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One of the areas covered in the report was the existing refrigeration plant. The existing refrigeration plant is actually two separate independent plants. One located in the sub-basement and a second on the 47th floor. The lower plant consisted of two 1300-ton steam turbine driven and one 1600-ton electric driven chillers, served the basement area mechanical equipment room (MER) and the 10th floor MER.

The upper level chiller plant consisted of one 850 ton and one 1700 ton steam driven chillers which served the 36th floor MER and upper lever MERs located on the 47th, 48th and 49th floors. Separate cooling towers are located on the roof, one for each plant, with a 24-inch riser to the sub-basement chiller room.

Time & Life is the home of several major international magazines. Much of the original photographic work for these magazines is completed within the building requiring the chiller plant to provide process cooling in addition to comfort cooling. Besides increasing the capacity of the installed chiller plant, reliability is critical and separate chilled water risers are provided to allow the occupants to tap this process cooling source as required. It is interesting to note that RGDC offers their tenants in this building chilled water year round, 24 hours per day eliminating uncomfortable temperatures during warm winter days. Further, providing chilled water allows a user to install a simple fan coil unit rather than a conditioning unit in buildings, which only provide condenser water. A central chilled water plant reduces electrical operating load and cost and greatly simplifies the equipment installed and the maintenance requirements.