Technical Insights February 07, 2020
Tie-In to Claw Back Savings
Tie-ins make it possible to work on small sections of a heating system without having to shut it down.
Winter construction during a steam to hot water conversion often leads to one of two scenarios: a system shutdown while work is performed, or a project delay until the cold weather passes. Neither scenario is ideal, and both require a considerable investment of time or money. What if a marginal investment, relative to the project cost, could mitigate both scenarios altogether?
By installing ‘tie-in’ infrastructure at the project outset, you create a system bypass serving as a construction workaround during implementation. During the winter, tie-ins allow the construction crew to isolate and work on small sections of the heating system while the greater system continues to service facility needs.
Freed from seasonal constraints, projects can be procured at any time of the year and can progress without delay. For large projects, the results can be game-changing. With a marginal investment relative to the project cost, this technique can compress the project timeline by an entire season, recovering project savings and associated benefits months in advance.
The tie-in technique underpins the importance of integrating design and construction initiatives to maximize outcomes. It is one of many benefits of practicing Integrated Engineering and Construction as part of an Outcome-Based Contracting approach to deep energy retrofits.
