MEP
AEC performed a study at NASA’s Glenn Research Center to determine a recommended long- term method to deliver a means of heating and cooling to NASA’s buildings on campus. The campus’s utility infrastructure, which included a centralized steam and chilled water distribution system, was aging and was expected to be repaired or replaced in the future. AEC was responsible for developing four concepts in sufficient detail to determine the total cost and energy consumption and inputting the resulting data into a life cycle cost analysis program. AEC made a final recommendation based on the option which had the lowest life cycle cost and the highest feasibility for implementation.
Following the study, AEC was retained to conduct a feasibility of design study and provided design services for the replacement and repair of a portion of GRC’s steam distribution and condensate return network. Age and condition of the existing system dictated that the piping and supporting infrastructure be replaced to promote safety, reliability and efficiency of steam operations for the Center. Services provided by the design team after the study included evaluating the approach of replacing the steam/condensate and trench systems in-kind versus other approaches that may be more cost effective, make use of newer technologies, offer longer life cycles or offer other benefits. Once the final approach was selected, the design team then began work on preparation of construction documents for the project. The work was completed in three phases over the course of roughly five years.
