V.J. and Angela Skutt Catholic High School Training Room

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V.J. and Angela Skutt Catholic High School

Training Room Facility Renovation

2012-2013

As V.J. and Angela Skutt Catholic High School progresses through its twentieth year, there are

changes being made to modernize the look and feel of the school. One very important change

that has yet to be addressed is our training room. In the original plans, there was no training

room. Currently, our athletic trainer works in a modified storage area. As such, he is concerned

that the room does not allow for sufficient treatment of injured students. By redesigning the

room in such a way as to improve the overall quality, the treatment of student athletes will also

be enhanced. This project will address the need for renovation, as well as try to find the most

eco-friendly solutions for the situation.

Team Leader

Kerry Black, P.E.

Team Mentors

John Donovan, URS

Jim Kollbaum, URS

John Harpman, URS

Team Members

Brennan Jones – 9

Jarrod Jourdan – 9

Jacob Koperski – 9

Joe Baratta – 11

Kevin Brittan – 11

Michael Gehrki – 11

Beau Litz – 11

Justin McGill – 11

Nic Peterson – 11

Hannah Richstein – 11

Nate Schmidt – 11

Dakota Smith – 11

Tyler Donan – 12

Nick Jensen – 12

Jared Mertz – 12

Peter Vankat – 12



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Table of Contents

Introduction to Our Project ......................................................................................................... 1

Project Problem Statement .......................................................................................................... 2

Recommendations (Project Solution) .......................................................................................... 2

I. Architectural ............................................................................................................................ 2

Problem Statement ................................................................................................................... 2

Process Description ................................................................................................................. 3

II. Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing .................................................................................... 4



III. Interior Design....................................................................................................................... 5



IV. Cost ....................................................................................................................................... 7



Action Plan for Implementation of Recommendations ............................................................. 9

Journey........................................................................................................................................... 9

Lessons Learned .......................................................................................................................... 10

Team Organization ..................................................................................................................... 11

Acknowledgements ..................................................................................................................... 12

Works Consulted ......................................................................................................................... 13

Appendix Contents...................................................................................................................... 14



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Introduction to Our Project

When V.J. and Angela Skutt Catholic High School first opened in 1993, it served only

120 students. The campus featured a lone gym and no athletic fields. As Skutt Catholic’s

community has grown over the years, the building and surrounding campus has grown with it. In

1998, a new auxiliary gym was built near the existing gym in response to the growing student

population and athletic teams. At the same time, Skutt Catholic realized the need for a trainer’s

room. However, it did not have enough funding left over from the auxiliary gym construction

project to add a new room on to the building. Instead, a make-shift training room was created in

2005 by sub-dividing a maintenance room with a partition wall.

Today, twenty years after Skutt Catholic opened, its athletic department is

thriving. Several sports-related renovations have been made to the campus, most notably a new

turf football field. There was also a renovation done to the weight room. However, the

temporary training room made seven years ago is still in use today. The room is only about 200

square feet, and has had to accommodate most of the school’s athletic teams, including football,

soccer, wrestling, volleyball, and tennis, even though it often does not have the space to fit a

single team inside it. It is a common sight to see players spilling out into the hallway after

football practices. Also, since it was essentially a closet before being converted, the training

room does not have a permanent heating, ventilating, and cooling, or HVAC, system. A portable

air conditioner, or in this case, a glorified fan, is attached to the wall, where it struggles to cool a

room full of perspiring athletes.

Because the existing training room is inadequate in nearly every aspect, its renovation

truly cannot be put off any longer. To support a growing school with an otherwise excellent

athletics program, a new, expanded training room that can properly serve the student population

is needed. As such, we have decided to design V.J. and Angela Skutt Catholic’s Training Room

Facility Renovation for our engineering project.



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Project Problem Statement

In the course of researching this project, six important aspects were kept in mind. Three

of these (mechanical, electrical, and plumbing) were grouped together because of their technical

characteristics. Each aspect was analyzed in detail and is outlined below.

1. Architectural

Originally, the architectural aspect of this project was going to involve knocking out the

outer wall of the building and expanding outward. After interviewing the administration,

we learned that due to budget constraints, the best option was to do a slight expansion of

the existing space. We therefore had to find a way to design the Training Room Facility

Renovation in such a way as to optimize the usage of the available space.

2. Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing

When designing the Training Room Facility Renovation, we had to keep in mind all

existing elements of the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing aspects. This involved

locating the current mechanical, electrical, and plumbing and proposing renovations to fit

the needs of the project.

3. Interior Design

To make the renovation more appealing, we had to try to make it as aesthetically pleasing

as possible. This had to be done in the most cost effective way, and involved several

different elements including paint, flooring, and furniture.

4. Cost

Throughout this project, we had to keep the idea of cost in mind. We did not make it the

deciding factor in our design choices, but it was certainly a major contributing factor. In

order to make this project a reality, the most cost effective solution had to be designed.

Recommendations (Project Solution)

I. Architectural

Problem Statement

While pursuing further action with the Training Room Facility Renovation project, we

ran into many problems including possible design restrictions due to cost, code, and physical

space limitations. Because the school wanted to keep the project as cost effective as possible, we



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Figure 1: Current HVAC system

were severely limited in what we did with respect to design. We wanted to keep the structural

integrity of the building, as well as be effective with our workspace. At the same time, we

wanted to allow for a comfortable and adequate amount of room for the trainer as well as athletes

to move around upon the project’s completion.

Process Description

Due to the current limited space of the training room and the inability to expand outside

of the current building space, we had to be creative in our architectural designs. In order to

expand, we had to demolish a partition wall between the ice room and the training room (See

Drawing S001 in Appendix 5). We could not change any of the aspects vital to the structural

integrity of the building, such as the load-bearing walls. We also had to leave existing doors in

place for the ease of the maintenance staff. We had to calculate how far we could expand into

the ice machine room by taking into account the pallet sizes that needed to be able to fit through

the passageway leading to the maintenance office and boiler room. While we did have the

school’s original floor plan, to get a better idea of our expansion, we took measuring tapes

whenever we went to the training room and used them to show us how much space would

actually be functional after our renovation. A few principles from geometry were applied in the

attempts to maximize the amount of workable area based on the placement of the partition walls.

Our final design included room for the pallets, the workers, and any rotating space necessary.

This design allowed us to expand the training room by 90 square feet.

To begin the architectural design, we had to

research if there were any building code issues with

the room. Two of the major problems we

discovered were the HVAC system and wiring

design. The HVAC system was exposed and much

too low to the floor. The current wiring was also

exposed. We then had to see exactly what we could

build while still adhering to the applicable building

codes. These aspects will be discussed further in-

depth in the MEP section.

Actually designing the expansion was

relatively easy, especially compared to finding the materials needed. There were only four or

five major revisions to the design, and they involved the relocation of the key components of the

training facility. Originally, the hydro-room was going to be in a corner. However, in the

interests of being more cost effective, we positioned it closer to the existing drains and piping

system. The shelving space had been separate from the hydro-room, but upon moving the hydro-

room, the drains were recognized as a welcome pathway for any liquids from the coolers which

would be on the shelves.



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Figure 2: One of the proposed sets

of doors which would have been

changed

The taping area was planned to be directly

outside of the hydro-room, but because both tables

would not fit comfortably in that area, it had to be

repositioned. Another feature of earlier drafts included

replacing the double doors into the maintenance room

and leading to the outside to single door systems. This

would have increased the area that we could expand

inwardly. After speaking with the client, however, it

was learned that they would prefer to leave the doorways

intact for both the maintenance staff and cost-

effectiveness.

The main additions to the training room were an

improved taping station, a slightly larger and more

private office for the trainer, and a hydro-room. In

designing the hydro-room, we decided to go with a

half-wall with plexiglass windows so that the space

could be constantly monitored. To increase the interior

space of the hydro-room, we also decided to opt for no door. The hydro-room would contain a

three-tier rack for coolers, two hot and cold whirlpools, an ice machine with an air-cooling

condenser system, and a mini refrigerator.

II. Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing

Problem Statement

After looking through the existing training room, we realized that there was very much

work that had to be done. Much of the piping was against code (too low to the ground) and

would have to be moved to a new location. Some electrical wiring was also sticking out of the

wall and not connected to anything. This came forth as a safety hazard, and we realized that

these smaller details would need to be attended to before anything else. As for the plumbing, we

decided to place the future hydro-room near the existing ice machine location, so that a new

drainage system did not have to be established.

Process Description

In order to gain the most information we could about the current training room and the

surrounding area, we had to investigate the electrical, HVAC, plumbing, and structural plans.

Looking at these designs, we had to decide how we could modify them to comply with the

building codes in the most cost effective way. We had two main issues to deal with: the low

HVAC system and the plumbing for the proposed hydro-room.



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Figure 3: Current ice machine

with pipe leading to ceiling

The HVAC system, we discovered, was makeshift to the room due to the partition wall.

The training room itself had no heating or cooling system, so airflow had to be funneled in and

out from the adjacent maintenance room via an improvised system. The system was against code

because of its low level in comparison with the ground. For the suggested renovation, there

would be no need for this extra system because no wall would be separating the training facility

from the HVAC channels connected to the central processing unit.

In order to maximize the amount of vertical space in the

training room, a suspended ceiling was chosen. Looking at the

plumbing plans, there was a drain in the vicinity of the hydro-

room, as well as a small pipe that went up into the ceiling and

led to the main piping system. The pipe existed because the ice

machine in the storage room adjacent to the current training

room did not have an air-cooling condenser system. The pipe

had to bring water to the machine to cool the refrigerant liquid.

For the purpose of the hydro-room, this pipe will have to be

expanded to fit the needs of the two whirlpools. The expanded

pipe will then be connected to the central unit in the nearby

boiler room.

For the electrical aspects of our project, we decided to

replace the existing fluorescent lights with fourteen can lights. The fluorescents lights had to be

replaced no matter what, due to the mercury they contained. The fourteen can lights were placed

in the most effective spots to make use of optics and illuminance. We wanted to make sure that

the entire training facility would be adequately, but not overly, lit.

Originally, there had been no smoke detectors, so we had to plan for the installation of

three. Due to the hydro-room, we also had to introduce three ground fault circuit interrupter

(GFI) outlets so that we would have the ability to cut the currents to the outlets around water

when needed.

III. Interior Design

Problem Statement

The main reason behind renovating the training room’s interior was to make

it aesthetically pleasing and more comforting for the injured students. When injuries

do occur, people are almost always in pain. Being in an incredibly small and

undecorated room can be intimidating and make the athletes feel uncomfortable.

Redesigning the interior brings a new, positive vibe to the room. By making the



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room bright and cozy, the athletes’ paths to recovery will be more comfortable and less pain-

oriented.

Process Description

Interior design involved a number of different elements. First, we considered different

colors of paint for the walls. To get an idea for the kinds of colors our clients might desire, we

used the Sherwin Williams website. We narrowed it down based on Skutt Catholic’s school

colors, so we looked at different shades of green, gray, and white. In order to receive Sherwin

Williams’ paint samples, we would have had to go down to the store and then order them. In

lieu of doing this, we chose to go to Millard Lumber and look at similar paint samples to the ones

online. We decided that the majority of the walls would be grey. One wall would be green, and

students in Skutt Catholic art classes would be able to paint a mural centered around the school

logo.

While at Millard Lumber, we took the chosen paint samples and used them to find

complementary cabinetry samples. Four different samples were chosen for the client to choose

from. Of these stains, the preferred choice was cherry, so we designed everything around that.

If the client chose one of the other stains, it would only be a matter of changing the details of the

order.

Flooring and tile samples were obtained

from Odermatt. The tile would only be needed for

the hydro-room, which would house the two

whirlpools and a drain. We chose Mondo

Flooring, a multi-purpose surface, because it was

the most sustainable. There is no harm done to

the environment during any stage of the production process of Mondo flooring. Renewable

rubber, natural color pigments, and organic fillers also make the flooring sustainable. Mondo is

a GREENGUARD certified company. A company gains GREENGUARD certification through

the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute, which exists to improve public health by

monitoring the quality of indoor air.

The task of choosing countertop samples was a bit more subjective. We decided to

search for colors which would accent the walls. Four different samples were found and ordered

from Formica. Formica is also a GREENGUARD certified company. As a laminate, it is much

more sustainable than granite or marble, which must be mined from quarries. Formica is also

extremely conscientious about their carbon emissions. Their laminate is made of natural

resources and does not release air-damaging chemicals. It is also the most cost effective option.

We chose to go with a suspended ceiling to maximize headroom and to stay consistent

with the rest of the school. White tile was chosen to both make sure the room’s atmosphere



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Figure 5: IKEA MICKE desk

Figure 4: Realspace

PRO Patriot chair

would not be too dark and that it would be uniform to the rest of the school. The suspended

ceiling was also chosen because it would cover all of the ductwork, therefore relieving us of

having to relocate anything. It also allows for easy access to the plumbing and electrical

systems. The maintenance staff was able to give us the information we needed to find an exact

match to the tiles used for the rest of the school. We were able to then contact the production

company to receive a cost estimate given the dimensions of the room.

As far as office furniture goes, we chose only to replace the

existing desk and chair. We went with the IKEA black-brown MICKE

model for the desk. IKEA impressed us with its

concern for the planet and the people, as well as its

inexpensive and modern equipment. IKEA makes

sure to be conservative in its use of raw materials,

energy, water, as well as supporting responsibly

managed forests. IKEA and the IKEA Foundation

also work together to aid children in developing nations. For the chair, we chose a Realspace

PRO Patriot swivel chair. Although perhaps not as cost-effective as it could be, this chair would

be extremely durable, yet comfortable for our trainer.

One of the best things about redesigning the interior of the Skutt Catholic Training Room

Facility was that it would improve the quality of care for the injured athletes. The Mondo

flooring would allow for better clean-up from spills than the existing carpet does, as it could be

mopped and sanitized. The increase in functional area would also provide a more open concept

that would make the space feel larger than it actually is.

IV. Cost

Problem Statement

As a private, Catholic school, this renovation would rely on the contributions of donors.

This money would then have to be used as conservatively as possible, and some compromises

would have to be made. In order to create a design that we would be able to be funded through

donations, cost was a major priority. Being cost effective is always something to keep in mind,

but for this project, it was especially essential.

Process Description

Throughout the design process, we have had to keep a list of what would be needed for

the final cost estimate. We always tried to compare prices and then choose the most economical



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choice within our price range. Materials were not the only thing that we had to keep in mind,

however; labor also had to be taken into account.

To compile an accurate cost estimate, our project manager conducted five different

meetings with men from three contractors: Commercial Ceilings, Floors Inc., and Advanced

Electrical.

Before meeting with Mr. Brian Russell from Commercial Ceilings, we were looking at

renovating with a normal, non-suspended ceiling. Mr. Russell told us, however, that the

suspended ceiling would be best because of the access it would allow to the plumbing and

electrical systems. We researched the subject some more and did eventually decide to use the

suspended ceiling. Commercial Ceilings was then able to provide us with a cost estimate for all

of the paneling and labor.

When Theresa Stevens from Floors Inc. came to Skutt Catholic, she started by doing her

own rough estimate of the training facility. She then went over the sample book with Nic

Peterson, our project manager, and advised us on how to be the most cost effective when it came

to flooring. After the initial meeting, she contacted her supervisor. With some more explanation

from our project manager, her supervisor offered to donate the flooring, the baseboard, and the

adhesive needed for the renovation. Skutt Catholic would only need to pay for the labor

involved.

We had to conduct the electrical contractor meetings over the telephone, as it would have

cost money to have a worker come out and look at everything. Before the actual start of the

project, we would, of course, pay someone to come out, but because of the need for only a

general estimate, we coordinated over the phone. Nic Peterson spoke with Sasha Smith from

Advanced Electrical to receive a good estimate of how much it would cost to install all of the

components of our renovated electrical plan.

The final cost estimate can be found in Appendix 1. We split it into three phases. Phase

one included all of the demolition work and essential construction. Phase two dealt with the

interior components to be included in the training room. To show an even more cost-effective

route, we designed phase three- possible subtractions due to use of existing equipment. Our

projected total cost is approximately $11,500. The projected cost with subtractions is

approximately $8,800.

In connection to the cost estimate, we also designed a tentative schedule for the

renovation and a donor packet, to show to those interested in helping fund the project. The

schedule was outlined so as to give us enough time to begin serious work on our project as well

as speak with the administration. The donor packet with the included schedule can be found in

Appendix 2.



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Action Plan for Implementation of Recommendations

Our project is based on a very real concept and actual need of our school. A renovation

of the training room has long been discussed, and our project puts it into perspective. This added

a certain sense of urgency to our project, as we knew it would become the basis for the future

renovation.

We knew that we did not want all of the work we have done thus far on the Training

Room Facility Renovation to be for nothing, so we have faced this project with a professional

mentality in mind. With the proposed plans and cost estimate, we will be able to brief the

administration and possible donors on the more detailed aspects of the project.

With the conclusion of the cost estimate, we began the donor process and plan to

continue work on this through May of 2013. Final approval for completion of the project could

be obtained from the administration as early as April 2013. Through the month of June,

contractor meetings would be held and work dates would be scheduled, as long as the approval

process proceeded smoothly. The actual renovation would occur during July 2013 and be

completed by August 1, 2013, in the anticipation of the beginning of preparations for fall sports.

Journey

Joining the Team and Choosing the Project

Members of our team had several reasons for joining the team and making this project a

reality. Eight members of our team had participated in the SMP competition last year, and had

very much enjoyed the experience. Others chose to join the team because they were interested in

future engineering careers. Still more desired to expand their extracurricular activities and work

on something academically oriented rather than just athletics

The Training Room Facility Renovation was one of two projects the Skutt Catholic

Engineering Team has been working on this year. Many of the members of this team are also

athletes, so they chose to work on a project with their own interests in mind. Others chose this

project because of the possibility that it would become a reality.

Interviewing the Administration

Because the realization of this project depended on the authorization of the

administration, we had to conduct several interviews. We were able to talk with the president,

principal, activities director, head of maintenance, and athletic trainer, as well as a few other

people. These interviews led us to become even more excited about the project, as everyone was

highly interested in our success and more than willing to do everything they could to help us

complete our designs.



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While speaking with the administration of Skutt Catholic, we highlighted the immediate

need for a renovation to the training room. We discussed the code violations as well as the lack

of functionality for the school trainer. We outlined what a renovation would entail and were able

to agree on an estimated budget. Our team also put together a sample board to help the client

better visualize what the finished renovation would look like.

The administration was quite pleased with all of the work we had done and informed us

of the best way to make our project a reality. We would need to design and evaluate everything

that needed to be done so that our plans could be given to contractors who would in turn do an

official cost estimate. We arranged milestone check-ups so that we could update our client on

how the project was coming and if there were any major new details to share.

Creating Our Training Room Facility Renovation

The actual process of creating our renovation began in August with some prerequisite

research. During September, extensive interviews were held with faculty and staff members to

gather more information. In October, we began our weekly meetings as a team and with our

mentors. During the first few months, extensive research was conducted concerning building

codes and cost-effectiveness. Using this research, we were able to work together as a team to

create the designs and make decisions about other aspects of the project. Each team member was

able to contribute using their unique qualities, whether it be CAD abilities, creativity, or writing

skills.

As our project progressed, we continued to meet every Thursday, but much work had to

be done outside of our meetings. Nic Peterson, our project manager, took responsibility for all of

the necessary work and spent hours working on the CAD designs and various minute details no

one else thought about.

Lessons Learned

An Engineer’s Life

While working on the Training Room Facility Renovation, team members learned

various lessons concerning an engineer’s life. From talking with our mentors from URS, we

learned about the process engineers must go through while completing their contracted projects.

We learned how communication is a large part of accomplishing any task and how important

contact with the client and proposed contractors is. Many of us also discovered that even the

simplest change in a project must be backed with significant research. All of the work we have

done on this project has definitely increased interest in the engineering field for those previously

unaware of its appeals and has cemented the decisions of others already looking forward to

entering the field after college.



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Responsibility and Time Management

Engineering team required a large amount of personal responsibility. The knowledge that

an entire team is depending upon you is a huge motivation towards the completion of different

tasks. Members were assigned homework to complete and share upon the next meeting, and

some of this outside work was critical in the completion of our project. Of course, part of

responsibility included time management. Returning team members knew the value of time, and

how although it may seem like you have months, they tend to fly by without notice. Because our

meetings usually only lasted an hour to an hour-and-a-half, we had to try to make as much use as

possible from our time spent together. It did take several meetings for this to become clear, but

eventually we were all able to maximize the amount of work we accomplished every meeting.

While these two lessons have been essential to our meetings, we know that they will be essential

throughout our college careers and upon our entrance to the real world.

Differences from Other Activities

Many of the newcomers to the engineering team discovered how different working on

this project is from other extracurricular activities. Being a member of the engineering team

required dedication and constant effort. There was some time for having fun, but the majority of

time had to be used wisely and towards completion of assigned tasks. This project involved a

large amount of thinking and did not need necessarily require athletic ability or hand-eye

coordination. Engineering team also allowed for a certain amount of freedom, as tasks were

assigned and could be completed in any manner within reason. Perhaps the best part of this

project was the major sense of accomplishment and the discovery that teamwork can be

extremely effective when we let it.

Team Organization

With sixteen members on our team and several different aspects to cover, it was helpful

to make a visual representation of all of our responsibilities. The chart shown in Appendix 3 is a

good representation of the responsibilities of each of the team members. Each person brought

his or her own talents to the team and was able to choose what he or she would be completing for

the project. Despite having different sections of our project, we all kept each other informed of

our progress and helped out when needed.

Another major aspect of our team organization was preparing a timeline for when certain

points of the projects had to be completed. This timeline included the deadlines for submittals as

well as goals we set for ourselves. It can be found in Appendix 4.



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Acknowledgements

The members of Skutt Catholic’s Training Room Facility Renovation Engineering Team

would like to thank several people for aiding us in the creation of this project. They have made it

possible for us to achieve all that we have and allowed us to grow through this great learning

experience.

Mr. Kerry Black, our Team Leader, for his devotion to this Engineering Team and all of

the work he has put into helping us succeed in everything that we have set out to do.

Mr. John Donovan, Mr. Jim A. Kollbaum, and Mr. John Harpham, our mentors from

URS, for spending their limited free time after work with us to guide us through the

process of designing a project like real engineers would and offering their suggestions on

how to make our project better.

The Skutt Catholic Administration, for supporting us in our endeavor to make this project

a reality and sitting through extensive interviews with us to discuss our progress.

Mr. Bill Howard, for letting us use his computer lab and teaching members of our team

how to use CAD effectively.

Mr. Eric Urbanec, our school’s athletic trainer, who has so willingly answered questions

concerning his workspace and has cooperated with us as we have done our work.

Mr. Mike McMahon, our school’s activities director, for being so supportive of our

project and helping us in every way he can.

The Skutt Catholic Maintenance Staff, for so patiently answering our questions about

how they operate and what they know about the building.

Mr. Michael Zepplin, the athletic director at Elkhorn High School, for being so willing to

help us understand what is essential in a high school training rom.



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Works Consulted

AutoCAD 2013. Autodesk, 2012. Print.

"Formica Corporation." Formica Sustainability. Formica Corporation, 2013. Web. Feb. 2013.

"IKEA: People and Planet." IKEA. Inter IKEA Systems, 2013. Web. Feb. 2013.

<http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/10244743/>

Microsoft Word 2010.

Microsoft Excel 2010.

Odermatt Floor Covering, Inc. Tile samples and cost estimate. Jan. 2013.

Russell, Brian. Commercial Ceilings. Suspended ceiling estimate. Jan. 2013.

<http://www.sherwin-williams.com/>

Smith, Sasha. Advanced Electrical. Electrical labor cost estimate via phone. Jan. 2013.

SoftPlan 2012. Print.

Stevens, Theresa. Floors Inc. Visit to school and professional labor estimate. Jan. 2013.

Zepplin, Michael. Personal interview over telephone. 8 Jan. 2013.



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Appendix Contents

1. Final Cost Estimate

2. Donor Packet

3. Team Organization Chart

4. Team Timelines

5. CAD Drawings

Site Plan……………………………………………………………………………...C001

Existing Floor Plan………………………………………………………………….A001

Proposed Floor Plan………………………………………………………………...A002

Demolition Plan……………………………………………………………………...S001

Existing Electrical Plan…………………………………………………………MEP001

Proposed Electrical Plan………………………………………………………..MEP002

Plumbing/ HVAC Plan………………………………………………………….MEP003

Documents

V.J. and Angela Skutt Catholic High School Training Room