Detroit Thermal 'Ties' Seven Wayne County Buildings Deep Underground With Innovation and $8 Million Contract

DETROIT, Aug. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Detroit's eco-friendly district energy system, Detroit Thermal, LLC, is "tying" seven downtown Detroit Wayne County buildings deep underground with an innovative approach and a new three-year contract estimated at $8 million, continuing major growth of the underground steam energy system serving Detroit from the riverfront to the New Center area.

Additionally, recently completed new service connections to the Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan (RIM), part of the Detroit Medical Center (DMC), and the planned investment of $850 million in DMC by Vanguard Health Systems offer major continuing growth momentum.

Detroit Thermal was awarded nearly $100 million in new business last year from customers including the Detroit Medical Center (DMC), Superior Ambulance and others.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM) has also signed a ten-year contract for its landmark three-building downtown Detroit campus at 500 and 600 East Lafayette.

"An exhaustive analysis showed that by connecting to Detroit Thermal, BCBSM  saves money in both new construction costs and operating costs, and at the same time helps improve the environment by lowering BCBSM emissions and reducing its carbon footprint," Koppang said.  "The ten-year contract is particularly significant to us since BCBSM has been operating its own steam energy system since the early 70s, and now chose to return to the Detroit Thermal system rather than replace its aging on-site system."

"The Wayne County three-year contract was a great savings solution and innovative approach for the County which was facing building its own boiler plant and an entirely new, independent multiple-buildings underground distribution system to service seven County-owned buildings," Detroit Thermal president Victor Koppang said.

"Their studies showed that the advantage of connecting to and growing with our existing system produced major savings in avoiding huge construction and capital costs, combined with true, holistic operating savings and environment benefits; all combined to the advantage of the County and its taxpayers," Koppang said.

"We have also completed the underground connections for our new contract with the DMC's Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan," Koppang said.  "That new connection alone provides about $5.5 million in new revenue over the next nine years as part of our ten-year DMC contract, announced last year."

Detroit Medical Center, including the DMC Detroit Receiving Hospital, the DMC Children's Hospital of Michigan and the DMC Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan, signed an $80 million, 10-year contract in 2009 to purchase all of its steam needs from Detroit Thermal.

"District Energy makes great business sense," said David Manardo, Corporate Vice President, Facility Engineering and Construction of the Detroit Medical Center.  "This provides the DMC with an updated and efficient way to heat and cool our buildings."

Detroit's second-century-of-service steam system got a new life with more than $35 million in capital investments to upgrade the system when it was purchased in 2003 from Detroit Edison by Youngstown, OH Thermal Ventures II, LP (TV II).  TV II also owns and operates the Youngstown system, and operates private industrial steam plants at three General Motors facilities.

The Detroit district energy steam system was started in 1903 and serves 145 buildings with more than 30 million square feet along its 39 miles of distribution system, including 35 miles of buried steam pipes and four miles of tunnels below downtown streets, some as deep as an eight story building is high.

District energy is experiencing a surge in interest from cities and businesses seeking to shrink their carbon footprint, avoid construction costs, increase their energy reliability and lower fuel and operating costs

"District energy is not a new concept, but we're seeing renewed interest as people recognize it's a clean and cost-efficient way to heat and cool their buildings," said Koppang.  "We've invested significantly in Detroit, and it's paid off.  We have a 21^st century system and nearly $120 million in new customer commitments, and the interest in our service keeps growing.  The future looks great to us."

About Detroit Thermal, LLC:  Detroit Thermal, LLC, established in 2003 by parent company, Thermal Ventures II, LP, provides cost-effective, eco-friendly heating and cooling services to a group of more than 145 buildings along the extended Woodward Corridor from the downtown riverfront to the New Center area using steam produced from renewable energy sources.  Detroit Thermal has invested more than $35 million to upgrade its extensive underground "district energy" system and its main generating plant to provide safe, reliable and worry-free district energy services.  Web:  http://www.detroitthermal.com/.

About District Energy:  District energy systems produce steam, hot water or chilled water at central plants and then distribute the energy to heat and cool buildings across city districts.  It eliminates the need for individual buildings to have their own boilers or furnaces, chillers or air conditioners, and usually uses renewable energy sources such as refuse, salvaged wood, or lake and ocean water.  District energy is experiencing a surge in interest from cities and businesses seeking to shrink their carbon footprint avoid construction costs, increase their energy reliability and lower fuel and operating costs.  General info:  http://www.districtenergy.org/.

SOURCE Detroit Thermal, LLC