Boiler Decentralization at Spring Creek Towers - Starrett City

Mc Gowan served as Construction Manager for the comprehensive decentralization and modernization of the heating infrastructure at Spring Creek Towers (formerly Starrett City)—a 46-building, 5,881-unit residential complex spanning over 140 acres in East New York, Brooklyn.

This $25 million energy upgrade project involved the design coordination, DOB filing, fabrication, delivery, and installation of eight modular boiler plants housing a total of 46 high-efficiency AERCO Benchmark condensing boilers. The packaged plants were strategically placed outside existing garage mechanical spaces and connected to the site's original distribution system, supplying reliable heat and domestic hot water to all 46 mid-rise buildings.

The new system replaced a 50-year-old, inefficient central CHP plant and delivered substantial environmental and operational gains:

• 40% increase in fuel-to-hot-water efficiency (from 49% to 89%)
• 91% reduction in NOₓ emissions
• Enhanced resiliency and operational control through remote monitoring, predictive maintenance, and SCADA integration
• Reduced water leakage and makeup-water treatment needs due to decentralized design

All work was carefully phased and executed without any disruption to building services, ensuring continuous heat and hot water for residents throughout construction.

Mc Gowan’s team provided seamless management of complex logistics, tight phasing schedules, and MEP coordination—demonstrating expertise in delivering large-scale, occupied residential infrastructure upgrades with a focus on energy efficiency, system reliability, and environmental stewardship.

Engineer: WSP USA & The Outage Experts

Case Study: https://www.aerco.com/resources/case-studies/spring-creek-towers-brooklyn-ny