Attachment_29_-_USAF_Unaccompanied_Housing_Design_Guide.pdf

Air Force Unaccompanied Housing Design

Unaccompanied Housing Design Guide

U N I T E D S T A T E S A I R F O R C E

Developed by:

Headquarters United States Air Force Office of the Civil Engineer Housing Division AF/ILEH

(703) 601.0478

J a n u a r y 2 0 0 6

Attachment 29

Chapter 1 Introduction A. Executive Summary …………………………………………………….4

B. Specific Guidance …..…………. ……………………………………4

1. Dorms-4-Airmen ……………………………………………..……..4

2. NCO/SNCO/Officers ……………………………………………..……..5

3. Installation Requirements …………...…………………………...…..5

C. Scope and Use ……….……………………………………….…..6

1. Application …………………………………………….……...6

2. Limitations …………………………………………………

D. Goals …………………………………………………

Chapter 2 Planning and Programming A. Overall Considerations ………………………………………………….…8

1. Project Team …………………………………………………….8

2. Project Initiation …………………………………………………….8

3. Project Definition …………………………………………………….9

4. Project Siting …………………………………………………….9

5. Codes and Standards ………………………………………………..….12

6. Design Process ……………………………………………………13

7. Air Force Unaccompanied Housing Categories ……………………………14

8. Net Living Area and Gross Building Area ……………………………15

9. Special Considerations for Renovation Projects ……………………………19

B. Specific Considerations ……………………………………………20

1. Recruit Housing and Training ……………………………………………20

2. Pipeline Student Housing ……………………………………………20

3. Permanent Party Unaccompanied Housing – Dorms-4-Airmen ……………23

4. Permanent Party Unaccompanied Housing – NCO/SNCO/Officers ……33

5. Project Cost Considerations ……………………………………………44

Chapter 3 Facility Design A. Site Design ……………………………………………………46

1. Siting Requirements ……………………………………………………46

2. Circulation …………………………………………………...48

3. Parking ……………………………………………………50

4. Site Considerations ……………………………………………………51

5. Site Amenities ……………………………………………………52

6. Landscape Architecture …………...………………………………………54

B. Building Design…………………………………………………...………57

1. General Considerations ……………………………………………57

2. Building Configuration …………………………………………………...58

3. Unaccompanied Housing - Dorms-4-Airmen ……………………………60

4. Unaccompanied Housing - NCO/SNCO/Officers ……………………63

5. Interior/Exterior Relationships ……………………………………………66

6. Privacy/Social Interaction ……………………………………………66

7. Noise Considerations ……………………………………………66

8. Architecture ………………………………………………...…67

9. Functional Area Requirements ……………………………………...……71

10. Interior Design ……………………………………………….…...85

C. Building Systems…………………………………………………………90

1. Structural …………………………………………………………...90

2. Acoustics …………………………………………………………

3. Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) ……………………92

4. Plumbing …………………………………………………………

5. Energy Performance …………………………………………

6. Electrical/Communications ……………………………………………95

7. Fire Protection/Life Safety ……………………………………………97

Chapter 4 Resources and Links

A. Government Publications………………………..……………………..100

B. Non-Government Publications…………………………………………102

C H A P T E R 1 I N T R O D U C T I O N

A. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The intent of this guide is to provide the basic criteria to plan, program, design, and construct Air Force Pipeline Student Housing and Permanent Party Unaccompanied Housing. Previous guidance focused on E1-E4 requirements only and did not consider E5-E9 and officer Unaccompanied Housing requirements. This most recent inclusion of Non-Commissioned Officers (NCO), Senior Non-Commissioned Officers (SNCO), and officer requirements provides installations and Major Commands the opportunity to ensure consistency and flexibility in design and construction while enhancing quality of life. While this guide focuses on permanent party Unaccompanied Housing requirements, basic requirements for Recruit Housing & Training (RH&T) and Pipeline Student Housing are also included.

Guidance provided for Dorms-4-Airmen module configuration and space allocation is prescriptive.

Guidance for E5-E9 and officer Unaccompanied Housing is more descriptive in nature with an emphasis on flexibility and installation specific requirements. Conceptual plans developed for these grades emphasize an increased Net Living Area (NLA) within individual modules and take precedence over other Air Force guidance.

Chapter 2 Planning and Programming addresses specific considerations for Unaccompanied Housing construction standards and space requirements and describes authorized variations in scope and criteria including installation specific requirements. Chapter 3 Facility Design introduces general site and building design considerations including conceptual module plan and building plan configurations. Chapter 4 Resources and Links provides a comprehensive list of resources and links to be used in conjunction with this guide.

B. SPECIFIC GUIDANCE

1. Dorms-4-Airmen

E1-E4 guidance was developed from the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) E1-E4 enlisted Unaccompanied Housing design standard, called the “1+1” standard issued on 6 November 95, and modified by OSD letter dated 25 June 01. The OSD changes provide excellent opportunities for the Air Force to improve the quality of life for airmen living in Permanent Party Unaccompanied Housing. Adoption of this guidance allows the Department of Defense (DoD) additional flexibility in the design and construction of Unaccompanied Housing with use of comparable industry standards. More importantly, eliminating the module gross area restriction allows DoD to best use limited space to increase the individual room spaces in each module. The previous 11 M2 limitation on room size for E1-E4 airmen is eliminated, allowing greater flexibility and livability; however, the new criteria changes do not permit increased costs over the previous criteria. The Gross Building Area (GBA) limitation remains unchanged, but flexibility within the building is enhanced.

The four-bedroom module design (Dorms-4-Airmen) developed for E1-E4 Unaccompanied Housing is based upon increased and enhanced Air Force criteria, detailed analysis of square footage requirements and constraints, and prototype development. Conceptual module plans are provided in this guide for both new construction and renovation and shall be used as the new standard for Air Force E1-E4 construction.

2. NCO/SNCO/Officer This revision provides conceptual guidance for Unaccompanied Housing occupied by E5-E9 and officer personnel, allowing projects to be scored and programmed similar to E1-E4 Unaccompanied Housing requirements, with results rolled into the Air Force dormitory program. These types of dormitory facility requirements and projects were historically excluded from the Air Force dormitory program. The guidance presented in this document will provide the tools necessary to program all Unaccompanied Housing categories, emphasizing flexibility and conceptual planning guidance to enhance quality of life for the residents.

Similar to the development of the Dorms-4-Airmen module plans, a detailed analysis of square footage requirements and constraints led to the development of conceptual module plans for E5-E9 and officer Unaccompanied Housing. Existing officer MILCON designs and Dorms-4-Airmen configurations were considered to ensure flexibility based on installation requirements. All of the plans developed are conceptual and are provided to ensure a consistent level of quality during design and construction. A recommended Net Living Area (NLA) for NCO, SNCO, and officer grades was established based on existing MILCON construction and increased Air Force criteria. This recommended NLA takes precedence over other Air Force guidance and encourages maximum module living area more comparable to Military Family Housing area allowances.

Conceptual plans included show variation in NLA of different module configurations while maintaining the maximum GBA. As a module configuration evolves from linear to elongated, additional NLA can be realized within the modules based on reduced building circulation requirements. Based on the recommended NLA and to provide a private apartment for NCO grades, a dormitory facility constructed solely for this grade will greatly exceed the maximum GBA allowed. Thus, recommend mixing higher grades with an increased GBA allowance with the construction of NCO modules to maintain the overall GBA for the facility. When considering the use of the Dorms-4-Airmen footprint and a mix of NCO modules within this footprint, the maximum GBA allowance of a NCO module must be balanced with a reduction in space elsewhere in the facility. A conceptual building plan using a mix of NCO modules within the recommended NLA on the third floor of a Dorms-4-Airmen dormitory will continue to exceed overall GBA.

3. Installation Requirements Installation specific requirements will impact floor plans and building configurations in Unaccompanied Housing design and construction. Geographical location requirements such as sub-artic climates, high-rise construction, host nation requirements, and Collective Protection System (CPS) requirements are accounted for in Chapter 2 Planning and Programming. Other variations within criteria, scope, and program dollars for new construction will require approval from HQ USAF /ILEH. Variations in NLA and GBA for renovation projects based on site specific requirements are allowed based on OSD letter dated 6 November 1995 and do not require further approval.

When an installation has Unaccompanied Housing requirements including various grades of enlisted and officer personnel, especially in OCONUS or remote locations, new dormitory facility design and construction may require greater flexibility to support a mix of residents. Mixing of modules for CGO (01-03) with SNCO (E7-E9) grades within the same dormitory facility is permissible if officer and enlisted separation within this facility can be maintained by building wing or floor configuration and if this mix is required for efficiency of construction, unit integrity, or other justifiable installation specific requirements.

C. SCOPE AND USE

1. Application This guide is applicable to all Unaccompanied Housing projects in the continental United States and overseas and applies to new facilities and renovation projects. This guide provides basic criteria for determining:

• Programming requirements

• Site selection and master planning

• Facility design

• Landscape design

• Interior design

The design criteria in this guide apply to all dormitory types (Corridor Access, Balcony Access, and Breezeway Access) unless noted otherwise.

2. Limitations This document provides detailed general information needed to produce a programming plan or conceptual design for all projects. Use this guide in conjunction with other Air Force and Department of Defense (DoD) documents that give related guidance including those referenced in Chapter 4, Resources and Links. This is not a cost estimation document; consult Headquarters Air Force Civil Engineer Support Agency (HQ AFCESA) for cost estimation guidance. Reference the HQ AFCESA Cost Engineering Program and the most current Air Force Dormitory Master Plan for specific project planning guidance.

Unique design requirements of a specific project should be addressed individually at the local level.

This design guide is not a substitute for research required by programmers and designers, and it recognizes that the Major Commands may and frequently do have special requirements for Unaccompanied Housing facilities. Adherence to installation and Major Command facility design standards and facility excellence guides is critical. Required minimum NLA and construction standards are mandatory as provided in Chapter 2 Section B Specific Considerations of this guide. All other programming and design requirements included in this guide are minimum standards and/or recommendations and are subject to local requirements and interpretation.

D. GOALS

This guide sets overall Air Force policy, but includes flexibility to meet local needs to the greatest extent. This design guide serves to provide a better understanding of the many issues involved in quality housing for our unaccompanied enlisted and officer personnel. It also promotes cradle-to-grave teamwork in the project development and execution process from requirements identification through beneficial occupancy.

Air Force facilities project quality by their appearance, ambiance, and fulfillment of functional requirements and mission objectives. Quality is derived from a professional commitment by users, planners, programmers, and designers to achieve understated excellence through the delivery of complete and usable facilities. To achieve quality results, Unaccompanied Housing shall satisfy the design intent, be durable, easily maintained, incorporate applicable force protection measures, and present a positive image of the Air Force in its role as caretaker of personnel as well as the environment.

Air Force Unaccompanied Housing projects will exhibit leadership in sustainable and environmentally responsible design and construction. These projects will also comply with the latest edition of the DoD Minimum Antiterrorism Standards for Buildings.

C H A P T E R 2 P L A N N I N G A N D P R O G R A M M I N G

Buckley Air Force Base Vandenberg Air Force Base

A. OVERALL CONSIDERATIONS

Successful dormitory facilities require involvement of the entire facility delivery team early in the process to fully develop facility requirements to identify the appropriate cost, develop programming documents, and deliver the project on-time and within budget.

1. Project Team

A number of people have an interest in the delivery of quality Unaccompanied Housing facilities.

Each has their own criteria for what is important, and each plays a vital role in establishing design criteria. The following is a list of these team members:

• Unaccompanied Enlisted Personnel

• Unaccompanied Officer Personnel

• Command Chiefs

• First Sergeants

• Commanders

• Community Planners, Architects, Landscape Architects, Engineers and Interior Designers

• Operations and Maintenance Personnel

• Dormitory/Housing/Furnishing Management Personnel

• Fire Department, Security Forces and Safety Personnel

• Environmental and Bioenvironmental Engineering Personnel

2. Project Initiation The Air Force Dormitory Master Plan (DMP) is conducted under the direction of Headquarters, United States Air Force, Housing Division (HQ USAF/ILEH). The overall objective of the plan is to perform an Air Force-wide analysis of unaccompanied enlisted and officer personnel housing requirements, assess existing facility conditions, and provide future-year program renovation and new construction recommendations.

3. Project Definition

Early and accurate establishment of scope and cost is critical to the development of programming documents in support of dormitory projects. Requirements documents should be developed by a multi-discipline team (civil, architectural, structural, mechanical, electrical, communications, cost estimating, etc) and provide the designer and design agent with information used in negotiating the design contract and completing the project definition phase of the project. The information in this design guide provides the basis for developing the requirements.

Project definition includes space planning guidance found in Chapter 2 Section B Specific Considerations of this guide, as well as site design, building design and building systems guidance found in Chapter 3 Facility Design. Site selection has enormous affect on project costs, functionality, and customer satisfaction, and is generally part of the comprehensive planning process conducted at the installation level. Consideration to future demands placed on the capacity of supporting infrastructure and utilities in support of the project is critical and may also impact costs.

Unique local requirements concerning building program, design criteria, and code compliance should also be identified at this stage. Overseas projects shall consider requirements of host nations to ensure requirements for certification of compliance are met. Include separate line items and describe these requirements in DD Form 1391 including CPS and sub-arctic climate construction. If requirements change during later phases of design that affect scope and/or cost after project programming approval, authorization of changes must be obtained from the appropriate Major Command.

Information required for the preparation of DD Form 1391 is found in the Air Force Dormitory Master Plan which is based upon this design guide. Such information includes the functions, space allowances, overall building size, site evaluation, and special factors to consider in developing cost estimates. This guide provides data and criteria needed at each stage of the Air Force project development process. Further guidance on project definition may be found in the Air Force Project Manager’s Guide to Design and Construction.

4. Project Siting

Locate Unaccompanied Housing facilities within a reasonable walking distance of all community facilities and services, such as dining facilities, fitness centers, postal service centers, base exchanges, commissaries, pedestrian circulation systems, bike paths, and mass transit routes.

Programmers shall address the capacity of existing community facilities and existing infrastructure, and accommodate any additional requirements incurred by the proposed dormitory increase. The proximity of dormitory facilities to community services shall be balanced with the need for quiet and privacy.

Provide separate and distinct enlisted and officer Unaccompanied Housing areas when possible as a consideration during site selection. To achieve the optimum site plan, each design discipline shall work in concert with one another. All design disciplines involved in the site planning process shall coordinate their design concepts to ensure the dormitory project presents a professional image of the Air Force, and encourages pride of ownership. Site planning is also influenced by base leadership through the Facilities Board. There are many factors that may influence dormitory siting decisions:

• Compliance with the General Plan

• Development and Expansion potential

• Force protection considerations

• Environmental considerations

• Proximity to existing community facilities

• Existing topography and landscape

• Available installation infrastructure

• Adjoining land uses

• Off-base communities and adjoining neighborhoods

• Vehicle circulation system, including public transportation access

• Existing Unaccompanied Housing facilities

• Availability of Unaccompanied Housing resident parking

• Existing walkways, designated bike and jogging paths

• Facilities requiring demolition

• Other factors as might be determined by the design program, such as density, the development of a campus atmosphere, obtaining Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification, etc.

Organization and Circulation Critical in site development are planning factors including building orientation, mass and scale. Develop a sense of order, arrival, orientation and community in planning the site.

Consider orientation and placement to ensure that dormitories are not overwhelming. Site dormitories in relationship to each other to create outdoor spaces that can be used as passive or active recreational areas.

Most dormitory facilities are three stories in height. Although this configuration requires force protection progressive collapse construction, this density ensures an efficient use of available land while avoiding additional fire protection requirements, inconvenience to occupants, and structural and life safety cost associated with buildings over three stories in height. In locations where land is constrained and force protection set back criteria severely limits configuration opportunities, high rise construction may be used to meet requirements while ensuring that other site considerations are achieved.

Achieve spatial balance and scale through thoughtful placement and arrangement of structures, landscaping and landforms. Consider availability of resident parking, especially in OCONUS locations. An illustration utilizing professional site development concepts for a typical Permanent Party Unaccompanied Housing campus is included below.

Typical Dormitory Campus Area Development Plan

Planned Expansion and Infrastructure Expansion potential for dormitory facilities usually includes the addition of more living units.

It is generally impractical to build an addition onto an existing dormitory building. If the potential for adding additional living units to a dormitory project is identified during the initial programming stage, allow space in the site development plan for additional structures and size the site utilities accordingly.

Climatic Considerations Dormitory design and building orientation should consider local climate conditions and geographical requirements such as seismic or hurricane force wind design, flooding, extreme daylight or darkness conditions, and areas prevalent to forest fires. Balcony Access dormitory facilities with exterior balconies provide solar shading in warm and temperate climates where heat gain through windows is a concern, but tend to suffer from poor natural daylighting.

Corridor Access dormitory facilities with central hallways are more energy efficient due to the limited number of openings to the outdoors. Where practical, use passive solar construction techniques to reduce energy consumption. Local climate conditions shall be considered as well as other site organization issues such as the creation of outdoor space, building scale or orientation to other facilities, when determining the best project site.

Site new dormitory facilities to take advantage of positive features of the site. Provide protection from undesirable winds and glare, shading from excessive sun in warm climates, and orient operable windows to take advantage of summer breezes. Solar gain and prevailing winds can enhance energy conservation and yield significant cost savings. Consider solar heating systems where appropriate as an alternative source for domestic hot water. Building placement and design should also take advantage of views that are scenic, pleasant, or interesting. Designers shall be sensitive to the approaches to the facility and strive to create a clear sense of arrival for newcomers.

Design roof overhangs to work with sun angles to provide solar shading. This configuration is a built-in by-product of Balcony Access dormitory facilities. Achieve mutual shading by sensitively arranging adjacent structures. Avoid excessive east or west-facing glass and design for maximum cross-ventilation where feasible. In sub-artic climates, consider the inclusion of heated or covered walkways to provide protection for the residents.

5. Codes and Standards Antiterrorism/Force Protection Follow the most current version of the DoD Minimum Antiterrorism Standards for Buildings for guidance on dormitory design and construction. Refer also to the Air Force Installation Force Protection Guide for additional information. Coordinate force protection counter-measure standards throughout the design process to ensure aesthetic consideration and compatibility.

Landscape and landforms may be used to soften the impact of visual and physical barriers, as well providing buffer and set-backs, but should consider ease of maintenance.

Architectural design can integrate required building and site components into the building and campus design to enhance the success of the overall project.

Collective Protection Systems Reference the most current version of the DoD Security Engineering: Procedure for Designing Airborne Chemical, Biological, and Radiological Protection for Buildings for guidance on construction standards in OCONUS locations where Collective Protection Systems (CPS) are required.

CPS development is continuing to evolve and each CPS should be custom designed and built for the specific facility application. Consider the impact of these criteria and the necessary gross building area necessary to support these requirements.

Sustainability Sustainability is defined as the responsible stewardship of our natural, human and financial resources through a practical and balanced approach. Sustainability requires changes to the facility delivery process to ensure the “best fit” of the built environment to the natural and cultural environment. Sustainability integrates “green” or environmentally responsible practices into the process from the very beginning. Sustainable practices are an investment in the future. Through conservation, use of renewable building materials, improved maintainability, recycling, reduction, reuse and other actions and innovations, we can meet today’s needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own.

Reference USAF policy letter Sustainable Development Policy, dated 19 December 2001, for direction on all dormitory projects. This memorandum states that: "It is Air Force policy to apply sustainable development concepts in the planning, design, construction, environmental management, operation, maintenance and disposal of facilities and infrastructure project, consistent with budget and mission requirements." The USAF Environmentally Responsible Facilities Guide is a resource to aid in the development of new dormitory design and construction using the LEED™ Rating System as its organizing framework. The Air Force Application Guide for Lodging Using the LEED™ Green Building Rating System provides specific guidance for lodging facilities, but is directly applicable to dormitory facilities as well.

For further information on sustainable design, reference the Whole Building Design Guide (WBDG) for comprehensive and current information on sustainable design strategies and technologies. The WBDG is supported by DoD and serves as a primary source for sustainable development information and methodologies.

Access for Persons with Disabilities The design of Unaccompanied Housing should specifically accommodate the needs of able-bodied military residents. Although military dormitory facilities are exempt from accessible requirements per Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS), real world requirements necessitate provisions for persons with disabilities in a small percentage of living units on the ground floor of each dormitory facility to assist personnel with specific requirements.

Additionally, temporarily disabled airmen can be assigned to accessible lodging units. The number of accessible units will be established on a project by project basis. In all projects, provide access by persons with disabilities to all public spaces on the first floor of a dormitory building. Provisions to accommodate such access include:

• Access ramps

• Sufficient door widths, appropriate hardware, and controls for ease of opening

• Proper fixtures and clearances in the public toilets

• Mounting height of drinking fountains and public telephones

• Mounting height of fire alarm pull stations and visual alarms for the hearing impaired

• Designated parking spaces with convenient access to the main entrance

Specific requirements for providing access and accommodating the special needs of persons with disabilities are published in the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS) and the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADA/ADAAG).

In case of conflicting guidance, the stricter guidance should be followed.

6. Design Process

Designs are generally developed using the pre-established project requirements and data are normally prepared in the following sequence: Project Definition (10 – 20% design), Conceptual (30% design), Intermediate (45 – 60% design), Pre-Final (95% design), and Final working drawings (100% design). Designs shall conform to the requirements, scope, and costs identified in Air Force Dormitory Master Plan, plus the criteria defined in this guide, and in any Major Command approved supplemental standards or processes. Based on Project Definition, project approval also becomes integral step in the design process. Designs may be accomplished by a variation on this sequence, or through a Design-Build process. Further guidance on the design process may be found in the Air Force Project Manager’s Guide to Design and Construction.

Air Force Dormitory Design Development Project Award/Notice to Proceed

10-20% Design - Project Definition

Floor Plans/Site Plans fully developed

Definition, Requirements, Site Selection, Charrette 30% Design - Conceptual Design Development of floor plans, site plans and elevations

45-60% Design - Design Development

95% Design - Pre-Final Design Substantially complete; SID/CID complete

100% Design - Final Design Construction Documents complete

Design must include requirements, scope, and costs identified in the Air Force Dormitory Master Plan, criteria defined in this guide and base or MAJCOM standards.

7. Air Force Dormitory Categories

Unaccompanied Air Force enlisted personnel typically transition through three distinctly different types of dormitory facilities during their career, starting with Recruit Housing and Training, followed by Pipeline Student Housing, and ending with traditional Permanent Party Enlisted Dormitories. Unaccompanied Air Force officer personnel typically occupy dormitory facilities based on assignment, mission requirements and/or geographical locations.

When an installation has Unaccompanied Housing requirements which include various grades of enlisted and officer personnel, especially in OCONUS or remote locations, new dormitory facility design and construction may require greater flexibility to support a mix of residents.

Mixing of modules for CGO (01-03) with SNCO (E7-E9) grades within the same dormitory facility is permissible if officer and enlisted separation within this facility can be maintained by building wing or floor configuration and if this mix is required for efficiency of construction, unit integrity, or other justifiable installation specific requirements.

Basic Programming Requirements for Air Force Unaccompanied Housing

Recommended NLA Max Gross Building Area Per Person Per Person

Grade E1 Basic Trainee 6.7M2 (72 SF) 721-311 12.3 M2 (132 SF) Grade E1-E3 Tech Trainee 9.17M2 (98 SF) 721-313 25.2 M2 (269 SF) Grade E1-E4 12 M2 (129 SF) 721-312 33 M2 (355 SF) Grade E5-E6 30.7 M2 (330 SF) 721-314 33 M2 (355 SF) Grade E7-E9 42.8 M2 (460 SF) 721-314 66 M2 (710 SF) Grade 01-03 42.8 M2 (460 SF) 724-415 66 M2 (710 SF) Grade 04-10 46.5 M2 (500 SF) 724-415 66 M2 (710 SF)

Cat CodeGrade Rank

8. Net Living Area and Gross Building Area

Net Living Area Net Living Area (NLA) is defined differently based on grade. For E1-E4 Dorms-4-Airmen module construction, the NLA is defined generally as the floor area of the individual bedroom space of each resident, measured to the inside face of the room walls, as indicated by the shaded areas on the following Dorms-4-Airmen module plans. For E5-E9 and officer grades, the NLA is defined generally as the floor area of the living area, bedroom (if separate), bath, and kitchen area measured to the inside face of the room walls as indicated by the shaded areas on the following SNCO module plan. The width of a living/bedroom area in all cases should not be less than 3048 mm (10’-0”). The recommended minimum room width is 3353 mm (11’-0”).

Items included in Net Living Area calculations:

• All door swings that encroach upon the living/bedroom area/bath areas

• Mechanical equipment that occurs within the living/bedroom/bath areas

(HVAC units, radiators, and baseboard heaters)

Items excluded from Net Living Area calculations:

• Items extending from floor to ceiling, which have been boxed-in and extend into the room from the wall plane (such as columns, pilasters, vertical pipes, mechanical chases, air ducts, etc.)

• Closets and Baths in Dorms-4-Airmen modules

In Dorms-4-Airmen modules, provide a recommended total of between 12 and 14M2 (129- 150 SF) Net Living Area in each bedroom. In no case should the NLA per person within Dorms-4-Airmen modules be less than 12M2 (129 SF). In E5-E6 modules, provide a required minimum of 30.7 M2 (330 SF) Net Living Area. In E7-E9 and 01-03 officer modules, provide a required minimum of 42.8 M2 (460 SF) Net Living Area. For 04 and above, provide a required minimum of 46.5 M2 (500 SF) Net Living Area.

The recommended range of 12 -14 M2 (129-150 SF) for individual bedrooms and/or combined living room areas, regardless of grade, should allow sufficient flexibility for the NLA requirement to be met for renovation projects as well as for newly constructed dormitory facilities. There may be physical limitations present in existing dormitory facilities, such as load-bearing walls, that affect the flexibility of the module layouts, but most existing dormitory configurations will permit meeting the minimum NLA requirements.

Net Living Area – Dorms-4-Airmen Bedroom

Net Living Area – Dorms-4-Airmen Modules

Net Living Area – SNCO Module

Gross Module Area Gross Module Area (GMA) is not restrained to a specific area measurement for newly constructed or renovated dormitory buildings, but is restrained based on Gross Building Area (GBA) limitations while satisfying all functional and minimum area requirements required for the spaces within the facility. Designers must remember that the difference between the GMA and the GBA must accommodate all of the dormitory functions that occur outside of the module, such as circulation, common functional areas, utility spaces, and exterior wall thickness. For Dorms-4-Airmen, a recommended range for GMA is 26.5

– 28.5 M2 (285-307 SF) per person. In E5-E9 and officer modules, ranges will vary based on module configurations.

Gross Module Area – Dorms-4-Airmen

Gross Module Area – SNCO Module

Gross Building Area Gross Building Area (GBA) is measured to the outside face of the exterior enclosure walls.

Items included in Gross Building Area calculations:

• Exterior covered areas such as balconies count as half scope and are measured from the face of the enclosure wall to the edge of the covered area.

• Exterior unenclosed stairs count as half scope per floor that they serve, but interior stairs and elevator shafts count as full scope per floor that they serve.

Items excluded from Gross Building Area calculations:

• Normal roof overhangs, generally less than three feet wide, and unsupported by columns.

• Installation specific requirements such as:

o Collective Protection Systems (CPS) requirements o Sub-Artic design and construction requirements o High-rise requirements including elevator construction o Host nation specific requirements such as codes requiring separation between the kitchen and living areas within a dormitory module

The GBA for permanent party Unaccompanied Housing E1-E6 shall not exceed 33 M2 (355 SF) per person. The GBA for permanent party Unaccompanied Housing E7-E9 and officer grades shall not exceed 66 M2 (710 SF) per person. These limitations may be increased up to 5 M2 (54 SF) per person to support installation specific requirements including high-rise construction (4 stories or more), sub-artic climate construction, or for dormitory facilities with site-specific programming requirements. Although the inclusion of Collective Protection Systems (CPS) in OCONUS dormitory facilities is not counted as part of the GBA calculation, a not to exceed amount of 5 M2 (54 SF) additional per person may be required to support this requirement also. To exemplify this, a total of 10 M2 (108 SF) additional GBA per person is allowable for installations requiring CPS and located in a sub-artic climate. Include separate line items and describe these requirements in DD Form 1391 during the programming phase of the project. Funding will need to be requested to support additional GBA for these installation specific requirements and use of additional GBA will need to be authorized by the appropriate Major Command.

Newly constructed projects shall comply with the design and construction guidance establishing the minimum recommended size for Net Living Area and the maximum limitation of Gross Building Area. To ensure cost-effective dormitory renovation projects, these projects shall also strive to comply with the minimum recommended Net Living Area.

Gross Building Area may be exceeded if necessary during renovation based on pre-existing conditions and building footprint. Such conditions and waiver requests shall be coordinated and approved by the responsible MAJCOM.

9. Special Considerations for Renovation Projects It is very important to avoid noticeable disparity in Net Living Area and functional space requirements between newly constructed dormitory facilities and newly renovated dormitory facilities. The criteria in this design guide are applicable to both new construction and renovation and are intended to produce similar facilities.

Renovations of dormitory facilities range from building and system upgrades to complete gutting and reconfiguration. The requirements and recommendations set forth in this design guide apply to new construction and to renovations, and every attempt to meet these standards should be made. Flexibility in these construction standards such as two/three-bedroom module designs for Dorms-4-Airmen configurations may be considered based on pre-existing conditions such as type of construction, location and character of load bearing walls and columns, and other physical limitations. When possible and to ensure cost effective renovation projects, these projects shall meet the same Net Living Area and functional space criteria applicable to new dormitory construction. In some cases, criteria waivers are necessary due to existing conditions that cannot be altered. Such conditions and waiver requests shall be coordinated and approved by the responsible MAJCOM.

If renovation cost exceeds 50% of the replacement value, the cost of renovation versus replacement shall be carefully considered. Construction cost for progressive collapse in facilities three stories and higher and the inclusion of Collective Protection Systems (CPS) where required must also be included. These additional requirements can influence renovation costs by 20-40%, quickly exceeding prior renovation to replacement thresholds.

B. SPECIFIC CONSIDERATIONS

1. Recruit Housing and Training

Basic Military Training (BMT) trainees are housed in Recruit Housing and Training (RH&T) facilities in an open-bay configuration with approximately 50 trainees per bay. RH&T dormitory furnishings are limited to bunk beds and lockers for personal gear. Net Living Area is shared, but is based on 6.7 M2 (72 SF) per person. The Gross Building Area (GBA) for RH&T dormitories is

12.3 M2 (132 SF) per person.

Recruit Housing and Training Bay Plan

2. Pipeline Student Housing Pipeline Student Housing is designed and constructed to meet the needs of a specific category of personnel. These dormitory facilities are utilized to house students who are recent graduates of Basic Military Training (BMT). Although they have completed BMT, they are still in a training atmosphere and shall adhere to strict discipline and control. The Pipeline Student Housing dormitory design provides this atmosphere.

Kessler Air Force Base – Pipeline Dormitory

Although many concepts in Pipeline Student Housing are similar to Permanent Party Unaccompanied Housing, there are differences in their physical layout and construction, including construction as individual structures to control entry. The general concepts applicable to Permanent Party Unaccompanied Housing will apply to Pipeline Student Housing unless specifically altered by this chapter.

The area and occupancy requirements listed in the following tables are construction standards for Pipeline Student Housing, not assignment standards. There is no direct correlation between assignment standards and construction standards. Normally, Pipeline Student Housing will be constructed in increments of 100 rooms. The optimum size will depend on the squadron size at each installation.

Access to Pipeline Student Housing rooms will be from interior double-loaded corridors.

Modules are based on a standard of 18.2 M2 (96 SF) living space. All Pipeline Student Housing will be of a standard design.

Typical Pipeline Student Housing Floor Plan

Construction Standards - Pipeline Student Housing

Net Living Area per Person 9.1 M2 (98 SF)

Maximum Number of Persons per Room 2

Bathroom Configuration 1 per room shared by 2 students

Dormitory Configuration central corridor

Required Spaces - Pipeline Student Housing

Functional Space Required Minimum

Maximum Net Living Area

Recommended Net Living Area

Living/Bedroom Area - 2 per module 18.2M2 (196 SF) 18.2 M2 (196 SF) 18.2 M2 (196 SF) Shared Bathroom -1 per room (1 toilet/1 shower) 2.3 M2 (25 SF) Based on available area 2.3 M2 (25 SF)

Private lavatory vanity - 2 per room, integral top, separate from shared bath, immediately adjacent to the bathroom

900mm (3 LF) per lavatory/vanity

Based on available area

Approx 900mm (3LF) per lavatory/vanity

Closets - 2 per room 1.86 M2 (20 SF) 1.86 M2 (20 SF) 1.86 M2 (20 SF)

Laundry Facilities (minimum of 1 washer/12 persons and one dryer/8 persons) - may consist of small laundries per floor or single laundry serving entire building

Based on number of resident

Based on number of resident

1.95 M2 (21 SF)

per appliance -circulation and access inclusive

Bulk Storage Not required Not required Not required

Utility As required As required Dependent on local conditions

Mail Service - 1 box per student (inside building) As required As required

Dependent on local conditions/force protection requirements

Circulation space Dependent on layout

Dependent on layout

7.4 M2 (80 SF) per room, varies with layout

Optional Spaces - Pipeline Student Housing

Functional Space Minimum Net Living Area Recommended Net Living Area

Multi-Purpose Area (may be programmed as meeting/study room, television rooms, fitness rooms, etc.)

13.9 M2 (150 SF)

for each multi-purpose area

.19 M2 (2 SF) for each room for each multi-purpose area

Game Room 28 M2 (300 SF) .19 M2 (2 SF) per room

Vending 18.6 M2 (200 SF) per floor 18.6 M2 (200 SF) per floor Accessible Public Toilets (ground floor location) 46.5M2 (500 SF) per dormitory 46.5 M2 (500 SF) per dormitory

Supply Storage Area 18.6 M2 (200 SF) per dormitory 26.4 M2 (284 SF) per dormitory

Administration Area 1.4 M2 (15 SF) per room 1.4 M2 (15 SF) per room

Public Telephone Area 18.6 M2 (200 SF) per floor 18.6 M2 (200 SF) per floor

3. Permanent Party Unaccompanied Housing – Dorms-4-Airmen The area and occupancy requirements listed in the following table are construction standards for permanent party enlisted Unaccompanied Housing E1-E4, and not assignment standards.

Programmers shall use the anticipated number of occupants established by the current approved Dormitory Master Plan process as the first step in developing a dormitory design.

New Construction – Dorms-4-Airmen

Background Considerable detailed analyses have been conducted in the preparation of this design guide to determine the optimal configuration and basic requirements for Permanent Party Unaccompanied Housing for E1-E4 airmen. Various analyses focused on space requirements, programming limitations, comparative construction costs, building proportions, and many other factors. Enlisted dormitories have traditionally been based on a “2-room” concept. For many years, the Air Force built what were known as “2+2” dormitories, which featured two-room modules with two airmen assigned to each room, and a shared bath within the module serving the four residents. Each shared room provided approximately 8.4 M2 (90 SF) per person. This standard was changed to the “1+1” concept in 1996 which provided two small private rooms in each module with two persons sharing a bath and a small kitchen. OSD established a rigid Net Living Area requirement of 11M2

(118.4 SF) for each of the two rooms, and placed a 47 M2 (506 SF) limit on the gross area of the module. Additionally, a limit of 66 M2 (710.4 SF) per module (33 M2 per person) was placed on the gross building area of the dormitory. The new OSD guidance under which this guide was developed allows a range of 11 to 17 M2 (118.4 to 183 SF) for Net Living Area, eliminates the gross module area limit, but retains the 33 M2 per person gross building area limit.

New Criteria and Constraints The Air Force conducted several dormitory workshops to develop specific guidance toward the development of this design guide for E1-E4 airmen. Dormitory Management, Major Command, Air Staff, and Command Chief representatives provided excellent input, but it quickly became evident that it would be very difficult to include all the desired space and amenities and still remain within the gross building area limit. Under the previous 1+1 criteria, designers were particularly challenged in accommodating all the functions of a dormitory within the maximum gross building area. Modules could be no larger than 47 M2 with the gross building area limited to 66 M2 per module, leaving only 19 M2 per module for circulation space, common areas, wall thickness, exterior covered areas, utility chases, etc.

While modules can now be larger, dormitory buildings are still constrained in their maximum gross area. This creates even greater difficulty in accommodating required spaces outside of the modules.

Prototype Development

Goals established at the workshops included the need for larger bedrooms, private baths, shared social spaces, and laundry areas within each module. Numerous prototypes were developed to explore the ramifications of meeting these goals within the modules while staying within the maximum gross building area. Two-bedroom, three-bedroom, and four-bedroom modules were developed for Corridor Access, Balcony Access, and Breezeway Access dormitories, respectively. These modules were then used to create conceptual 96-person dormitory building prototypes. A 96-person dormitory was purposely chosen acknowledging that smaller dormitories have a tighter ratio between the area taken up by the modules and the maximum gross building area.

Also, this is the smallest dormitory the Air Force typically builds. The assumption was made that the successful application of the programming criteria for a smaller dormitory could certainly be repeated for larger dormitories as the building’s efficiency increases. Additionally, three other two-bedroom Corridor Access prototype modules and their resulting dormitory buildings were developed exploring the impact of retaining shared baths, providing laundry facilities on each floor, or providing a single consolidated laundry room within the building core. Comparative parametric cost estimates were prepared for all the prototype buildings.

Analysis

Initial efforts to include all the functional goals within each of the prototype building configurations resulted in most prototypes exceeding the maximum gross building area limit.

A second revision reduced all but one of the prototypes down to 33 M2 per person, but only by eliminating functional shared social spaces in the two-bedroom and three-bedroom modules. These modules still included a nominal sized shared kitchen/entrance foyer area, but offered no space for shared dining or seating areas. Additionally, the NLA/ bedroom size of these two-bedroom and three-bedroom modules were minimum due to linear two-bedroom building configurations and inefficiencies within the three-bedroom module designs. Thus these units did not benefit from either larger bedroom sizes or the addition of a shared common area within the module as referenced in the table below.

4 Bedroom Modules – Dorms-4-Airmen Only the four-bedroom modules successfully incorporated all of the Air Force goals while meeting the gross building area requirement. Further consideration justified the four-bedroom concept from an operational viewpoint. Airmen of mixed grades can be assigned to a module to encourage mentoring of the junior airmen by the more senior residents.

The table below confirmed that while it is slightly more expensive to provide private baths than shared baths; this cost is offset by only providing half as many shared kitchen spaces in a four-bedroom module than are required for two-bedroom modules. The cost of constructing new dormitories to meet this new standard is comparable to the cost of 1+1 dormitories, since the overall building size has remained constant. Additionally, the goals of the Air Force to provide larger private rooms with private baths, shared common areas including a kitchen, shared social space and laundry within each module, are emphasized with the introduction of the four-bedroom module as the new standard for Air Force Dormitory construction.

USAF Dormitory Prototype Analysis 2, 3, and 4 Bedroom—Balcony Access

Description 1+1 Dorm Balcony

2bdrm/ Balcony

3bdrm/ Balcony

4brdm/ Balcony

Gross Building Area 33M2(34,088SF) 33M2(34,088SF) 33M2(34,088SF) 33M2(34,088SF)

Number of Baths 48 96 96 96

Number of Kitchens 48 48 32 24

Net Living Area per Person 11M2 (118 SF) 12M2 (129 SF) 13M2 (139 SF) 12.4M2 (132 SF)

Gross Module Area per Person 24M2 (253 SF) 26.5M2 (284 SF) 26M2 (280 SF) 28.5M2 (305SF)

Building Plan Efficiency 71% 80% 80% 86%

Renovation – Dorms-4-Airmen

Prototype Development The four-bedroom module design (Dorms-4-Airmen), developed for new construction and based upon the improved and increased Air Force criteria, has also proven valid for renovation, based upon additional analysis and prototype development. Numerous module plans were developed based on two existing building configurations to explore the possibility of incorporating the same standards and benefits of the four-bedroom module design into renovation standards. Using a typical Balcony Access dormitory and a typical Corridor Access dormitory for background building plans, combinations of Corridor Access, Balcony Access, and Breezeway Access dormitories were studied.