University of Maryland School of Medicine – Freshman Lecture Hall

Convergent Technologies Design Group (CTDG) was asked by the University of Maryland School of Medicine to provide analysis and recommendations for room acoustics and HVAC noise control for its renovation of Hosick Hall. Design goals were created for background noise levels in the hall based on its intended uses, followed by calculations to determine how close the current HVAC design was to meeting those goals. CTDG specified the areas where duct lining was to be included in order to realize design goals, as well as sound isolation pads to mitigate noise from terminal units. While reverberation time calculations showed the space already met RT60 design goals, acoustic wall panels were recommended along one wall to reduce flutter echo for the last row of students.


Architect: Whitman, Requardt & Associates, LLP
Location: Baltimore, Maryland
Systems Value: $2,500

University of Maryland Baltimore County – Performing Arts and Humanities Facility

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Architect:
Grimm + Parker – Calverton, Maryland
William Rawn Associates – Boston, Massachusetts

Location:
Catonsville, Maryland

Construction Cost:
$113 Million

Gross Square Footage:
217,800 square feet

 

Project scope for the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) Performing Arts and Humanities Facility is to provide audiovisual design with associated supporting infrastructure, telecommunications cabling systems design, security systems design, as well as acoustics, noise & vibration control design for educational and performance related spaces including a small ensemble / rehearsal room. Programmed as the new premier performing arts facility on campus, audiovisual systems were designed for 55 and 120 seat classrooms, seminar rooms, instrument ensemble rooms, as well as dance, recording and theatre rehearsal studios. The design of these systems required both the review of the University’s existing programmatic requirements and coordination with members of the design team, especially in areas such as audiovisual equipment rooms. Coordination challenges and considerations while planning the AV systems throughout the building included ceiling heights, furniture layout, projector line of sight and AC power requirements. Designs for acoustical noise and vibration control included the specification of acoustical windows and doors, demising partitions between adjacent rooms, acoustical finishes on walls, ceilings and floors, as well as sound isolation from mechanical control rooms. Construction of the UMBC Performing Arts and Humanities Facility is expected to be complete in July of 2011.

University of Maryland, College Park – NCR Teaching Theater

Convergent Technologies Design Group was asked to provide design services for the Teaching Theaters located in Tydings Hall on the University of Maryland College Park campus. The building houses the College of Behavioral & Social Sciences, Department of Economics, and the Department of Government & Politics. The scope of work included the design of audiovisual, telecommunications and acoustical systems. Spaces to receive technology design include: 2 teaching theaters, conference rooms, a control room and seminar room. This project was completed in early 2000.

Architect: Walton Madden Cooper Robinson Poness Inc.
Location: College Park, Maryland

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University of Baltimore – Moot Court Room

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Architect:
Cho Benn Holback Architects

Location:
Baltimore, MD

Construction Cost:
$1.5 MILLION

Gross Square Footage:
3,500 square feet

 

The scope of this project included the complete design of educational technology systems to include: audiovisual presentation, remote control, and recording, as well as, program/speech audio reinforcement along with the associated infrastructure. The types of spaces to receive audiovisual presentation included: a moot courtroom and associated control room. Scope of design work included the basis for design, design development, specifications and project management for all audiovisual & multimedia systems to be integrated into the moot courtroom and control room. Specifications included details outlining procedures and methods of connecting to existing campus telecommunications networks. The project was a six-month design project. The project has been successfully complete since February 2005.

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United States Naval Academy – NAVSTA IBU-25 – Design

[col3]The United States Naval Academy, located in historic Annapolis, Maryland, provides moral, academic, professional and physical education to future outstanding members of the Navy and Marine Corps. The scope of this project included design services for telecommunications cabling systems (voice/data/RF video) with associated supporting infrastructure for the IBU-25 building on the Naval Academy Campus. Project responsibilities included: coordination with the design team for telecommunications outlet placements, telecommunications room sizing, power requirements, environmental requirements, heat load design criteria, telecommunications room lighting and finishes, grounding and bonding for telecommunications equipment, specifications for telecommunications cabling systems, and project management through bidding and construction administration. This project has been successfully complete since May 2007.[/col3]

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MEP Engineer: Mueller Associates, Inc.
Location: Annapolis, Maryland[/col3]

Towson West Elementary – LEED Acoustical Consulting

Convergent Technologies had the opportunity to work with Design Collective architects to provide acoustical consulting and construction administration services for the Towson West Elementary school construction project. The basis for these acoustical consulting services was to provide documented recommendations which would substantiate compliance with the LEED Prerequisite 3 Indoor Environmental Quality, Minimum Acoustical Performance criteria. LEED credits for this prerequisite are awarded based on the design of acoustical environments conducive to education, with consideration to privacy and speech intelligibility. CTDG provided recommendations for modifications to the HVAC system design based on calculations and analysis conducted for both interior and exterior equipment. Exterior equipment analysis was conducted to ensure compliance with local zoning requirements. Additional recommendations were made regarding partition design and interior finishes, to create acoustical solutions which were compliant with both the LEED criteria and the architectural / aesthetic design intent. The Towson West Elementary School construction phase was completed in 2009.

 

Location: Towson, MD
Architect: Design Collective, Inc.
Construction Cost: $2 Million
Gross Square Footage: 50,000 square feet

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Towson University – New Public Safety Building

[col3]The scope of work for the New Public Safety Building includes completed design services for telecommunications cabling systems with associated supporting infrastructure for voice/data/RF video outlets, audiovisual systems with associated supporting infrastructure, and exterior property analysis design services. The new two story building will provide a new home for the University’s Office of Public Safety, which is currently being housed in the General Services building and adjacent trailer. Included in the OPS is the Towson University Police Department (TUPD), Electronic Security and Access Control (ES&AC) and Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) Departments. The types of spaces to receive technology systems include: an Emergency Operations Center (EOC), Interview Rooms, and Office Spaces. Design responsibilities include a fiber optic distribution system and RF coaxial cable for the campus video system; a horizontal cabling system for data, voice and video; and a comprehensive video system to support user video needs. This project is being carried out through the Construction Management at-risk method and is currently in the Construction Administration phase.[/col3]

 

Architect: Grimm + Parker Architects

Location: Towson, Maryland
Construction Cost: $6,400,000

Gross Square Footage: 20,270 square feet

Towson University – Cyber Paws Cafe’

The scope of this project includes a $50,000 design to budget for audiovisual systems and its associated infrastructure for Towson University’s Paws Lounge. Convergent Technologies was asked to provide a high quality surround sound system and an LCD data/video projection system for one (1) 200-seat lounge located in University Union. Project responsibilities include heat load figures, AC power requirements and signal flows for audiovisual equipment. Features within these areas include video projection, audiovisual recording, program and speech audio reinforcement and baseband and broadband distribution systems. Additional responsibilities include a review of existing audiovisual systems and programmatic requirements as well as coordination of the location of audiovisual equipment in areas where equipment and control rooms, constraining ceiling heights and raised floors are present. Scope of design work includes complete specifications and project management for the installed audiovisual systems. This project has been successfully completed since 2007.

 

Location: Towson, MD

Gross Square Footage: 20,000 square feet

Towson University – College of Liberal Arts Building

The scope of this project includes a $5,000,000 design to budget for educational technology systems to include classroom audiovisual presentation systems, telecommunications cabling systems (voice, data, RF Video), common area hallway displays, and acoustics, noise & vibration control. The types of spaces to receive educational technology systems include: English Language Center, mediated classrooms, computer laboratories, lecture halls, clinical assessment training rooms, observation/interview rooms, faculty offices, and conference rooms. The theme echoed from the Dean of the College on through the faculty involved with the design process was that the technology systems would compliment the pedagogy which together would drive the architectural design of the new building. Project scope includes the design of a new Satellite Central Utility Building (SCUB), the replacement, relocation and upgrade of campus utility infrastructure required to support this new marquis building, and a new utilities corridor that includes telecommunications service between key parts of the main academic campus. Additional design responsibilities include the review of educational criteria as they apply to the application of building wide acoustics, noise and vibration for all acoustically sensitive spaces. Key to the success of educational spaces will be the challenge of developing acoustical criteria for HVAC equipment noise levels and sound isolation, and recommendations for room layout, shaping, and acoustical finishes for this large building. Project opportunities include the establishment of campus standards for classroom instructional technologies accomplished via technology systems programming and inclusive of detailed per space cost estimating for all educational technology systems. This project is a six-year, multi-phase design effort with final construction completed in summer 2011.

 

Architects:

  • Burt, Hill – Washington D.C.
  • Ziger/Snead Architects  – Baltimore, Maryland

Departments:

  • English
  • Modern Languages
  • Philosophy/Religious Studies Sociology
  • Anthropology
  • Criminal Justice
  • History
  • Geography
  • Environmental Planning
  • Political Science
  • Psychology
  • Interdisciplinary Studies
  • Gerontology
  • Women’s Studies

Location: Towson, Maryland

Construction Cost: $95 Million

Gross Square Footage: 250,000 square feet

Towson University – Center for the Arts Theatre Classroom Acoustics

Towson University asked Convergent Technologies to analyze acoustical problems occurring within existing theatre classroom space in the University’s Center for the Arts building. The work scope called for CTDG to measure and analyze sound transmission between spaces and offer recommendations to reduce noise disruptions between these adjacent areas. The spaces receiving acoustical and sound-isolation design services included two advanced acting/directing labs; four additional labs used for acting/directing, group and voice arts; and a studio theatre. After the analysis, CTDG recommended the installation of sound-absorptive wall and ceiling finishes on specific wall locations to reduce echoes. In addition, CTDG proposed lowering the ceilings by suspending acoustical “cloud” panels to minimize “flutter” echoes between floors and ceilings. This project began in April 2010 and was completed in mid-2011.

Location: Towson, Maryland
Project Budget: $4,150,000