Purcell Construction
Purcell Construction was the Design-Build General
Contractor for the Operational Readiness Training
Complex (ORTC) located on an approximately 47 acre site located in Fort Drum, New York. The project includes two 61,116 square feet Barracks
buildings housing 336 soldiers each, one 22,579
square feet Officers Quarters building housing 80
soldiers, one 11,237 square feet Battalion Headquarters, one 16,761 square feet Dining Facility,
one 11,854 square feet Vehicle Maintenance Shop,
and three 1,344 square feet storage sheds. Site design includes a physical training area, new
utility service, new roadways, and storm water system. The site and facility designs comply with Anti-Terrorism/Force Protection Standards.
The four-story Barracks buildings are designed to house transient soldiers in an open bay configuration
and senior leaders in a two per room configuration. Shower and latrine facilities and laundry rooms are
provided at each floor. In addition, a team room and reading area are provided at each floor for
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meetings and recreation. Vertical circulation is located at the end of each open bay. The Barracks
mechanical system is a closed circuit water to water geothermal heat pump system that heats and
cools building. A dedicated ventilation air handler conditions and distributes conditioned, dehumidified
and highly filtered air. Energy recovery is used to precondition ventilation air. High efficient condensing
boilers preheat domestic hot water.
The two-story Officers Quarters is designed to accommodate transient senior leaders in a two bed per
room configuration, each with a bathroom. A common area, laundry, and vending are located at each
floor. Vertical circulation is located at each end of the building. A closed circuit water to water
geothermal heat pump system heats and cools the building. High efficient condensing boilers preheat
domestic hot water.
The Battalion Headquarters houses transient battalion level administrative functions and classrooms for
soldiers. Private offices are located around the perimeter and an open office area is centrally located to
the private offices to share resources. There are operable partitions between the classrooms to create
one large area for group lecture or gatherings. Each classroom has a direct access to the exterior for
increased life safety. The Battalion mechanical system is a geothermal variable air volume (VAV) water
to air heat pumps and parallel fan powered VAV terminal units heat and cool the building. The VAV
heat pumps heat, cool and dehumidify the supply air. Energy recovery is used to precondition
ventilation air. High efficiency condensing boilers preheat domestic hot water.
The Dining Facility contains facilities for food preparation and service, including a seated dining area.
The seated dining area also serves as a gathering place for group activities. The staff is responsible for
feeding 720 soldiers per meal within 90 minutes, three times per day, seven days a week. To expedite
service, two queuing stations and service lines are provided. The building also includes office space for
management and a secure dry storage area. A loading dock provides delivery access for supplies.
The mechanical system is a closed circuit water-to-water geothermal heat pump system to heat and
cool the building. A dedicated ventilation air handler conditions and distributes conditioned,
dehumidified, and highly filtered air. High efficient condensing boilers preheat domestic hot water.
The Vehicle Maintenance Shop is designed to provide space to maintain and repair vehicles, and
provide temporary storage of unit supplies and equipment. There are two drive-through bays dedicated
to vehicle maintenance with one bay containing a maintenance pit for additional service ability. An
elevated 2,900 square feet warehouse provides racked storage for the facility in addition to accepting
deliveries for parts and supplies. The company sheds are available for additional vehicle maintenance
and storage of POL/Hazmat lubricants and tools. The Vehicle Maintenance Shop is heated with in-slab
hydronic radiant heating. Separate vehicle exhaust systems are provided for each bay. A sidewall
gravity intake louver is provided for makeup air when any or all vehicle exhaust fans are in operation.
Carbon monoxide detectors are provided throughout the building.
The Design-Build team strives for a design approach that considers occupant comfort, functional
performance, energy efficiency and sustainability. The goal is to maintain good indoor air quality to
improve occupant comfort, which was done through adequate ventilation and thermal comfort while
meeting or exceeding the Scope of Work requirements. The proposed design produces an
environmentally responsible building.
Each building was evaluated for its intended use and occupancy to incorporate energy efficient
solutions. The proper use of lighting lamp and ballast combinations, as well as specific lighting
controls, use of Energy Star rated equipment, and careful consideration of power distribution assist in reducing each building’s energy consumption. All designs comply with EPAct 2005, and building
envelopes, HVAC systems, service water heating, power and lighting systems achieve an energy
consumption that is at least 40% below the ASHRAE 90.1 baseline building energy consumption.
To reduce each building’s overall water use, low-flow plumbing fixtures, including water closets, urinals,
showers, and lavatories were utilized. By selecting low-flow fixtures, the project was able to reduce its
water consumption and assist in achieving LEED credits.
A high performance masonry building envelope was selected for its durability, longevity, and life cycle
cost efficiency, in addition to achieving LEED credits. Building envelope thermal performance was
maximized, introducing the use of a continuous spray foam insulation to help meet air leakage and
thermal performance testing. Windows have low-E glazing to reduce heat load within the building and
aid in energy efficiency. A transpired solar air collector system was used at the Vehicle Maintenance
Shop south façade to pre-heat the ventilation air to reduce energy consumption and also utilized to
meet an innovation and design LEED credit.
The project will be able to achieve a LEED Gold rating per LEED v2.2 New Construction. In addition to
the high performance building envelope and energy efficient mechanical and electrical equipment, the
building’s interior design utilized durable, LEED compliant, low maintenance, and easily maintained
finishes. Other features contributing to LEED Gold include the coordination of lighting and thermal
controls and the site’s storm water design being maximized.