On January 30, 2004, the American Council of Engineering Companies of Minnesota (ACEC/MN) presented an Engineering Excellence Award to Hallberg Engineering and District Energy St. Paul for the design and construction of a new cooling plant and chilled water storage tank located northeast of Saint Paul’s central business district.

Presented annually by ACEC/MN, the awards recognize engineering achievements which demonstrate the highest degree of merit, value and ingenuity. Entries are critiqued by a distinguished panel of judges on the basis of uniqueness and originality; future value to the engineering profession; social, economic and sustainable design considerations; complexity; and exceeding the owner’s/client’s needs.

District Energy and its architects worked with District 17’s North Quadrant Advisory Committee, the Saint Paul on the Mississippi Design Center, the cooling plant’s nearest neighbors, city staff and other community organizations for several years to choose a site and then finalize architectural and engineering specifications for the project. Materials and colors were carefully selected to harmonize with surrounding buildings. The final design also reflects patterns and rhythms that are found in the neighborhood. The new 14,000-square-foot cooling plant incorporates a chilled water storage tank that is 90 feet high and 90 feet in diameter. The insulated tank holds four million gallons of chilled water—enough water to cover a football field 14 feet deep!

Operation of the new cooling plant, located at 10th and Sibley Streets, enables District Energy to expand its service area while improving the efficiency and reliability of its current district cooling system. We congratulate everyone who worked on this award-winning project!