Emergency Preparation, Recovery, & Program Management
January 1994 – 2003
Remaining the largest natural disaster to strike any US University, the 1994 Northridge Earthquake was an extraordinary nearly 10 year, half a billion dollar (in year 2000 dollars) recovery program. Tom Brown as a senior University Administrator, along with other key administrators and key consultants, was responsible for emergency response, risk mitigation, documentation, recovery planning & implementation, and FEMA & OES coordination.
Program Management Support
Nov 2015 – June 2016
Program Management support for CSU and University Executives and assigned team of skilled professional consultants, counsel, and various agencies (AT&T, CAISO, SCE, etc.) for operational and management considerations for this legacy 28MW combined cycle Qualifying Facility. TPB Solutions provided assessment, coordination, & various options reports for this complex program.
New School Construction Management
Jan 2012– Jan 2014
Lead CM for EUR Consulting on this $18 million dollar new school project. EUR was brought in via an emergency contract 4 months after contract NTP with no prior construction activity effected pending resolution of an $800K CO. The District released the original CM and later the Architect on this DSA project. Through these extraordinary actions EUR insured the project was completed on time and within 1% of the total low bid cost.
Effective & Innovative HVAC Retrofit Design
Aug 2011– Jan 2012
Prime & Lead design engineer for Digital Energy, Inc. on this multiple gymnasium HVAC retrofit. Replacing 120,000 constant volume CFM (serving 2 practice gyms and the University’s main gym – the Matadome) with highly efficient multi-mode operation and demand control ventilation state of the art fan wall systems. The new design can now efficiently serve highly variable use demands, such as a limited occupancy intramural pick up game (down to 1400 CFM minimum), to a packed house NCAA competition (up to 60,000 CFM in the main gym). This project included new main hydronic heating & cooling infrastructure to the building from district piping in the adjacent street.
BaTT; Barometric Thermal Trap
Patented 2010
Principle Inventor Thomas P Brown, this device was designed, built, and put into service to maximize the heat recovery from CSUN’s 1.2MW fuel cell power plant. The development and installation allowed the recovery of both sensible and “latent” heat recovery to achieve nearly 80% total plant efficiency. This device further allowed the University to efficiently capture and manage the CO2 rich waste stream, directing into the sub-tropical rain-forest for CO2 enrichment sequestration.
Solar CPV Applied Technology
Concentrated Solar PV Proof of Manufacturing
Jan 2010 – May 2010
One of the earliest grid connected concentrated solar (CPV) projects in the country, this was the final phase, “Proof of Manufacturing” built & grid connected triple junction CPV plant for Boeing to satisfy DOE’s $26 million grant program. Project Construction Management & construction by CSUN Facility team led by Tom Brown while coordinating closely with Boeing scientist and engineers. Partial critical path design / build development by the CSUN Team to meet critical grant defined deadline.
1.2 MW Fuel Cell Power Plant
with patented BaTT Heat Recovery System
April 2006 – Jan 2007
CO2 Avoidance: 6,400 Tons per MW/yr
Heat Recovery: 220,000 Therms/yr
This plant was the 12th largest fuel cell power plant in the world at it’s start-up, and was the first such plant to be a multiple technology competitive equipment bid, owner purchase and install project. Full CM & Construction by CSUN Facilities, and full Heat Recovery design / develop (& patented) / build by CSUN under Tom Brown’s leadership & direction.
Specialized Water Feature / Fountain
Re-Design / Build: 2002
This project was FEMA approved with an $800K budget to replace an original reflection pond, a main campus walkway, and all of the landscape surrounding the Student Services Building at CSUN. The original design had major flaws, and the low bid came in over a million dollars above budget. CSUN’s design build process (developed & led by Tom Brown) was applied, and the project was completed on time and within the FEMA approved budget.
225kW Solar PV
Construction: June 2002 – March 2003
Total Project Cost: $1,971,318
Cost after Incentives approx. $ 300,000
This 225kW PV plant was one of the first and largest in California. This plant was a design build project delivered through CSUN’s unique Student Design Team program as developed and led by Tom Brown. Development, Construction, Management, and operations performed by the CSUN Facilities Team under Tom’s direction.
Unique Site Developments
Student Design Build Construction Project: 2003
The implementation of an inner campus tram route to transport increasing student enrollment from north campus required tram stations that served the need, and complimented the institutional environmental standards. This Design build project led by Tom Brown, adjacent to the campus athletics facility, included an open graphic art student competition with the University President selecting the winning submission. The tram station included a unique miniature basket ball court (bungie ball) designed specially for this site & student use.
Botanic Pond & Historic Site Renewal
Design Build Project: 2005
One of only two remaining groves in San Fernando Valley and passionately protected by community & campus activists as is, capital growth stressors required more functional and complimentary use of this space for program needs. The University President tasked Tom Brown to build broad consensus, and develop this previously unkempt and non functional institutional 5 acre landscape site. Modeled after California’s seasonal wetland areas, this development included a meandering stream with developed walkways and areas of quiet study and respite for campus students and community.
467 kW Solar PV
March 2003 – Feb. 2005
Total Project Cost: $3,457,874 Cost after Incentives $1,360,000
This nearly half mega-watt PV plant was fully Managed (CM) & Constructed by CSUN Facilities staff under Tom Brown’s direction. The construction was performed without shutting down this critical faculty parking lot. Special SCADA & graphics provided by CSUN’s Student Design Team.
2000 Ton Chiller Plant
January 2008 – May 2009
Energy Utilization: Fuel Cell Power
Waste Byproducts: Sustain Rainforest.
Efficiency: 0.62 to 0.78 kW/Ton (delivered)
This highly efficient chiller plant was fully managed and constructed under Tom Brown’s direction by CSUN Facilities staff. The complete Condenser side of the plant, and other critical components were full design / build with the Student Design Team and CSUN staff.
Sub-Tropical Rain Forest
Student Design Build Construct Project: 2009
Developed and implemented under Tom Brown’s leadership, the Fuel Cell & Chiller plant Waste Water, CO2, & reject waste heat is utilized to fully sustain this one of a kind most sustainable environment and utility plant serving the University power & AC needs. Water savings: 9,000+ Gallons Per Day; CO2 Utilization: Fuel Cell CO2 Byproduct for Rainforest CO2 Enrichment & Sequestration.
The projects above were developed, designed, and / or managed under Tom Brown’s guidance and direction, with support from a highly competent staff, motivated teams of student interns, volunteer University Faculty, various other industry professionals, various involved agencies, and some extraordinary, trusting, and visionary Executives. If you have project needs or goals that you wish to get the most of, contact TPB Solutions. If we cannot help you, we can very likely put you in contact with someone who can.
OTHER PROJECT REFERENCES UPON REQUEST:
email: tbrown@tpbsolutions.com
I love the orange grove on the CSUN campus! Really lovely.
Thank you K, we had a great time putting that together, building it, and took most our satisfaction from how much others (students, community, etc.) enjoyed it.
Best
TOM