The Burns Lake RCMP Detachment is located at 147 Highway 35 in Burns Lake, British Columbia and serves the community of Burns Lake and the surrounding area. Williams Engineering (WE) was enlisted as the Prime Consultant on this project while providing mechanical and electrical engineering consulting services to replace the existing HVAC equipment with a new code-compliant, energy efficient system.
WE reviewed the existing record documents and site conditions to identify several options for replacing two existing air handling units (AHUs) that had exceeded their service lives with new commercial-grade AHUs. It was critical that these new AHUs would be capable of free cooling during the warm summer months in order to conserve energy throughout the building. WE also reviewed the electrical distribution that served the existing mechanical HVAC systems to confirm adequate spare capacity to accommodate the proposed upgrades. The new mechanical AHUs and condensing units were connected to the existing electrical distribution within the main electrical room. Minor modifications to the electrical panels were required to accommodate the new HVAC equipment. To maintain continuous operation of this facility during the replacement of two existing AHUs, careful phasing during construction was essential.
The new AHUs are equipped with highly efficient gas-fired heating and DX cooling systems coupled with providing free cooling with 100% outdoor air. The Burns Lake RCMP Detachment has been upgraded to increase energy efficiency and reduce the carbon footprint of the building, in addition to decreasing the risk of equipment failure, ultimately increasing the safety of the facility for all staff and visitors.
