HCA Houston Healthcare, The Woman’s Hospital of Texas, Cooling Tower Renovations

Burns led the hospital cooling tower replacement as the design/build project’s engineer of record.

Houston Woman’s Hospital is the first women’s hospital in Houston and first facility in Texas dedicated to the health of women and newborns. The 420-bed hospital and its Level IV neonatal intensive care unit handle more than 800 deliveries per month — the most of any hospital in Texas.

To address chiller plant performance concerns, HCA engaged Burns to assess the cooling system’s performance and structural condition. Burns’ assessment identified corrosion affecting the 15-year-old cooling towers and determined the chiller plant was inadequately sized for existing chiller load, especially during the Texas summer heat.

Rather than refurbish the system, HCA chose to undertake a complete systems replacement. Burns led engineering design and construction management for the tower’s demolition, installation of a temporary cooling tower, and the construction of:

Two 1,300-ton, three-cell cooling towers and support structures
Condenser water pumps
Variable speed drives for the new tower fans and new condenser water pumps

Throughout the project, Burns maintained continuity of the hospital’s cooling system and minimized disruption to hospital operations. Construction is scheduled to complete in 2024.

Location

Houston, TX

Client

HCA Houston Healthcare

Industry

Healthcare

Expertise

District Energy Systems

Hospital Building Systems

Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing

Key Team Member