Primera is pleased to announce that one of our projects was awarded with an Excellence in Engineering Award by the Illinois Chapter of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). The awards program recognizes outstanding engineering work by Illinois Chapter members based on six criteria: energy efficiency, indoor air quality, innovation, operation & maintenance, cost effectiveness and environmental impact.

Among this year’s honorees is Primera’s Chicago Vocational Career Academy (CVCA) project. The HVAC design success of this project was recognized at last night’s ASHRAE annual awards reception and holiday party held at the Metropolitan Club of Chicago.

Chicago Public School’s CVCA is a public 4-year vocational high school located in the Avalon Park neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago. Originally built in 1938 with an approximate construction cost of $4 million, CVCA was opened in 1941 to help provide students with the technical skills to enter and succeed in the workforce. CVCA even contributed to the World War II effort by helping train airplane and aviation mechanics, instruct in national defense, and house trainees and recruits. Since then, thousands of students have graduated from the school’s multiple training courses with the skills and knowledge to be better prepared for their careers in the trades.

In early 2013, CPS set out to improve CVCA’s infrastructure and renovate the facilities. The goal of this project was to create new and efficient career-focused classrooms to prepare students for jobs in a variety of high-growth industries, such as: automotive & engine, carpentry, health care assistance, cosmetology, culinary, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), and horticulture. Primera Engineers was engaged as part of the design team to provide mechanical, electrical and lighting design. Energy-saving design features included: conversion of a low efficiency steam plant to a high efficiency dual temperature water plant, and a state-of-the-art building automation system to improve overall operation, maintenance and reliability. Overall, all of the energy savings resulted in a significant reduction in carbon footprint and CO2 emissions.

ASHRAE, founded in 1894, is a global society advancing human well-being through sustainable technology for the built environment. The Society and its members focus on building systems, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, refrigeration and sustainability within the industry. Through research, standards writing, publishing and continuing education, ASHRAE shapes tomorrow’s built environment today.