Baxter & Woodman provided design engineering for the replacement of the existing Combined Heat and Power (CHP) No. 1. The project removed the existing 280kW CHP No. 1 unit and installed a new 375kW CHP unit in its place. The project also included the replacement of the hot water piping connecting the central loop to the CHP unit, the replacement of the ventilation system, as well as modifications to the existing electrical system to accommodate the new unit. The District is able to produce 750kW of electricity, which allows the District to operate a net-zero facility and sell some electricity to ComEd.
The project was constructed under a design-build delivery method. Baxter & Woodman/Boller Construction provided design and construction under the same contract, which accelerated the project schedule by eliminating the formal bidding process and starting construction before completion of the final design documents. Delivering this project under a design-build contract allowed the District to actively participate in the design and construction, and to receive a quality project under an expedited timeline.