McKenney’s replaced cooling towers that were obstructing a view of the downtown Atlanta skyline from the Overlook III office building.

THE CHALLENGE

Working with the owner, the team was tasked with determining the optimal placement for the new cooling towers. Options were few and the best location—a top floor corner of an elevated parking deck—would require underground piping on a steep grade and custom fabricated steel supports for the towers.

THE SOLUTION

To ensure a seamless and safe replacement, CAD modeling and prefabrication of all the piping and tower supports was done ahead of installation. Along with placing the new towers, the team ran 14-inch piping down five floors of the parking deck and then underground for 200 feet on a steep hill. During the entire construction process the building remained open and the tower changeover was done during a weekend shutdown.

THE RESULTS

With no disruption to building operations, owners have a more efficient HVAC system and tenants can now enjoy a clear view of the Atlanta skyline.