The Beacon

Project Overview

Newton, MA –

The Beacon is a new construction, 34 unit luxury condominium building built to achieve LEED V4 Multifamily Midrise certification and ENERGY STAR Multifamily New Construction v1/1.1 certification. The 75,000 sf building is 100% electric, using refrigerant based heat pump fan coil units, energy recovery ventilators, and heat pump domestic hot water heaters located within each individual residence. This gives homeowners localized control of heating, cooling, ventilation, and hot water generation while supporting the project’s carbon and greenhouse gas reduction goals.

SES’ scope covered HVAC and plumbing commissioning for all 34 dwelling units as well as the building’s common spaces, including hallways, fitness center, pet wash, garage, and lobby. Functional testing included garage exhaust fan and gas detection systems, common space VRF heat pump units, common space and dwelling unit energy recovery units, dwelling unit VRF heat pump units, heat pump domestic hot water heaters, cabinet and unit heaters, common space lighting controls, and the building automation system. Because so much of the building’s mechanical scope was repeated across 34 nearly identical units, SES used a 25 percent sampling strategy, testing 9 of the 34 heat pump systems, ERUs, and domestic hot water heaters to confirm consistent installation and performance throughout the building.

During functional testing, SES identified and worked through several installation and design coordination issues typical of a fully distributed, all electric residential system, including outside air flows to ducted fan coil units, bathroom exhaust rates that did not reliably maintain negative pressure, and limited service clearance around several ERU units. SES tracked each issue with the design engineer, mechanical contractor, and Construction Manager through the SES Commissioning Portal, confirming corrective action and reducing the risk of unresolved deficiencies carrying into occupancy.

In support of the project’s LEED and City of Newton requirements, SES also developed Current Facilities Requirements, an Operations and Maintenance (O&M) Plan, and a Green Affidavit, giving ownership and the future condominium association the documentation needed to sustain the building’s energy efficiency and systems performance well beyond turnover.