Overview

Doylestown Hospital has provided high-quality care to its community for nearly 100 years. Facing challenges with their outdated central chilled water plant and needing firm economic justification to upgrade, hospital administrators turned to Southland to help due to our expertise with healthcare mechanical systems.

Our Approach

To create the cost-effective solution to replace the aging plant and improve resiliency, sustainability, and operational efficiency, our team identified and secured nearly $1 million in grants and rebates, which funded more than 25 percent of the project. As the design-builder, our team conceptualized, design, built, and commissioned a 1.6 MW combined heat and power (CHP) or cogeneration plant.

Result

Our cost-effective solution not only replaced the aging central plant, but also exceeded the initial pro forma with the owner realizing a net positive cash flow of more than $400,000 annually. Additionally, carbon and greenhouse gas emissions were reduced by 50 percent and the building's Energy Star score increased from 24 to 58. Overall, we completed the initial feasibility study, were the Engineer of Record, and acquired all permits for a PA DCED Alternative Clean Energy grant and PECO rebate while also completing all measurement and verification. Following the project's completion, we provide full-time staffing for HVAC maintenance throughout the healthcare campus.