Energy

We value your project as much as you do.
This is why we want to provide your project with a good foundation.  Supporting “everything from the ground up” is Coe & Van Loo’s (CVL) primary goal in the design
of any project.

Using an integrated approach to design, we are able to maintain adherence to the project schedule, budget, and overall constructability.  Coordinating with all stakeholders early in the pre-design phase ensures that our clients’ project goals are being met or exceeded.  Working in tandem for the benefit of our client guarantees we are all successful. 

CVL brings a diversified technical team of experts and licensed professionals to provide a variety of services including initial feasibility studies, environmental permitting, engineering/planning design, contract procurement, and project and construction management services. 

Our project mission is simple; provide exceptional customer service by doing what we say we will do.  

Recent Projects

Riverpoint Solar Research Park – Phoenix, AZ

CVL’s responsibilities for this project were two fold: 1- site plan preparation and 2- feasibility and design of compressed air storage.  The 20-acre project site consists of five 70-foot tall solar dishes that will generate ~ 5 MW of renewable energy.  An additional 15 solar dishes are planned for future expansion of the site.

Several key issues concerning the site design included: multiple stakeholders – FAA, FEMA and the City of Phoenix; no direct access to the site (landlocked); air traffic visibility; and flood plain concerns.  CVL’s approach to the project was to spend significant advance time in the preliminary planning and design phases to minimize later design changes. Open dialogue and coordination with the stakeholders, the client and the public in a proactive manner enabled CVL to effectively remove the site out of the flood plain, create right of way access, and receive plan approval by 2nd submittal.

Sunset Farms – Western Area Power Authority (WAPA) – Phoenix, AZ
CVL survey crews established and defined an existing 2-mile long high voltage electrical transmission line easement held by WAPA through the project boundary area.  Close coordination with WAPA in the pre-design phase eliminated costly boundary delineation issues.  CVL was able to prepare the necessary legal descriptions for the recordation of the newly defined easement.

Mesquite Solar – Maricopa County, AZ
Preliminary engineering design by CVL was able to facilitate the identification of potential storm water control issues.  Using a value engineering design approach, CVL produced two viable design alternatives to address storm water control. 

Option 1: Utilizing drop structures in the east/west channels enabled CVL to reduce the slope of the channel, thus reducing the storm water velocities. Reduction of storm water velocities enabled the reduction of channel rip-rap necessary for erosion control. Option 1 saved the client in overall material costs. 

Option 2:  In place of drop structures, CVL designed multiple small retention basins along the east/west channels, allowing the larger retention basin at the collection site to be greatly reduced.  The small retention basins eliminated all channel rip-rap and helped regain valuable developable property near the former large retention basin.  Option 2’s savings to the client included reduced earthwork and material costs as well as increasing the area of viable land for development.  

Arizona Public Service (APS) Tempe Substation – Tempe, AZ

Expansion of an existing substation in a busy, active community created the need to develop a design charette approach to the site design.  CVL coordinated multiple meetings with APS, neighborhood and community members to gain insights for the aesthetic and functionality of the site. 

Additionally, the project is located in the Tempe Transportation Overlay District and required the bus shelter to be relocated and upgraded.  Addressing stakeholder concerns, CVL was able to create aesthetic improvements to the right-of-way by upgrading the landscape, designing a theme wall, adding seat walls, meandering pedestrian walkways, and stamped concrete driveway entrances. 

The City of Tempe commented upon completion of the project “that CVL went above and beyond their expectations for the substation design.”

Energy Projects
Riverpoint Solar Research Park; Phoenix AZ
Mesquite Solar Project; near Palo Verde Power Plant; Wintersburg, AZ
APS Tempe Substation; Tempe, AZ
APS Zeniff Substation; Snowflake, AZ
APS Wickenburg Substation; Wickenburg, AZ
APS Granite Reef Substation; Scottsdale, AZ