Case Study: Silicon Slopes Tech Corridor Rooftop Units Lehi

Case Study: Silicon Slopes Technology Corridor Commercial Rooftop Unit Replacement

Address area: Silicon Slopes technology corridor along Traverse Ridge, Lehi, UT 84043 (specific building confidential per client request). Project completion: October 2025. Scope: Comprehensive replacement of six aging 15-20 ton commercial rooftop units serving 45,000 sq ft technology office building including dedicated IT server room cooling coordination, integration with Automated Logic building automation system, and 24/7 mission-critical operational requirements typical of technology industry occupants. This case study documents high-density tech office load calculations, dedicated server room cooling design coordination, six-unit replacement scheduling minimizing business disruption, Automated Logic BAS integration through BACnet MS/TP communication, and client outcome. This case study differs from the earlier Thanksgiving Point professional office case (three 7.5–10 ton units for 12,000 sq ft professional services firm) and Riverton City Park case (single 7.5-ton restaurant unit) by presenting larger-scale technology industry application with dedicated server room requirements.

Project Background

Silicon Slopes Technology Corridor

Silicon Slopes technology corridor context: Traverse Ridge development corridor along I-15 between Lehi and American Fork, Utah’s primary technology industry hub with major employers including Adobe, Ancestry, Vivint, DOMO, Qualtrics, Pluralsight, and many others plus substantial venture-backed and growth-stage companies, buildings typically 2005 through current construction with commercial rooftop HVAC serving technology tenants, and high-density office occupancy with substantial electronic equipment loads creating elevated cooling requirements compared to traditional office applications.

Client Business Context

Client business context: growth-stage technology company occupying 45,000 sq ft single-tenant office building on multi-year lease, staff approximately 320 employees at full capacity with open-workspace configuration, meeting rooms, dedicated IT server room housing production infrastructure, standard office kitchen/break rooms, and 24/7 development operations with elevated after-hours occupancy during release cycles. Business continuity priority reflects revenue impact of downtime and infrastructure criticality.

Existing HVAC Assessment

Existing commercial rooftop HVAC assessment identifying comprehensive replacement scope: (1) six Carrier 48TC series rooftop units installed 2007 during building construction, 18 years old at replacement evaluation with all units at or beyond typical 15–20 year commercial rooftop service life, (2) UNITS 1-2 — two 20-ton package units serving primary open workspace zones (large open floor plans typical of tech company office design), showing significant efficiency degradation and multiple recent service calls, (3) UNITS 3-4 — two 15-ton package units serving meeting room zones and secondary workspace, functional but similar age indicators, (4) UNIT 5 — 15-ton package unit serving dedicated IT server room (24/7 cooling requirement, most critical unit), currently operating properly but end-of-life age concerns for mission-critical application, (5) UNIT 6 — 10-ton package unit serving break room, kitchen, and lobby areas, functional. Total 95-ton nominal cooling capacity across six units.

High-Density Tech Office Load Calculations

Occupancy and Equipment Density

Technology office occupancy and equipment considerations creating elevated cooling load: (1) OCCUPANT DENSITY 320 employees in 45,000 sq ft = 140 sq ft per person (substantially higher density than traditional office 200-300 sq ft per person); (2) ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT LOAD — each workstation typically laptop + monitor(s) + accessories producing 300-500W heat load per workstation, plus network equipment, printers, and other IT infrastructure; (3) MEETING ROOM DENSITY — conference rooms designed for team gatherings 8-20 person capacity with additional AV equipment producing periodic elevated loads; (4) DEDICATED SERVER ROOM — production infrastructure racks producing continuous 40-60 kW heat load requiring dedicated 24/7 cooling capability; (5) BREAK ROOM/KITCHEN — commercial-grade appliances and refrigeration adding to load; (6) AFTER-HOURS OCCUPANCY — development team night sessions and release cycles produce elevated occupancy outside typical business hours.

Manual N Commercial Load Calculation

Manual N commercial load calculation by zone:

  • Zone 1 (Primary open workspace east, 12,000 sq ft): Cooling load 208,400 BTU/hr sensible + 22,600 BTU/hr latent, elevated sensible reflecting high electronic equipment density
  • Zone 2 (Primary open workspace west, 11,600 sq ft): Cooling load 201,200 BTU/hr sensible + 21,800 BTU/hr latent
  • Zone 3 (Meeting rooms + secondary workspace east, 8,200 sq ft): Cooling load 138,400 BTU/hr sensible + 18,400 BTU/hr latent, elevated variable load from meeting room occupancy fluctuation
  • Zone 4 (Meeting rooms + secondary workspace west, 8,400 sq ft): Cooling load 141,800 BTU/hr sensible + 18,800 BTU/hr latent
  • Zone 5 (IT server room, 1,800 sq ft): Cooling load 156,000 BTU/hr sensible (server rack heat load) + 5,200 BTU/hr latent (minimal humidity contribution), 24/7 operation requirement, plus redundancy consideration for critical application
  • Zone 6 (Break room + kitchen + lobby, 3,000 sq ft): Cooling load 78,200 BTU/hr sensible + 14,600 BTU/hr latent, elevated variable load from kitchen operation
  • Whole-building total: Cooling 924,000 BTU/hr sensible + 101,400 BTU/hr latent (~85 tons cooling)

ASHRAE 62.1 Ventilation Requirement

ASHRAE 62.1 ventilation requirement for high-density office application: 5 CFM per person + 0.06 CFM per sq ft = (320 employees × 5 CFM) + (45,000 sq ft × 0.06 CFM) = 1,600 + 2,700 = 4,300 CFM total outdoor air requirement, distributed across five occupied zones (server room served with dedicated makeup air rather than direct ventilation).

Equipment Selection

Carrier Weathermaker 48TCED and 50TCQD Selection

Carrier Weathermaker series commercial packaged rooftop units selected:

  • Zone 1 Unit: 48TCED24 (20-ton nominal cooling, 240,000 BTU/hr gas heat)
  • Zone 2 Unit: 48TCED24 (20-ton nominal cooling, 240,000 BTU/hr gas heat)
  • Zone 3 Unit: 48TCED18 (15-ton nominal cooling, 200,000 BTU/hr gas heat)
  • Zone 4 Unit: 48TCED18 (15-ton nominal cooling, 200,000 BTU/hr gas heat)
  • Zone 5 Unit (Server room): 50TCQD18 (15-ton nominal cooling with cold-climate cooling capability for year-round operation, no gas heat given continuous cooling requirement)
  • Zone 6 Unit: 48TCED12 (10-ton nominal cooling, 220,000 BTU/hr gas heat)
  • Efficiency: IEER 14.5 across all units, meaningful improvement over 2007 equipment IEER equivalent 10-11
  • Compressor: Two-stage scroll compressor providing part-load efficiency

Server Room Dedicated Considerations

IT server room dedicated design considerations:

  • 24/7 cooling requirement: Server room operating continuously with no unoccupied setback capability, cooling required continuously regardless of building occupancy schedule
  • Cold-climate cooling capability: Carrier 50TCQD selected with capability for cooling operation year-round including winter conditions when other units may be in heating mode, prevents server room overheating during transition periods
  • Redundancy consideration: Server room 156,000 BTU/hr sensible load exceeds single 15-ton unit at altitude derating (~145,000 BTU/hr), single unit adequate but at capacity limit, redundancy through split system consideration discussed but selected against based on cost consideration and server room criticality tolerance
  • Temperature monitoring: Multi-point temperature monitoring in server room with BAS integration providing early warning of cooling failure scenarios
  • Emergency response protocol: Priority emergency response commitment for server room cooling failures with 60-minute response time target during business hours and 2-hour target after-hours

Automated Logic BAS Integration

Automated Logic building automation system integration:

  • BAS platform: Automated Logic WebCTRL platform (major commercial BAS platform, Carrier corporate parent providing native integration capability)
  • Communication protocol: BACnet MS/TP communication from all six units to Automated Logic building controller
  • Occupied/unoccupied scheduling: Automatic scheduling based on building occupancy patterns with weekday 6:30 AM startup and 8:00 PM shutdown for occupied units, exception scheduling for known extended-hours scenarios (release cycles, all-hands meetings), unoccupied setback to 82°F cooling / 60°F heating during nights and weekends for non-server-room zones
  • Server room continuous operation: Zone 5 server room unit maintains 24/7 operation regardless of occupancy schedule
  • Zone temperature monitoring: All zone temperatures reported to BAS with continuous trending
  • Alarm notification: Priority alarm categories: (1) SERVER ROOM CRITICAL — server room temperature exceeding 78°F triggers immediate alarm with automatic notification to IT operations and Bluffdale Heating & Air Conditioning Commercial Emergency Line; (2) EQUIPMENT FAULT — any unit fault code triggers BAS notification; (3) MAINTENANCE ALERT — runtime hour milestones trigger scheduled maintenance notifications
  • Remote adjustment capability: BAS enables remote schedule and setpoint adjustment for special events
  • Energy monitoring: BAS captures runtime hours and equipment operation providing baseline for post-installation efficiency verification and ongoing operational optimization

Phased Replacement Execution

Phased Approach Strategy

Phased replacement approach balancing business continuity with project timeline:

  • PHASE 1 (Weekends 1-2): Zone 5 server room unit replacement with elevated priority given 24/7 mission-critical operation, temporary chiller deployment during 24-hour changeover window maintaining server room cooling, redundant temperature monitoring throughout changeover
  • PHASE 2 (Weekend 3): Zone 6 break room/kitchen/lobby unit replacement (smallest unit, least occupancy impact)
  • PHASE 3 (Weekends 4-5): Zones 3 and 4 meeting room units replacement (moderate size, moderate occupancy impact)
  • PHASE 4 (Weekends 6-7): Zones 1 and 2 primary workspace units replacement (largest units, highest occupancy impact, latest in sequence allowing project experience with methodology)

Server Room Cooling Continuity

Server room cooling continuity protocol during Phase 1 replacement:

  • Temporary chiller deployment: 20-ton rental chiller with portable ductwork deployed to server room providing cooling during 24-hour changeover window
  • Redundant temperature monitoring: Multiple wireless temperature sensors deployed throughout server room during changeover with continuous monitoring by on-site technician
  • Escalation protocol: Predefined escalation with IT operations team including emergency shutdown authority if temperature exceeds 82°F during changeover
  • Successful execution: Server room temperature maintained 68-72°F throughout Phase 1 changeover, no operational disruption to production infrastructure

Overall Project Timeline

Total project timeline across seven weekends spanning six units: PHASE 1 (Weekends 1-2) completed with server room unit successfully replaced; PHASE 2 (Weekend 3) completed with Zone 6 unit; PHASE 3 (Weekends 4-5) completed with Zones 3 and 4 units; PHASE 4 (Weekends 6-7) completed with Zones 1 and 2 primary workspace units. Total project duration approximately 8 weeks calendar time. Business disruption minimized to weekend-only work with weekdays fully operational throughout project.

Crane Operation Scale

Crane operation scale reflecting larger equipment: 60-ton hydraulic crane required for 20-ton unit lifting (larger unit weight approaches 3,500 lbs requiring larger crane capacity vs 40-ton crane adequate for smaller 7.5-10 ton units), building landlord coordination for parking lot closure during crane operation windows, and specialized rigging for larger unit lifting through building rooftop access.

Commissioning Verification

Refrigerant System Verification

Refrigerant system commissioning across six units:

  • Vacuum: 380-440 microns achieved and held on each unit
  • Refrigerant charge: R-410A charge per manufacturer specification with proper altitude adjustment for Lehi 4,600-4,800 ft elevation
  • Subcooling and superheat: Within manufacturer specification on each unit
  • Two-stage operation: Both cooling stages verified operational on each unit

Gas Heat Verification

Gas heat combustion analyzer verification on five heating-equipped units (server room unit cooling-only):

  • CO air-free: 38-64 ppm across five units (all below 100 ppm limit)
  • Stack temperature: 370-430°F range
  • O2: 7.4-8.4% across five units
  • Combustion efficiency: 79.2-80.6% (matching manufacturer specification for altitude)

Automated Logic BAS Integration Verification

Automated Logic BAS integration verification: BACnet MS/TP communication established with all six units, occupancy schedule programmed and verified for all zones with server room continuous operation exception, zone temperature monitoring functional across all zones, alarm notifications tested with simulated fault conditions for both standard equipment faults and server room critical temperature alarms, remote adjustment capability verified through WebCTRL interface, runtime hour tracking functional providing baseline for future efficiency verification, and IT operations team notification integration tested with proper escalation to on-call staff.

Client Outcome

Business Continuity Success

Business continuity success across 8-week project: no weekday business disruption throughout project execution, server room 24/7 operation maintained through Phase 1 changeover, meeting room availability maintained through Phase 3, primary workspace operations maintained through Phase 4, no unplanned service disruptions during project.

Energy Consumption Reduction

Energy consumption reduction verified through BAS runtime tracking: approximately 28% reduction in cooling season electric consumption vs prior year comparable period, driven by (1) modern equipment IEER 14.5 vs existing degraded ~10-11 IEER equivalent, (2) two-stage operation providing part-load efficiency benefit during moderate load conditions, (3) economizer operation contributing to shoulder season efficiency, (4) BAS occupancy scheduling eliminating overnight/weekend cooling operation on non-server-room zones, (5) improved commissioning quality vs legacy equipment operation.

Commercial Maintenance Agreement

Commercial Maintenance Agreement enrolled at $8,400/year for six-unit coverage reflecting expanded scope: quarterly filter replacement across all six units, semi-annual comprehensive tune-ups with combustion analyzer verification and refrigerant system verification, server room unit priority maintenance with monthly inspection during summer peak season and quarterly during shoulder/winter seasons, economizer operation verification each spring/fall, BAS communication verification with Automated Logic system, priority emergency response with 60-minute response commitment during business hours and 2-hour after-hours target for server room emergencies, and 20% parts discount reflecting large-account status.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does technology industry HVAC differ from traditional office HVAC?
Technology industry HVAC applications feature elevated requirements compared to traditional office: (1) HIGHER OCCUPANT DENSITY typically 100-150 sq ft per person vs 200-300 sq ft traditional, creating higher cooling and ventilation loads per square foot; (2) ELEVATED ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT LOADS with 300-500W per workstation vs 150-250W traditional office, plus supplementary equipment (monitors, docking stations, accessories); (3) DEDICATED SERVER ROOM COOLING for production infrastructure requiring 24/7 continuous cooling at elevated capacity (60-80W per sq ft server room vs 40-50W traditional office); (4) MEETING ROOM DENSITY with team collaboration spaces designed for group occupancy producing periodic elevated loads; (5) AFTER-HOURS OPERATION with development team night sessions and release cycles producing occupancy outside typical business hours; (6) MISSION-CRITICAL OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS with revenue impact from downtime justifying redundancy and priority emergency response; (7) BAS INTEGRATION with sophisticated building automation for scheduling and operational optimization; (8) LONGER OPERATIONAL HOURS with elevated equipment operation cycles; (9) HIGHER EFFICIENCY EXPECTATIONS reflecting operational cost sensitivity and sustainability goals; (10) SPECIALIZED VENTILATION for equipment cooling in addition to occupant comfort. Silicon Slopes technology applications typify these elevated requirements requiring commercial HVAC design specifically tuned for high-density tech office operational patterns.
How is server room cooling handled during equipment replacement?
Server room cooling continuity during equipment replacement requires careful planning and execution: (1) TEMPORARY CHILLER DEPLOYMENT — rental portable chiller (typically 15-25 ton for typical server room applications) deployed during changeover window providing continuous cooling capability, portable ductwork routing cool air to server room while permanent equipment replaced; (2) EXTENDED CHANGEOVER PLANNING — server room unit replacement scheduled during weekend with 24-48 hour changeover window rather than typical 8-hour window used for occupied zones; (3) REDUNDANT TEMPERATURE MONITORING — multiple wireless temperature sensors deployed throughout server room providing real-time monitoring during changeover; (4) ESCALATION PROTOCOL — predefined escalation with IT operations team including temperature threshold triggers (typically 78-82°F triggers escalation, higher temperatures trigger emergency shutdown authority); (5) COORDINATION WITH IT OPERATIONS — extensive pre-project coordination establishing communication protocols, shutdown authority, and emergency response; (6) ON-SITE TECHNICIAN PRESENCE throughout changeover period with continuous monitoring rather than checkpoint monitoring; (7) BACKUP PLANS for temporary chiller failure including emergency second chiller availability commitment; (8) SUCCESSFUL EXECUTION reflected in server room temperature staying within acceptable operating range throughout project. Silicon Slopes server room maintained 68-72°F throughout Phase 1 changeover with no operational disruption to production infrastructure. Server room replacement risk manageable with proper planning and execution but requires substantially more coordination than typical commercial HVAC replacement scenarios.
What does BAS integration provide beyond simple thermostat operation?
Building Automation System integration provides substantial operational and financial benefits beyond simple thermostat control: (1) SCHEDULING OPTIMIZATION — automatic occupied/unoccupied scheduling based on actual building occupancy patterns eliminating overnight and weekend cooling waste, exception scheduling for known extended-hours scenarios (release cycles, all-hands meetings); (2) MULTI-ZONE COORDINATION — independent zone scheduling based on actual space use patterns rather than single building schedule; (3) ENERGY MONITORING — runtime hour tracking and energy consumption visibility supporting operational optimization and sustainability reporting; (4) EXCEPTION-BASED ALARM NOTIFICATION — automatic notification of equipment faults, temperature deviations, and maintenance milestones catching issues before major failure; (5) REMOTE ADJUSTMENT CAPABILITY — facilities manager or building landlord can adjust setpoints and schedules from anywhere without on-site thermostat access; (6) TRENDING AND ANALYTICS — long-term operational data supporting equipment efficiency evaluation, replacement planning, and optimization opportunities; (7) MISSION-CRITICAL MONITORING — server room and other critical space temperature monitoring with priority alarm notification protecting production infrastructure; (8) LEED CERTIFICATION SUPPORT — BAS integration supports building energy performance certification; (9) COMMISSIONING QUALITY — BAS integration during installation typically produces more comprehensive commissioning with all operational modes verified through BAS interface; (10) LIFECYCLE MANAGEMENT — runtime hour tracking supports proactive maintenance scheduling and equipment replacement planning based on actual operational hours rather than calendar age. Silicon Slopes Automated Logic integration provides substantial benefit for this 45,000 sq ft technology office application.
Why not deploy redundant server room cooling instead of single unit?
Server room cooling redundancy decision considers multiple factors and trade-offs: (1) REDUNDANCY OPTIONS — (a) N+1 configuration with two smaller units (single unit failure covered by remaining unit), (b) single primary unit with backup portable capability, (c) single large unit accepting outage risk during service scenarios; (2) COST TRADE-OFFS — N+1 configuration approximately 60-80% more cost than single-unit configuration reflecting duplicate equipment, additional roof space, dual ductwork, and enhanced BAS integration; (3) RISK ASSESSMENT — single-unit configuration acceptable when downtime tolerance defined (typically 4-24 hour maximum acceptable outage for service scenarios), N+1 configuration appropriate when downtime tolerance below 4 hours or business criticality justifies premium; (4) MODERN EQUIPMENT RELIABILITY — current generation commercial rooftop units highly reliable with proper maintenance, typical service scenarios during scheduled maintenance windows rather than emergency failures; (5) SPACE CONSTRAINTS — rooftop space limitations may prohibit dual-unit configuration; (6) SILICON SLOPES DECISION — single-unit configuration selected with strong maintenance program, priority emergency response commitment, and business acceptance of managed downtime risk; (7) FUTURE UPGRADE PATH — secondary unit addition possible in future if business requirements change or downtime experience justifies redundancy investment; (8) PORTABLE CHILLER RENTAL AVAILABILITY documented as backup for emergency scenarios providing hybrid redundancy approach. Not all technology applications require N+1 redundancy; risk-tolerance and business-criticality assessment determines appropriate configuration.
What does the enhanced Commercial Maintenance Agreement include for tech industry applications?
Enhanced Commercial Maintenance Agreement scope for six-unit Silicon Slopes installation at $8,400/year (approximately $1,400 per unit annually): (1) QUARTERLY FILTER REPLACEMENT across all six units; (2) SEMI-ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE TUNE-UPS with spring cooling preparation and fall heating preparation on all heating-equipped units; (3) SERVER ROOM PRIORITY MAINTENANCE — monthly inspection during summer peak season (June-August) and quarterly during shoulder/winter seasons reflecting mission-critical operation; (4) ECONOMIZER OPERATION VERIFICATION each spring and fall; (5) BAS COMMUNICATION VERIFICATION with Automated Logic WebCTRL system; (6) PRIORITY EMERGENCY RESPONSE with 60-minute response commitment during business hours and 2-hour after-hours target for server room emergencies (elevated from standard 4-hour target reflecting mission-critical nature); (7) 20% PARTS DISCOUNT reflecting large-account volume commitment; (8) COMPREHENSIVE DOCUMENTATION with service reports after each visit and monthly account summary reports for facilities management; (9) ANNUAL EQUIPMENT CONDITION REPORT with year-end summary for six units enabling proactive replacement planning; (10) EQUIPMENT WARRANTY COORDINATION for six units across expected 15+ year service life; (11) COORDINATION WITH IT OPERATIONS for any service scenarios affecting server room cooling; (12) EMERGENCY BACKUP PROTOCOLS with portable chiller availability commitment for critical service scenarios; (13) BUILDING LANDLORD COORDINATION for roof access, crane operations, and BAS integration; (14) ANNUAL ACCOUNT REVIEW with facilities management covering operational patterns, service history, and optimization opportunities. Enhanced Commercial Maintenance Agreement scope reflects technology industry business criticality and multi-unit management scope substantially exceeding standard commercial or residential service coverage.

Contact Bluffdale Heating & Air Conditioning

Large-scale commercial HVAC installation and replacement for technology industry applications with multi-unit rooftop system coordination up to 20-ton capacity, Carrier Weathermaker 48TCED and 50TCQD commercial packaged rooftop units with IEER 14.5 efficiency and two-stage scroll compressor operation, dedicated IT server room cooling coordination with 24/7 continuous operation requirement and cold-climate cooling capability, temporary rental chiller deployment for mission-critical cooling continuity during equipment replacement, phased weekend-only replacement approach across 6-8 week project timelines protecting business continuity for tech industry occupants, 60-ton hydraulic crane operation for large commercial equipment lifting with building landlord coordination, BAS integration through BACnet MS/TP communication with Automated Logic WebCTRL, Distech Controls, Alerton, Johnson Controls Metasys, and other major building automation platforms, mission-critical alarm notification and escalation protocols with IT operations team coordination, high-density tech office Manual N load calculation with elevated electronic equipment loads and ASHRAE 62.1 ventilation coordination, Silicon Slopes technology corridor experience with major tech industry occupants, enhanced Commercial Maintenance Agreement scope with priority emergency response and mission-critical service coverage, and 24/7 emergency response all route through our office at 14659 S 855 W in Bluffdale serving the greater Salt Lake Valley including Lehi Silicon Slopes technology corridor along Traverse Ridge.

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