Gore Multi-Sports Complex
Development
Sand base for ice rink
Met tight project budget constraint
A sand-based ice rink as opposed to concrete was a cost saving measure. A sand-based ice rink requires a more involved ice building procedure and will have slightly higher thermal resistance to the heat transfer. Ice and space cooling in the Ice Rink was met by the otherwise wasted cooling effect of the heat pump heating system. The cascade coolant circulation system allows an affordable standard chiller to provide cooling to the ice bed.
Essentially the systems designed are both energy efficient and cost effective. They include:
- Variable speed drives on the cooling water to the ice rink
- Air quality sensor on the ice rink air handler reduces energy used for fan, and air cooling and heating.
- Humidity sensors in the pool hall, and variable speed drives on the supply and extract fans reduces energy used for fans and air heating.
- Cooling coil in the exhaust air stream sized extracts both the latent and sensible heat from the reject pool air.
Plant and equipment in this building is compact and space efficient. Installation of a waste water trap ensures that the facility places minimum load on the waste water system. This can be a problem in municipal systems where waste can deposit on the bottom of drainage systems during times of low flow and 'set', eventually producing a blockage. Special attention was given to preventing noise being a problem at the site boundary by specifying low speed fans and providing an acoustic barrier around the external condenser and air discharges. MWH worked closely with the architect to minimise the visual impact of the mechanical services.
