Naval Support Activity Bethesda (NSAB) marked the completion of new cooling tower at a ceremony Jan. 31.
“It’s funny to be talking about a cooling tower on a rather brisk day in the winter,” said Capt. Rick Burgess, Commanding Officer, Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) Washington, in front of the new cooling towers.
Burgess praised those who worked on the project and said it ran “extraordinarily smoothly.”
“There are people whose job it is – and you’re among them – to worry about all the machinery and all the stuff that allows the patients to come here and concentrate on getting better and caregivers concentrating on giving the best care possible,” Burgess said. “You are the folks that are behind the scenes that are making these things happen – building in the infrastructure, the skeleton the muscles, the tendons – that really allow the rest of this operation to go on at a world class level. So I just want to say thanks for doing a great job.”
The project was awarded to Walsh Construction in 2014 and was completed in October, replacing a three-cell system. The new four-cell system was built anticipating more demanding cooling loads in the future, according to construction manager Navy Ensign Alexander Megeff.
The new system was designed to be more energy efficient. Instead of using more water to cool water, the new system instead uses air to cool water. That ends up saving in utilities by decreasing water demand, Megeff said.
“The main goal of this project was simple, to provide new cooling towers to benefit the construction of the new hospital that is slated to begin in the next several years,” Megeff said. “I can honestly say that through the hard work and effort of the contractor, NAVFAC staff and everyone down at NAVFAC [headquarters], NSAB Bethesda has a new system that will benefit the base for years to come.”
NSAB Commanding Officer Capt. Marvin L. Jones said he was impressed with the new cooling towers because of their efficiency.
“This tower has four cells that needed to provide optimum cooling for this installation and our medical facilities during the summertime,” Jones said. “The fourth cell is an additional capacity, so if one goes down we will still be able to provide critical cooling to our medical operations to support our mission.”
He commended NAVFAC not only for this completed project but also for other ongoing projects on the installation.
“I trust them emphatically on making sure that we have a safe installation and that things move forward frequently and very safely,” Jones said. “I’m very, very grateful for that.”
| Date Taken: |
01.31.2017 |
| Date Posted: |
02.10.2017 12:56 |
| Story ID: |
223207 |
| Location: |
BETHESDA, MARYLAND, US |
| Web Views: |
24 |
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0 |
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