ATCO Office Building

commercial

The ATCO tower located on 105th street in Edmonton, Alberta contains over 270,000 ft2 of space and occupies a variety of offices while being in close proximity to major roadways and businesses. The distinct colour of the building makes it easily visible in Edmonton's skyline.

Cooling Tower Pumps VFDs

Conventional motors that operate cooling tower pumps operate either at full capability or not at all. This method of operation may be acceptable during times of peak demand where the system is operating at or near full capacity, but is less than ideal during any other time. Variable frequency drives (VFD) modulate the speed of the motor thus providing an appropriate amount of capacity for the demand. This in turn significantly cuts down operating costs especially in seasons such as spring or fall where peak demand is not as common. In the ATCO Tower, the main cooling tower pump motors, each being a vital piece of equipment in maintaining building temperature, were retrofitted with VFD drives to achieve more efficient performance.

Gas Regulator

To meet the new gas demand requirements, ES Engineering was retained to design and seal a new gas regulator along with new gas pipe sizes for the ATCO tower.

Mechanical System Review

ES Engineering was responsible for reviewing the entire mechanical system to determine efficiency and the general condition of the mechanical equipment located throughout the entire building. Recommendations were made on how to increase efficiency of existing equipment and systems.

Humidification Design

ES Engineering was responsible for the design of a new humidifier system that supplies the entire twenty story building. Adequate humidification is essential for occupant comfort and health as well as preventing static charge build-up which can negatively affect electronics. Especially in winter months, low humidity can lead to respiratory and dermatological problems.

Variable Frequency Drive

Conventional motors that operate fans or pumps operate either at full capability or not at all. This method of operation may be acceptable during times of peak demand where the system is operating at or near full capacity, but is less than ideal during any other time. Variable frequency drives (VFD) modulate the speed of the motor thus providing an appropriate amount of capacity for the demand. This in turn significantly lowered operating costs especially in seasons such as spring or fall where peak demand is not as common. In the ATCO tower both the main supply fan was retrofitted with a VFD drive as well as the motor operating the building's cooling tower, a vital piece of equipment in maintaining building temperature.

Building DDC System

ES Engineering was responsible for the design of a new Building Management System (BMS) and Direct Digital Control (DDC) system through the building. All the following HVAC systems and equipment were tied to the new DDC system:

Chillers, Boilers, Humidifiers, Cooling Towers, Cooling and Heating Pumps, Air Handling Units, Fan Coils, Exhaust Fans, All Floors Zone Temperatures, Domestic Water System, Fire Pumps, Parking Ventilation and Makeup Air Systems, Carbon Monoxide Monitoring System, etc.

New Boiler Backup System

ES Engineering was retained to design a means of interconnecting a new boiler to the existing boilers and to upgrade the existing heating plant sequence of operations. This project involved the installation of new heating piping, a new plate & frame heat exchanger, a new circulation pump, new temperature sensors, and new controls, etc.