Ocean View Elementary School
Norfolk, Virginia
Overview
Ocean View Elementary School is an 86,900-square-foot educational facility developed for Norfolk Public Schools as part of the City’s Public-Private Education Facilities and Infrastructure Act (PPEA) initiative. Serving students in kindergarten through fifth grade, the school reflects its coastal community through a maritime and environmental learning focus, with grade-level learning communities, small-group spaces, and science and exploratory labs that support hands-on education. Thompson Consulting Engineers provided mechanical, electrical, and plumbing design, Construction Administration, and Commissioning services for the project, incorporating energy-efficient HVAC, daylighting, and other sustainable building strategies. These systems support occupant comfort and operational efficiency while complementing an educational environment that connects students with sustainability and the unique natural character of the Ocean View community.
Challenges
- Designing building systems to support a modern elementary school environment with diverse instructional and shared learning spaces.
- Coordinating infrastructure as part of a multi-school PPEA development program.
- Delivering reliable, energy-efficient systems capable of supporting long-term school operations.
Goals
- Provide a modern learning environment that supported evolving instructional methods and student collaboration.
- Enhance comfort, safety, and energy performance through high-efficiency building systems.
- Support Norfolk Public Schools’ long-term facilities modernization efforts through the PPEA initiative.
Project Team
- Owner: Norfolk City Public Schools
- Architect: RRMM, Waller Todd and Sadler Architects and Livas Group
- Structural: Speight Marshall Francis
- Contractor and PPEA Leader: S.B. Ballard Construction Company
Results
- Successfully delivered a modern elementary school facility serving the Ocean View community.
- Improved student and staff comfort through integrated, high-performance building systems.
- Provided efficient, reliable infrastructure designed to support long-term educational operations.
