The Society Orlando project, a two-tower, 1.5 million-square-foot high-rise in downtown Orlando, which features 707 rental apartments and 36,000 square feet of office and retail space. Colwill Engineering was brought in to handle the HVAC mechanicals for the first tower, incorporating a hybrid air-and-water system for efficient cooling and heating.

For the HVAC system, Colwill designed a complex network involving large-diameter PP-RCT piping and vertical risers made of PEX, which carry chilled water from a rooftop cooling tower to fan coil units in the apartments. The system also includes a return line that moves warmed water back to the tower for cooling. The supply-and-return risers utilize Wirsbo hePEX™, a corrosion-resistant PEX-a pipe, ideal for hydronic applications. Additionally, the domestic water system was installed using Uponor AquaPEX®, another type of PEX-a pipe, by a partnering contractor. This innovative, prefabricated approach allows for faster installation and better cost management, helping bring the project closer to completion on schedule.