The CHP will provide OHSU with a clean, flexible, reliable, and efficient source of heat and electric power, says Siemens. It will include five natural gas-fired microturbines, which will produce all of the heat required by the facility, as well as 34 percent of its electric power. The CHP will serve a 400,000-square-foot facility that will house medical offices, outpatient surgery, research laboratories, a wellness center, an imaging center, conference center, retail outlets, and parking.

"Combined heat and power is gaining momentum as a means of improving energy efficiency, power quality, and reliability," said Bob Davis, group operations manager at Siemens Building Technologies. "Projects like this are transforming the way businesses think about energy production and building designs."

According to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), a CHP design will reduce the amount of fuel consumed by almost 40 percent when compared to a traditional fossil fuel-fired utility power plant and customer-owned boilers. In addition, OHSU estimates that the CHP system will reduce its CO2 emissions by roughly nine million pounds per year.

Siemens is also designing a high-efficiency chilled water production plant to serve the cooling needs of the building. Both the CHP and chilled-water plants will be integrated and controlled as a coordinated central utility plant.

Publication date: 12/06/2004