Consulting Engineering
CMTA was hired by Margaret Mary Health to be the MEP design engineer for the pre-design of a new replacement hospital. As part of the pre-design process, there were many discussions around different HVAC systems, including geothermal. An outcome of that exercise was the geothermal conversion of Margaret Mary Health’s Cancer Center Central Plant.
The Central Plant Geothermal Conversion project is the healthcare system's first step towards achieving energy efficiency while reducing their carbon footprint. The project involves the removal of a 210 ton air cooled chiller and installation of 68 geothermal wells at 300 feet deep. The installation of (3) 60 ton 6-pipe Water Furnace Tru Climate Modules not only reduces the usage of boilers for below freezing conditions but also efficiently heats the facility using the heat pump modules even when outside air temperatures drop as low as 25 degrees. The adoption of the geothermal technology provides a more sustainable energy solution, insulation from energy price volatility, and an opportunity for cost savings.
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is critical to this project, offering federal incentives for clean and renewable energy investments, decarbonization, sustainability investments, energy efficiency, and infrastructure upgrades. The project is targeting savings of up to $300,000 or 30% of the total cost through IRA incentives, a key piece of the project’s financial strategy that resulted in a 6-year Return on Investment. This is the first targeted healthcare project in the U.S. to apply for IRA funding and is a prime example of what the Inflation Reduction Act was meant to accomplish.
CMTA's knowledge of the Inflation Reduction Act guided us in our decision-making process to convert our central plant to geothermal in a budget-friendly way. Their high-performance healthcare design expertise introduced operational possibilities that have transformed our facilities.
