News

Geothermal installation nearly 75 percent complete

Installation of the new geothermal heating and cooling system is approximately 75 percent complete.

The installation is finished in the East and West Tech buildings, according to Jack Burns, MCCC director of Campus Planning and Facilities. 

The A Building is in the final stages of completion, he said.

The Registrar’s Office, Admissions and other administration offices are scheduled to return to the building in mid-October. 

The geothermal system installation is expected to be complete in late spring/early summer of 2017.  

“Things will get back to normal and better once we are complete in the end of spring/beginning of summer,” Burns said.

After winter semester is over, the project will pick back up as work begins in the L Building, the final geothermal connections and the switchover, he said.

Much of the electrical work will take place over the winter months. 

There was a slight delay with transformers due to the natural disasters in the southern region of the country. The government will often buy out all electrical transformers for cleanup.

MCCC’s large transformer was delivered during the week of Oct. 3. 

Once the transformer is received, lots troubleshooting begins, Burns said. 

Some minor shipment delays, construction coordination scheduling issues, unforeseen developments that alter original ideas and design can cause setbacks

in the installation process, Burns said.

The accidental hit of the main natural gas line for the A Building on Sept. 13 and the subsequent evacuation has been the only major issue as far as the construction and installation process, Burns said.. 

The gas leak lasted about 90 minutes, effecting both students and employees. Monroe Township Fire Department and Michigan Gas arrived to turn off the gas.