The University of New England opted to have both the MEPs and Refrigeration complete design build agreements. Both the HVAC and Refrigeration Contractors came together to provide a unified system to reclaim heat and provide AC when the ice was not in. The Architect, Sasaki Associates, had a challenge to reduce the size of the building program by 5,000 square feet to allow the construction to move forward within a hard determined budget.
The Town of Biddeford also wanted a good sightline from the road with mechanical equipment shielded. The University had a hockey program but it was always held at a local municipal rink so this was a big step. The building would serve many needs: an Athletic and Sports Medicine Center to include multi use classrooms, workout areas, hockey arena, basketball courts and home to the athletic department offices as well as a cafeteria for this end of the campus.
The modular design, relative small size and quiet operation of the ice3 Cubes opens up design possibilities that are typically not an option with conventional refrigeration plants. In this case, the Cubes reside in a large mechanical room next to a conference room on the second story of the building. Enough room was gained that an equipment well was created for the fluid cooling tower with shielding from the road so no outdoor equipment was visible.
The low refrigerant charge is a game changer when it comes to designing the mechanical room itself, and the fact that the ice3 Cubes can cohabitate with other devices in a common mechanical area often benefits our end users with both monetary and practical gains.
In this design, the complete melding of mechanical systems was estimated at saving $55,000 a year in propane.
The original plan was to not have AC in the gym. However since ice3 Cubes were installed the excess capacity was used within the gym creating a controllable space year round. Even the walk in coolers and freezers are water cooled and provide thermal energy to the water source heat pump loop.
We specialize in highly efficient refrigeration plant replacements with total heat and geothermal reclamation, an asset waiting to be harnessed.