Facilities and grounds managers who operate in colder climates know all too well that snow and ice management can be a significant expense and time-consuming challenge. The obvious and direct costs of plow and snow hauling services as well as the chemical and salt requirements are labor and equipment intensive, and are often only the tip of the literal iceberg. Analytical managers are painfully aware of the wide range of less obvious related issues to deal with: Seemingly unavoidable mechanical damage and maintenance costs driven by the ravages of plows, shovels and chemicals; reduced visitor traffic and revenues; indoor damage and increased cleaning demands due to tracked-in salt, moisture and chemicals; and the ever-present threat of injury and liability, to name a few. It all adds up to a big, recurring problem in search of an efficient solution.
According to Kaj Valentiner, project foreman of Valentiner Construction, whose regional reputation led to them being tapped as general contractor (GC) for a new 12,000 square foot welcome center and surrounding plaza in This Is The Place Heritage Park. The CEO of the non-profit foundation that manages the popular Salt Lake City institution had found such a solution for his home driveway — an underground snow and ice melting (SIM) system. He wondered whether an equally effective solution could be applied to the walkway areas around the new Welcome Center he was building — an expanse several times larger.