Cedars-Sinai Medical Towers in Los Angeles are two 166,000 square foot medical office buildings managed by REIT Management and Research. Both buildings were in need of a mechanical upgrade; each of the buildings had its own central plant comprised of four 150 ton compressors using 1950’s reciprocating technology. In addition to being inefficient, the compressors and refrigeration components had been experiencing a high rate of failure.
Project Requirements
An engineering study was done to select system components that would deliver the best return on investment based on retrofit cost, energy efficiency, ongoing maintenance cost and reliability. High efficiency screw compressors by Bitzer were chosen. The preeminent challenge for ACCO came in replacing 1,200 tons of cooling apparatus (coils, pipe and compressors), without disrupting building operations during construction.
What ACCO Delivered
Utilizing ACCO’s depth of resources, the equipment was replaced in distinct stages over four weekends. The job took five well-choreographed and specialized crews working through weekends to accomplish the technically challenging changeover, ensuring that the new AC system would be operational when the fully occupied towers opened for business on Monday. The variable frequency driven Bitzer compressors reduced HVAC energy consumption by over thirty percent. This compressor upgrade, along with the other system enhancements justified a $250,000 DWP (Department of Water and Power) rebate for this project.
Project Team
Owner: REIT Management
Research/Occupant: Medical Office Tenants
Mechanical Engineer: Breen
Mechanical Contractor: ACCO Service