CASE STUDY 2
Three Pillars Assisted Living Facility
Rohde Bros. performed the design build installation of the plumbing and HVAC systems for this 90,000 square foot Assisted Living facility. The unique layout of this facility allowed us to install an undersized1 geothermal plate and frame heat exchanger into the pond located next to the facility. This ground breaking achievement was the first time this has been accomplished here in the State of Wisconsin and at the time of install this was also the largest in the USA. Heat pump systems are used in conjunction with the geothermal plate and frame heat exchanger to heat and cool the facility. Due to the sprawling layout of the facility, this system will allow portions of the building which require cooling to reject the heat back into the geothermal loop and provide “free” heating to the portions of the facility which require heating. All of the energy requirements for this building will come from the geothermal heat exchanger in the pond when the outside air temp is above 10 degrees Fahrenheit.
Key features of this system:
- No unsightly cooling tower or noisy Chiller located outside of the building
- Geothermal Heat Exchanger is Maintenance Free
- Water to Water Heat Pumps were installed to provide in-floor heating for the facility using the Geothermal System
- Water to Air Heat Pumps were installed to provide a second stage of heating and all the cooling in the residence rooms
- System design provides optimum efficiencies during transition seasons (spring and fall) when one portion of the building needs cooling and the other portion needs heating.
- Plumbing system was designed and installed such that each fixture had its own dedicated hot and cold branch water lines individually valved at the main pipe.
- Secondary heat for days when outside air temp is below 10 degrees Fahrenheit is provided by two small boilers
