MetroSquash is a non-profit organization founded in 2005 by a class of fifth grade students with a mission “to use squash, academics, mentoring, cultural enrichment, and community service to empower Chicago Public School students to reach their full academic and personal potential.” The organization now serves over 160 students year round and has outgrown their current facility that had the capacity for approximately 150 students. To accommodate the growth of the program, the MetroSquash Organization has opened a new facility in the Woodlawn neighborhood of Chicago. The new facility includes eight squash courts, four classrooms, locker rooms, multi-purpose room, and viewing area with the capacity to serve up to 300 students.
The HVAC system designed for this building is flexible and can serve multiple spaces with diverse occupant loads, while making sense for the organization financially. This design includes two rooftop units which are hidden on the roof in a mechanical pit at the center of the building. Air Pear destratification fans are utilized to improve comfort and efficiency in the squash courts that have very high ceilings. Because the spaces in the building can vary in size and occupancy throughout the day, each space is individually controlled to regulate the temperature within the diverse zones.
The lighting design utilizes energy efficient LED and fluorescent light fixtures to highlight the tall ceilings. Lighting in areas with high percentage of glazing has daylight control to further tap energy savings.
The building is served by a high efficiency water heater and low-flow plumbing fixtures throughout.