New, More Efficient Cooling Tower Installed at UM-Flint's University Pavilion

It was a big project, and not one usually done in-house, but the University of Michigan-Flint Facilities and Operations Department had the personnel to install a new cooling tower on the University Pavilion roof.

The 18' X 18' unit weighs in at 10 tons, and is part of the 8 million BTU cooling system. A large crane had to be used to place the equipment on the roof.

This unit is more energy efficient than the one it replaced because it is composed of two separate cells. On some days, only one cell might be needed, but when it gets hot, the second unit will kick-in.

At least $70,000 was saved by doing the installation in-house. The Facilities and Operations Department personnel included, among others, a master electrician, a state-certified welder, and an energy management technician.

The project was started in early winter, and the relatively mild weather allowed for the completion of the new cooling tower just in time for the arrival of the warm spring weather.