UVA Fontaine Central Energy Plant and Utilities
Charlottesville, Va.
Merit Award
Sent by: DPR construction
Owner: University of Virginia
Design Company and Principal Mechanical Engineer: Affiliated Engineers Inc.
Construction Manager: DPR construction
Architect: Yesterday Saint Gross
Subcontractors: Riddleberger Brothers Inc.; Momentum Earthworks; Design Electric Inc.; Allied well drilling; Weldon Steel Corp.; Kahn Co.; McDaniel Contractor Services; Masonomics Inc; D&D Mechanical Inc.; Roofing services
The 18,800 square meter “zero combustion” fossil fuel-free facility showcases next-generation power generation technology, including geothermal storage, low-temperature hot water distribution and heat recovery chillers utilizing more than 100 geothermal wells. The system includes expansion capacity to serve up to 1.4 million gross square meters of future facilities planned for the Fontaine campus.
From the beginning, the vision to build a “plant of the future” collided with escalating material costs, logistical challenges in a small location, technical complexity and budget constraints. A five-month preconstruction value engineering process involving key design aid subcontractors brought the estimate $600,000 below the university’s target value budget. Using a layered approach to installing underground infrastructure, deep utilities were placed first, followed by geothermal wells and horizontal circuits, and finally shallow utilities. As some services were diverted to avoid construction clashes, a thorough validation process ensured that all systems were clearly marked to avoid impacts from subsequent project activity.
