Ontario Shores - Chiller Plant

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The project involved the engineering for the removal of the complex’s ice-building system and the installation of two new 550-ton VFD chillers, chilled water and condenser water pumps and one new cooling tower. The chilled water plant capacity was verified for the entire complex, and sized accordingly, as part of the project.

The piping within the chilled water plant was reconfigured to accommodate the new equipment and establish a new primary chilled water loop in place of the existing ice-water loop. A chiller plant control system and new refrigerant monitoring system were also designed as part of this project. The design for the chiller room was upgraded to meet CSA-B52 requirements. All new work was integrated with the facility’s existing BAS.

Challenges overcome for this project included:

• Value engineering was conducted in order to reduce total project budget
• Maintaining cooling availability for the 500,000sq.ft complex while the new system was installed in a less than ideal season
• Ensuring minimal disruption to the facility’s functions throughout the construction period
• Integrating the new and old systems to function harmoniously
• Limited access for equipment delivery ultimately led to the installation of a new reusable access was for the basement level mechanical room

Once additional funding was approved, we also completed a separate project that involved the installation of a water side economizer system that allowed the chiller usage to be reduced/eliminated in the winter season.

Services

Project services included feasibility planning, conceptual design, detailed engineering & design, construction review, contract administration and commissioning.