exp: Trump International Hotel

Automation, controls; electrical, power; HVAC, mechanical; energy, sustainability; plumbing, piping.

By exp August 11, 2016

Engineering firm: exp

2016 MEP Giants rank: 14

Project: Trump International Hotel

Location: Washington, D.C.

Building type: Hotel/motel/resort

Project type: Historical renovation/luxury hotel

Engineering services: Automation, controls; electrical, power; HVAC, mechanical; energy, sustainability; plumbing, piping

Project timeline: September 2012 to September 2016

MEP/FP budget: $900,000

Challenges

This project involved converting a historic post office that was being used as an office building into a luxury hotel. Coordination with all the historic elements and installing/hiding the mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems to minimize the impact on the historic fabric created numerous challenges.

Solutions

Converting an office building to a hotel required a significant change to the HVAC and plumbing system. Cutting typical holes and chases into each floor for vertical risers was costly and led to a design that integrated significant amounts of horizontal distribution.