North Chiller Plant (2017)

 Certified LEED NC v2009 Silver

The new chiller plants increase the reliability and capacity of two existing regional chiller plants. One is located in the north of campus, in the Engineering quadrant.  The other is located to the east of the Integrated Sciences Building.  

In addition to comfort-related cooling (i.e. air conditioning), chilled water service is also used for research-focused, process-related purposes.  Whether it is to cool a laser, temper a chemical reaction, or maintain strict environmental conditions, the consistent uninterruptible availability of chilled water within a building where research-intensive activity occurs is more critical as more buildings like the Life Sciences Laboratories or the Physical Sciences Building are built and integrate into typical academic life. 

The project replaced the existing Polymer chiller plant, located on the west side of E-Lab II, with a new North chiller plant that is capable of roughly triple the capacity of its current chilled water service.  In addition, the building was designed and located in such a way to acknowledge the vision of the Campus Master Plan (issued in 2012) and the Engineering “quadrant” it resides in.  The North Plant provided a “visual learning” element to the Engineering quad community, with perimeter glazing at ground level, showcasing a fully operational chiller plant facility.  At the existing ISB chiller plant, this project made improvements through additional equipment installed for reliability and redundancy in parallel with the anticipated additions of the Design Building and fully outfitted Life Science Laboratories, including a new Data Center, to its chilled water service loop. 

Building Information

Address: 110 North Service Road, Amherst, MA 01003-2901
Completed: Summer 2017
Size: 7,000 GSF
Designer / Architect: Leers Weinzapfel Associates, Nitsch Engineering, Inc., RMF Engineering
Contractors: Fontaine Bros Incorporated, Adams Plumbing & Heating, T&M Equipment Corp., Universal Electric Co., Inc.
UMass Project Manager: Ted Mandoza

Sustainability

Resources

LEED Project Scorecard
LEED Project Dashboard
Green Building Brochure

Indoor Air Quality

• Developed and implemented an Indoor Air Quality Plan during construction and before occupancy
• Low-VOC flooring, paints, coatings, adhesives, sealants, and composite wood
• Individual lighting and temperature controls allow occupants to make adjustments for maximum comfort
• Thermal comfort survey administered to building occupants following project completion
• 100% of regularly occupied areas have access to exterior views and natural daylight
• 30% increased mechanical ventilation above ASHRAE standard

Materials + Resources

• Diverted 98.2% of construction wastes from landfill
• 100% of new wood products are Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Certified
• 19.4% of building materials contain recycled content and 44.3% were extracted, processed, and manufactured regionally

Innovation in Design

• Green Housekeeping Program
• Active green building public education programs
• 22% reduction in electricity use compared to baseline chiller plant
• Control components and sequence of operations allows the plant to operate at its most efficient conditions during all times of the year

Water Efficiency

• 22.7% reduction in potable water use via low-flow plumbing fixtures
• Water efficient landscaping improves site ecology without permanent irrigation methods

Sustainable Sites

• Walkable to a library, restaurants, retail, and other community services. Easy access to three PVTA campus bus routes
• Bike storage with shower and changing facilities provided onsite
• Campus-wide parking policy with discounts for low-emitting and fuel-efficient vehicles
• Drought-tolerant native plantings require minimal maintenance and no permanent irrigation methods
• Compact building footprint maximizes open green space
• High-albedo materials and light colored roofing mitigates heat island effect
• Occupancy and daylight sensors reduce light pollution

Energy & Atmosphere

• 30.1% overall reduction in energy use compared to baseline design
• Enhanced Commissioning ensures the building’s systems perform as intended post-occupancy
• Developed and implemented a measurement and verification plan for determining energy savings

Photo Gallery

Images 1-5 courtesy of Special Collections and University Archives, UMass Amherst Libraries. Images 6-8 courtesy of Shepley Bulfinch.

Media

Awards

2019 Best of Design Awards Winner for Infrastructure
The Architect's Newspaper - n.d.

Honors Awards for Excellence 2019 Winning Projects
Boston Society of Architects - n.d.