ICT was responsible for the design of a new Central Utility Plant (CUP) for the University of Florida’s College of Veterinary Medicine campus. The new Central Plant was designed to replace an aging plant and to provide reliable and redundant capacity for future growth to the campus. The new plant was designed to generate steam and chilled water for the Vet Med campus with new underground distribution connecting the new plant to the existing utility distribution infrastructure. The CUP was designed and constructed using an Energy Performance Contracting delivery approach between the University and Siemens who is the Energy Service Company (ESCO) responsible for developing the project and for long-term performance guarantees associated with the project. In addition to basic design services, ICT assisted Siemens and UF in procurement of major equipment, provided air emissions permitting support, and performed commissioning of the new plant.

Multiple iterations of the new steam and chilled water systems were evaluated to reduce energy consumption and to maximize life cycle cost savings for the project. The final chilled water system consists of four 1,000-ton centrifugal chillers, variable speed cooling towers, and VFD driven chilled water and condenser water pumps with space for future equipment to increase the plant capacity to 5,000 tons. The chilled water plant is controlled via Siemens Demand Flow® chilled water system optimization software designed to reduce energy consumption and improve operations. The steam system consists of three 300 HP high-efficiency natural gas firetube boilers with exhaust economizers, complete condensate and boiler feedwater systems, blowdown heat recovery, and make-up water treatment systems.

ICT worked with the University Physical Plant division, the College of Veterinary Medicine, and Siemens to select an appropriate site for the new plant based on various factors including animal sensitivity to ongoing plant operations, physical and natural features, traffic & access, cost factors, and other criteria established by the University. The style and character of the Central Plant building were designed to respond to the building language of the adjacent campus area with the desired image of a research park area using metal panels and glass areas selectively to provide a sophisticated, modern look that will provide light and openness. The Central Plant was certified through the Green Building Initiative's Green Globes® Certification process with a rating of two Green Globes. 

Sustainability:

• Two Green Globes
• Commissioning