Multicare Steam Plant Drawing and Fact Sheet
Since we’re working with conceptual drawings today, I thought we’d start into the steam plant discussion that’s been spinning about for the last two weeks. The general idea is that Multicare is looking to replace an aging boiler facility with a new one next to Wright Park. The News Tribune and a couple of blogs have voiced concerns about the plan. Details seem to be trickling out, but here’s the official fact sheet:
Overview:
MultiCare Health System needs to replace an aging and inefficient boiler facility currently in operation on the Tacoma General Hospital and Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital campus. The facility currently in operation dates to 1964 and is located within the confines of the hospital near J Street. This facility produces steam for linen and equipment cleaning and sterilization, in addition to providing heat and other energy needs. The facility will also include three emergency generators to power the MultiCare campus during interruptions in utility service.
Location:
The site for the replacement facility is located at the corner of Third and South I Streets on property currently owned by MultiCare. The site houses an office building, a parking lot and the central oxygen supply area. The oxygen supply area will become part of the new facility and the building and parking lot will be removed.
MultiCare chose this site for these reasons:
- The vast majority of our property is occupied by current care facilities. These facilities have grown out to the edges of the property to optimize space for providing care.
- The new site is located near existing utilities and other infrastructure that support the current steam facility.
- The current facility is too small and antiquated to supply the campus’ current and future energy needs.
Design:
The Boiler and Emergency Generator Facility will meet or exceed the City of Tacoma’s aesthetic standards. It will be similar in look to the Mary Bridge Children’s Health Center, which also had to meet those new city standards. The front of the building will contain glass that will reflect the trees and colors of Wright Park, across I Street.
The building will be approximately four stories and have three venting stacks 90 feet off street level and 45 feet above the roof of the building. These venting stacks will be about 100 feet west of Wright Park and will be shorter and smaller than the current brick stack that is visible on our campus. The venting stacks will be made of stainless steel, which will reflect surrounding environmental colors.
Potential Impacts:
The emergency generators will be diesel fueled and they will produce some emissions, but only when they are running for monthly tests and power outages. These generators have stringent clean air standards to meet as well. The emissions that will be produced will be far less than what is currently emitted near Wright Park. The emissions will vary depending on the demands of the facilities, so they will not be continuous. The current facility can produce up to 60,000 pounds of steam per hour, but the new facility will have the capacity to produce up to 100,000 pounds. The three boilers will be natural gas fed, which is a very clean burning fuel.
Stringent standards, both from the EPA and the city, limit noise impacts. Sound suppression is part of the building’s design. The emergency generators will produce some noise, but only when run for short, monthly tests and during power outages. These generators will be located at the rear of the facility and will not be visible. We are determining what the noise impacts might be when these generators are in operation, but they will meet or exceed the standards for such systems.
Construction is expected to begin in April 2007.
Previously mentioned on The News Tribune’s Inside The Editorial Page Blog