Fla. Businesses in Downtown Orlando now can dramatically reduce their cooling costs, improve the reliability of their air conditioning services and even help the environment, thanks to a new central chilled water facility inaugurated by OUC today. Built as a joint venture with Trigen-Cinergy Solutions, the chiller plant is located on Orange Avenue adjacent to OUC headquarters. It serves downtown area buildings, including City Hall, the new CNL building now under construction, and OUC offices. Part of the OUC District Cooling Program, the new facility enables businesses to outsource the generation of chilled water for their commercial air conditioning systems. Warm air is blown over these coils, cooling the air as it passes through.
Water is cooled there and piped into participating buildings.
Prior to chiller plants, each building had to purchase its own cooling equipment. By outsourcing the chilled water function, commercial and industrial customers can say goodbye to operation and maintenance responsibilities, as well as the environmental risks associated with chemical handling and refrigerants. Eliminating the equipment and upkeep expense, which can add up to millions of dollars for commercial and industrial customers, is enough of a reason to participate but the program also brings value-added benefits, such as improved reliability and quiet building operation. WiseTM CenTraVacR - which received the prestigious U.S. EPA Climate Protection Award for its ability to minimize ozone depletion and increase energy efficiency.