Students attending class in Georgetown University’s new Rafik B. Hariri building will notice the stunning results of the two-year construction project. Merical Electrical Contractors installed all of the electrical systems in the recently LEED Silver certified building.
The Upper Marlboro, MD-based electrical contractor installed intricate lighting systems, teledata systems, fire alarm and security systems, lightning protection systems and the audio/visual infrastructure.
Nothing about the lighting was standard. The system included pendant mounted, cable mounted and cove mounted high-end fixtures. In addition, motion sensors and motorized window shades contributed to the LEED certification by controlling the amount of light the system should provide in each room. Georgetown University expects up to a 15 percent energy savings through the efficient lighting design and control system.
The smoke evacuation system also required a lot of interface with the building automation system so that doors, windows and dampers will open and close to remove smoke from the building in the event of a fire. Merical has installed a similar system at Northview Elementary in Bowie, MD.
The building’s design which included tiered classrooms and a large atrium complicated the project for all of the trades.
“There was a lot of coordination due to the large open atrium,” explained Tim Donaldson, president Merical Electric. “We used CAD to create 3-D models regularly to coordinate the trades in the atrium’s ceiling space.”
The 179,000 square-foot Hariri Building features 15 classrooms, 34 breakout rooms, 15 conference rooms, 11 interview rooms, a 400-seat auditorium, two large student lounges and 120 faculty offices.
Merical is currently working on Georgetown University’s next project, a new Science Building to be located adjacent to the Hariri Building
About Merical Electrical Contractors
Merical has ranked among the top 25 Electrical Contractors by Washington Business Journal for the last five years. As a member of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) we are able to provide skilled labor on demand, even on short notice. IBEW, Local Union 26 offers continuing education classes and seminars to all of our electricians to keep them up with the latest in changing technology. NECA also extends our training to our project managers and estimators to ensure projects are bid and managed cost-effectively. We have a long list of satisfied customers including Georgetown University, The World Bank for International Reconstruction and Development, Patner Construction, Whiting-Turner Contracting and Tuckman-Barbee Construction. For most information, visit www.mericalelectric.com.
