Campus News - Framingham State College Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 17, 2007

CONTACT:
Mari Megias, 508/626-4047, mmegias@frc.mass.edu

Massachusetts Division of Capital Asset Management Recognizes FSC

The Massachusetts Division of Capital Asset Management (DCAM) has recognized FSC for its teamwork in improving the campus.

DCAM, the Department of Capital Planning and Facilities Operations at FSC and the Massachusetts Board of Higher Education (BHE) are working together to improve substantially the value of the renovation of Crocker Hall by incorporating the replacement of an obsolete steam absorption chiller and the construction of an energy-saving central chiller plant into the project.

Crocker Hall is a wood-frame building that was constructed in 1889 as a residence hall for students. It is the college’s oldest original structure and is a focal point of the campus. The building was converted into office space in 1973, and it is currently occupied by 47 faculty and 2 administrative staff from four different departments.

The goal of the Crocker Hall modernization project is to renovate and upgrade the building to current standards while accommodating additional faculty from other departments in a more efficient layout. The completed project will provide office space for 76 faculty and 2 administrative staff, and it will be a LEED-certified building. Crocker Hall’s relationship with the “quad” or center of the campus is an important design consideration, and as part of this project the main entrance of the building will be reoriented to enhance that relationship.

The central campus location and wood-frame structure of the Crocker building have limited options for the installation of new HVAC equipment, particularly the location of a separate chiller or cooling tower external to the building. A conventional stand-alone chiller to serve Crocker Hall presented significant construction challenges, cost implications, and aesthetic concerns. An alternative proposal to construct a central chiller plant in another building to serve the renovated Crocker Hall has been adopted that will also provide cooling to Hemenway Annex, Hemenway Hall and May Hall

Funded separately by BHE, a new 500-ton steam absorption chiller will replace an existing 216-ton steam absorption unit located in Hemenway Annex that only serves that building. The new central chiller plant will eventually provide cooling to Hemenway Hall, where it will replace incremental electric air conditioning systems, and Crocker Hall. The system will also be sized to accommodate the installation of air conditioning in May Hall (which is not currently air conditioned) at a future date.

The following benefits will be gained from this plan:

1. The obsolete chiller in Hemenway Annex will be replaced by a new, more efficient chiller that will reduce maintenance and operating costs.
2. Significant avoided costs from the replacement of the Hemenway Annex chiller before the occurrence of a catastrophic breakdown.
3. Savings from the avoided costs for the stand-alone chiller and associated construction in Crocker Hall.
4. The completed chiller plant system will eventually result in the planned avoidance of approximately 500 additional tons of chiller capacity (over stand-alone units for each building).
5. The strategic combination of repair and construction planning will help meet the requirements of Executive Order #484.