ORLANDO, FLA. — The replacement of the central chilled water plant at Orange County’s main library here is underway on a 30-day schedule that requires intermittent road closures for a 270-ton hydraulic crane to lift two 10,000-lb. cooling towers atop the five-story building for rooftop installation.

Under contract with the Orange County Library System, Shaw Mechanical Services LLC is executing the nearly $1 million contract that also includes the basement installation of two new water-cooled chillers.

“Access to the basement is limited, so our team will disassemble the chillers, bring them into the basement, reassemble and install them,” said David L. Shaw, president of Shaw Mechanical Services. “We often see this type of construction challenge when we retrofit an entire system in an older building.”

In addition to the new chillers and cooling towers, the scope of services includes a central plant CHW/CW pump, refrigerant detection system, and piping, electrical and structural modifications to support the new equipment.

With the main library’s existing HVAC system at the end of its reliable life, the owner engaged TLC Engineering for Architecture to provide a feasibility study of various options as well as mechanical engineering services for the project. The owner chose new equipment when studies showed it provided a less than five-year payback as compared to the central district cooling option. The new equipment will provide an annual energy savings of $20,000.