47.5 MB - The Whole Building Design Guide

underground tank for toilets and washing, which supported the occupantsduring the 3 to 4 weeks that the facility was without water.The Cuevas Volunteer Fire Department in Pass Christian, Mississippi,was equipped with an underground septic tank, a drainfield, and a well, and did not experience significant disruptions inits plumbing and fresh water systems. These independent septicand fresh water systems do not rely on public municipal systems,and are preferred where possible as they virtually eliminate thechances of disruption during widespread outages.4.4.9 Mechanical and ElectricalSystemsHurricane Katrina also affected facilities by damaging or destroyingmechanical systems. Hurricane season occurs in thewarmest months of the year, and many of these facilities were notdesigned to allow natural ventilation. For example, the New OrleansPolice Department Headquarters Building is a multi-storybuilding where the main circuitry for the HVAC system, which waslocated in the basement, was severely damaged by the flood. Sincethe building was designed as a closed structure, natural ventilationwas a problem (see Figure 4-46). All the equipment located in thebasement needed to be completely rebuilt or replaced before thebuilding could be occupied again. In the interim, the entire departmentwas forced to relocate its operations to other facilities inthe city, placing a strain on facilities not intended to house additionalpersonnel and take on additional responsibilities.The inability to air-condition buildings because of damagedmechanical and electrical systems allowed internal temperaturesand humidity to reach intolerable levels, and in many buildingsmold began to form.Loss of electrical power during and after Hurricane Katrina affectedall other essential facility systems. Examples of this wereevident at all of the sites visited. Utility, mechanical, and communicationssystems became partially or completely unusable, eitherbecause emergency power was not available, or it had to be rationedas a result of overload or breakdown of generators.4-62 OBSERVATIONS ON THE PERFORMANCE OF CRITICAL FACILITIES