Creative Energy–Swedish First Hill Campus Carbon Neutral Energy District Project

EBD Services is providing Project Management and Electrical Design Engineering Services supporting the development of a carbon neutral energy district serving the First Hill neighborhood and the migration of the Swedish First Hill Campus toward carbon neutrality. Key elements of the project include a replacement of legacy mechanical plant systems to maximize the use of waste heat and high efficiency heat pumps including ambient loop. Major improvements to normal and emergency power system are coordinated with needed replacement of legacy equipment and include coordination with Seattle City Light as loads are migrated from steam and natural gas sources to electricity over a phased, multi-year transition plan.

Phase 1 Concept Design evaluated options for centralized vs. distributed mechanical plants across the campus based upon risk, resiliency, and first cost/life cycle cost benefits. As part of this effort the electrical system loads were evaluated to take advantage of spare capacity in both existing normal SCL services and capacity of building electrical distribution elements. This investigation reduced the need for added electrical service vaults and limited scope to transformer replacement.

Phase 2 Design development refined the Phase 1 distributed mechanical plant design direction. This included development of phased mechanical plant and electrical system upgrades facilitating a phased construction schedule that mitigates impact to normal business operations and coordinates work on the existing campus with the concurrent planning for the North Tower and Block 95 development. Opportunities to integrate thermal energy storage, peak load management, adiabatic humidification, and electric boilers for humidification were developed. Detailed coordination with SCL was initiated to coordinate planning around electrical load increases over the construction phase of the project.

Phase 3 Construction Documents (in progress) will develop final construction documents including final coordination with SCL, and detailed phasing to limit impacts to business continuity and maintain patient safety needs throughout the planned multi-year phased construction of the project. Phase 4 Construction work is currently planned for completion between 2024-2028.