The Providence Center, Rhode Island’s largest behavioral health care provider serving over 11,000 patients annually, has a new physical plant at its main location at 530 North Main Street in Providence, with assistance provided by the Taco/White Family Foundation for boiler replacement. The Foundation, which is the philanthropic arm of Taco, recently provided $20,000 to The Providence Center to complete the purchase of four new HTP gas-fired, high-efficiency boilers, which will help save almost $40,000 in energy costs a year over the previous boilers.
The physical plant serving The Providence Center was operating at greatly reduced efficiency, with the plant’s original Peerless oil-fired boilers being some thirty years past their operational lifespan. Close to 3,000 patients pass through the building each week, and the Center was concerned that a breakdown of the equipment could occur at any time, which would seriously disrupt operations. Should one of the boilers fail, the replacement cost would be $50,000 and the loss of revenue from closing the building for up to a week or more could cost in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
An efficiency study conducted by Banyan Buildings, the environmental engineering firm hired by the Center, discovered that by proactively replacing the boilers, the Center could avoid the risks associated with failure while reducing annual operating costs associated with the new boilers by 60 percent.
The new heating system, installed by Victory Heating & Plumbing of Mendon, MA, is a “green” system, according to Bob Pritchard, The Providence Center’s Director of Facilities & Projects, with four HTP modulating condensing boilers supported by Taco Vertical Inline pumps, Multipurpose Valves, a 4900 Series Air Separator and related equipment. Instead of one zone for the 72,000 sq. ft. building, the new system has six zones controlled by a Web-based Niagra controls interface.
With the operation of the high-efficiency boilers, the Center estimates a reduction of carbon emissions in the order of 200,000 lbs. per year. Plus, converting from oil to natural gas enabled the Center to qualify for an energy rebate from National Grid. In five years’ time the HTP boilers will pay for themselves
The North Main Street building, dating from 1875 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was the former site of the American Screw Company. It has been occupied by The Providence Center since 1994. Among a total of 21 buildings that the Center operates, it is one of two main buildings located in Providence .
The Providence Center is at the forefront of innovative approaches to behavioral health care designed to meet the changing needs of the more than 11,000 people served each year. The Center operates 40 programs and wraparound services including food and housing, job training, legal services, primary health care and wellness activities. Since The Providence Center opened its doors in 1969, it has been a community fixture, providing people from all walks of life with mental health and substance abuse services in their homes, schools and neighborhoods. www.providencecenter.org
About Taco/The White Family Foundation
Taco/The White Family Foundation was established in 2000 to receive and evaluate grants and other assistance requests from non-profit, community-based organizations serving significant social goals in Rhode Island. Since its inception Taco/The White Family Foundation has provided assistance to almost 300 non-profit organizations active here in RI. www.thewhitefamilyfoundation.com.
About Taco, Inc.
Taco, Inc., headquartered in Cranston, is a leading manufacturer of heating and cooling equipment for use in residential, commercial and institutional buildings. The company employs approximately 500 in Cranston, Fall River, MA and Milton, Ontario, Canada. www.tacocomfort.com