Projects Archives - Page 8 of 9

Emory University and Georgia Tech – Shared Library Service Center

Emory University and the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) constructed a shared high-density storage facility for circulating and special collections material. The 55,000-sf, climate-controlled Library Service Center (LSC) was developed to create a unified collection of materials available to faculty, staff, and students at both Atlanta institutions.

Precis performed mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection (MEP/FP) engineering on the project in two distinct phases, including an MEP/FP basis of design (BOD) and final detailed design followed by construction administration. Special design considerations included tight control of low temperature and humidity conditions to maximize the preservation index of the archival storage facility. Precis was selected for the project due to its proven track record of successful projects involving critical environments.

Compliance Upgrades

Precis provided mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, and process engineering services for a new building addition and renovation of 40,000 sf of GMP multi-product biological pilot plant space. Renovations were required to upgrade the suites to comply with quality and regulatory agency requirements. The design included a new second-story locker room addition, fire water containment, aseptic isolator, airlock and suite reconfiguration, and renovation of existing utilities including water for injection (WFI), clean filtered gases, HVAC, and electrical.

Precis also designed an 18,000-sf renovation of the first-floor pilot plant, which included a new Occupational Exposure Band (OEB) 3-4 weigh and dispensing area and new media and buffer prep area. The project added gowning modifications and additional airlocks to accommodate GMP compliance requirements. A new Biosafety level (BSL) 2+ laboratory area was built which included a -70°C reach-in freezer area within a -25°C cold storage area.

University of Delaware – Emergency + Critical Power Upgrades

Home to over 24,000 students, the University of Delaware tasked Precis with engineering design for the installation of three new gas/diesel generators necessary to support life safety and optional standby loads. Precis designed additional electrical infrastructure improvements, consisting of distribution and branch circuit panels and associated automatic transfer switches (ATS). The new generators were installed to serve three different buildings, with each located adjacent to its respective building.

University of Pennsylvania – Cleanroom Core Expansion

Precis provided architecture and mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection engineering services to support expansion of the cleanroom core at the University of Pennsylvania’s Singh Center for Nanotechnology in Philadelphia, Pa. The Singh Center provides an environment for nanoscale research, development, and collaboration, supporting programs at the University of Pennsylvania and through partner institutions and industry in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Designed to enhance the functionality of the Singh Center’s ISO 5/6 production core, the project scope included adding a new nanofabrication cleanroom and retrofitting the existing soft lithography space. The Precis approach was highly specialized and tailored to the client’s unique operations while striving to minimize impact to ongoing processes in the existing nanofabrication core. To achieve this, panelized cleanroom wall and ceiling modules were incorporated with finishes appropriate for nanofabrication operations. Precis also provided the necessary utilities for specialized equipment including scanning electron microscopes, dual beam nanopatterning devices, solvent wet benches, and soft lithography operations.

Wayne Mills – Corporate Office Renovation

Precis provided design development, construction documentation, and construction administration services for the renovation of the existing 4,420-sf corporate offices of Wayne Mills Co., a family-owned textile company based in Philadelphia.

The renovation and restoration of the shell and complete interior fit-out included a board room with kitchenette, four executive offices, open office spaces for accounting, a restroom area and hot water heater closet, a printer/copier/scanner area, and a meeting room for Wayne Mills Industries. Spaces for Wayne Mills Co. included a meeting room, three executive offices, product sample room, mechanical/electrical room, self-serve kitchen, open office area with cubicles, men’s and women’s restrooms, and a printer/copier/scanner area.

Villanova University – Steam Line Replacement

The country’s only Augustine Catholic university, Villanova University educates nearly 10,000 students from its campus outside Philadelphia. Villanova engaged Precis for engineering design to replace aging underground low-pressure steam and condensate piping distribution from Alumni Hall to St. Thomas Church, St. Rita’s Hall, and Austin Hall, including detail of connection points within each building. The design process included coordination with the piping vendor for pre-purchase of piping materials in preparation for replacement during the summer between semesters.

Cold Vault Upgrade

A confidential client had an existing -25º C cold storage facility with major temperature control issues. The facility experienced severe floor slab heaving due to a malfunction of the underfloor heating system. Precis was retained to renovate the area to correct the slab heating issues. Precis also replaced the configurable temperature units (CTUs) to provide a more robust cooling system with multiple levels of mechanical and electrical redundancy and the ability to operate in varying refrigeration or freezer modes to support the needs of the client’s business.

Precis provided full mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection engineering services for the implementation of a new refrigeration system that could accommodate varying temperature needs, ranging from -25º C to +5º C, and maximize system reliability and redundancy. The client will store over $500 million in finished vaccines at any given time. To ensure maximum system uptime, Precis designed a six-circuited refrigeration system that could maintain box operation under multiple mechanical or electrical power failure scenarios.

Precis also designed an innovative, efficient electrical underfloor heating system with two levels of redundancy. The new system included full emergency power backup and separate liquid nitrogen system containing six evaporators for -25º C backup.

US HealthConnect, Inc. – Office Headquarters Relocation

US HealthConnect is a global organization whose subsidiaries are dedicated to improving the lives of patients and healthcare professionals through evidence-based clinician education. Precis provided full architecture and interior design services, including programming, space planning, 3D visualization, finish selection, and furniture services for the office headquarters relocation into a new office building. The project site occupied the entire third floor and was designed to accommodate continued growth and expansion of studio space. The interior layout included private offices, open office areas, conference rooms, huddle rooms, a 50-person training room, a fitness center, general support spaces, a custom recording studio, and central work café space. The recording studio was designed with state-of-the-art technology, sound and lighting control, and video editing capabilities.

Penn State – Beaver Stadium East Suites Renovation

Precis designed renovations to the existing third-floor VIP suites on the upper east side of Beaver Stadium, the nation’s second-largest stadium. Following demolition of the west side press, operations, and production suites, some of the existing VIP suites on the east side were converted into new homes for these critical game-day operations. Design of the new operations suites and upgraded VIP suites involved an integration of new furniture systems that were coordinated with the data and power services requirements transferring from the west side. The new suites also included upgraded finishes and technology.

This project involved careful coordination with multiple users’ needs as well as achieving the future goals of the university, intercollegiate athletics (ICA), and football operations. The Precis Engineering + Architecture team collaborated with the university’s operations, broadcast, and technology groups; the BIG 10 networks; the Penn State Division 1 football program’s coaching needs; and various other programs and users that will occupy the East Suites.

Lannett Company, Inc. – Facility Break Room Renovations

Upon completion of its corporate headquarters renovation, Lannett Company, Inc. hired Precis to upgrade several of the company’s facility break rooms, including facilities in Torresdale, Pennsylvania; Seymour, Indiana; and Carmel, New York. These break room areas were designed with upgraded finishes, lighting, furniture, and equipment as well as improved circulation and more efficient seating and serving layouts. Precis worked in collaboration with each of the site facility managers and with the corporate facility director to help move the company forward with innovative design ideas and advanced technology and amenities.