University of Wyoming West Campus Satellite Energy Plant

Laramie, Wyo.

Award of Merit

Submitted By: Weifield Group Contracting

Owner: University of Wyoming

Lead Design Firm: Mechanical Systems Inc.

General Contractor: GE Johnson Construction Co.

Electrical Contractor: Weifield Group Contracting

This multifaceted project for the University of Wyoming’s west campus sought to ensure that a large reserve of chilled water would be available during summer’s hottest months, thus reducing demand on the existing chiller systems and eliminating the risk of an unexpected outage. The system includes a new 13,700-sq-ft satellite energy plant designed to contain a 75-ft-tall, 2-million-gallon thermal energy storage tank to optimize the chilled water system and 16 five-million BTU condensing boilers to provide an energy-efficient supplement to building-specific heating systems. The system also contains a 1,000-kW generator, a 13.8-kV electrical distribution network and other infrastructure to serve the campus’ hot and chilled water infrastructure. Because both the building’s foundation and the tank’s lower 15-ft section would be placed below the water table, the project team installed a perimeter shoring system, wells and dewatering piping to achieve a mostly dry excavation.