FIRE STATION 45
City of Bothell
To provide enhanced fire protection and emergency services to its community, the City of Bothell replaced two existing fire stations in situ through a progressive designbuild effort. The new Canyon Park Fire Station( Fire Station 45) comprises 14,000 SF in two stories and accommodates eight staff and four apparatus bays.
P2S designed sustainable HVAC systems that contribute to having excellent air quality and a low building energy use index( EUI)- the building EUI is 38 kbtu / sf / yr compared to 68 for a baseline fire station. The fire station facility consists of distinct zones- high exposure, moderate exposure, and safe area- to better isolate hazardous fumes and keep the living areas safe. The high-hazard area contains contaminated items and storage of chemicals, as well as any items with potential carcinogen exposure. This area has constant exhaust to maintain a negative pressure relative to the surrounding rooms.
As the mechanical engineer and plumbing designer, P2S participated heavily as part of the team with the City, the general contractor, the architect, and the mechanical contractor. Our design process included weekly‘ Big Room’ type meetings for coordination and collaboration. During this period, we maintained a transparent and open log of design coordination items and cost options.
The primary HVAC system controls for this fire station are manufacturer-based. However, there is also a custom DDC( Direct Digital Control) system overlay. This enables the City to monitor and control specific HVAC system parameters. The City of Bothell can remotely monitor alarms, maintenance requirements, and system set points from City Hall or other locations where facility operations personnel are located and dispatched.
In the apparatus bays, there are ventilation systems that monitor the CO2 and noxious gas levels. The exhaust air systems are modulated to maintain good air quality and maintain negative pressure in the bays relative to the rest of the fire station. The building ventilation systems work together to provide the normally occupied rooms at a positive pressure compared to the apparatus bays. The occupied station ventilation systems also have high-quality particulate filters( MERV 13 or better). These HVAC features maintain good air quality and prevent noxious gases from entering the occupied zones.
This project was awarded a 2023 ACEC WA Engineering Excellence Award, in the category of Best in State: Silver Award, Future Value to the Engineering Profession.
* Photo courtesy of Benjamin Benschneider Photography
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