MGM National Harbor Resort & Casino

Project Background

MGM National Harbor Resort & Casino (hereafter “MGM National Harbor”) is a US$1.4 billion commercial complex that integrates a 4-star luxury hotel, retails, dining, entertainment and casino. It is located on the banks of the Potomac just outside Washington DC, and has a 3,000 seat theater, 308 luxurious hotel rooms, restaurants with acclaimed chefs and a 135,000 square feet gaming space that is bigger than the White House. The resort opened on December 8, 2016, and is owned and operated by MGM Resorts International.

To fulfill the commitment of being a sustainable enterprise, MGM National Harbor integrated a series of comprehensive environmentally responsible practices including installing a 750kW CCHP energy plant to increase energy efficiency meanwhile reduce the negative impacts on environment.

System Background

The energy plant MGM National Harbor has designed and built is one of the largest privately operated CCHP energy plants in the Washington D.C. region to generate onsite electricity for the resort and at the same time provides chilled water and heating water from waste heat off the gensets.

The whole plant includes one 750 kW gas generator, three diesel gensets, an exhaust boiler, six magnetic bearing chillers and a BROAD absorption chiller.

The absorption chiller recovers heat from the gas engine to provide space cooling all year round. The CCHP system has been operated since July 2017, and now runs 24/7, supplying energy to the resort continuously.

The CCHP system combined with three diesel gensets can operate in island mode during an outage to ensure the normal operation.

Project Value

By multi-stage utilization of the engine exhaust heat, the BROAD absorption chiller effectively improves energy efficiency and lowers the emission levels. The BROAD absorption chiller provides 260 tons of “free” cooling by recovering the waste heat from the engine, improving the overall energy efficiency to 94%, saving 950 MWh/year electricity for cooling.

The system significantly reduces the resort’s greenhouse gas emissions and environmental footprint, equivalent to the amount of CO2 sequestered by 1.2 acres of forests in one year. Achieved 31.7% of energy cost reduction compared to a code-compliant building. The estimated payback period is 4.5 years. Achieved LEED Gold Certification.

MGM National Harbor Sustainability Strategies

● Energy Efficiency: In addition to installing a CCHP system, the performance is optimized by using the project’s measurement and verification (M&V) plan, a tool for ongoing accountability of energy performance and a tool that helps verify cost savings associated with energy efficiency measures incorporated into the MGM
National Harbor’s design.

● Green Vehicles: Installed twenty-four electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and low-emitting fuel efficient (LEFE) vehicle parking spaces throughout the parking garage for use by guests and employees.

● Public Transportation : A new transportation stop is located directly adjacent to the MGM National Harbor to encourage public transportation.

● Rainwater Harvesting: Constructed a 700,000 gallon cistern to collect, store, treat, and reuse rainwater captured from the roof structures for irrigation, cooling and sanitary needs instead of municipal water.