Central Utility Plant Upgrade Project
Current Chilling System
Current Chiller Location
Central Plant – Facilities
Service building
Buildings Served
Woodburn
Meier
Library
part of Student Union
Installed
2003
Project Components
Adds another more efficient chiller to
the central plant. 2003 chiller will be
used for backup and periods of high
load.
Library
Library
Not used since 2003.
May serve as backup
during summer 2012 if
necessary.
1974
Library chiller will be permanently
removed.
Jonas Academic
Jonas Academic
Jonas Science
part of Student Union
1968
This chiller must be replaced within 12 years. Replacement is not part of
base bid. It is in alternate 4 at an
estimated $375,000.
Life Sciences Laboratory
Life Sciences Laboratory
stand alone chiller
not part of central plant
2010
Not affected by this project.
Young Center
Young Center
stand alone chiller
not part of central plant
1996
Not affected by this project.
Phase I – Chilled Water Piping (February – May 2012)
All chilled water piping in the utility tunnels between facilities services and Jonas will be replaced to
provide appropriate level of capacity. This includes piping the chilled water for the library outside of the
current utility tunnel, preparing for the future library renovation when the utility tunnel will be moved.
This project does not move steam lines, communication lines, or the tunnel itself, but it does put the
chilled water lines right above the basement ceiling and out of the way for future renovation. The only
chilled water lines in the utility tunnels that will not be replaced in this project are to the Student Union
which were installed with the 1998 and 2008 construction projects. All piping will be replaced by May
2012 so it is ready for the 2012 summer cooling season using the current chillers.
Phase 2 – Boiler Replacement (May – September 2012)
The central plant currently houses two 1965 - 500 horsepower boilers. One boiler is sufficient to run the
system most of the time. The other one is used for backup, redundancy, and periods of peak load. The
base bid includes one new 600 horsepower boiler. One of the current boilers will be retained for backup
and redundancy. This project does not replace any steam lines in the utility tunnels.
Phase 3 – New Chiller (October – September 2012); Chiller Startup (June 2013)
The new chiller for the central plant will be installed in order to be ready for the 2013 cooling season.
Alternate 1 – Fuel System
This alternate replaces the underground fuel oil tanks that currently sit to the north of the facilities
services building. The tanks do not meet current regulations, but have been tested and approved for
current continued use. The fuel oil tanks are used as backup when we have interruptible natural gas
service due to peak loads in the community. We burned approximately 6,000 gallons in FY11 or 70
hours during two different time periods. This alternate is estimated at $97,750.
Alternate 2 – Standby Boiler
This alternate adds a 100 horsepower standby boiler for periods of reduced load, particularly in the early
fall and late spring. Running a smaller horsepower boiler will provide energy savings by allowing the
larger boiler to be shut down. The estimated cost is $86,000.
Alternate 3 – One Main Boiler
This alternate replaces the second 1965 - 500 horsepower boiler with a new 600 horsepower boiler for
redundancy, backup, and periods of peak load. The estimated cost is $245,000.
Alternate 4 – Replace Jonas Chiller
This alternate takes the current chiller in Jonas off line. The building will be serviced by the new chiller
in the central plant. The alternate installs a chilled water heat exchanger in Jonas so the system will
function properly. The new chiller in the central plant is sized to service Jonas whether or not the
alternate is accepted. If funding is not available for this alternate, FY13-14 M&R resources will be
assigned to this project. The estimated cost is $375,000.