Advisory

Digital Crossroads Lake Michigan
Hammond, IN

This new mission critical complex coverts a former, the world’s largest, coal-fired power plant into a new 1+ million SF, 100 MW data center campus. The first building is approximately 100,000 SF, scalable to 20 MW, takes advantage of the climate of the southern coast of Lake Michigan.

AHA provided Consulting, Master Planning, MP/FP Design, 3D Visualizations, and Renewable Energy services. Featuring cooling systems that utilizes Lake Michigan as a water cooling source and as cool ambient air, an ultra-low PUE that minimizes the environmental impact. The primary cooling system uses both air and water to manage the temperature inside the data hall, utilizing free cooling from both the lake water as well as indirect airside economizers to deliver and maintain server inlet air temperature requirements. The design is robust and flexible to allow varying configurations and rack densities within the data hall without the use of a raised access floor. Engaged by Digital Crossroads during the project’s early planning phase, AHA’s Advisory services included site master planning services.

Osborn Triangle
Cambridge, MA

The Decarbonization Study of Osborn Triangle – a three-building, 667,000 SF campus is comprised of 610 Main Street, 1 Portland Street, and 700 Main Street, which houses tenants such as Pfizer, Novartis, and LabCentral – identified cost-effective strategies to reduce the buildings’ carbon emissions while maintaining operational efficiency and supporting long-term sustainability goals. 

AHA provided Energy & Sustainability and Advisory services. Our Decarbonization Study investigated the buildings’ infrastructure systems, energy use, and carbon exposure to develop a detailed decarbonization roadmap outlining targeted upgrades, cost impacts, and payback analysis to guide Bulfinch’s carbon reduction planning to achieve both short and long term compliance with Cambridge’s Building Energy Use Disclosure Ordinance (BUEDO). 

Northland Newton Development
Newton, MA

The Northland Newton Development is converting an old industrial complex into a new vibrant 10 building mixed use development that will be the largest Passive House and all electric residential community, and site, in the country. The 22.6 acre, 1.1 million SF site will have 822, including 144 affordable, housing units, along with two retails buildings. The complex will include total underground parking, the conversion of a historic mill, underground utility lines, and a solar array.

AHA is providing LEED Administration, LEED Energy Modeling, LEED Enhanced Commissioning, LEED Fundamental Commissioning, LEED for Homes Commissioning for Energy Star, LEED MEP Documentation, Technology Design, MEP/FP Design, and TEDI, MEPA, and Code Compliant Energy Modeling services.

During the project planning phase, Northland Investment Corporation engaged AHA to provide Advisory services. We performed Utility and Technology Master Plans.

Certifications

60 Acorn Park/Forrester Research
Cambridge, MA

This new 236,000 SF six floor core & shell houses Forrester Research’s headquarters. The building has a 39,400 SF typical floor plate and 12-foot unfinished ceiling heights. The building includes a fitness center, culinary kitchen and dining area, a loading dock, and lobbies, while the atrium set the tone for Forrester’s collaborative culture. The

AHA has provided MEP/FP Design and Energy & Sustainability services on multiple projects since 2011. On the original core & shell, AHA provided MEP/FP Design, Utility Incentive Assistance, along with LEED Administration, MEP Documentation, and Energy Modeling services.

On the original Forrester Research TI, AHA provided MEP/FP Design along with LEED MEP Documentation and Energy Modeling.

AHA has continued to support the property through multiple years of Energy Star labeling and Cambridge BEUDO reporting. In 2022, AHA led the building to achieve WELL Health-Safety Rating for Facility Operations and Management certification. Most recently, we provided MEP/FP Design for an amenity upgrade project, and Bulfinch engaged AHA to provide Advisory services. We conducted a two-phase Decarbonization Study for the entire building, and provided.

Certifications

International Place
Boston, MA

International Place is a 1.8 million-square-foot multi-tenant office and retail complex. The buildings are 46 and 35 stories in two towers. The complex has a glass-enclosed courtyard with full-sized trees, an inspiring ceiling-to-floor waterfall, and the many restaurants and retail shops. It sits above more than 800 parking spaces.

AHA has provided LEED EBOM Administration, Fitwel Administration, BERDO (City Energy Usage Reporting), Energy Star, IREM Certification Management, and Advisory services sine 2012. AHA’s Advisory services included LEED Feasibility Assessments, an Energy Assessment, an Energy Audit.

Certifications

University of Richmond Decarbonization Master Plan
Richmond, VA

This campus wide Decarbonization Master Plan focused to providing the University with accurate information on their current greenhouse gas emission, and forward looking strategies to reduce their dependence fossil fuels, including through enhancing system efficiencies while transitioning to efficient, green energy-powered systems.

AHA provided MEP/FP Design, Energy & Sustainability and Advisory services, while serving as prime consultant to the University of Richmond. Our Advisory services included Master Planning, a Decarbonization Study, and Energy Analysis services.

University of Richmond Facility Conditions Assessment
Richmond, VA

This campus-wide facility conditions assessment comprehensively investigated the all 86 buildings on the University’s campus, evaluating each building’s components, including architectural, structural, envelope, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire systems. Completed within just six months, the assessment prioritized measures that will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

AHA provided Advisory services. We performed the Facility Conditions Assessment while serving as prime consultant to the University of Richmond.

America’s Test Kitchen
Boston, MA

This 52,000 SF tenant interior improvement is home to ATK’s television show and includes a 15,000 SF non-industrial kitchen with immediate access to outdoor grilling space. There is also a 2,500 SF TV recording studio and production space for photography. The office space is primarily open, with a couple of closed offices, meeting rooms, and collaboration spaces. ATK undertook this project to rebrand, increase public visibility, and accommodate the growing staff and the kitchen.

AHA provided MEP/FP Design and Advisory services. Engaged by ATK during the project’s early planning phase, AHA’s Advisory services including a series of site assessments to identify the most viable and cost-effective location.

Assembly Innovation Park
Somerville, MA

The new 487,000 SF, 14 floor lab/office core & shell was designed to accommodate open and single user offices, open and collaboration zones, open labs, tissue culture rooms, specialty labs, and lab support (freezer room, autoclave/glasswash,waste room, materials/consumables) space. The first floor houses retail space, a fitness center, bike room, conference center, BioMed office space, chemical storage, lab waste treatment area, along with a cGMP loading, elevator and biokill room. There is also a new 8 level, 1,280 car free standing parking garage with generous EV charging stations. There is a 14,000 SF fire station located on the first floor of the garage. These buildings are the first phase of a 1.5M SF development.

AHA provided MEP/FP Design, MEPA Master Plan, LEED MEP Documentation, LEED Energy Modeling, Article 10 Code Compliant Energy Modeling, Structured Cabling and Security services, along with a central cogen study.

After the completion, BioMed Realty Trust engaged AHA to provide Advisory services. We completed a two-phase Decarbonization Study to evaluate the building’s energy use intensity and to investigate the strategic implementation of carbon reduction measures.

Certifications

Harvard University Divinity School Andover Hall
Cambridge, MA

The master plan of this historic building that houses classrooms, a lecture hall, a multi-faith chapel, along with faculty and staff offices evaluated existing conditions, determined program needs, created an approach to preserve the historic nature of the building, and established a phased renovation and expansion plan, including the Sperry auditorium renovation. A Net Zero Energy study was undertaken and found significant reductions in the building’s energy consumption, while finding opportunities for on-site energy production.

AHA provided MEP/FP Design, Master Planning, and Net Zero Energy study services. During Harvard’s planning phase, the University engaged AHA’s Advisory services, to perform master planning.

Harvard University Faculty Club
Cambridge, MA

This renovation modernized this historic 1920s building. The main kitchen was updated, while the refurbished dining rooms offer seating for approximately 300 guests. The meeting, conference, function, and hospitality spaces were upgrades, while new private and open office areas were created.

AHA provided Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing Design, Feasibility Study, an Arc Flash Study, and Utility Incentive Assistance services to met Harvard’s University Green Building Standards (Dec 2014) Tier 3 Systems Upgrades: Limited Scope Projects with Energy and GHG Impact. The design included two new mechanical rooms, one of which merged AHUs to eliminate several existing units, and expanded a third mechanical room. Overall 17 single zone, constant volume AHU’s were consolidated into 4 VAV AHU’s, system variability/control for dynamically occupied spaces improved energy efficiency, and the quantity of equipment needed to operate and maintain the building was reduced.

Northstar Project & Real Estate services, the University’s Owner’s Project Manager, engaged AHA to provide Advisory services, a feasibility study investigated the most appropriate solution to upgrade the building’s HVAC system.

University of Richmond Boiler Plant Upgrade
Richmond, VA

The University’s existing Boiler Plant suffered from years of deferred maintenance that caused it to produce steam inefficiently for campus wide heating. The renovation upgraded the plant to high-efficiency boilers and modernized its distribution, equipment, and controls. These resulted in immediate reduction of carbon emissions.

AHA provided MEP/FP Design, MEP Commissioning, and Laser Point Cloud Scanning services, while serving as prime consultant. During the project planning phases, the University of Richmond engaged AHA to provide Advisory services. We performed a Facility Condition Assessment.