UNH SMITH & STILLINGS INFRASTRUCTURE RENEWAL PROJECT
DURHAM, NH
CHALLENGE
The University of New Hampshire (UNH) faced aging steam and condensate distribution systems serving Smith Hall, Stillings Dining Hall, and adjacent residence halls. These systems were at the end of their useful life, inefficient, and heavily reliant on fossil fuels. Smith Hall’s mechanical and domestic hot water equipment required full replacement, and Stillings Hall’s catering kitchen depended on steam-fired equipment for daily operations. The challenge was to modernize critical infrastructure while advancing UNH’s decarbonization goals and maintaining uninterrupted residence hall occupancy and campus food service.
OPPORTUNITY
B2Q Associates was appointed as the prime engineer, responsible for studying multiple alternatives, including in-kind replacement, hybrid approaches, and full electrification. The team evaluated air-source and heat pumps, electric boilers, thermal storage, and hydronic system integration. Using utility data, trend records, and field surveys, B2Q developed a phased plan: replace failing underground piping, create a new hot water and domestic hot water plant in Smith Hall, and electrify Stillings’ catering kitchen by replacing steam-fired equipment with electric systems.
RESULTS
The project transitions The Smith DHW plant from an aging steam system to a modern electrified system solution via a combination of air-to-water heat pumps and heat exchangers sized for the future conversion to low-temperature hot water. Key outcomes include:
Resiliency: New underground hot water distribution improves reliability and reduces maintenance costs.
Sustainability: Electrification of Smith and Stillings significantly reduces fossil fuel use and emissions.
Continuity: Student housing and food service remain fully operational during construction.
Scalability: The design provides a replicable model for campus-wide electrification and future integration of geothermal and energy storage.
By combining underground utility renewal, hot water plant conversion, and catering kitchen electrification, the project demonstrates how higher education campuses can modernize infrastructure while advancing carbon-neutral goals. It fulfills UNH’s need for resilient, sustainable, and cost-conscious systems that directly support student life and the university’s climate action commitments.
Market:
College/University
Services:
Decarbonization
Energy Efficiency and Analysis
Building Systems
