In 2009 when the Chicago Aquarium commissioned an audit of the facility’s water usage, one of the surprising findings was that the cooling systems were the leading cause of water use. Not the water used in the actual fish and mammal habitats. Read More
An article in What’s New in Food Technology & Manufacturing magazine addresses how changes in cooling tower equipment and controls are having a positive impact in the food production industry. We often think of cooling towers and central plants in terms of handling air conditioning needs for inhabited spaces. However, there is a significant cooling need in food production, where heating and pasteurizing foods creates large quantities of heat. This heat impacts the equipment, and the food, which needs to be cooled before packaging. Read More
Earlier this month, we learned how even the most customer- and public-image-focused businesses – Disney – can be negatively impacted by something as pedestrian as their HVAC systems. In this case, Disneyland came under scrutiny after Orange County, California health officials said nine people who visited the theme park contracted Legionnaire’s disease. The outbreak was traced to a pair of cooling towers at the park, and resulted in a system shut-down until the equipment could be tested, treated and re-tested – at least a two week process. Read More
An article in The Next Platform this month highlights a major IT project in Japan undertaken by the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology. The project will build an Artificial Intelligence Bridging Cloud Infrastructure. It’s a huge endeavor that will include 1,088 server nodes –requiring up to 3.25 megawatts of cooling capacity. Read More
Any facilities director or CFO who has been involved in a construction project has concerns about cost overruns and budget pressures. When performed independently, the disconnect between design and construction can often lead to schedule delays and change-orders. Fortunately, we have seen an increasing trend of owners, facilities professionals and public agencies getting specialized expertise involved early in the scope and RFP (Request for Proposal) development process, which helps define the scope appropriately, and in doing so, reduce the potential for cost overruns. Read More
For many organizations contemplating a central utility plant, boiler upgrade or similar infrastructure project, an invitation to bid appears to be the best option to find the right price/value. Unfortunately, the invitation to bid process often leaves building owners with a poor construction experience. Read More
Greenland Enterprises recently performed a complex cooling tower replacement on the roof of The Madison Building in downtown Richmond, VA. The lift was 200 feet from the ground to the roof and required a crane with a boom more than 300 feet long. Read More