the building is historically significant to a community.

Additionally, a 20% income tax credit is available for the rehabilitation of historic, income-producing buildings. Preserving buildings is a great, sustainable option, but it can also save you money by not having to start from square one. With tax incentives to top it off, it truly is an affordable way to be green. As contractors go along in the preservation process, ensure they have strategic energy management systems in place to give the building an efficient edge.

FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS

Sustainability improvement projects specifically aim to improve energy efficiency and operations. Certain facility improvements can contribute to long-term sustainability, affordability, and safety and include:

Window Improvements
Control Improvements
Lighting Improvements and Design

This list isn’t comprehensive but should be insightful into the kinds of improvements that can be made toward a more energy-efficient facility.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY UPGRADES

Sometimes the things that require energy-efficient upgrades aren’t what you’d normally expect. Because commercial buildings are the cause of a large portion of global emissions, every utility used can be conserved or upgraded in some way to help make structures more sustainable.

If your business is looking for opportunities to save money, energy efficiency upgrades are a great place to start. This can include automated HVAC systems, eco-friendly lighting, or even window and door insulation. Not sure where to start? Have a contractor do an energy audit of your property to help point out blind spots you may have missed. These people are experts in the industry and will often have access to knowledge or technology that is best for your commercial property in the long term.

Testing the light exposure with a light meter in a cinema shot.

FACILITY EFFICIENCY AT SKILLED SERVICES

With the Tennessee Energy Efficiency Loan Program, accessing energy-efficient upgrades for facilities has never been easier. This program offers up to six years of financing at 2% interest for qualified energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. This can mean huge savings for Tennessean commercial building projects.

At Skilled Services, we understand our responsibility to minimize environmental impact with energy-efficient solutions for facilities in our community. The green building movement is important, and we are proud to be a part of it. Our expert team follows all building codes and is familiar with special legislation that can save you money. We consistently deliver the most environmentally friendly options at the best price. Curious what going green could look like for your commercial building? Contact us today to make an appointment.

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Jun 10, 2022 | Design, Health & Safety

Customer Name: Hamblen County Department of Education

Location: Morristown, Tennessee

Product/Service Provided: Installation of Security Vestibules

ABOUT SKILLED SERVICES

Skilled Services LLC is an experienced general contractor in Knoxville, TN, and licensed in Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia. We offer prompt, coordinated, and turnkey construction for companies of all sizes across a range of industries. From facility improvements to structural repairs to updates that make buildings more functional, we can handle your project needs while demonstrating exceptional customer service.

VESTIBULE FUNCTIONALITY THE SCHOOLS

Safety is very important in schools, and vestibules are installed as a way of protecting students and faculty from intruders who may try to enter the building at any given time.

VESTIBULE DEFINITION

A vestibule is defined as an antechamber, hall, or lobby next to the outer door of a building. Essentially, it is a small foyer leading into a larger space of the interior of a building, such as a lobby, entrance hall, or passage, and is built for the purpose of waiting, reducing heat loss, or withholding the larger space from view.

THE PROBLEM

Three schools in Hamblen County were deemed especially vulnerable to intruders with weapons due to the positioning of the offices within the schools. An architecture-engineer firm provided conceptual designs for the security vestibules, but these designs did not address many of the key issues relative to access control, door hardware, sliding window construction, and which glass types were most suited to the application.

OUR SOLUTION

The team at Skilled Services worked closely with the Operations Director of the Department of Education, providing suggestions and proposals for all elements needed to complete the installation in a cost-effective way, all while maintaining ‘design balance.’ Design balance means that one functional or structural component of the installation isn’t stronger and tougher than it needs to be, while others are weaker and more vulnerable by comparison. This means the owner is investing more money than he/she should be into the project. Skilled Services proposed a solution that helped the three schools maintain the proper design balance.

THE RESULT

The three schools in Hamblen County achieved the desired results at the most favorable price. When all was said and done, the total cost of the project was less than their budgeted amount and less than the initial bid amount at the beginning of the project.

To learn more about how Skilled Services’ design-build and construction services, contact us today.