old Modular Mechanical Rooms

It only makes sense. Modular construction conserves capital initially and can also defer requirements until there is need to expand capacity, which is also facilitated by modular designs and pre-planning.

Bringing engineering, single-point communications, pricing, assembly, fabrication, quality control, component and system testing, delivery and commissioning under one roof creates tangible efficiencies that site built systems realistically cannot match. Consistency, speed, safety, higher quality and detail. The duration of the installation is significantly reduced.

Savings of 25% is not uncommon.

Building the critical-path integrated chiller, boiler, pumping systems, cooling towers, free-cooling systems and their control in a factory environment that is managed, quality-controlled and efficiently manned every day enables site work to require fewer diverse disciplines interacting in the space. Parallel work compresses the time required for the entire project. Site realities which result in higher pressure-drops and pipe runs with more bends and reductions is eliminated so that owner risks around ROI are mitigated.

The coordination of diverse contractors, worker availability and site schedules is eliminated in a factory built system.

The Time-Use-of-Money is Relevant.

Compact Modular Plants have the advantage of everything being close-coupled compared to larger facility rooms. Pipe runs are shorter with fewer bends or reductions for site realities. Fluid velocities, pressure-drops and delta-t are engineered in, better controlled, and assures every sub-system like chillers, heat exchangers and boilers operate within their ideal envelope of conditions. Variability in any of these areas can create havoc in downstream processes and control. If inadequately mitigated or remediated, process cooling system variability can undermine the company’s bottom-line.

Further, modularization results in both better long-term service life, energy efficiency and reduced maintenance frequency by eliminating operational deviations in flow, pressure or temperature.

OPEX Efficiencies Can Be Significant.

Understanding energy-density dynamics is becoming part of a larger business strategy for the responsible consumption of resources. Certainly, reducing the input energy of vital process equipment reduces the facility carbon footprint.

Modularization achieves a goal beyond capital and operational savings. It enables better use of facility space by moving utility production and control outdoors or on the roof. It reduces the number of diverse people that must access the equipment room, it preserves hydronic and engineering fundamentals and produces sustainable energy savings. An example is our oil-free packaged chiller options which avoid fouling of the evaporator and condenser over time and the energy efficiency loss. Oil-free is a sustainable approach for cooling systems.

Modularization Facilitates Carbon Footprint Reduction.

In a post COVID world, modularization serves another purpose. It reduces the number of workers from diverse settings in facilities during site construction and the Modular Mechanical Room is an outdoor, locked and secure facility that few workers will access. We can equip utility buildings with temperature sensors and humidity controls.