Background
Alabama Power Company (APCo) has provided steam to the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) for several decades. APCo notified UAB in February 2008 that it would be terminating steam service to UAB on February 13, 2013 under the notification terms of the existing five year agreement. Also, APCo notified other UAB affiliated organizations of steam service termination, which included Southern Research Institute, Callahan Eye Hospital and Veterans Hospital.
A comprehensive due-diligence program and feasibility studies were undertaken during the past two years by UAB to develop the most cost effective and reliable approach for steam generation and distribution to the campus and affiliated facilities, including an in-depth investigation for purchase of the APCo Southside Steam Plant and distribution system. UAB’s Administration decided that a new steam generation plant and distribution network with a condensate recovery system would provide the most viable and economical benefits to UAB and its affiliates. The project was approved by the Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama on behalf of The University of Alabama at Birmingham in June 2010 based on a budget of $69.0 MM with funding by UAB bonds.
UAB negotiated purchase of the APCo property adjacent to the Southside Steam Plant to construct the new steam generation facility. UAB will purchase the balance of the APCo assets (Southside Steam Plant and distribution system) in February 2013 with plans to remove the plant and construct a new parking area on the 14th Street side of the property during the mid-2013. UAB will utilize the newest segment of APCo’s distribution piping system located in 19th Street that was installed in 2006.
Project Scope
The new steam plant, campus distribution network and condensate recovery systems design and construction is based on phased segments with construction delivery by multiple bid packages managed by the Construction-Project Management Team of the UAB Facilities Group.
- Steam Generation Plant – The new steam plant will be located at the corner of 13th Street and 6th Avenue South across from the UAB Bartow Area complex. The new plant facility will consist of a 20,000 SF structure designed for six (6) 80,000 PPH natural gas fired boiler units, ancillary support equipment, piping systems and two (2) stand-by electrical generators and underground emergency fuel oil storage system for the boilers and generators. Initial construction will include purchase of five (5) boilers with the sixth unit being purchased as the future steam growth dictates. The design of steam generation plant will be based on the latest technology equipment and control systems to maximize production of high quality steam, efficiency, cost effectiveness and environmental compliance.
Project Scope
- Steam Distribution Network
The distribution of steam to from the new plant to campus facilities will be transported through a network of approximately 20,000 linear feet of various sized specialized steam piping. The piping network routing has been carefully planned to minimize impact to the City of Birmingham streets and rights-of-way with heavy emphasis on utilization of campus property, buildings and utility tunnels.
Approximately sixty percent (60%) of the piping will be installed within UAB campus properties and approximately forty percent (40%) is scheduled to be within the City of Birmingham sidewalks and streets.
The distribution network has two major segments identified as the North Loop and South Loop with two (2) minor sub-segments being the Northeast and Southeast Loops. The distribution piping system remains combined and parallel from the new plant southward by Bartow Arena and then southeasterly near the Hill Center toward Parking Area #5 near University Boulevard. At this juncture the network piping separates with the South Loop heading southward to University Boulevard and easterly to the pedestrian bridge and then crossing over 8th Avenue to the School of Nursing. The distribution separates with the western feed crossing 16th Street to the Recreation center and the eastern feed crossing 18th Street with service to the Shelby and RSB Buildings and eastward across 19th Street to the BMR II and Bevill Buildings and terminating the 9th Avenue vault. There will be a radial distribution and condensate piping system installed easterly from the 9th Avenue vault across 20th Street to 8th Street Court to SRI’s building facilities. Additionally, there is a steam system cross-feed at the Shelby Building to Veterans Hospital, which provides a loop tie-in to the North Loop network.
The North Loop piping system begins from Parking Area #5 near Volker Hall northward to 7th Avenue and easterly to the intersection of 18th and then northerly on 18th Street in front of the Sparks Building and crosses 18th Street at the West Pavilion bridge then easterly through Spain-Wallace with utilization of the “transvac” corridor then northeasterly through the underground tunnel to the General Services Building. The piping installation proceeds northeasterly crossing 19th Street to the North Pavilion then southerly through the mechanical spaces to the Wallace Tumor Institute and through its mechanical corridor and continuing southerly across 6th Avenue and returning into the steam system within the Spain-Wallace Building. This tie-in results in the North Loop system becoming a totally separate and functional steam loop for the hospital facilities.
- Condensation Recovery System
Steam condensate will be recovered from each of the buildings being supplied by the steam distribution network. The steam condensate has an average discharge temperature of 180 degrees (F) providing high thermal energy values for reuse in the boiler make-up water resulting in major “green” and economic benefits to UAB by reduction of energy/fuel and domestic water consumption. The condensate is collected within each building and pumped into the primary recovery pipeline to the steam plant for chemical treatment and processed into the primary make-up water system for the boilers. The condensate recovery piping system is designed to be installed within the same routing used for the steam distribution piping network.
Schedule – A Master Schedule has been developed for construction of the new steam generation plant, steam distribution network and condensate recovery system. Bid activities are scheduled to commence in Mid-March 2011 with the phased construction program to begin in late May 2011. Completion of the major construction work is scheduled for November 2012. Final reliability testing and commissioning activities will be conducted after construction through February 12, 2013 at which time the seamless transition of steam production and distribution occurs between UAB and APCo operations.
Quality Control & Inspection – A comprehensive Total Quality Management (TQM) and Commissioning plan has been developed relative to construction of the District Steam System Project to insure operational performance, reliability and systems integrity. The TQM plan will include a rigid program of testing, inspection and quality control of construction, materials and critical components by UAB’s Project Management Team and related consultants in conjunction with local agencies.
Coordination & Communications - UAB is currently developing a plan to communicate the status of the project and related activities to the campus and community through a special website devoted to the UAB District Steam System Project. This website will be updated weekly and more frequent as required with information regarding the overall progress of the project with a special emphasis on identifying construction activities at specific locations with estimated work durations and other important details. In addition to the website a project liaison person will be assigned to communicate directly with the City of Birmingham Traffic, Engineering and other agencies to provide advanced detailed information related to construction activities planned for City streets and right-of-ways.
State & City Streets Right-of-Way - Construction activities related to street and right-of-way will be specifically addressed in the Project Construction Documents with rigid contract requirements regarding permitting, construction and repairs of State and City Streets Right-of-Way.
State & City Streets Right-of-Way - The Project Construction Documents will provide details and engineering procedures to repair all open-cut areas with use of a special engineered flowable-fill material in conjunction with compacted crushed stone pipe bedding/backfill to stabilize the excavated area(s) for closure to the final sub-grade elevation. Hot-mix asphaltic concrete base and surface paving will be applied to the closed area at the required thickness and the asphaltic concrete materials and paving methods will be in compliance with City of Birmingham and ALDOT specifications.
All excavated trenches and areas will be milled (full street width) four (4) feet either side to provide the required asphaltic base and surface paving thickness to attain proper strength and pavement transition. This method will result in an engineered repair to the streets and right-of-ways impacted by steam piping installations. The construction materials and installation will be inspected and tested to insure compliance of the City Specifications and ALDOT for integrity of construction.
There is approximately 4,000 linear feet of piping trenches to be excavated estimated within the City Right-of-Way, including 12 street crossings. The piping trenches contain various piping sizes with multiple units being within one trench area resulting in an estimated 12, 293 linear feet of new piping to be installed.
Additionally, the UAB Steam Distribution Network will be utilizing approximately 2,000 linear feet of the newest (2006) APCo distribution piping currently installed within 19th Street between 4th Avenue and University Boulevard.
The UAB District Steam System Project has received reviews and approval from the City Council, Planning Commission, 14th Street Design Review Committee, and Five Points Neighborhood Committee. The City Council recently approved the zoning change from M-1 to B-6 related to the steam generation plant and Right-of-Way User Agreement and final approval and signature of the Mayor.
The Alabama Department of Transportation has agreed to issue a permit to UAB for construction and installation of the steam distribution system across University Boulevard (State Highway #149) near the UAB Recreation Center.
The Jefferson County Health Department has issued to UAB a Permit to Construct the new Steam Generation Plant under the guidelines and regulations of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM).
Two maps are attached defining the UAB District Steam System distribution network, APCo distribution system and construction areas related to the State and City Right-of-Way and related streets.
February 8, 2011
History and Scope
