Ice Rink Chiller
Replacement Supports
Campus SustainabilityCommitments.

Chemours , I.B. Storey, and Trane Technologies™ bring Schneider Arena into the 21st century,
putting Providence College on “solid ice” for long-term environmental impact and performanceexcellence with Opteon™ XP10 (R-513A) refrigerant.
The situation presented to Providence College isvery much a familiar one at campus and community
ice rinks across North America. The icemaking andchiller equipment in Providence’s Schneider Arenawas far too old to effectively meet the school’s
athletic demands. Moreover, it had become afinancial drain due to inefficient operation and
was a “fossil” in terms of being able to support theircampuswide sustainability program. Schneider
Arena’s solution came through a collaboration ofChemours, I.B. Storey—one of North America’s rinkengineering firms—and Trane Technologies™, whoworked together to provide the school with acustomized package that today is turning out
consistently high performance on the ice.

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“Since installing the new ice rinkchiller package, our ice quality
and the performance of oursystem has been great. It’s
rewarding to know you can haveenergy-efficient, ecofriendly
products that do not sacrifice
performance.”
Eric R. Dursin
CIRM
Schneider Arena Manager

The Challenges
In 2013, Schneider Arena had a grand reopening after a massive renovation that expanded thebuilding’s capacity and added many new facilities and amenities. Although this project turned
Schneider Arena into one of the finest on-campus facilities in the country, the chiller room andequipment were not part of the upgrade. Several years later—with that equipment approaching
the 20-year mark—it was time to bring Schneider Arena’s ice sports capabilities up to par withthe rest of the arena.
The project for the chiller room presented several challenges:
1. Minimum downtime—Schneider Arena was in constant use, serving the college’s men’s andwomen’s hockey, men’s lacrosse, the Providence College club hockey and intramurals, as wellas many Rhode Island youth, junior, and high school hockey programs.
2. No room for expansion—The new equipment packages had to fit within the footprint of thecurrent chiller room.
3. Sustainability—Providence College had launched a major sustainability program, making
commitments to reducing its carbon footprint
year over year. The new chiller packages had tooffer, energy-reducing properties that that
responded to the school’s environmentalcommitments.
“Ice arenas on college
4. Longevity—Whatever the solution, the college
campuses are a hub of student
needed it to be durable in terms of equipment
life and camaraderie for theperformance and endurance in terms ofpeople of the surrounding
compliance in an evolving regulatory landscape.
communities. Therefore, thematerials and equipment that
The end result, of course, had to ensure optimal
go into the systems that keep
safety for athletes, spectators, and the campus
them operating must uphold thecommunity, as well as perform like the championsthat were to skate on its surface day in andintegrity of the sports thatday out.
happen there, ensure the safetyof the people that go there, andpreserve a campus culture
demonstrating commitment tothe future. The team I.B. Storey
Providence College turned to the rinkbrought together proudly
engineering firm of I.B. Storey to coordinate thedelivered on all these counts.”
project, resulting in the company collaboratingwith Chemours and Trane Technologies to develop
Ian Storey
the ideal solution for Schneider Arena. As thisPresident, I.B. Storey
team assessed the best options for the school,
they also focused on logistics that allowed themto accomplish all the work that needed to becompleted during the shutdown period for thearena’s ice sports.

Defining the Solution

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When it came to the refrigerant, facility managers never even considered ammonia—the refrigerant used in the previous system—due to safety concerns. They immediately embraced the attributes of Chemours Opteon™ XP10 (R-513A), which in comparison to ammonia, was attractive due
to its low toxicity and nonflammability. Moreover, this hydrofluoroolefin (HFO) blend offers zeroozone depletion potential (ODP) to align with school’s mandate. The new ice rink chiller packages
included Opteon™ XP10-charged Trane Technologies™ RTWDs. In addition, the chiller replacement
and renovations were integrated with infrastructure updates that included deepening and enlarging the snow melt pit, excavating, and redoing the ice resurface tunnel, and adding an ice resurface water fill meter.

Exceeding Expectations
Everything—from the moment crews first started work in the mechanical room until the new ice
rink chiller began operation—was achieved in the college’s designated six-month shutdown period.
In terms of space, Schneider Arena now operates on a system offering a high level of performancein a more compact area. Lastly, Providence College’s community of athletes, students, andsupporters continue to praise the impact the upgrades have made on their sports and leisure.
Everyone is thrilled with the performance and its contributions to the school’s model of energy
efficiency and sustainability.

“Safety is paramount in a project like this because students, faculty,players, visitors, and facility staff are constantly in the building. It’s oneof the reasons Providence College switched from ammonia, and whyChemours recommended a refrigerant solution that supported its
development objectives. Opteon™ XP10 (R-513A) offers the totalpackage. It’s nonflammable, offers low toxicity, and delivers outstanding thermodynamic performance when paired with Trane’s equipment
technology.”
Charles Allgood, PhD
Technical Fellow, Chemours

4As an official partner of the National Hockey League (NHL®), Chemours provides education on
customized approaches and continual support to help arenas find balanced and innovative solutions that can evolve with them and the surrounding world. We work closely with the arena’s staff
to understand their challenges, needs, budgets, businesses goals, and visions. Chemours and its
partners assess the facility, its purpose, and the people it serves. We provide education about
everything from current requirements and upcoming regulatory changes to the immediate andlong-term benefits of retrofits or new equipment.

For more information on the Opteon™, visit optforbetter.com/NHL.

© 2023 The Chemours Company FC, LLC. Opteon™ and any associated logos are trademarks or copyrights of The Chemours Company FC, LLC.
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O-CFCEC (10/23)

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