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With an eye toward planning for the future, Portland State University in 2007 sketched out a 10-year plan to double the square footage of its downtown campus. There was just one problem 鈥� the university鈥檚 existing steam and chilled water utilities, which included boilers well beyond their useful lives, wouldn鈥檛 be able to keep up with increased demand.

PSU turned to Winzler & Kelly to work on design and construction of the $19.1 million project to improve the system.

Winzler & Kelly first recommended drawing up a master plan outlining a step-by-step approach to improve the heating and cooling systems in a campus-wide loop. The plan would, in effect, create a priority list of campus-wide improvements that would then be tackled in three phases. The firm also conducted a SEED energy analysis.

The expansion requirements were greater than the money available, which meant outside funding would be necessary. Armed with the master plan, PSU was able to obtain money from state and federal sources, including the Oregon Stimulus Plan, to pay for the second phase of the campus loop.

鈥淒ue to Winzler & Kelly鈥檚 insistence and foresight, PSU received the additional funding, and all three phases have been constructed and are now fully operational,鈥� Mark Fujii, PSU鈥檚 project manager, wrote.