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WELLESLEY COLLEGE CUP UPGRADE

WELLESLEY, MASSACHUSETTS

SUMMARY

Ameresco retained B2Q to be the prime design engineer to complete the upgrade of the Central Utility Plant (CUP) at Wellesley College. B2Q completed and coordinated the entire design in Revit with various subconsultants including electrical, plumbing, structural, and acoustical.

The new Central Utility Plant upgrades scope consists of two (2) new 2MW peak shaving engine generators to be deployed for demand response. The chilled water plant was also upgraded to include (2) new 800-ton water cooled centrifugal chillers & a five (5) cell rooftop cooling tower. A new 4,000 ton-hr ice storage plant was installed for additional demand response & peak shaving during the peak cooling season. The plant also required a new pony steam boiler for shoulder season operations. B2Q also supported the design of a new balance of plant control system for integration & centralization of all equipment.

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  • Two (2) Peak Shaver Engines each capable of 2MW

  • Two (2) 800-ton Electric Centrifugal Chillers

  • One (1) 3,200-ton Five Cell Rooftop Cooling Tower

  • A 4,000 ton-hr ice storage system with a dedicated 400-ton glycol chiller for ice build

  • One (1) 600-hp Pony Steam Boiler

  • New Controls Infrastructure for entire CUP

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Market:

Colleges and Universities

Services:

Building Systems
Resiliency and Distributed Generation
Project Design

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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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