Healthcare

A central energy plant is the heart of a hospital. It controls critical hospital infrastructure from lighting, cooling and temperature controls, computer systems required to treat patients, and more. Expanding the hospital’s central energy plant would require the project teams to perform open heart surgery on an active hospital and Level III Trauma Center while maintaining power to perform its essential functions that save the lives of patients. The Valley View Hospital Central Energy Plant (CEP) expansion project in Glenwood Springs, Colorado did just that.

Like any major medical procedure that takes place in a hospital, particular care is needed to look at the unique conditions and needs prior to conducting any work. From the beginning of the project in July of 2019 to the completion in December of 2021, Valley View Hospital experienced an expansion of the lifetime and energy production capabilities of the hospital through the addition of a third floor and new rooftop space which brought an additional 3,471 square feet to the facility. Additional levels and square footage made room for new electrical panels as well as a third generator. In total the three generators produce 4.5 megawatts of energy, the equivalent of providing power to 45 residential homes. Expanding and renovating the electrical infrastructure within the central energy plant will power the hospital to continue to grow to meet the healthcare needs of the surrounding community for many years to come. As a major hospital providing cancer treatments, trauma care, major surgeries, and more, the community relies on this hospital to be there for them, just as the hospital trusted Encore Electric to provide the needed upgrades to the CEP.