Brunswick, ME

Bowdoin College, Park Row Apartments

Scope/Solutions
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Project Summary

Scope/Solutions

Needing to expand its housing options, Bowdoin College undertook several projects, including constructing the new Park Row Apartments for upperclass students. The eighty-eight-bed development includes four wood-framed buildings, each with apartment-style dorm rooms and a multi-purpose room. SGH provided building enclosure consulting services and served as the project’s Passive House Institute US Verifier (PHIUS+ Verifier).

SGH collaborated with the project team on the design and construction of the building enclosure. As the PHIUS+ Verifier, we also conducted and witnessed performance testing. Highlights of our work include the following:

Reviewed the building enclosure design and provided recommendations for improving energy efficiency, airtightness, watertightness, and constructability
Helped detail transitions to reduce thermal bridging and air leakage as required for PHIUS+ certification
Established PHIUS+ performance requirements, roles and responsibilities, testing protocol, and procedures for documenting progress and issues
Reviewed enclosure-related submittals and provided recommendations to ensure the building enclosure systems met the overall project design intent and performance requirements
Observed construction of the building enclosure and mechanical systems, conducted an infrared survey of the exterior walls, and performed whole-building and dwelling unit airtightness testing to compare with the PHIUS+ certification and project requirements
Witnessed testing and balancing of the mechanical system, verified air flows met PHIUS+ certification requirements, and reported power consumption to the Passive House Design consultant
Prepared a PHIUS+ on-site verification package for submission to PHIUS