Customer Profile: St. Bonaventure University (SBU), the nation’s first Franciscan university established in 1858, serves over 2,000 undergraduate and graduate students in Olean, New York. Its campus spans 500 acres and includes 31 academic and support buildings, as well as residence halls. Offering more than 50 undergraduate majors and 22 graduate programs, SBU is committed to providing a comprehensive educational experience.
Plassmann Hall, one of the key academic buildings on campus, is a 70,000-square-foot hub that houses classrooms and various student services, including The Student Success Center, First Year Experience Programs, and Higher Education Opportunity Programs. In addition, the building has multiple individual offices spaces for the professors.
Challenge: SBU faced significant challenges with the aging heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) equipment in Plassmann Hall. The outdated steam heating systems and lack of automated controls led to high energy consumption and frequent complaints from students and faculty regarding the building’s temperature and air quality. Additionally, many of the areas had insufficient air supply and air exchange rates due to the age and original design. With the building playing a crucial role in student life and academic success, it was imperative for the university to modernize the HVAC systems to enhance occupant comfort and reduce carbon emissions.
Stark Tech Solution: In the Spring of 2022, Stark Tech initiated a comprehensive, three-phase project to upgrade the HVAC systems with electric heat pump technology in Plassmann Hall.
- Phase 1: Evaluation and Design (Spring 2022)
Stark Tech’s team conducted a thorough evaluation of the existing HVAC system, assessing the needs and challenges specific to Plassmann Hall. After selecting the appropriate system type, our team developed a preliminary design and layout. These designs were used to create a detailed budget for the mechanical work, which was reviewed and approved by SBU. - Phase 2: Engineering and Bidding (Summer to Fall 2022)
During the summer of 2022, Stark Tech collaborated with the university’s owner, architect, and general contractor to finalize the mechanical design. This phase included a detailed review of options to incorporate Clean Heat technology, specifically through utilizing six large roof top air handling units with air-source heat pump technology. Key components, including the heat pumps and control systems, were pre-purchased to streamline the construction phase. By the fall of 2022, design drawings, project manuals, and specifications were prepared and sent out for bidding. The received bids were carefully analyzed, ensuring alignment with the project’s development budget. - Phase 3: Construction (Fall 2022 to Spring 2024)
Construction commenced in the fall of 2022, with Stark Tech’s Integrated Solutions team leading the multiphase approach. The project began in the lower level of Plassmann Hall, progressing to the main building after the Spring 2023 commencement. By the start of the Fall 2023 semester, the lower level and first floor were completed, with the remaining floors finished by December 2023. Work on the Annex began after the fall semester and has been completed in Spring 2024.
Project Result:
The upgraded HVAC system features a dedicated AAON air handling unit (AHU) for each floor of Plassmann Hall, equipped with Variable Air Volume (VAV) controls. This advanced system allows for precise temperature control in individual rooms, reducing energy consumption, minimizing compressor wear, and lowering noise levels.
In addition, Stark Tech provided software and metering to track the building’s utility usage which will eventually be expanded to the rest of the campus to help SBU track and meet their sustainability goals.
In addition to these improvements, St. Bonaventure University received multiple financial incentives, including:
- $122,000 from National Grid for the installation of clean heat pumps.
- $13,050 for HVAC DDC (Direct Digital Control) systems.
- $15,800 for LED lighting upgrades.
The upgrades to Plassmann Hall have significantly enhanced both comfort and energy efficiency while advancing the university’s sustainability and carbon reduction initiatives. By adopting air-source heat pump technology, SBU transitioned from natural gas to locally sourced renewable electricity as the primary heating source. This transition has led to a reduction in the building’s carbon footprint by 41.2 metric tons annually.
About Stark Tech
Stark Tech is a market leading technology provider, delivering turnkey solutions with master systems integration, equipment, and service, and building analytics that drive sustainability goals and keep facilities on their mission. In addition, Stark Tech manufactures large, skidded equipment that decarbonizes and reduces greenhouse gas emissions by converting waste to renewable natural gas.
Our highly agile and collaborative team works to ensure the successful execution of schedules and budgets, technology selection, implementation, and commissioning. Once the project is up and running, our service by command center operations is available for 24/7 emergency response.
