Located in Okotoks, Alberta, Strathcona – Tweedsmuir School was founded and built in 1971 from the joining of Calgary’s two oldest independent schools (Strathcona School for Boys and Tweedsmuir: an Academic School for Girls). The private K-12 school, which serves 675 students, underwent a 38,000 sqft expansion and systems upgrade.
Williams Engineering (WE) provided electrical systems to add to the state-of-the-art facility. The electrical systems included: power, advanced lighting and control systems, advanced lighting systems, unique designs), and fire alarms. The electrical team also worked on auxiliary systems, which included: security systems, access controls, sound masking, PA system, and cameras. DIRTT walls were also used to offer flexibility throughout different spaces in the school. The walls were prefabricated and pre-manufactured, which can be challenging as it required a great amount of coordination to ensure it was fabricated properly.
18 million dollars were fundraised by the school to fund the upgrades and expansion, which made staying within the budget most important. As well, meeting tight deadlines to assist in the grand re-opening of the school posed a challenge. The design team overcame these challenges through proper planning, continuous communication and keeping all stakeholders involved in the decision-making process.
Overall, the school’s targeted energy efficiency standards were met, which will ultimately provide cost savings to meet their return on investment targets. The school’s state-of-the-art design and systems provide an exceptional educational experience in a sustainable and comfortable environment.
