Central Energy Plant, Permanent Plant Upgrades

MRMC Thermal Energy Services

This revamp of the 1950s-era coal-fired boiler plant and 1970s-era chiller plant significantly expanded the life of the Central Energy Plant, which provides chilled water and steam for many buildings in Milwaukee’s medical district. The coal-fired boilers were removed and replaced with variable-capacity natural-gas-fired boilers, and the steam-powered and absorption-type chillers were replaced with variable-speed electrical centrifugal chillers. The scope of work included the design and detailing of pipe supports in and around the existing boiler plant transitioning from coal to gas fuel, as well as detailed laser scanning of the existing facility. The laser scan was converted into a three-dimensional model of the existing plant buildings to facilitate selection of appropriate pipe routing and support locations. Two pre-engineered metal buildings and a cast-in-place cooling tower basin also were part of the project.

Location: Milwaukee, WI
Size: 107,324 SF (total)
Services: Structural, LiDAR
Cost: $93.4M