Okanagan College Health Science Centre
Kelowna, British Columbia
Falcon Engineering provided complete electrical design services for the new health care training centre which contains laboratories and learning facilities for nursing, dental care, and other health care areas.
The electrical design included the relocation of high voltage site services, and communication services prior to the construction of the new building. The building systems included lighting and a networked addressable lighting control system, fire and security systems integrated into the campus network, electrical distribution, HVAC system connections/coordination and the connection to program specific equipment in each lab/classroom.
Okanagan College is a leading institution in sustainable building practices and believes in pushing the industry to develop by using different products than typically installed. During the design of the health centre, the College expressed interest in installing solar photovoltaics and finding ways to integrate them into the building, while showcasing their presence.
Falcon Engineering proposed and designed several unique installations which include: PV roof top mechanical equipment screens, PV carport, and vertical solar PV wall on part of the old Lab building. Each array had specific structural requirements, orientations, and prominence in the campus. The solar panels used were specifically chosen for the transparent glass surrounding each individual PV cells, which provides light under the car port, and visual depth to the vertical installation on the old building. The system consists of 24 kW of photovoltaic panels. Falcon Engineering worked closely with the Contractor to ensure that the installations met the performance criteria, and coordinated with other consultants for complete building integration. The building is designed to LEED Gold and WELL Building Standard.