Rhino

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Canandaigua VA Medical Center Biomass Boiler Plant Addition

Owner

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Location

Canandaigua, VA
United States

Project Information

Renewable Energy Project
Occupied Campus Environment

Sector

In an initial phase, Rhino reviewed the sprinkler system design specification documents for the expansion of the Biomass Boiler Plant at the Canandaigua VA Medical Center in the Finger Lakes region of central New York. This facility uses biomass byproducts such as wood chips and bark salvaged from local lumberyards and logging operations to generate clean, steam-powered energy for the VA campus. The expansion building houses a steam-driven generator, automated conveyers, woodchip storage, emissions control equipment, and supporting utilities.

In a subsequent phase, Rhino developed the design of a deluge system to satisfy code equivalency requirements for fire rated construction between the wood chips silo and boiler rooms. We also designed a fire pump to provide the water supply to simultaneously support the deluge system and ceiling sprinkler systems.

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Washington Aqueduct

Owner

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Location

Washington, DC
United States

Project Information

69 Buildings on 4 Campuses
1.5 million SF
National Historic Landmark

Sector

The Washington Aqueduct produces drinking water for approximately one million people in Washington, DC and parts of Northern Virginia. It was commissioned by Congress in 1852, built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, began operating in 1859, and has been in continuous use ever since. Today, the Aqueduct encompasses 69 buildings on four (4) campuses.

Rhino was engaged to conduct surveys of all 69 buildings for compliance with UFC fire and life safety requirements, and to serve as Fire Protection Designer of Record for new fire alarm systems in 10 historically significant buildings. This effort was subsequently increased to 18 buildings based on our survey findings, and included fire suppression modifications to several buildings. Each building is completely protected by an automatic fire alarm and mass notification system. The fire alarm systems are connected to the Operator’s Control desk on each campus via a fiber optic communication loop.