Contract: N33191-13-R-1421

This project, located within the DoDD School Compound of NSA Bahrain, consists of a School Age Children (SAC) Center 4,025 SqF (approx. 375 SqM), consisting of six prefabricated modules/units.

The selection site location is governed by the necessity to increase visibility, logical approach and east-side access to the building, connected to the nearest base entry gate. This is achieved through a system of pedestrian walkways, landscaped surrounding and parking areas.
The project site adjoins an area dedicated to sport activities on the south, east and west sides, and the pool and gym of the DoDD School main building on the north side, a condition that opens the visual field on three sides.

Emergency vehicle access and ATFP standoff distances
The Scope of Work required provisions for fire vehicle access around the facility in the event of emergencies and, to respect AT/FP standoff distance related to the building classification and use. The design solution respected both requirements: the north perimeter placed at 10 meter from the DoDD School adjacent exterior walls, complying with ATFP requirement to provide unobstructed space around SAC Center RLBs building, and fire vehicle access on three sides of building in case of necessity, ensuring an adequate separation distance to the elements present in the site.
No existing roads inside the DoDD School compound reach project location but the characteristics of the existing pavement allow the vehicles passage: the proposed solution to achieve the best possible accessibility for emergency vehicles is shown in conceptual drawings, together with the possibility to access the site for Fire Department personnel both from East and West gates.
With regards to AT/FP standoff distances, proposed project solution includes antiterrorism and force protection evaluations required in building design and planning. The project location allow designers to facilitate appropriate measures of protection against terrorist attack, according to UFC 4-010-01 (including Change 1, 1 October 2013).
Although referenced UFC lists “Temporary and re-locatable buildings” among building types exempted from AT/FP requirements, worst design condition has been chosen in order to ensure adequate security for building purpose.
According to the above description and designer’s evaluations, for the provided population density SAC Center RLBs falls under the Primary Gathering Facility classification and is required to have the following minimum standoff distances:
- 6m from a Controlled Perimeter or Parking and Roadways without a controlled perimeter;
- 4m from Parking and Roadways within a controlled perimeter;
- 4m from trash containers and enclosures.
Additionally, the Scope of Work requires a dedicated water tank adequately dimensioned for the facility. Designer has placed the water tank with its 4 sides screen wall near the building and proposed technical solution will provide enclosures also on the top of the equipment, maintaining openings and screening material gaps not greater than 150mm—ensuring that no access is possible by unauthorized personnel. This solution ensures the antiterrorism and force protection requirements are met.
Walls required to screen mechanical equipment view from the pedestrian walkway will match building exterior and architectural characteristics of the surroundings, in compliance with Base Exterior Architectural Plan used at NSA Bahrain and above mentioned ATFP requirements.

Project Description
The use of modular buildings is one of the most environmentally sound methods of construction. It is also a highly sustainable and cost-effective alternative to new build without compromising on quality of materials and finishes. Speed of build is a key advantage of off-site construction that cannot be matched by site-based construction methods. Re-locatable modular buildings are designed to be reused or repurposed multiple times and transported to different building sites, when required.
The SAC Center prefabricated building will be installed on reinforced concrete pedestals foundation dimensioned according to site soil conditions, complying with IBC and applicable requirements. The building layout provides #2 different SAC activity areas (SAC 1 and SAC 2) in a compact footprint with minimal site disruption.
The minimum requirement indicated in the SoW for the total SAC areas (min. 2,625 square feet) has been guaranteed in the concept design drawings in order to provide adequate space use for the multiple activities to be performed.
The following schematic flow diagram is drafted on SOW requirements of each SAC Center room.

Exterior façade
Exterior finishes will be selected to be durable, transportable, and long lasting, with very little need for maintenance. The layout of building’s primary exterior material shall be prefinished insulated metal panels or prefinished insulated manufactured faced panel system, aluminum or steel, mounted, cut and finished to relate with existing buildings in elevation design and color.
DODD School Building 540 is a medium height building with flat roof, pale and light wall color, simple and symmetrical at entries, with exterior walls relief at windows, adding variety to facades, and consistent building character, giving a sense of order, compliant with Base Exterior Architectural Plan used at NSA Bahrain.
Metal panels, entries and windows positions at SAC Center prefabricated building elevation has been designed to create a pleasing environment, compatibly with difference in material and in scale with the directly adjacent major building.
Interior multipurpose rooms have high ceilings and finishes are light and bright for maximum light reflection and interest.
Non-organic materials all steel framed construction are selected throughout building.
Easy maintenance interior pavements are vinyl covered. EPDM roofing will have insulation system minimum R-30 and fixed interior partitions will have a minimum Sound Transmission Coefficient (STC) of 42.
Doors, windows and skylights are all energy-efficient units to maximize daylight; additionally, operable windows are placed for maximum cross ventilation.
A complete and usable building will be constructed, provided with all required systems and equipments, including: electrical and communication systems, adequately accommodated in internal ceiling plenum, air conditioning, fire alarm and detection systems, plumbing and sanitary sewer systems.
As regard electrical system, the existing electrical connection point is located in Building #531, at an approximate distance of 350 lm from SAC Center RLBs building. The maximum estimated total electrical load is 40KW. A new circuit breaker of 100A will be installed inside Bldg #531 existing electrical panel and the new connection will be realized using a cable 4x120 sqmm plus ground. The cable will be installed in a new encased ductbank, with 110 mm dia PVC conduit. A spare PVC conduit of same size will be also provided.
Technical innovation and sustainability
The design team considered physical, biological, and chemical sources of potentially harmful contaminants and selected environmentally friendly alternatives such as Low VOC limits for adhesives and paints, and water based finishes. Natural ventilation is achieved through the use of operable windows at least in child multipurpose rooms.
Acoustical dampening is essential to interior experience, and children’s ability to learn and distinguish spoken language is especially affected by background sound levels and surface echo.
Wall and ceiling systems and insulation levels are designed to limit sound transfer from the exterior and between rooms and to significantly dampen sound reverberation within rooms. Acoustical ceiling tile and full height to roof structure interior partition walls reduce sound transfer and sound reverberation within and between rooms.


SHARE ON
School Age Children (SAC) Center, DoDD School Complex Naval Support Activity, Kingdom of Bahrain
School Age Children (SAC) Center, DoDD School Complex Naval Support Activity, Kingdom of Bahrain