Work completed on Boyden, Maxwell HVAC systems:
A little bit of luck and a lot of efficient planning helped Facilities Management and Planning officials at Bridgewater State University complete significant upgrades to the heating and air-conditioning systems in Boyden Hall and Maxwell Library, two of the most heavily-used buildings on campus.
The upgrades -- which were aimed at improving climate conditions and reducing energy costs -- required both buildings to operate without heat or air conditioning for three weeks. Just days before work started, temperatures in the region soared near 90 degrees and an unseasonable cold- or hot-spell during the work could have caused problems for staff and students who use the buildings. As it turns out, weather for most of the three-week period was seasonable, and few people noticed a difference in temperature.
"I can’t even tell the heat has been shut off,” said Joe Catino, a freshman who works at the circulation desk in the library and has a class on the second floor of Boyden Hall. Like many students, Catino was completely unaware of the work being done on the buildings.
Work on the projects that required the HVAC system shutdown began October 4 and was completed on October 20. During this time, the air coming from the vents was the air from outside.
Emails were sent to all employees of the Bridgewater State University campus and there was a post about this project in the daily student announcements. The email from Karen W. Jason, Associate VP stated to “dress appropriately each day they will be in the building.”
“The reason for this HVAC project is to upgrade and create a whole new heating and cooling system that will allow the system to conserve energy [and save BSU money] while at the same time, creating an equally balanced and comfortable feeling in the 18 classrooms in the Maxwell Library and 6 in Boyden Hall, year round for students, employees and faculty” said Keith Mcdonald, BSU Director of Physical Facilities.
According to Tom Telford, project manager of the Bridgewater State University (BSU) facilities department, the $1.1 million project was originally scheduled to take place the second week of September. Telford said officials pushed the start date back because of warm temperatures throughout the first month of classes.
Bjorn Ingvoldstad, assistant professor of the communication department at BSU said “after reading the email, I felt that it was going to create some problems with temperature in my office [located on level 2 of the Maxwell Library] and the classrooms I teach in.”
But, he said during the project's second week, "I have yet to really notice any difference in the temperature of my office and classrooms. It seems the facilities department here as BSU planned a strategically perfect time to work on this project.”
BSU librarian Cynthia J.W. Svoboda said officials decided not to do the project over the summer, when fewer people use the buildings. In addition to creating unbearable conditions for people working in the buildings during the summer months, the humidity could have done untold damage to the library's collection.
"The BSU facilities department did indeed pick a perfect time for this project and (I) feel three weeks with no heat in the month of October is not too long of time—especially with the beautiful weather we have been experiencing,” Svoboda said.
Moira O’Brien, Administrative Assistant in the Criminal Justice (CJ) department located on the third floor of the Maxwell Library, also commented that she “hasn’t noticed any significant changes in the temperature of the building ‘nor has she heard any complaints from the CJ staff.”
Meanwhile, Aimee Manzoni a senior at BSU who has two classes midday in the library tells me she feels that project should have been pushed back further into November. “I honestly feel that the workers of this project simply got lucky weather wise, which is why there have been little to no complaints.” She adds that “it would be easier if the windows in the library were actually able to open.”
The upgrades -- which were aimed at improving climate conditions and reducing energy costs -- required both buildings to operate without heat or air conditioning for three weeks. Just days before work started, temperatures in the region soared near 90 degrees and an unseasonable cold- or hot-spell during the work could have caused problems for staff and students who use the buildings. As it turns out, weather for most of the three-week period was seasonable, and few people noticed a difference in temperature.
"I can’t even tell the heat has been shut off,” said Joe Catino, a freshman who works at the circulation desk in the library and has a class on the second floor of Boyden Hall. Like many students, Catino was completely unaware of the work being done on the buildings.
Work on the projects that required the HVAC system shutdown began October 4 and was completed on October 20. During this time, the air coming from the vents was the air from outside.
Emails were sent to all employees of the Bridgewater State University campus and there was a post about this project in the daily student announcements. The email from Karen W. Jason, Associate VP stated to “dress appropriately each day they will be in the building.”
“The reason for this HVAC project is to upgrade and create a whole new heating and cooling system that will allow the system to conserve energy [and save BSU money] while at the same time, creating an equally balanced and comfortable feeling in the 18 classrooms in the Maxwell Library and 6 in Boyden Hall, year round for students, employees and faculty” said Keith Mcdonald, BSU Director of Physical Facilities.
According to Tom Telford, project manager of the Bridgewater State University (BSU) facilities department, the $1.1 million project was originally scheduled to take place the second week of September. Telford said officials pushed the start date back because of warm temperatures throughout the first month of classes.
Bjorn Ingvoldstad, assistant professor of the communication department at BSU said “after reading the email, I felt that it was going to create some problems with temperature in my office [located on level 2 of the Maxwell Library] and the classrooms I teach in.”
But, he said during the project's second week, "I have yet to really notice any difference in the temperature of my office and classrooms. It seems the facilities department here as BSU planned a strategically perfect time to work on this project.”
BSU librarian Cynthia J.W. Svoboda said officials decided not to do the project over the summer, when fewer people use the buildings. In addition to creating unbearable conditions for people working in the buildings during the summer months, the humidity could have done untold damage to the library's collection.
"The BSU facilities department did indeed pick a perfect time for this project and (I) feel three weeks with no heat in the month of October is not too long of time—especially with the beautiful weather we have been experiencing,” Svoboda said.
Moira O’Brien, Administrative Assistant in the Criminal Justice (CJ) department located on the third floor of the Maxwell Library, also commented that she “hasn’t noticed any significant changes in the temperature of the building ‘nor has she heard any complaints from the CJ staff.”
Meanwhile, Aimee Manzoni a senior at BSU who has two classes midday in the library tells me she feels that project should have been pushed back further into November. “I honestly feel that the workers of this project simply got lucky weather wise, which is why there have been little to no complaints.” She adds that “it would be easier if the windows in the library were actually able to open.”
So, this 1.1 million dollar HVAC project, “which has been going smoothly and as scheduled according to plan” according to Telford emerges to have had little to no effect on the campus of Bridgewater State University campus.
Plans for a similar project in other campus buildings are proposed for the future.
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