Category: <span>Project Report</span>

Nexamp and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 103 celebrated the completion of a solar and energy storage project at IBEW’s headquarters in Dorchester, Massachusetts. The project will provide IBEW with annual savings on energy costs and supplemental power in the event of a local power outage.

Cutting the ribbon to celebrate the completion of a new solar + storage project at IBEW Local 103 in Dorchester, Massachusetts, are Bernard Treml, Department of Labor; Representative Dan Hunt; Representative Jeff Roy; Nexamp CEO Zaid Ashai; IBEW Local 103 Business Manager Lou Antonellis; and Boston City Councilor Frank Baker. Nexamp

The system pairs 220 kW_DC of solar generation on IBEW’s roof with a ground-mounted, 200 kWh_AC-coupled, lithium-ion battery energy storage system (BESS) located behind the meter that will provide 265,000 kWh of electricity per year. Nexamp is the long-term operator of this system, working closely with IBEW to ensure efficiency and performance over the life of the project.

“Nexamp is extremely proud of our partnership with IBEW and this project, which will benefit Local 103 and its members for years to come,” said Zaid Ashai, CEO of Nexamp. “This effort builds on our longstanding relationship and helps prepare us for the urgent work ahead, building a renewable and resilient grid that will create local jobs and help mitigate the worst impacts of climate change.”

Two months ago, President Joe Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law, the largest single investment in clean energy in U.S. history; and two months prior to that, Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker passed An Act Driving Clean Energy and Offshore Wind, the second climate bill in two years aimed at accelerating the state’s transition to a clean energy future. Together, these bills will accelerate renewable energy development and help bring more projects, like the one at IBEW Local 103, online.

“Today marks a historic day for our union,” said Lou Antonellis, business manager of IBEW Local 103. “We are committed to building a sustainable, resilient and energy-efficient future for our members and our communities. The completion of this project demonstrates that IBEW electrical workers are leading the way in transitioning to clean energy and resilient infrastructure. We have always had green technology on our campus and this project completed with Nexamp takes that to the next level.”

IBEW’s combined solar and storage system, designed and installed by Nexamp and Lynnwell Associates, will provide enough energy to meet nearly 70% of the electricity needs of IBEW’s headquarters. Combining the solar generation with energy storage has the added cost-saving benefit of enabling IBEW to store solar power when electricity prices are low and use it when prices are high. It can also provide much-needed backup power during disruptions caused by increasingly frequent and intense storms.

“Our partnership with IBEW Local 103 has deepened over the past decade as our company has grown. We know this relationship with labor will be essential to Nexamp’s future success and our work building out the nation’s clean energy infrastructure,” added Chris Perron, senior VP of clean energy development at Nexamp.

This solar project will complement other upgrades completed by IBEW, including façade-mounted solar panels and a wind turbine that provide power to the group’s training center; wind-powered EV charging stations in the parking lot and solar-powered off-grid LED parking lot lights. All of these projects will provide training opportunities for IBEW members who will be installing the technologies at the heart of the clean energy transition.

“Our union is walking the walk when it comes to energy efficiency,” said Renee Dozier, business agent at IBEW Local 103. “The completion of this project comes on the heels of historic support from the Biden administration, through the Inflation Reduction Act and other measures, that means our transition to renewable energy will also uphold and create good union jobs.”

News item from Nexamp

NECA Boston joins in celebrating the work of Contractor Lynnwell & Associates & International & Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Local 103 (IBEW 103) in helping to design & install the Electric Vehicle infrastructure for Boston Public Schools.

Starting Monday morning, February 27, Boston’s first 20 electricity-powered school buses will take to the streets, carrying an estimated 2,500 students to and from 42 schools daily. The deployment, supported by the installation of the required EV charger infrastructure, marks the first stage of an ambitious pilot program that sets the stage for a complete electrification of Boston Public School’s 700-vehicle fleet by 2030.

“This will be the biggest charger facility for school buses in the Northeast,” says Mike Dutton, General Forman for Lynnwell Associates, the NECA Boston-member electrical firm tasked with installing the project’s electrical infrastructure. The company was chosen for the job by Voltrek, the prime contractor that designed and supplied the EV system and is managing the project for the City of Boston. “We were approached by Voltrek President Kathleen Conners last fall,” explains Lynnwell President Larry Mahoney. “We also do electrical maintenance for the Boston school system, so there was a connection there.”

Once hired, Lynnwell’s involvement encompassed the installation of a 4000-amp switchboard and transformer, along with 20 30kw DC charges that can power 20 buses at a time. “The installation has the infrastructure for an additional 100 charges when the city decides to purchase more buses,” Dutton said, adding that there is more to the system than simply turning the power on. “These chargers all communicate with the school department so they can tell if the driver isn’t plugged in; also, they can stagger the charging time for the buses, so the load is kept in check.”

Mahoney had much praise for IBEW Local 103 for supplying skilled workers that got the job done.

The EV/green energy transformation of the Boston Public School transportation system is off to a strong start.

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NECA contractor teams with Architect: Smithgroup, Boston, MA; GC: Consigli, Boston, MA; EE: E31, Boston, MA

Methuen, MA – Lynnwell Associates, based in Quincy, Massachusetts, has completed the complex and multifaceted electrical, tel-data and security installations at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s (DFCI) Merrimack Valley outpatient facility, located at 5 Branch Street in Methuen, MA.  The new DFCI facility, which opened on January 29th, offers adult patients expanded cancer and blood disorder care with Dana-Farber’s world-leading cancer treatment and support services.

The state-of-the-art 60,000 sf Dana-Farber Merrimack facility features an environment similar to  the Dana-Farber Longwood (Boston) facility. Equipped with 24 exam rooms and 32 infusion bays, DFCI Merrimack allows for patient access to Dana-Farber’s clinical trials. Expanded patient support services, include genetic counseling, coordinated care with licensed oncology social workers and with highly-specialized registered dieticians.

Lynnwell Associates comprehensive electrical scope entailed the installation of new switchgear, which included critical and life safety equipment and four additional automatic transfer switches that work in conjunction with an existing transfer switch and backup generator.  The NECA contractor also provided a new, advanced lighting control system, as well as comprehensive LED lighting and specialty lighting throughout the facility.  The contractor also was tasked with the installation of a new fire alarm system; Nurse Call system; a new security system complete with CCTV; and an intercom system, as well as a new paging system. In an expansion of the original project scope, Lynnwell installed a RTLS (Real Time Location System) and a CAMS system throughout the facility, as well as a new A/V system.  The project also entailed installation of the facility’s extensive and complex tel/data system.

Among its many features, the new Dana-Farber facility houses a specialty Clean Room lab, which provides genetic testing and other cancer research functions. The clean room is a fully modular, prefabricated panelized system, inclusive of walls, ceiling and ceiling suspension, in which Lynnwell’s installations included vapor-tight specialty lighting.

The facility also features a prefabricated electrical penthouse, which was airlifted into place atop the 3-story facility’s roof.

The fast-track 8-month project schedule, which commenced in February 2019, was compressed by 10 weeks to accommodate Dana-Farber’s occupancy requirement schedule. Lynnwell reached substantial project completion in October in meeting the escalated schedule.

Lynnwell Associates Project Manager Bobby Falzone and Electrical Foreman Scott Reed supervised the project team, managing a field crew of 20 IBEW Local 103 electricians, which included three foremen, as well as three technicians.

Due to the compressed timeline, much of the electrical fit-out was performed in mid-summer and the facility’s glass facade created an intense heat condition inside the building.  To ensure all electricians and other tradespeople were able to safely perform construction tasks without working in oppressive heat, portable air conditioning units were installed throughout the facility’s work areas.

Lynnwell Associates worked on a project team headed by general contractor Consigli.  Todd Flanders, project superintendent for Consigli, commented on the team effort that was required. “Lynnwell Associates’ project team was instrumental in our ability to meet the project’s compressed schedule.  They are a unique team and performed their complex scope to the highest level of quality in a facility that has very stringent requirements. All key timeline milestones were met thanks to a great cooperative effort of all our subcontractors.”

Lynnwell’s PM Falzone added, “It required a massive team effort amongst all the trades. Lynnwell Associates is proud to have been involved in such an important project for Dana-Farber and the city of Methuen, as well as the residents of Merrimack Valley.”

Project construction team contributes $3300 to Jimmy Fund

The Dana-Farber Merrimack Valley project raised a total of $3300 for Dana-Farber’s Jimmy Fund. The construction team collected $1100 in the community outreach effort headed by general contractor Consigli Construction’s Superintendent Todd Flanders and Lynnwell’s Foreman Scott Reed. Matching amounts were donated by Anthony and Matthew Consigli of Consigli Construction and Terva, the owner’s project representative.

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See Full article in the Harvard Gazette

“Winthrop House opened its doors Saturday following a year-long renovation that included the addition of a new hall to the upperclassman residence and the expansion of common spaces.

The modernization of Winthrop’s two original halls and addition of a new wing named Beren Hall to the western halls came in under budget and ahead of schedule, according to Stephanie R. Robinson, Winthrop’s Faculty Dean. The project added several new facilities to the House and will allow all of Winthrop’s residents to live in the House for the first time in recent memory.”

See Full article in the Harvard Crimson

An excerpt from a letter from Anthony Consigli (CEO of Consigli Construction), himself commending our work on the project:

“Your company’s commitment to working with our project team while adhering to difficult deadlines and maintaining safety and quality has great contributed to a successful outcome for our client. Please take the time to commend your project team.”