Digester Gas Utilization Project
Los Angeles
Award of Merit

Key Players
Owner: City of Los Angeles
Lead Design Firm: Vanderweil Engineers
General Contractor: Constellation Energy; Exelon Corp.
Structural Engineer: Miyamoto International
MEP Engineer: Performance Mechanical Inc.
Consultants/Subcontractors: Stantec; Carollo Engineers; Yorke Engineering LLC; Morrow-Meadows Corp.; Bluewater Energy Solutions; National Demolition Contractors Inc.

As the largest digester gas cogeneration facility west of the Mississippi, this facility was built on a tight timeline that required commission, design and construction in 1,038 days. The project team accomplished this, all while working within the limits of a continuously operating wastewater reclamation plant.

The project team faced challenges compounded by the tight deadline, which required the use of a design-build-operate delivery method not traditionally used by the city.

One of the main factors in delivering the project on time was the development of a clear and efficient design and a construction contract that provided detailed performance requirements and identified existing site conditions to minimize unforeseen conditions during construction.

Keys to the facility’s successful delivery included early public outreach with the developer present at meetings to answer questions, constant communication with team members and the close tracking of sustainability goals to improve the project’s life cycle.

Back to "ENR California's Best Projects 2019: Diverse Mix of Public, Private Work Garners Award"