We brought the group into the office trailer and conducted a Lean crash course to illustrate how the field team schedules upcoming work, inspections, and subcontractor collaboration using Nialli software and interactive smart boards. This provided a practical, hands-on application illustrating workflow navigation and effective field project management.

The students who attended the tour had great questions and positive feedback from the project visit, highlighting the importance of practical learning outside of the classroom and networking for their future construction career.

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The MRRC, located on a half-acre site in Middlebury, is a cutting-edge facility designed to convert food and beverage waste into renewable biogas. Through PurposeEnergy’s innovative Tribrid-Bioreactor system, the center processes approximately 80,000 gallons of organic waste daily, producing 1.014 MW of electricity for Vermont homes and businesses on a 24/7 basis. This environmentally focused project reduces greenhouse gas emissions by over 2,000 tons of CO2 each year, equivalent to eliminating 278 tanker truck trips each month.

The project’s commitment to sustainability extends beyond energy generation. The MRRC also plays a vital role in phosphorus sequestration, preventing over 60 tons of phosphorus from entering Otter Creek and Lake Champlain annually. Furthermore, the facility’s infrastructure supports local food and beverage manufacturers, such as Agri-Mark for Cabot Creamery and Vermont Cider Company, by offering an environmentally friendly and cost-effective solution for waste disposal.

The project faced numerous challenges but by embracing a collaborative, transparent approach, we delivered a successful project with zero safety incidents.

Winning the AGC Vermont Best Builders Award is a proud moment for our team, and we look forward to the continued positive impact the MRRC will have on Vermont’s communities.

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Project will boost green energy capabilities, save customers money, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions

Accokeek, MD – The design-build team of PC Construction, Stantec, and Hazen and Sawyer are excited to announce the completion of construction for WSSC Water’s $271 million Piscataway Bioenergy Facility in Prince George’s County, Maryland, where biosolids will be turned into green energy. The facility is projected to generate approximately $4 million per year in revenue, save WSSC Water customers approximately $3.4 million per year in operating costs, and further reduce WSSC Water’s greenhouse gas emissions.

This is the largest and most technically advanced project WSSC Water has constructed in its 106-year history and is one of only seven in the country to incorporate an advanced Thermal Hydrolysis Process (THP) to efficiently transform biosolids. Once fully operational in early 2025, all biosolids from WSSC Water’s six water resource recovery facilities will be delivered to the new facility for processing, transforming how Maryland’s largest water utility handles biosolids.

“This project is truly groundbreaking, utilizing the thermal hydrolysis technology to reduce costs and increase efficiency and sustainability,” said Matt Cooke, President and CEO at PC Construction. “I am so grateful for the exceptional team that came together to deliver this innovative project – from our collaborative partnership with WSSC Water and the design-build team who leads the industry in designing and constructing these specialized facilities, to the more than 120 subcontractors and vendors and hundreds of skilled craft workers who brought their best work to the site every day.”

The facility, which was completed by a design-build team led by PC Construction in partnership with Stantec and Hazen and Sawyer, converts wastewater biosolids into biogas, which is then used by Combined Heat and Power (CHP) engines to help power the facility, with a portion of the bioenergy generated being sold to Montgomery County to power part of its Ride On bus fleet. In addition, the facility will produce fewer and cleaner biosolids – Class A biosolids – that can be marketed as a soil amendment.

“This has been an innovative and ambitious effort from the start, with hundreds of engineers and scientists contributing over the course of the project,” said Joe Uglevich, senior vice president and director of water delivery at Stantec. “Reaching this critical completion milestone is deeply rewarding for the entire team. This was a massive undertaking, and we are grateful for the opportunity to work alongside PC Construction to achieve WSSC Water’s vision and design this incredible facility.”

The design and construction of the facility supported hundreds of skilled craft workers, with participation by 34 Minority Business Enterprises (MBE) and Small Local Business Enterprises (SLBE), supporting nearly 150 MBE/SLBE jobs.

Construction was completed on budget and on schedule, providing a regional facility capable of treating up to 92 dry tons of biosolids per day.

The post PC Construction, Stantec, and Hazen and Sawyer Complete WSSC Water’s $271M Piscataway Bioenergy Facility appeared first on PC Construction.

The heart of the facility is PurposeEnergy’s patented Tribrid-Bioreactor, which converts organics in food and beverage waste into a biogas that then generates electricity. That process is supported by three 47-foot-tall steel digester tanks, two 33-foot-tall steel flow equalization tanks, hydrogen sulfide scrubbing equipment, and methane and thermal energy recovery systems. PC also installed new offsite pump stations and force mains to allow several nearby food and beverage manufacturers to connect directly to the facility.

In addition to the large producers directly connected to the facility (Agri-Mark for Cabot Creamery and the Vermont Cider Company), the MRRC can also accept food waste from other producers within 50 miles. The project offers these manufacturers a lower-cost, greener alternative for disposing of food waste, and it supports renewable energy generation by producing 1.014 MW of electricity for Vermont homes and businesses on a 24/7 basis.

When fully operational, the MRRC will treat approximately 80,000 gallons of food waste and wastewater per day, converting over 90% of the organic content into renewable biogas. It is estimated that this facility will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 2,000 tons of CO2 per year, primarily by the elimination of 278 tanker truck trips each month.

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PC Construction and Archer Western joined forces to deliver this exciting project as a joint venture. The 6-mgd expansion is based on a fast-track, 32-month schedule with concurrent construction on more than 20 individual structures. The project incorporates advanced wastewater treatment technologies that will allow Henry County Water Authority to treat wastewater to acceptable levels for discharge into the South River. A new membrane biological reactor (MBR) treatment plant combined with an Autothermal Thermophilic Aerobic Digestion System (ATAD), and a Solar Sludge Dryer that one of the largest of its kind on the East Coast, are among the solutions that will set this facility up for long-term operational and environmental excellence.

Currently beyond the mid-point of construction, the project is at peak manpower with over 200 construction personnel onsite and a great team effort to get the project to the finish line in late 2025.

The post Construction Passes 50% Mark for Georgia Wastewater Expansion appeared first on PC Construction.

The original facility, which was built in the early 1970s, has only received two upgrades to its processes – in 1992 and 2004. The current expansion will double the facility’s treatment capacity to 1.2 mgd and essentially eliminate all wet weather discharges, significantly reducing total nitrogen and total phosphorus loads to receiving waters.

“The expansion of our Wastewater Treatment Plant will more than double the City’s ability to treat and process wastewater,” said Mayor Catherine D. Robinson, City of Bunnell.  “This is a testament to what we can achieve as we work together for the City of Bunnell and it underscores our commitment to preparing for Bunnell’s growth, progress, and continued excellence.”

This expansion will provide a solid foundation for Bunnell’s infrastructure to protect the health and safety of residents, businesses and visitors both today and in the future.

“PC Construction is excited to partner with the City of Bunnell to upgrade its wastewater treatment facility,” said PC Construction President / CEO Matt Cooke. “This region is home to many of our employee owners, all who are committed to securing safe water and wastewater infrastructure for Florida’s future. This project is a shining example of how improving aging facilities will keep growing communities safe, sustainable and vibrant.”

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This quip refers to the next phase of operational start-up requiring initial seeding of the anaerobic digester. The anaerobic digestion process harnesses natural bacteria to treat wastewater biosolids. At WSSC, these biosolids will first flow through the new thermal hydrolysis process (THP) followed by the anaerobic digesters (ADs). When initially commissioned, anaerobic digestion facilities require seeding with biologically active sludge to produce the population of methanogenic and acid-forming bacteria required for the anaerobic digestion process to work effectively. To accelerate the process of acclimation of the bacteria to the new environment, the preference is to seed with biologically active sludge that has gone through similar processes, in this case THP.

DC Water, located less than 15 miles from the WSSC Piscataway WRRF, also incorporated THP and anaerobic digestion at their Blue Plains AWWTP facility with the Main Process Train project, which was completed by PC in 2015. As a fully established facility, DC Water was happy to provide “bugs” that are “trained” to jump start the anaerobic digestion process. Beginning last night, tanker trucks containing this biologically active sludge began rolling into WSSC’s bioenergy facility and this sharing of special resources will continue over the next five days. Click here to watch last night’s excitement.

Once the seeding process is complete, initiation of full-time operation of the THP processes will begin. In preparation for this, the WSSC operations team has concurrently begun pre-dewatering activities, processing the indigenous biosolids produced by the Piscataway WRRF and storing the dewatered cake in the new cake storage silos. The volume of biosolids processed will ramp up from 4 dry tons per day to 16 dry tons per day over a 30-day period. Once this is complete, the facility will operate for another 60 days solely processing Piscataway WRRF biosolids before bringing biosolids from WSSC’s four other facilities to the site for processing through the new systems.

The Piscataway WRRF Bioenergy Project utilizes cutting-edge green technology to transform the way WSSC handles biosolids from all six of their water resource recovery facilities, significantly reducing the volume and creating Class A biosolids. The process will also reduce operating costs by more than $3 million per year and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 15% by capturing and cleaning the digester gas to help power the facility through the CHP facility.

The post Major Operational Milestone for WSSC’s Piscataway WRRF Bioenergy Project appeared first on PC Construction.

Arlington, VA – PC Construction, a leading environmental design-build contractor on the East Coast, and Stantec, its lead design partner and global consulting and engineering firm, have been selected to design and construct a major biosolids upgrade project for the Arlington County Water Pollution Control Plant (WPCP) in Northern Virginia. The progressive design-build project, totaling approximately $175 million, will upgrade solids handling facilities and incorporate cutting-edge technology to sustainably transform wastewater to a renewable energy source and a nutrient-rich soil amendment.

PC and Stantec will work together to design and construct the thermal hydrolysis process (THP), pre- and post-dewatering facilities, primary and secondary anaerobic digesters, odor control, biogas treatment systems and steam generation. THP will allow the WPCP to produce Class A biosolids that can be used as fertilizer and the resulting biogas will be captured, treated and used as a renewable energy source.

The design-build team is a leader in these specialized facilities, combining PC’s construction experience—including the largest THP facility in the world—with Stantec’s history of designing nearly half of the world’s THP facilities. PC and Stantec are currently in the commissioning phase for WSSC Water’s Piscataway Water Resource Recovery Facility Bioenergy Project, which will be one of only five operating THP facilities in the US.

“This is an incredibly important project for Arlington County and the community,” said Matt Cooke, President / CEO at PC Construction. “THP technology is quickly gaining traction in the US as an effective, energy efficient, and sustainable method for managing wastewater biosolids. We are excited to put our expertise in this innovative field to work to help Arlington County achieve its long-term vision.”

“The opportunity to work with Arlington County on this groundbreaking project is significant,” said Nicolle Boulay, vice president at Stantec. “The County’s priorities around sustainability align very well with Stantec’s, and we look forward to helping the County achieve its goals.”

Building on Arlington County’s Solids Master Plan, this project will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the region and generate negative net energy usage. Completion is projected by the end of 2029.

The post PC Construction and Stantec design-build team to lead Arlington County’s Re-Gen project appeared first on PC Construction.

I’ve worked with Daniel over the past few years at PC and I am excited for him to take on this role. He brings a wealth of field management experience and a solid understanding of the Georgia and Florida regions. Daniel is ideally suited to help clients as they plan and pursue their construction goals.

“I’m looking forward to leveraging my relationships and building new partnerships in the Georgia and Florida regions,” said Daniel. “This role aligns perfectly with my experience and my vision for helping clients as they embark on their journey to construct new water and wastewater infrastructure.”

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The CHP system consists of three 1.5 MW engine generators and three 5,000 lb/hr steam boilers and serves multiple purposes for the project. First, the engines will generate enough power to run the entire bioenergy project and will serve as a backup power source for the entire Piscataway WRRF if there is a loss of power due to weather or other cause. The engines will also provide heat to the Medium Temperature Hot Water (MTHW) loop that runs throughout the project and supports the sidestream treatment project. The boilers will recover heat from the engines to generate steam, which will be used to supply the Cambi thermal hydrolysis process (THP).

The gas cleaning system will take the methane generated from the two 1.5-million-gallon anaerobic digesters and remove impurities, resulting in renewable natural gas that can be fed into Washington Gas’ pipeline and used in Montgomery County buses.

The cake receiving facility is a key component of this regional facility. WSSC will haul biosolids from their four other treatment facilities and, as the name implies, the cake receiving facility is where trucks will deliver the biosolids material. The cake receiving facility consists of two large storage bins, two hoppers that hold the solids as they are transferred from the trucks and several pumps that transfer the biosolids. The pre-engineered metal building encloses the hoppers to mitigate any potential odors. As trucks approach the building, a large door opens, allowing the truck to dump material into the hopper. Once the truck is empty, the large door closes.

The digested sludge storage tank (DSST) is a converted 55-foot gravity thickening tank that was no longer needed. A cover consisting of 24 steel “wedges” was assembled, welded and painted on site. The assembled cover was then lifted and placed on the new digested sludge storage tank. The DSST provides additional storage for sludge before it is sent to the post-dewatering belt filter presses. This additional storage provides the plant operators flexibility in managing the overall flow of the plant.

This project has been exciting from the start and now, as major construction activities start to wind down, we’ll get to see all the new processes in action. Stay tuned in the coming months for updates on the start-up of this state-of-the-art facility for WSSC Water.

The post WSSC Bioenergy Project Nears Construction Completion appeared first on PC Construction.

This is the first design-build contract for the City of Daytona Beach’s utility department, and the PC team worked hand-in-hand with the owner at every step to ensure everyone understood the process that would lead the design progression and procurement for an on-time project delivery. Throughout construction, we worked closely with the City to continue to tailor the scope and make adjustments to best meet their needs at no additional cost, adding tremendous value to the resulting project.

To meet demand, the plant had to keep five filters operating around the clock. This required close coordination with plant operations staff to ensure the invasive piping and valve installations on common pipelines shared by operational filters did not limit plant capacity. It was also crucial that the operating filters were not exposed to contamination from construction demolition and the reinstallation of filter internals on adjacent filters. PC focused on isolating the construction of the affected filter from the others in operation by building full enclosures that were inspected and maintained on a daily basis.

Extensive MOPO and planning was required to complete the installation of the new filter equipment. The scope of work required over 45 individual shutdowns. The PC team developed a thorough understanding of the plant and its operational needs to ensure the work associated with each shutdown was completed swiftly and efficiently without impacting the required plant capacity.

PC self-performed the majority of the of the project scope including sitework, utilities, concrete, metals and process mechanical work.

“PC has proven to be a great team player and collaborator,” said Eric Smith, P.E., Deputy Utilities Director for the City of Daytona Beach. “PC is highly committed to being available to City staff, spending time with operations and maintenance staff to ensure they are involved in every step of the project. They have taken the time to become intimately familiar with the facilities they work on the ensure plant operations are maintained at all times. Based on our experience with PC, and the consistent and exceptional services they have provided to the City, we have confidence that they will bring the same level of service and quality to any project they work on.”

We’re excited to continue to bring this expertise and commitment to our clients in the Florida region.

The post Work Winds Down at Florida’s Ralph Brennan WTP appeared first on PC Construction.

The team gathered together for a good old-fashioned BBQ at the hands of Project Superintendent Chris Webb, complete with ribs, brisket, sausage, chicken and other BBQ staples.

This $35 million upgrade to the solids handling process at the existing wastewater treatment facility will bring new treatment processes and enhanced facilities for Catawba County to continue to support its growing residential community. Associated work includes an upgraded sludge storage and pumping facility, a revamped solids receiving station, a new solids processing building and a new dried product storage facility. The new solids processing building will house a Huber dryer system from Germany that will allow the City to turn what was once landfill-designated sludge into a dried fertilizer graded for agricultural use.

Stay tuned for more updates as construction progresses on this exciting project!

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