Quesnel Junior School, an educational facility designed to accommodate 550 students in grades 8-9, serves as a two-storey replacement school.  In addition to the main school area, the daycare section of the building is specifically designed to cater to the needs of infants and toddlers.  With a range of high-performing and environmentally friendly features, the school’s design incorporates advanced technologies to ensure energy efficiency, comfort, and sustainability.

The construction of Quesnel Junior School replacement employed a fast track design process, utilizing 3D Revit modeling for an integrated design approach. This collaborative effort among architectural, structural, mechanical, and electrical teams ensured a seamless and efficient design process, resulting in a well-coordinated and functional school building.

Project Scope:

• Implementation of exhaust heat recovery, which allows the school to capture heat from exhaust air streams and re-purpose as useful heat for the building through the use of a water to water heat pump. This innovative approach reduces waste heat and therefore reduces overall operating costs
• Air to water heat pumps to provide useful heating and cooling to the building with a back-up high efficiency condensing boiler plant. Air to water heat pumps are effective to produce useful low temperature heating with low carbon emissions.
• SolarWall system – This technology harnesses solar energy to pre-heat ventilation air for various air handling unit systems, reducing reliance on traditional heating systems and lowering carbon emissions.
• Air flow monitoring stations that monitor air intake and exhaust to maintain optimal air circulation and ensure a healthy learning environment. UV air cleaners are installed in all major air handling units, further enhancing air quality by eliminating harmful contaminants.

The Daycare features radiant floor heating, a comfortable and efficient heating system that provides warmth from the floor up. Moreover, each space within the daycare area is equipped with a zoned air handling unit system, allowing for individualized comfort control in each area. The centralized heating and cooling systems in the daycare area ensure year-round comfort for both staff and children.

Contractor:
Jen-Col Construction