Micro-Bioretention Facilities
GSF Academic Building
The Project
The Maryland School for the Blind (MSB) in Baltimore, MD campus covers approximately 95 acres of developed and undeveloped areas. The Autism-Blind Learning Activity Center and Residences Project required demolition of four existing buildings and construction of a new 32,000 GSF academic building and two 20,000 GSF residential cottages, covering an area of approximately 7.5 acres. The Learning Activity Center and two Residence Cottages were Certified LEED® Silver by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). The project was designed to meet the very specific and special needs of the Autism-Blind students. Walkways, building entrances, pedestrian and vehicular circulation, landscape and hardscape, as well as every building component was specifically designed to meet the special needs of the students.
RK&K supported the design team by providing civil engineering design and construction administration services including:
- Underground trenchless excavation and repair of existing sanitary sewer mains
- Geotechnical engineering and investigations;
- Site and grading plans
- Design of a submerged gravel wetland and impervious area runoff disconnection for stormwater management treatment
- Phasing of demolition and construction to minimize impact to the students and staff
- Utility connection plans (water, sanitary sewer, storm drainage);
- Erosion control plans and details;
- Coordinate review and approvals with Baltimore City and external agencies as required.
Specifically, the project included design for the following civil engineering related LEED Scorecard sections:
- SSc1 (Site Selection): During design evaluated the site to determine it was free of environmentally sensitive lands to reduce the impact from the selected location of the building.
- SSc4.3 (Alternative Transportation -low-emitting and fuel-efficient vehicles): Reduce pollution and land development impacts from automobile use by providing preferred and dedicated parking for low-emitting and fuel-efficient vehicles as 5% of the vehicle parking capacity.
- SSc4.4 (Alternative Transportation – parking capacity): Size parking to meet, but not exceed demand, and provide 5% parking for car/van pools.
- SSc5.1 (Protect or restore habitat): Restore and protect the site with native or adaptive vegetation.
- SSc5.2 (Maximize Open Space): Provide vegetative open spaces adjacent to the building that is equal or greater than 20% of the building footprint.
- SSc6.2 (Stormwater Design-Quality Control): Two micro-bioretention facilities provided treatment of 90% of the average annual rainfall events capable of removing 80% post-development Total Suspended Solids (TSS).
