McKenney’s Building Services Division provided a large arterial pipe transplant for the condenser water system that serves the chiller plant at a premier office building in downtown Atlanta.

THE CHALLENGE

For years, the chiller plant’s aging supply and return piping leaked. Metal patches minimized the issue, however, the owner feared the system would become inoperable and spraying leaks would damage the chiller starter. The McKenney’s team needed to replace the large 20-inch pipe and complete the installation within tight quarters, complicated rigging and an aggressive timeline.

THE SOLUTION

To ensure adherence to the schedule, the McKenney’s team prefabricated new pipe sections to reduce the number of field welds for safe, fast and efficient replacement. In addition, fitting crews carefully coordinated the removal of old pipe and installation of new pipe. In the end, close to 400 feet of piping was installed with numerous bends that crisscrossed two levels of the central plant.

THE RESULTS

Accurate prefabricated piping and dual fitting crews enabled McKenney’s to complete the job two weeks ahead of schedule—with no safety incidents.