Recently, the contractors and engineers involved in the construction of a large-scale resort near the nation’s capital with more than 300 guest rooms and suites, a casino, and several restaurants and amenities celebrated its completion. Construction was completed in less than two years, thanks to 1,500 tradespeople working on the massive project. The project’s general contractor, Whiting Turner Contracting Company, chose Poole & Kent, the mechanical contractor, who worked with Kogok Corporation to perform sheet metal work. The major challenge for Kogok was the successful execution of a project of this size in such a short timeframe while still maintaining high-level quality in its workmanship.
Contractor Chooses Ruskin to Comply With Basis of Design
Kogok’s scope of work included the fabrication and installation of approximately 1.5 million pounds of ductwork and hundreds of pieces of HVAC equipment. It also involved furnishing and installing hundreds of life safety damper assemblies as well as thousands of air devices. Ruskin was chosen as the basis of design (BOD) by the consulting engineer. Contractors rely on BOD criteria to select products and systems that meet predetermined performance requirements. Ruskin not only checked all the boxes in terms of performance, the company and Ruskin representative H&B Engineered Products were also able to deliver large volumes of product within an aggressive timeframe required by the job. In addition, Ruskin dampers helped solve some unique construction challenges for the project. Due to architectural constraints, space for installation and access was an issue. Ruskin’s multitude of configuration options and the wide range of sizes for the certified dynamic assemblies allowed for quality installation, regardless of the application.
Ruskin Dampers Address Safety Challenges
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), most fire-related deaths are caused by smoke inhalation. Therefore, during a fire event, it is imperative air in the building keeps moving so smoke can be removed as quickly as possible. During a fire, dampers are required to either contain or exhaust smoke, giving occupants time to evacuate. Fire dampers are designed to impede the spread of fire through walls, floors, and partitions. Dynamic fire dampers are listed and approved for applications where the HVAC system blower may continue to run during an alarm. Dynamic fire dampers are rated to close against moving air measured in feet-per-minute (fpm) velocity. The resort required a wide range of duct sizes. Ruskin was selected as the sole supplier since it had the largest variety of damper sizes that were tested and approved with a dynamic rating. In addition to having a wide variety of fire-rated dampers, Ruskin manufactures a single-piece, roll-formed air blade. This design results in a stronger blade for higher velocity and better pressure drop. Because the blade is stronger, the damper can also be made lighter.
Trusted Partnership Delivers Excellent Results
The relationship between Kogok, H&B Engineered Products, and Ruskin led to the successful installation of all ductwork. This attention to detail and quality helped the resort receive U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC’s) LEED Gold certification. “With the pace of this project and the number of changes that occurred, Ruskin was able to deliver not only their multiple configuration options but also its Ruskin Express program, which offers quick build and ship,” said Mandy Greenspon, vice president of construction, Kogok Corporation. “This allowed products to get the site quicker to minimize any delay in the construction schedule. Our partnership with Ruskin was a win for both us and the resort.”
