CMTA, Inc.

Architect:

STANTEC

Scope Of Work

Zero Energy Sustainability Goals

 in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, the Richard J. Lee Elementary School is a  new school on a mission of sustainability. That’s where CMTA came in.

THE CHALLENGES

Collaborating with the  on a more sustainable heating and cooling system.

Overcoming natural complications in the weather and soil conditions.

Reducing energy costs and operational maintenance.

THE SOLUTIONS

CMTA was happy to partner with the Coppel Independent School District on the construction of their new elementary school. Thanks to our extensive experience, we were able to guide the  and  through an energy engineering process that is low maintenance, sustainable and efficient.

This was an interesting project for us because our ’s only experience with HVAC systems was with unitary-type systems like package rooftop or split-DX. However our knowledge and expertise with geothermal systems, for both installation and maintenance, convinced the  that a geothermal system was the right choice for this project.

During the course of this build, we also encountered natural complications from a severe drought and soil complications. In order to conserve water in a naturally hot climate that is susceptible to droughts, CMTA engineered a rainwater system that captures the limited rain from the roof and repurposes it to flush toilets and urinals  the building. Meanwhile, due to the expansive soils in this area of the country, the structure had to be constructed on a complicated foundation. As a result, the building rests on a crawl space, where outside air and exhaust duct-work is installed, allowing the space above to be open and clear.