Clement J. Zablocki VAMC

Manufacturer defects and ongoing maintenance issues necessitated the replacement of two 20,000 lb. high-pressure boilers.  The client requested in-kind replacement.

The client desired to reuse the existing building to house the new boilers, requiring an evaluation of the building structure to ensure adequate load capacity for the new equipment.

Encorus Group performed site investigations to assess and document the condition of mechanical, electrical, fire protection, structural, and architectural systems and to verify conditions in comparison to available documentation. 360° photos were captured and a Matterport ‘digital twin’ was generated to facilitate ongoing review of the space throughout the design process. The building envelope construction was evaluated and modified to accommodate the removal and installation of boiler equipment. Encorus developed P&IDs indicating the required control and monitoring for boiler systems, back to the most logical isolation point form the Balance of Plant. A sequence of operation for each new boiler that would allow integration into the existing plant-wide direct digital controls network were developed, and flexibility analysis was performed to validate configuration and routing of all steam piping within the project scope. The project was modeled in Revit, including both existing equipment slated for removal and proposed equipment to be installed. The LOD 350 BIM allowed for review of potential obstructions between design disciplines as well as confirmation of appropriate clearances for equipment installation.