Residents in Lincoln, NE, looking for an attractive, comfortable, environmentally friendly facility in which to exercise now have a design for such, thanks to winners of theASHRAE(Atlanta) 2002 Student Design Competition. Undergraduate students were challenged by the ASHRAE 2002 Student Design Competition to design a family center and athletic facility in Lincoln.

Winners were announced in three categories - architectural design, and hvac system selection and design. Projects are evaluated on anticipated operating costs, environmental impact, comfort, health, creativity, and communication of results.

First place in the hvac system design category went to David Begin, Wayne Belka, Tim Eller, Bill Kangas, Marv Kladder, Troy Milks, Matthew Pedler and Brian Reneker of the Ferris State University Applied Technology Center in Grand Rapids, MI. Their advisor is Donald Steeby. Their system features geo-thermal heat pumps with a small boiler for fin tube (radiant in-floor). A gymnasium and wellness center each has two roof top units. The control system includes individual thermostats per area. It was determined to be the best in regard to the environment, health and comfort and cost analysis.

First place in the hvac system selection category was awarded to Zachary Brown, Damien Chambers, Scott Houghton, Jason Izbicki, Scott Kaplan, Tom Tacey and Dean Weber of Ferris State University in Big Rapids, MI. Their advisor is Michael Walton. The students selected a closed loop geothermal heat pump system. Advantages are the system is flexible and easily expanded, saves money by using heat recovered from interior zones and moving it to perimeter zones where it may be needed, its ability to isolate and shut down unoccupied areas, and saves on floor space when hung in the ceiling space. A heat pump in each zone provides excellent comfort control, and units do not need exposure to ambient conditions.

First place in the architectural category went to Jacobi Gastile, Angelica Gordon and Ronnie Pride Jr. of North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, NC. Their advisor is Robert Powell. Their design features a red and white brick building with concrete accents. The team focused on a well-designed mechanical space, direct access to the pool from the locker area, exterior aesthetics, project cost and additional space.

First-place teams in each category will receive $1,500 and transportation and lodging costs for a representative to attend ASHRAE's 2003 Winter Meeting January 25-29 in Chicago, to receive their awards. Each of the projects will be represented in a poster session during the meeting.

The 2003 ASHRAE Student Design Project Competition will focus on the design of a two-story educational building to be constructed on a medium size college campus in Singapore. The design and drawings are available to students and faculty advisors on ASHRAE Online at www.ashrae.org/STUDENT/2003-overview.htm.

The purpose of the competition is to recognize outstanding student design projects, to encourage undergraduate students to become involved in the profession, to apply their knowledge of practical design and to promote teamwork.