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UMASS ISENBERG SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT ADDITION

AMHERST, MASSACHUSETTS

CHALLENGE AND OPPORTUNITY

As part of a larger campus strategy and paradigm shift in their approach to new construction commisisoning, UMass Amherst contracted B2Q to deploy Monitoring-based Commisisoning (MBCx) software on the new Isenberg School of Management Addition with the goal of delivering a highly efficient, comfortable, and reliable building meeting the intent of the design team.

B2Q used the FacilityConneX MBCx platform to automatically and continuously monitor the building's HVAC and control system operations over a one-year period that began during the new construction startup and acceptance periods and continued through the first 10 months of the warranty period. B2Q configured over 85 customized analytics that were used to flag issues and determine their causes and corrective actions across all 450 air- and water-side systems in the facility.

Using FacilityConneX, B2Q uncovered 35 issues within the first 30 days and over 15 additional issues in the subsequent months, including both problems qualified under warranty and additional opportunities to reduce energy consumption and improve comfort. Key findings include:

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  • Unreleased overrides contributing to excess chilled and hot water pumping energy

  • Improper economizer programming

  • Chronic simultaneous heating and cooling caused by inconsistent set-points

  • Failed valve and damper actuators

Market:

Colleges and Universities

Services:

Energy Efficiency and Analysis
Building Systems
Building Commissioning

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The ETIC RCx project was an outstanding success, delivering verified energy savings and operational improvements that exceeded UMass Lowell’s expectations. The project achieved impressive annual cost savings—10% higher than initially projected—while reducing energy intensity by 14% for UMass Lowell’s third-largest utility account.

Beyond cost savings, the initiative delivered significant environmental benefits, cutting annual carbon emissions by 530,000 lbCO2e. Additionally, it enhanced lab safety through robust lab pressurization tracking and the recalibration of all terminal devices.

This success was made possible through the unwavering collaboration between UMass Lowell, B2Q, and NGRID, demonstrating the power of partnership and a shared commitment to cost efficiency, sustainability, and operational excellence.

Daniel Abrahamson 
University of Massachusetts Amherst

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