RDK Engineers

Hewlett Packard

RDK designed a 3,000 ton chiller plant to serve three manufacturing/office buildings totaling 700,000 square feet at Hewlett Packard’s Marlborough, MA complex while implementing major cost savings. The complex previously was served by two 30-year-old chiller plants that utilized constant flow pumping. RDK's design combined the chiller plants into one location with three 1,000-ton chillers and a new cooling tower, modernized all equipment, converted to variable flow pumping, provided a free cooling winter HEX, and upgraded all safety equipment. RDK worked with Hewlett Packard facilities staff to select equipment that would not only meet the facility's cooling needs, but would also, because of its increased energy efficiency, qualify for the maximum electric utility rebate available. This reduced both the initial cost of the project and Hewlett Packard’s long-term operating costs.

Work was completed in phases so that there was no interruption in cooling to any part of the facility while the new equipment was being installed.  Phase I was completed during the winter when air conditioning requirements were low, and Phase II was completed during the summer months.

The energy cost savings to Hewlett Packard as a result of the new chiller plant designed by RDK is approximately $400,000 per year.  In fact, the local utility company called Hewlett Packard to verify that the facility had not been shut down, since its electricity usage was drastically less than the previous year.