Indoor sports facility, Holyoke, MA
Alteration/ Adaptive Reuse| Archery and indoor golf facility| Minimal renovation to architect and structural component| Complete redesign of MEP system| Cost effective and optimum comfort HVAC design
The MEP system needs to be designed smartly when the architectural and structural components around it remain untouched, especially when an existing building is getting a second life. That's exactly the same challenge SAI Engineers (SAI) is managing on an exciting new adaptive reuse project in Holyoke, Massachusetts - the transformation of an approximately 24,000 square feet former abandoned manufacturing facility into a modern indoor archery and golf facility.
SAI was brought onboard specifically as the MEP/FP (Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing, and Fire Protection) expert partner for this alteration project. The scope was clear but required expertise and smart design to make it feasible from a construction standpoint and meet owner’s budget goals. It's a classic adaptive reuse scenario, where the building's bones stay put, but everything running through them has to be reimagined.
The Challenge: Old Building, New Purpose
Repurposing an abandoned manufacturing facility into a modern recreational space is never a simple retrofit. The original mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems weren't designed for the comfort, aesthetics, or performance expectations of an indoor sports facility. SAI’s scope required a complete MEP redesign to meet new space comfort and indoor air quality requirements based on occupant load, as well as visual and functional goals, while maintaining minimal renovation to the existing architectural and structural elements.
That's where SAI's engineering approach stood apart. Rather than defaulting to a standard sheet metal duct and insulation design approach, SAI’s team proposed a unique solution built around DuctSox, a fabric duct system engineered specifically for projects like this one.
DuctSox: The Right Fit for This Project
For architects, general contractors, and business owners evaluating HVAC design options for renovation building projects, DuctSox offers several practical benefits which go beyond conventional ductwork:
- Aesthetic flexibility: DuctSox fabric ducts are available in multiple colors and shapes, allowing the system to blend seamlessly with ceiling finishes or disappear behind architectural features - a major win when a limited renovation budget can't accommodate extensive ceiling work.
- Faster, easier installation: Compared to standard sheet metal duct and insulation, DuctSox installs significantly faster, saving contractor labor hours and helping keep the project budget significantly lower compared to a standard duct and insulation design.
- Lightweight structural compatibility: Because DuctSox is fabric-based, it's substantially lighter than metal ductwork, minimizing the additional load placed on the building's existing wood structure - critical when structural modifications are off the table.
(Image: Different finish colors available to meet any unique architectural aesthetic needs-www.ductsox.com)
For a project where the mandate was "keep the existing architecture and structure element as-is but make the MEP systems modern," DuctSox checked every box: cost-effective, code-compliant, structurally light, and aesthetically integrated .
SAI's Design Philosophy: Partner First, Engineer Second
This project reflects how SAI approaches every engagement, whether the client is a first-time developer or a business with decades of experience. Business owners and developers are almost always balancing the same three priorities: an aesthetically appealing space, a great end-user experience, and a system that doesn't blow the construction budget.
SAI's process is built to serve all three. Our team at SAI communicates directly in the language of architects, working through design options collaboratively in the early phases to understand a client's expectations and financial constraints. From there, SAI recommends and selects systems that perform well across the board - technically, financially, and visually and coordinates closely with the broader project team to keep the design simple, buildable, and cost-effective.
For architects and general contractors looking for an MEP design partner who understands both the technical and budgetary realities of adaptive reuse, this Holyoke project is a strong example of what that partnership looks like in practice.
Adaptive reuse refers to renovating an existing building for a new purpose while retaining most of its original structure. In MEP design, where the building's new use is completely different from the original, this typically means the mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection systems are completely redesigned to support the new use, even though the architecture and structure remain largely unchanged.
DuctSox is a fabric duct system used as an alternative to traditional sheet metal ductwork. It's lightweight, quick to install, and available in various colors and shapes, making it ideal for renovation projects with tight budgets, limited structural capacity, or specific aesthetic requirements.
Fabric duct systems like DuctSox are faster to install, lighter in weight, and more flexible in appearance than standard ductwork. This reduces labor costs, minimizes structural load on existing buildings, and allows for better visual integration with architectural finishes.
An MEP/FP engineer redesigns the mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection systems for a building as per its new occupancy type, ensuring code compliance, occupant comfort, and system efficiency. On adaptive reuse projects, they must design these systems to fit within existing structural and architectural constraints.
SAI Engineers is an MEP design firm serving across the New England states, working with architects, general contractors, and developers and business owners across a range of commercial, industrial, and recreational building projects.