Case study: Electrical Power Center Upgrade

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Electrical Power Center Upgrade

Customer: Port of Seattle

Project Location:Seattle, Washington

The Port of Seattle wished to replace and upgrade the Power Center in their Parking Terminal #3, as the existing power center transformer, medium voltage switch and low voltage distribution equipment were 34 years old.

The Challenge

The new power center was programmed for installation within the same small electrical room as the existing power center. The existing power center remained energized and operational until the new power center was tested and commissioned, and all loads were transferred over.

This electrical room was located directly below a vehicle driving surface and exposed to the weather. We had the additional challenge of water seepage through the concrete ceiling slab and evidence of water flowing down the interior face of the room’s concrete walls.

The Solution

Harris Group’s construction drawings included a very detailed phasing approach for the installation and demolition, which also included the development of a detailed construction sequence.

To meet the cooling requirements of the new configuration, Harris Group’s design included a new air handling unit which was added within the adjacent mechanical room. This required new concrete wall penetrations for the HVAC supply and return ducting.

Harris Group also investigated and solved the water entry problem. To prevent future water leakage into the electrical room, the roadway above was coated with waterproofing material, and the interior walls and ceiling of the electrical room were cleaned to ensure any future water leakage could easily be seen.

The Benefits

The new power center met all the Ports criteria which included safety, functionality, operation, capital budget and schedule. As a full service engineering company Harris Group was able to reduce cost and increase design coordination by providing the electrical, mechanical, structural and architectural design with in-house staff. The design included the appropriate level of detail, in this case higher than normal, which contributed to construction change orders below 5%.

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Overview Case Studies ...more White Papers Contacts	Electrical Power Center Upgrade Customer: Port of Seattle Project Location:Seattle, Washington The Port of Seattle wished to replace and upgrade the Power Center in their Parking Terminal #3, as the existing power center transformer, medium voltage switch and low voltage distribution equipment were 34 years old. The Challenge The new power center was programmed for installation within the same small electrical room as the existing power center. The existing power center remained energized and operational until the new power center was tested and commissioned, and all loads were transferred over. This electrical room was located directly below a vehicle driving surface and exposed to the weather. We had the additional challenge of water seepage through the concrete ceiling slab and evidence of water flowing down the interior face of the room’s concrete walls. The Solution Harris Group’s construction drawings included a very detailed phasing approach for the installation and demolition, which also included the development of a detailed construction sequence. To meet the cooling requirements of the new configuration, Harris Group’s design included a new air handling unit which was added within the adjacent mechanical room. This required new concrete wall penetrations for the HVAC supply and return ducting. Harris Group also investigated and solved the water entry problem. To prevent future water leakage into the electrical room, the roadway above was coated with waterproofing material, and the interior walls and ceiling of the electrical room were cleaned to ensure any future water leakage could easily be seen. The Benefits The new power center met all the Ports criteria which included safety, functionality, operation, capital budget and schedule. As a full service engineering company Harris Group was able to reduce cost and increase design coordination by providing the electrical, mechanical, structural and architectural design with in-house staff. The design included the appropriate level of detail, in this case higher than normal, which contributed to construction change orders below 5%.