Annual MEP Supplement
April 2022
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April 2022 Annual Supplement :
Building Energy / MEP
Pictured above: The mechanical room at 530 Community Drive at Technology Park in South Burlington, Vt. / Photo by ReArch Company / Full story page 10
INDUSTRY EXPERT ARTICLES
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Pearl D. Odu
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Thomas L. Tsaros
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Dan Donegan
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John Henry
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Roger Farwell
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April 2022
Resiliency in Electrical Systems
by Pearl D. Odu The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines resilience as “an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change.” Although this definition might seem to be more human-centered, the same definition can be applied to non-human ideologies such as building systems. In the case of building systems, the definition can be reworded as follows: “…the ability of a building system to recover from or adjust easily to disaster, man-made or natural.” In our day and age, a building system is liable to be exposed to different kinds of disasters ranging from equipment malfunction, user error, and natural disasters like flooding. Thus, when incorporating resiliency into MEP systems, we are attempting to design these systems to recover from or adjust to a disaster as quickly and with as little difficulty as possible. Why Design Resilient Systems? We are all familiar with the phrase, “Time Is Money,” and understand that the
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meaning behind the aphorism is to suggest that a waste of time will inevitably lead to less money earned. That being said, I would like to provide a slight reword of the expression: “[Down] time is money.” What I mean by this is that the longer a building system is out of service, the more money is wasted. Storm Elsa provides a recent example: All the interruptions from the flood led to downtime which led to the inability of business continuity for various entities and eventually to significant monetary losses. One of the paramount goals, then, of a resilient system is to minimize the downtime and allow for expedient recovery of building systems with the goal of minimizing overall monetary losses. How to Make Building Electrical Systems more Resilient First, understand the threat. Continuing with our case study, the threat is flood waters damaging equipment and rendering them unusable. Next, know what building systems will be impacted by the threat. Electrical service equipment located at the lowest level of a building is particularly vulnerable because it interconnects equipment within the building with utility services outside the building. Thus, utility service connection boxes, switchboards, panelboards, and any conduit and wire
that exists below the Design Flood Elevation (DFE) level will be impacted. Then, remove the threat or implement resiliency in your design. One option would be to relocate equipment to a level above the DFE, keeping the threat at bay. However, there is still the fact that the equipment has to tie into services that are located below the DFE such as the utility-to-building connection point which typically occurs at the building facade, just below grade. The engineer is forced to design for resiliency in place by specifying wire and conduit that will sustain some level of water ingress without failure. Conduit can be water/ weather resistant with watertight fittings to prevent as much water ingress as possible, while also allowing for reuse after the event. Fiber Reinforced Conduit (FRC), in lieu of Electrical Metallic Tube (EMT) conduit, would be an excellent choice. It is important to note that a vital part of resiliency is dependability. Selecting
manufacturers that are reliable in times of need and that can deliver equipment readily is critical. Such information should be included in equipment specifications. Summary Although the focus of this article has been flooding, it does not require too much effort to imagine other resiliency measures that could be implemented into design. A standby generator could be provided for a building even if one isn’t necessitated by code, for example. Similarly, a temporary generator connection box might be included if a permanent one is cost prohibitive. Another example is designing systems with few to no single points of failure. In all cases, the aim of resilient design is to ensure that building systems are as they were before the catastrophic event, and that remediation happens as quickly and as seamlessly as possible and is as cost effective as possible. Pearl D. Odu, PE, LEED AP is senior associate at Kohler Ronan Consulting Engineers.
2022 Building Energy/MEP Supplement to High-Profile Monthly Anastasia Barnes | PUBLISHER P.O. Box 7, Pembroke, MA 02359 • 781-294-4530 • www.high-profile.com
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April 2022
Bolton Named MCAA President
Robert M. Bolton stands between his two sons, Doug Bolton (l) and Connor Bolton (r), also a part of Arden Building Companies
Pawtucket, RI – Arden Building Companies announced that CEO Robert M. Bolton has been named president of the Mechanical Contractors Association of America (MCAA). Bolton’s goals as MCAA president are to broaden educational resources for small contractors, emphasize diversity
opportunities representative of the communities the organization serves, and create a collaborative industry for all member contractors. By providing opportunities to be a part of peer networks and connecting members within the industry, Bolton’s goal is to keep the industry relevant, innovative, and
Robert M. Bolton receives the presidential gavel from MCAA past president, Armand Kilijian
forward-thinking. He plans to build on the strong partnership with the United Association of the plumbing, pipefitting, and sprinkler fitting trades, which, he says, has successfully trained and prepared the workforce to meet the demanding needs of the industry while remaining
innovative and competitive. Bolton has spent his entire career in the mechanical construction industry. His grandfather and father were United Association members, and Bolton says they instilled in him a love for the work and the utmost pride in being a leader in the mechanical construction industry.
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April 2022
Annual MEP Supplement
Moving The Industry Forward
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The Greater Boston Plumbing Contractors Association ADVANCING THE PLUMBING INDUSTRY ALONGSIDE OUR PARTNERS IN LABOR, PLUMBERS AND GASFITTERS LOCAL 12. www.high-profile.com
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April 2022
New Pool Water Heat Recovery System Reduces Fitness Center’s Electric Use
by Thomas L. Tsaros A creative heat recovery solution utilizing condenser water waste heat was implemented to offset electric hot water heating at Mount Wachusett Community College’s fitness center in Gardner, Mass. As part of a major HVAC infrastructure modernization project at the center designed by Fitzemeyer & Tocci Associates, chiller waste heat carried by the condenser water loop was piped for recovery and use by the facility’s pool water heating system. The facility had already integrated its direct-expansion pool dehumidifier to capture the unit’s waste heat for pool water heating. However, temperature trend data collected through the building’s energy management system showed that the pool water heating system’s existing two, 36 kW electric water heaters were still operating to provide the remainder of the heating required. This presented an opportunity to further improve the
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POOL WATER HEAT RECOVERY LOOP
existing heat recovery loop to reduce electric usage. The center’s chiller, also being replaced as part of the HVAC modernization project, is located near the pool dehumidifier and associated heat recovery system piping. This allowed easy integration of the condenser water heat recovery system with the pool’s existing heat recovery loop. Heat from the 95 F condenser water is transferred to the pool water heating loop through a
plate-and-frame heat exchanger, raising the pool water heating supply to 90 F. The heat exchanger was designed to meet the entire pool water heating load, thereby substantially reducing, or eliminating, operation of the existing electric pool water heaters during the cooling season. In addition to the condenser water heat recovery system, a second heat exchange system was installed to use heat from the campus’ woody biomass building heating system to supplement the condenser water
heat recovery system and for primary pool water heating during wintertime. Operation of the new condenser water heat recovery system is anticipated to begin this spring. The college is also currently working with the local electric utility to secure a custom utility incentive for this project. Thomas L. Tsaros is associate principal and energy & infrastructure service leader at Fitzemeyer & Tocci Associates.
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THE PO WER PRO FESSIO NALS
IBEW Local 103 and NECA Greater Boston contractors are proud to maintain the safest worksites in the region, and the world. Our professionals are the best-trained and most efficient in the industry, and the safety of our workers, our clients, and our communities is our top priority. Today and always, we are committed to raising the standards of the construction industry by standing as a strong advocate for working people, and responsible employers, across the region.
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April 2022
E.M. Duggan Sends Support to Ukraine Engineering Firm Promotes Nine
Alex Mortorny and Father Yarsoslav Nslysnyk of Christ of King Ukranian Church
Canton, MA – E.M. Duggan recently organized a clothing drive for the people of Ukraine. Included in the donation were signature T-shirts that E.M. Duggan designed. With each shirt, a letter of support and encouragement was included. RMF Marketing Solutions donated the screen printing. E.M. Duggan’s safety manager, Alex Mortorny, who has family still in Ukraine, delivered the donations to Christ of King Ukranian Church in Jamaica Plains. New England Mechanical Contractors Association also assisted with member E.M. Duggan’s efforts to send aid to Ukraine by donating over $600 worth of
E.M. Duggan designed a shirt that reads, “Glory to Ukraine.”
goods. The items included undergarments, socks, blankets, and toiletry items.
Arden Selected for UMass Building
(l-r) Top row: Derek Bride, Bradley Park, and Kerrin Ewing. Middle row: David Hillburn, Gilbert Navas, and Michael Raffo. Bottom row: Kenny Fiorentino, Carolyn Nicolo, and Vish Hariharaputran
Middletown, CT – Consulting Engineering Services (CES) recently announced nine employee promotions. Derek Bride was elevated to principal. He has been with the company for nine years and the firm’s representatives say he has been instrumental in keeping the company at the forefront of sustainable design initiatives, concentrating on identifying opportunities to exceed established local and ASHRAE energy efficiency standards in all of his projects. He leads a team of engineers who this year have completed projects for Weaver High School, Lexington Fire Station, and
Oxford Middle School. In the Connecticut office, CES promoted Bradley Park to associate, Kerrin Ewing to project manager, and David Hillburn to senior mechanical engineer. In the Florida office, Gilbert Navas was promoted to project manager. In the New York office, Michael Raffo moved into the role of associate; Kenny Fiorentino was elevated to team leader; and Carolyn Nicolo was promoted to project manager. Additionally, Vish Hariharaputran of Texas was promoted to team leader.
Greater Boston PCA Promotes DeAngelo UMass Chan Medical School’s new Education and Research Building Rendering courtesy of ARC | ZGF
Worcester, MA – Arden Engineering Constructors, part of mechanical contracting firm Arden Building Companies, announced it was recently awarded the fire protection scope for the New Education and Research Building (NERB) at the UMass Chan Medical School. Arden Engineering will be working with Shawmut Design and Construction, the general contractor for the project. The new 9-story, 350,000sf building will be located between two other research
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buildings on the Worcester campus. The facility will support laboratory research growth and acceleration to address some of the most challenging diseases. The fire protection scope consists of two dry chemical suppression systems, 4,000 sprinkler heads, a combined sprinkler and standpipe system, and a connection to the exterior water service. A total of 14,000 work hours will be needed to provide the 12 floors of protection, including a vivarium, research labs, and a mechanical penthouse.
Braintree, MA – The Greater Boston Plumbing Contractors Association (PCA) executive board announced that Andrew DeAngelo has been promoted to executive director. DeAngelo has served the association as the director of public affairs since July of 2019. During this time, he has expanded the political influence of the association and made connections with community partners such as YouthBuild, the City of Boston’s Operation Exit Program, and Building Pathways. He has increased the PCA’s role in the vocational tech schools in the area, serving as the chair of Madison Park’s Plumbing Advisory Committee.
Andrew DeAngelo
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April 2022
Get Your Mechanical Services Team Involved in the Early Design Process
by Dan Donegan As the facilities manager of 1 million sq. ft. of commercial space, and the MEP services manager for ReArch Company, my team gets involved in the earliest design discussions to benefit our construction and development projects, which is proven to be invaluable to our clients. The first step we take in the early design process is collaborating with the owner, vendors, and particularly the job superintendent to formulate a plan for MEP access to ensure ease of maintenance. With my 38 years of experience maintaining equipment, I personally want to ensure that the technician is going to easily be able to maintain a piece of equipment and verify it is in an accessible location, in a proper working room, with no hangers or other pieces of equipment to interfere with it. The equipment room should have lighting, power, and water so the technician can service it easily. This can be as specific as requiring units be installed in hallways, not in offices, and that the piping runs through the offices. One of the most important areas we focus on is energy efficiency. Our primary concern is balancing efficiency, reliability, and comfort. In understanding long-term maintenance costs in systems selections, we perform several analyses for our clients to determine what system makes the most sense for their facility. To calculate this, we estimate the installation
3D scan tag showing embedded O&M manual
cost of the system, and then add in the operations and maintenance cost of that system over 30 years. Shockingly, what we have seen is that a standard four-pipe system tends to come out on top as the most affordable. It is comfortable, quiet and it centralizes all the serviceable equipment in a mechanical room. These systems traditionally had been fueled by boilers and cooling towers, but now with the four-pipe system, it can be a great way to utilize renewable sources such as geothermal and solar to eliminate fossil fuel. In reviewing life-cycle costs using renewable energy, it is important to leverage all incentives as they can dramatically change the financial picture. Other important considerations early in preconstruction are: • Noise and acoustics
3D scan of the Winooski School (dollhouse view)
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• Selecting materials that are locally available and durable • Ensuring shut off valve locations are adequate • Critical locations/heights for drains • High performance buildings: Retain MEP and Envelope Commissioning • Future proofing and systems flexibility
The final recommendation that we offer to our customers is to utilize 3D scanning during construction. Having a 3D scan of the building before sheetrock is the gift that keeps on giving for the life of the building. Clients rave that once you have a scan of your building, you will never be able to go back. The scans are useful in an existing occupancy as, after the space is completely scanned, it can fit out an accurate floor plan of the building. We often find disparities between the as-built drawings and the
actual floor plans, with wall locations that are different. The other benefit of the 3D scans is, if you are bidding out any modifications to the facility, vendors don’t need to visit the facility as they can take accurate dimensions from the scans in areas where security clearance is an issue, or hard to access locations.
3D scan showing rough in/behind wall conditions
The final benefit to 3D scanning is that they create a dynamic O&M manual inside the scan itself. It has 3D scan tags on all products in the building and embeds their warranty information directly into the scan. We have found that the smallest things that are most often overlooked in an O&M manual are things that come back to haunt you. Perfect examples of this would include ceiling tiles, paint colors, or cove base colors, etc. The 3D scan gives you the framework to upload all project details to your master O&M manual that can be referenced for years to come. Including your MEP services team early in any project takes proactive, advanced planning and will benefit clients and reduce operational costs throughout the life of the building. Dan Donegan is facilities and MEP services manager at ReArch Company.
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Milwaukee Tool Supports Building Pathways
Roxbury, MA – Milwaukee Tool, delivering innovative solutions to the professional construction trades that offer increased productivity and unmatched durability, announced it recently supported Building Pathways’ Pre-Apprenticeship Program with hands on training for its latest class and a
donation of $5,000 in tools to support the program. Alex Grandy, regional manager, jobsite solutions at Milwaukee Tool, said he is looking forward to continuing to grow this partnership with Building Pathways, and seeing the students’ careers grow through the union
trades in Boston. Based in Roxbury, Building Pathways creates opportunities for low-income area residents, particularly in underserved communities, to access and prepare for building trades apprenticeships and family-sustaining careers in the construction industry. The
Essential System Solutions for your Building.
Building Pathways Building Trades PreApprenticeship Program was launched in 2011 by the Building and Construction Trades Council of the Metropolitan District (MetroBTC) to address the continued disparities in apprenticeship for women, people of color, and other underserved communities.
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April 2022
Ask the Electrician:
What’s Involved with Setting Up an EV Charger on my Property?
by John Henry and Roger Farwell Research shows that sales of electric vehicles (EV) have more than doubled in the past year. Driven by high gas prices, EV sales are expected to continue rising, increasing the demand for EV charging stations. Just a few years ago, EV chargers were a statement. Today, they’re a staple to support and entice customers, shoppers and tenants. While EV chargers can be installed anywhere there is access to electricity, there are many factors that need to be considered. Your electrician will be able to review the EV charger options available to you and help you determine the best fit for your needs. Location You and your electrical contractor will
need to consider where the EV charger’s power source is, and where the path running that power will go. We find that most clients want the chargers in the front of their buildings. However, this is usually one of the most difficult places for installation. With power sources usually on the side or back of a building, running a path to the front of the building could require temporarily uplifting landscaping and limiting access to entrance ways, along with increasing the amount of work and cost. Additionally, you’ll also need to consider how its location is impacted by snow and snow removal. Electrical Capacity and Power Source Requirements Most at-home chargers are Level 1, meaning they can connect to a standard 120-volt electrical outlet. However, most commercial chargers are Level 2, which require 240-volt power. Whether it’s tapping into existing electrical lines or pulling new lines from the transformer, your electrician will need to determine whether your building and existing electrical infrastructure can support the addition of EV chargers.
EV charging station
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Charge for Charging Do you want to provide access to the EV charger for free or require payment? There are types of EV chargers which require payment “per minute” of charging. However, payment chargers need network connectivity which will narrow the selection of EV charger and add networking requirements (and costs) to the installation. Network Connectivity While networking connectivity is a necessity for “payment required” EV chargers, it is optional for free charging stations. Having network connectivity will allow features such as having the EV charger listed on publicly available EV charger maps and offering scheduling reservations to drivers. While some EV chargers can be connected to a landline network cable, others use a type of wireless connection. The EV chargers using a wireless connection require placement outside or within range of a signal, which typically eliminate them as an
option in underground garages without installing additional equipment. At Interstate, we’ve dedicated resources to train over 100 employees in EV installations. With our trained team members located in offices in every New England state, Interstate is ready to meet the demand for EV charging stations. The future is electric and we are helping our customers make the right decisions on equipment and charger locations to provide optimal capacity. At the current rate of production, the U.S. will see a doubling of electric vehicles in the near future. That means over 26 million electric cars will be on the roads looking for convenient charging stations. Understanding the decisions that should go into identifying locations and charger options can be a major draw for your customers, employees or tenants. John Henry is project manager, and Roger Farwell is project manager/ estimator at Interstate Electrical Services Corporation.
Annual MEP Supplement
April 2022
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AL 6 – B O STON
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April 2022
Griffin Electric Provides Installation Work for Providence Development
Emblem 125 / Renderings courtesy of Torti Gallas + Partners
Providence, RI – Wayne J. Griffin Electric, Inc. (Griffin Electric) is currently providing installation work on the new Emblem 125 project on Parcel 28 in Providence. The 256,000sf mixed-use development is expected to be completed this fall. The 6-story development will feature 249 residential units, a 2-story atrium
lobby, and approximately 20,000sf of ground floor retail space. Residents will have access to an exterior courtyard, indoor/outdoor club room, and secondfloor co-working lounge, among other amenities. Griffin Electric’s on-site services include both electrical and telecommunications work. The Griffin
team is responsible for installing new services, lighting, power, and lightning protection throughout the building. Griffin is also wiring systems for fire alarm and emergency generators. Telecom work includes installing both telephone and cable television wiring for each of the apartment units.
Shawmut Design and Construction of Providence is the general contractor for the project, working alongside Torti Gallas + Partners of Washington, D.C., who is serving as the architect. The project team also includes Building Engineering Resources, Inc. of North Easton, Mass. as the electrical engineer.
Fitzemeyer & Tocci Designs Mask Production Facility
West Bridgewater PPE production facility – meltblown manufacturing line
West Bridgewater, MA – Fitzemeyer & Tocci Associates (F&T) announced it designed a new N95 mask production facility, located in West Bridgewater. The manufacturing facility enables end-to-end production of up to 180 million medical grade masks per year. Working with Shawmut Corporation and Fallon Company, F&T provided MEP/FP engineering and construction administration for the fast-paced design and construction of the new non-woven, melt-blown type PPE production facility. Given the shortage of PPE in Massachusetts during the COVID-19 pandemic, the project’s goal was to rapidly
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create a manufacturing facility capable of producing high quality N95 particulate respirators to help mitigate the country’s shortage of domestic-made PPE. In partnership with architect Linea 5, Inc. and general contractor AZ Corporation, the project raced from concept to PPE production in just six months. Nearly 70,000sf of industrial space was retrofitted to accommodate the new facility, which includes onsite materials testing lab and state-of the-art diagnostic equipment to enable testing of new manufactured products in-house and foster rapid development and production of future mask products.
PPE production facility in West Bridgewater – meltblown line and final fabric material
N95 Masks
April 2022
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April 2022
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