ImOn Ice Arena - Dehumidification, HVAC, Generator Set System Design Recommendation for Selection of Professional Consultant Services Copyrighted
October 2, 2023
City of Dubuque Consent Items # 09.
City Council Meeting
ITEM TITLE: ImOn Ice Arena- Dehumidification, HVAC, Generator Set System
Design Recommendation for Selection of Professional Consultant
Services
SUM MARY: City Manager recommending City Council approval of the selection of
Nelson-Rudie &Associates, I nc. as the first-ranked Consultant and
requests authorization for the City to initiate contract negotiations for
Professional Consultant Services to complete the preliminary and final
engineering design for the development of a project for the installation of
a new replacement dehumidification system, a new arena HVAC and
emergency generator system at the I mon I ce Arena.
SUGGESTED Suggested Disposition: Receive and File;Approve
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
Description Type
MVM Memo City Manager Memo
Staff Memo Staff Memo
Dubuque
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TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Imon Ice Arena
Dehumidification, HVAC, Generator Set System Design
Recommendation for Selection of Professional Consultant Services
DATE: September 27, 2023
Assistant City Engineer Bob Schiesl is recommending City Council approval of the
selection of Nelson-Rudie & Associates, Inc. as the first-ranked Consultant and
requests authorization for the City to initiate contract negotiations for Professional
Consultant Services to complete the preliminary and final engineering design for the
development of a project for the installation of a new replacement dehumidification
system, a new arena HVAC and emergency generator system at the Imon Ice Arena.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
v
Mic ael C. Van Milligen
MCVM:sv
Attachment
cc: Crenna Brumwell, City Attorney
Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manager
Gus Psihoyos, City Engineer
Bob Schiesl, Assistant City Engineer
Marie Ware, Leisure Services Director
Alex Dixon, President and CEO Dubuque Racing Association
Dubuque
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TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
Gus Psihoyos, City Engineer
FROM: Robert Schiesl, Assistant City Engineer
SUBJECT: Imon Ice Arena
Dehumidification, HVAC, Generator Set System Design
Recommendation for Selection of Professional Consultant Services
DATE: September 25, 2023
INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this memorandum is to request Mayor and City Council concurrence in
the selection of Nelson-Rudie & Associates, Inc., of Minneapolis, Minesota, as the
Professional Services Consultant to complete the preliminary and final engineering
design for the development of a project for the installation of a new replacement
dehumidification system, a new arena HVAC and emergency generator system at the
Imon Ice Arena, formerly the Dubuque Ice Arena.
BACKGROUND
The Imon Ice Arena is owned by the City of Dubuque and managed by the Schmitt
Island Development Corporation. The Ice Arena was designed, developed, and built
under a Development Agreement between and among Dubuque Community Ice &
Recreation Center, Inc. (DICE), the City, the Dubuque Racing Association (DRA), and
Battlefield Dubuque, LLC which later transferred and assigned its interest to Northern
Lights Hockey, LLC. The Agreement commenced October 30, 2009. The Ice Arena
opened September 18, 2010.
EXISTING FACILITY
The building consists of two levels, the first-floor main level being 63,340 square feet
and consists of one NHL sized (200'x 85') indoor ice sheet in the center of the arena,
with four standard locker rooms, one visiting team locker room, one high school team
locker room, and one home team locker room. The second floor is the concourse level,
which is 28,965 square feet, and consists of a bar/lounge area, multiple suites to watch
from, a second concessions area, multiple offices, and a conference room.
The existing HVAC for the arena consists of six different rooftop unit air handling
systems. These units provide air conditioning to various parts of the offices and front
entry areas of the facility. There is a centralized Munters BRR dehumidification system
found in the refrigeration plant mechanical room that services the entire facility.
The facility ice refrigeration system includes an in-direct R-507 system with four glycol
rink pumps, two for the current ice sheet and two for a potential future second ice sheet.
There are four reciprocating compressors taking rotations of run time, with a wet
condensing tower that rejects heat from the compressors to the environment.
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
The main rink area has approximately 3,000 seats and has a maximum building
occupancy load of 4,117 occupants. The current Munters BRR dehumidification system
is undersized and does not provide the dehumidification that is needed for the facility.
The Munters BRR system is a 16,000 CFM unit that has natural gas heat, with chilled
water and hot water from the ice rink refrigeration system.
This adds an additional load to the ice rink refrigeration system which significantly
reduces the future ice making capacity of the system. The ice rink refrigeration system
was designed for adding a future second sheet of ice so there is current capacity to
operate the existing single sheet arena with the existing dehumidification system load.
The City and Schmitt Island Development Corporation are in the visioning stages for
adding a second ice sheet and the existing ice rink refrigeration system would fail to
support a second sheet in its current shared use operational configuration.
The dehumidification unit controls both temperature and humidity in the ice arena
space. Historically, controlling both climate and humidity within the ice sheet space has
been challenging, with condensation development within the ice sheet space during
seasonal weather conditions.
The project will provide for the design of a new replacement facility dehumidification
system.
The ice arena space currently has no air conditioning capabilities. The project will
provide for the design of a new arena HVAC system. The new HVAC system will be
designed to accommodate the use of the facility for dry floor events during seasonal
weather conditions, while also allowing the facility to function as an emergency cooling
center where residents can be sheltered in the event of a natural disaster.
The facility currently has no onsite power generation. The new emergency generator set
will be designed to assist with reducing peak demand power usage (if needed) and
backup emergency power to continue normal operation in the event of a long duration
power outage. The City wishes to evaluate the feasibility of adding full backup power to
allow the facility to function as an emergency center where residents can be sheltered in
the event of a natural disaster.
The design of the new replacement facility dehumidification system, HVAC, and
generator system will be both sustainable and energy efficient, while providing an
interior conditioned space for high quality ice and comfort for users and spectators. The
new dehumidification, HVAC, and generator systems will be designed for performance,
operator safety, redundancy, and ease of maintenance.
CONSULTANT SELECTION COMMITTEE
The Consultant Selection Committee for the Ice Arena Dehumidification, HVAC, and
Generator project includes the following:
• Robert Schiesl, Assistant City Engineer • Rob Korman, Q Director of Facilities
• Marie Ware, Leisure Services Manager • Mark Plantery, Ice Arena Manager
• Jared Charland, PM Leisure Services • Andy Makovic, Ice Arena Maintenance
• George Jackson, Building Services
CONSULTANT SELECTION PROCESS
The consultant selection was based upon the consultant's qualifications and experience,
and the Selection Committee's determination of the consultant best suited for this
specific design project.
On July 19, 2023, the City issued solicitations for competitive proposals from qualified
professional consulting engineering firms or project teams to determine interest and
capabilities providing Professional Consultant Services that will include preliminary and
final engineering design, prepare construction plan documents, bidding and construction
phases for the development of a project for the installation of a new replacement
dehumidification system, a new arena HVAC and emergency generator systems.
On August 25, 2023, five (5) consultant response proposals were received and are
listed as follows (in alphabetical order):
• Apex Facility Solutions, LLC
• Ayres Associates, Inc.
• IMEG
• ISG
• Nelson-Rudie & Associates, Inc.
The Consultant Selection Committee reviewed the proposals, conducted an initial
screening, and invited both Ayres and Nelson-Rudie to participate in virtual
presentations and interviews on September 12 & 13, 2023.
Following the consultant interviews, the Consultant Selection Committee met to
evaluate and rate each of the consultants. The Committee carefully deliberated each
consultant's strengths and weaknesses. Although each of the consultants was uniquely
qualified, the Selection Committee selected Nelson-Rudie & Associates, Inc., of
Minneapolis, Minesota as the first-ranked consultant. The selection ranking was based
upon the overall strength of information provided in the Consultant's response proposal
submitted, the Consultant's presentation and interviews, and the Consultant's
demonstrated competence, experience, and qualifications. The final consultant
selection ranking and the recommended order of preference to initiate contract
negotiations is as follows:
• No. 1 - Nelson-Rudie & Associates, Inc.
• No. 2 - Ayres Associates, Inc.
PROJECT TEAM
The Nelson-Rudie & Associates, Inc. firm provides structural, mechanical, electrical and
refrigeration engineering services for architects, building owners, developers, and
general contractors on projects across the country. Ice rink facility design is a Nelson-
Rudie core area of expertise and has established an impressive portfolio, solidifying a
reputation as a leader in the ice arena industry. The Nelson-Rudie mechanical team are
known as national leaders in the design of desiccant-based dehumidification systems
for both new and renovating existing ice rinks.
Nelson- Rudie has a long history of providing engineering services for ice rink projects
ranging from feasibility, energy, and lighting studies, to new multi—ice sheet facility
construction, to ice refrigeration system and dehumidification system replacements.
Nelson- Rudie has completed 200+ ice rink projects to-date. The design of ice arena
dehumidification systems requires specialized knowledge which Nelson- Rudie has
developed over the last 30 years completing dehumidification designs on 100+ ice
arena projects.
Nelson- Rudie is very familiar with the Munters BRR dehumidification system currently
operating at the Imon Ice Arena. Nelson- Rudie replaced several Munters BRR units on
prior projects and is currently in the process of designing replacement dehumidification
systems for the four (4) Munters BRR systems installed at the National Sports Center
Super Rink in Blaine, Minnesota.
CONSULTANT TEAM QUALIFICATIONS
Nelson-Rudie assembled an in-depth, multidisciplinary project team with the capability,
talent, qualifications, and experience to successfully complete the mechanical systems
assessment, feasibility study recommendations, preliminary and final engineering
design.
The Nelson-Rudie project team includes the following sub-consultant(s):
Nelson- Rudie, Lead Consultant
• JLG Architects (Architectural Services)
• B32 Engineering Group (Ice Rink Engineering)
• RJM Construction (Cost Estimating)
The Nelson-Rudie team (JLG, B32, RJM) has a long track record of working
successfully together. The team has designed either individually, or as a team, 250+ ice
arena projects across the country. The team assembled is routinely contacted for their
proven record of success and collaborative expertise in new ice rink facility design, ice
system replacements, dehumidification system replacements and numerous ice arena
additions/renovations.
PROJECT MANAGER
An important evaluation criteria were the qualifications and experience of the lead
consultant's Project Manager. Nelson- Rudie has designated Mr. Michael Woehrle, PE,
P.ENG., as Project Manager to lead the project team.
• Company President, and Principal-in-Charge.
• 38 years of professional experience in building systems mechanical engineering.
• Specializes in commercial, retail, recreational facilities including ice rinks and
aquatic facilities, and gained national recognition for his expertise and leadership
in ice arena dehumidification design.
• Ice arena mechanical design experience of 200+ projects (Nelson-Rudie's entire
ice arena portFolio)
PROJECT SCHEDULE
The anticipated remaining schedule for the Ice Arena dehumidification, HVAC, and
generator project Consultant scope of services, fee proposal negotiations and contract
approval are as follows:
• RFP's Released to Consultants July 19, 2023 ✓ Completed
• Consultant Response Proposals Due August 25, 2023 ✓ Completed
• Selection Committee Review September 6, 2023 ✓ Completed
• Consultant(s) Invited to Interview September 7, 2023 ✓ Completed
• Consultant Presentations / Interviews September 12-13, 2023 ✓ Completed
• Recommendation to City Council October 2, 2023
• Consultant - Notification October 3, 2023
• Negotiate Scope of Services / Fees Oct 4 - Oct 31, 2023
• City Council Approve Contract November 6, 2023
• Consultant - Notice to Proceed November 7, 2023
RECOMMENDATION
Based on the review of proposals, the presentations, and interviews, and qualifications,
the Consultant Selection Committee recommends the selection of Nelson-Rudie &
Associates, Inc. as the first-ranked Consultant and that the City be authorized to
negotiate a Professional Consultant Services Agreement to complete the preliminary
and final engineering design for the development of a project for the installation of a
new replacement dehumidification system, a new arena HVAC and emergency
generator system at the Imon Ice Arena.
BUDGET IMPACT
The current available funding for the Ice Arena dehumidification, HVAC, and generator
project and the estimated Professional Consultant Services fee is summarized as
follows:
Project Code Fund Description Fund Amount
3449900002 Consultant Design Services $ 176,000
3449900003
3449900006 Construction - Dehumidification, HVAC, Generator $ 1,584,000
Total Project Funding $ 1,760,000
ACTION TO BE TAKEN
I respectfully request Mayor and City Council concurrence in the selection of Nelson-
Rudie & Associates, Inc. as the first-ranked Consultant and requests authorization for
the City to initiate contract negotiations for Professional Consultant Services to
complete the preliminary and final engineering design for the development of a project
for the installation of a new replacement dehumidification system, a new arena HVAC
and emergency generator system at the Imon Ice Arena.
cc: Jenny Larson, Chief Financial Officer Rob Korman, Q Casino Director of Facilities
Marie Ware, Leisure Services Manager Mark Plantery, Ice Arena Manager
Jared Charland, PM Leisure Services Andy Makovic, Ice Arena Maintenance
George Jackson, Building Services
F:\PROJECTS\Mystique Community Ice Center\Dehumidification System\Council Documents