To offset the cost of tenants' monthly electric bills and provide prospective residents with high-quality HVAC upgrades that prioritize comfort and performance, Samuels Associates, owner of the Fenway Triangle luxury apartments, sought a new, building-wide heating solution that was not only cost-effective but also added a modern touch to the building's extravagance. QMark MUH-Pro+ and CU900 electric heaters with SmartSeries Plus (SSP) digital BACnet thermostats from Goodyear HVAC Sales proved to be the ideal solution.

"From their energy efficiency, quiet operation and low maintenance to the fact that they can be controlled individually for personalized comfort, electric heaters offer several benefits in apartment buildings," explained Andrew Martin, manager of product management with Marley Engineered Products. (MEP) "Delivering supplemental comfort heat in a contemporary design, these heaters are ideal for a variety of spaces including school hallways, church vestibules, transportation terminals, stairwells, entrances, lobbies, mechanical rooms and more."

Installing Heaters while Maintaining Aesthetics

Steps away from the iconic Fenway Park, the Fenway Triangle is an 891,000-square-foot complex comprising more than 570 luxury apartment units, as well as an eclectic mix of national and local retailers, restaurants, shops and green spaces. Since opening in 2006, the building needed to address issues with its HVAC systems and controls, which were leading to high monthly electric bills. The culprit? More than 50 outdated competitor electric terminal heaters, which offered only on/off controls and needed to be operated manually. If the maintenance team forgot to shut off the heaters, "The Fenway" would incur the cost of each heater running at full capacity at a rate of about 27 cents per kilowatt-hour.

Another challenge facing Fenway Triangle: the emergence of new luxury apartment complexes. These buildings boast modern amenities and discreet and aesthetically pleasing HVAC systems that operate quietly. They pose significant competition for "The Fenway," as tenants increasingly prioritize indoor air quality (IAQ) and HVAC performance when selecting their luxury residences. To remain competitive in the luxury apartment market, investing in HVAC upgrades to replace outdated equipment is imperative.

To combat the rising cost of heating each unit within the building, MEP's local Sales Representative, Goodyear HVAC Sales, worked with HVAC distributor Equipment Direct Sales Inc. (EDSI) to provide the client with energy efficient QMark MUH-Pro+ and CU900 electric heaters from Marley Engineered Products. Designed to maintain occupant comfort and a comfortable environment, the heaters were installed in various elevator banks, stairwells, employee lounges, hallways and inside the building's recently upgraded building management system (BMS) room.

"Equipped with SSP digital thermostats that provide connections to BACnet MS/TP BMS for easy control and monitoring, the MUH-Pro+ and CU900 units only run when directed by the internal schedule of the BMS," said Matthew Goodrich, president of Goodyear HVAC Sales. "Use of the BMS saves time and reduces personnel costs by eliminating the need to travel to the heater site. And, if a BMS is not available, the maintenance team can simply use the built in seven-day programmable scheduling feature." 

Cost-Effective Heat for Unmatched Comfort and Lower Monthly Bills

In tandem with EDSI, Goodrich and his team installed several brand-new electric heating units in The Fenway's BMS room to provide cost-effective warmth without taking up floor space or creating a tripping hazard. 

"Innovation and collaboration converged as we tailored a custom heating solution, seamlessly blending functionality and aesthetics," Goodrich said. "In fabricating this solution for the client, our dedicated team and the coordination of skilled contractors transformed this building into a space that harmonizes comfort and elegance and exemplifies the blending of form and function." 

The success of the project resulted in an extremely satisfied customer. Already, the SSP thermostats have provided cost savings by turning on the heaters only when needed, resulting in less electricity usage throughout The Fenway. Additionally, the thermostats include features that allow the building's maintenance team to monitor each heater individually from within the BMS room, granting them full control of the entire heating system and eliminating the daily trips previously needed to turn each heater on and off. 

"We're already seeing the savings associated with the upgraded controls," said John Belmonte, head of Trilogy operations for the Fenway Triangle. "Being able to control over 40 heaters locally allows our team to focus on tenant needs without being bogged down by the time it takes to touch each individual unit. We're eager to work further with the Goodyear team on other buildings in the neighborhood."   

To acknowledge the innovative approach and exceptional achievements demonstrated by the Goodyear team in overcoming the challenges faced during this project, Marley Engineered Products awarded Goodrich the 2024 Jim Herring Memorial Silver Fox Award at its recent national sales meeting.

"This award for excellence in solution design embodies the spirit of Herring, who left a lasting legacy of designing creative solutions for specialized applications, was always up for a challenge and most happy when solving a unique heating or ventilation problem," said Sean Pesce, director of sales for Marley Engineered Products. "Matthew and his team at Goodyear perfectly captured Jim's talent for finding creative solutions to the most complex issues and left a lasting impression on the client."