Program projects include:

We are providing comprehensive design and construction services for the expansion of the Prospect Utility Plant. The expansion project focuses on developing new steam, chilled water, emergency power and normal power systems within a facility expanded by 72,000 square feet. The underground infrastructure includes utility tunnels, Mayo Clinic-owned medium-voltage electrical distribution, public utilities and franchise utilities.

Key features include: an 8-MW combustion turbine generator (CTG) with a heat recovery steam generator (HRSG); a high-pressure steam system generating 140,000 pounds per hour; 48 hours of fuel oil storage, which provides an alternate fuel for the boiler, HRSG and CTG during natural gas outages; five 3.3-MW diesel generators; and a distributed control system (DCS).

The expansion is designed to seamlessly integrate with the existing facility, mirroring its architectural style with brick, arches and cornices. Cost-effective construction methods, such as precast panels with thin-set brick, are being utilized. The facility will also incorporate spaces for staff, including a control room expansion, restrooms, and office, shop and storage areas.

Our team also provided early procurement specification packages and technical bid evaluation for major equipment; architectural renderings for community engagement; noise modeling; computational fluid dynamic (CFD) modeling; and air permitting.

Redevelopment through the BFUiR program features the construction of two clinical buildings on occupied sites. Complementary facilities include a modern logistics center, two new parking ramps and relocation of Mayo Clinic’s primary visitor entrance.

A critical precursor to this expansion was the demolition of Damon Parking Ramp, which housed a vital 15-kV switchgear (Bus 6) that supplied power to key facilities, including the Gonda Building, Franklin Heating Station, Harwick Building and Mayo Clinic’s Saint Marys campus. Our team recircuited these essential loads to an alternate power source, enabling safe demolition of Bus 6 and the Damon Parking Ramp.

This complex undertaking demanded close collaboration with Rochester Public Utilities (RPU) and necessitated design and installation of new ductbank and manhole infrastructure, allowing RPU to directly recircuit power to the Saint Marys Campus and Franklin Heating Station. A notable innovation in this design is the self-supporting structural ductbank, built on piers, engineered to safely span a future tunnel construction site, establishing the longevity and adaptability of the infrastructure.

Another key part of the overall BFUiR program is the underground infrastructure initiative, which includes tunnels and a distribution system to carry essential electricity, internet and communication lines through an interconnected underground network. This resilient system provides reliability and connectivity necessary for world-class patient care while preserving the historic character and visual appeal of the campus.

We provided design and construction administration services for the initiative, which involved coordination among six firms on the project team, each with its own specialty. Challenges included seeing that all parties communicated effectively, staying within budget and adapting to changes in the project’s scope. The team overcame these hurdles by breaking the project into three tailored design packages, allowing for adjustments that support effective and resilient infrastructure design.

The tunnels and distribution project includes an approximately 630-foot tunnel for utility distribution, staff and automated guided vehicle (AGV) corridors. It also encompasses miles of electrical and telecommunications ductbanks and a switchgear building, which supplies normal power to new clinical buildings spanning more than 20 blocks within an urban landscape.

A key component of the BFUiR program includes a groundbreaking geothermal exchange system as part of Mayo Clinic’s transition from steam to hot water heating. Anticipated for completion in 2030, the system is located within the subway level of the new clinical building on the Ozmun block and will provide resilient, low-carbon heating and cooling by leveraging the Jordan aquifer as a thermal source and sink.

Designed to house four 1,000-ton heat pump chillers, each capable of providing 17 million BTUs per hour (MMBH) of heating. Initially, two chillers will be installed, with additional units to support future system expansion. The system features variable primary pumping for chilled water distribution into the existing campus district system and primary-secondary pumping for heating hot water distribution to new facilities. Over time, this plant will expand to serve additional campus buildings as Mayo Clinic systematically replaces steam heating with hot water.

The geothermal exchange system uses the Jordan aquifer as a heat source and sink, enabling energy storage within the dense urban environment. Due to the Jordan aquifer’s role as Rochester’s municipal drinking water supply, stringent protection measures were implemented. Extensive test well programs conducted prior to design validation confirmed aquifer performance and water quality.

Locating the geothermal exchange plant 30 feet below grade in the subway level required close coordination with Mayo Clinic and the broader hospital design and construction team. An area well was incorporated to facilitate the installation and future replacement of the heat pump chillers.

The plant is designed to operate in six distinct modes: heating only, cooling only, balanced, simultaneous, cooling-dominant, and heating-dominant. Each mode requires precise sequencing and integration with the open-loop aquifer system to optimize efficiency and maintain aquifer balance.

This integration of complex geothermal technology with district energy distribution establishes the anchor point for Mayo Clinic’s steam-to-hot-water conversion strategy. Once operational, the system will provide resilient, low-carbon heating and cooling, supporting world-class patient care and advancing Mayo Clinic’s mission of building a more sustainable campus.