The Goddard School – Cheshire

Project Background

C&H Electric was engaged to furnish and install the complete electrical scope of work for the Goddard School – Cheshire project. Key responsibilities encompassed the provision of temporary 200-amp electrical service and temporary lighting throughout the construction period; the complete permanent electrical service installation, including transformer conduit and grounding, a 600-amp CT metering cabinet, an approved meter socket, exterior wireway, and distribution panels P, L, and MDP (rated 400 amps); site electrical work comprising pole-mounted area lighting, uplighting, and well lighting, together with power provisions for the building entrance and monument signage; complete interior lighting, fixtures, occupancy sensors, and receptacle installations; power distribution and connections to all HVAC equipment; low-voltage infrastructure rough-in, including CAT6 cabling to the IT room, classrooms, administrative offices, and designated camera locations (with device termination performed by others); rough-in provisions for door access control; and the design, furnishing, and installation of a fully addressable fire alarm system in accordance with the project’s life-safety requirements.

The Goddard School – Cheshire electrical scope was driven by the need to build a complete electrical infrastructure from the ground up in support of a new licensed childcare and early childhood education facility, making regulatory compliance and life-safety readiness the primary business drivers rather than growth or efficiency upgrades to an existing space. The building was designed to function as an active educational facility housing classrooms, a multi-purpose room, director’s and owner’s offices, and a kitchen, which shaped the electrical scope toward classroom power and connectivity, HVAC equipment power for numerous rooftop units, and low-voltage cabling to support daily operations. Special considerations tied directly to the facility’s use included accessibility and state licensing evaluation requirements reflected in the drawing set, enhanced playground/play area site work requiring coordinated site lighting and sign power, a fully addressable fire alarm system integrated with HVAC shutdown relays on specific rooftop units to meet child-occupancy life-safety standards.

The Challenges

A key challenge C&H faced on this project was that the “power module” at each rooftop unit, along with all motor starters, controllers, and VFDs, was excluded from their scope and designated to be furnished by others — leaving C&H responsible only for power wiring and terminations, not the disconnecting means or control components themselves. This scope gap created a risk that rooftop equipment could not be safely energized or commissioned until the excluded components were properly furnished and installed by the responsible party, threatening delays at the rooftop tie-in points during final equipment startup.

The Solution

To resolve the rooftop disconnect coordination challenge, C&H clearly defined its scope early on, handling only power wiring and terminations while power modules, starters, and VFDs were provided by others, which kept the project on schedule and avoided rework. Notable equipment installed included a 600A CT cabinet, a 400A disconnect and Panel MDP, a 200A disconnect and Panel P, and a 100A Panel L, along with site lighting on poles, up lights, and well lights. Low-voltage scope included a fully addressable fire alarm system and CAT6 cabling to classrooms, offices, the multi-purpose room, and camera/access point locations, with device termination handled by others. All work was performed within set working hours and coordinated shutdown windows to maintain a safe jobsite, and close coordination with the GC and mechanical trade helped drive efficient sequencing throughout construction.

The Results

C&H Electric’s proactive coordination on the rooftop unit disconnects, combined with clear and disciplined scope management throughout the project, delivered tangible value to the client. The electrical work was completed on schedule and within budget, with no safety incidents recorded over the full duration of the installation. Inspections and utility sign-offs were achieved cleanly, without rework or delay, enabling a smooth and well-organized turnover of all electrical systems to the school’s operations team. As a result, the Goddard School – Cheshire was able to open on schedule, with power, lighting, fire alarm, and low-voltage infrastructure fully operational and ready to support staff and students from day one.