Century Plaza Towers
Salas O’Brien commissioned all mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems for the Los Angeles Century Plaza Towers central plant addition. As a direct result of Salas O’Brien’s work on the project, owners saved $900,000 in rebates and immediately paid back their investment in commissioning.
Our client
The Century Plaza Towers are among the most well-known office and residential buildings in the Los Angeles area. Completed in 1975 by architect Minoru Yamasaki, the towers resemble Yamasaki’s other “twin towers,” which fell in New York on September 11, 2001.
Project highlights
Their challenge
As the technology needs of residents and tenants continued to increase, the central plant serving the towers needed a significant overhaul. Further complicating the project was the need to shift production of chilled- and hot-water utilities from off-site at a nearby district energy plant to on-site. The owners also decided to pursue LEED for Existing Buildings certification in the process of these upgrades.
Our solution
Our team commissioned the installation of a new 6,150-ton chiller plant and a new 33,600-MBH boiler plant, both of which were installed in an underground parking deck. Salas O’Brien supported each step of the project, from design review and construction site visits through functional testing and LEED certification.
The results
As a direct result of Salas O’Brien’s involvement, the owner saved $900,000 in rebates and immediately paid back the investment in commissioning—proving that partnering with Salas O’Brien can result in both financial and environmental savings.


