Nathan Bishop Middle School Makes Transformation with Help From Acentech

  • 08/01/13
Nathan Bishop Middle School Makes Transformation with Help From Acentech 

Acentech worked with Ai3 to upgrade the acoustical standards of Nathan Bishop Middle School in Providence, R.I.

After a three year, $35 million renovation, Nathan Bishop Middle School transformed from a decaying, struggling institution into one of the most sought after public middle schools in Providence, R.I.

During the renovation, Acentech worked closely with Ai3 Architects to upgrade the original 1920s building to the acoustical standards of the 21st century. Following the acoustical goals established by the Collaborative for High Performance Schools in New England and the ANSI S12.60-2002 American National Standard of Acoustical Performance Criteria, Design Requirements and Guidelines for Schools, Acentech focused its recommendations on room acoustical treatments, sound isolation and mechanical systems noise control. We ensured that acoustical treatments, in the classrooms as well as other activity spaces (e.g. gymnasium, cafeteria and auditorium), were suitably selected and distributed in order to control the reverberation time, achieve high speech intelligibility and overall acoustical comfort.

Acentech specified wall and floor/ceiling constructions as well as door and window systems to provide an adequate degree of sound isolation between adjacent spaces. Finally, Acentech worked with the mechanical engineering team to ensure that the noise from the mechanical systems were quiet and did not have a negative effect on the learning environments.

Acentech
www.acentech.com

This article originally appeared in the School Planning & Management August 2013 issue of Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • Image courtesy of MiEN Company

    6 Ways to Pull Off a Major District Construction Project

    Designing and building a large-scale project on a K–12 campus is a monumental undertaking that requires the right blend of ideas, funding, design and execution to get it right. The process also relies on multiple partners, each of which has to handle its respective aspect of the project while also keeping the district’s broader mission and goals in mind.

  • New Kent State Academic Building Earns LEED Silver Certification

    Kent State University in Kent, Ohio, recently announced that its newest academic building, Crawford Hall, has earned a LEED Silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, according to a news release. The facility was recognized for its innovative design, water conservation technologies, energy-efficient systems, and sustainable construction materials, among other features.

  • Active Learning Classroom

    Striking a Balance: The Keys to Renovating Science Education Buildings for the 21st Century

    The recent renovation of the Durham Science Center at the University of Nebraska-Omaha (UNO) provides a roadmap for facilities managers tasked with balancing budget constraints, modern pedagogical demands, and long-term sustainability.

  • California District Starts Construction on New Robotics Facility

    The Fremont Union High School District (FUHSD) near Silicon Valley, Calif., recently announced that construction has begun on a new Robotics Facility on the campus of Cupertino High School, according to a news release. The 14,500-square-foot facility will serve students at high schools across the entire district, providing purpose-built spaces for student creativity and collaboration.

Digital Edition