Tufts Dowling Hall

Highly Custom AHU Replacement on Time

Dowling Hall serves as a central hub for student services at Tufts University’s Medford campus, housing key functions including financial aid, the registrar, admissions, and career services—supporting daily operations for a high volume of students and campus visitors.

Ahead of the 2025 academic year, Tufts initiated a fast-track AHU replacement upgrade on the roof of Dowling Hall, requiring all work to be completed during the summer recess and the building fully operational prior to the return of students in the fall. With a narrow “summer slammer” construction window, the project demanded both a high-performance system and a manufacturer capable of meeting an aggressive and reliable delivery schedule.

Dynamic Air partnered with TMI Climate Solutions to deliver a custom solution tailored to the building’s operational demands and installation constraints. The project included (2) new 18,700 CFM custom all-aluminum air handling units, configured for partial outdoor air with enthalpy energy recovery wheels to improve ventilation efficiency while reducing energy consumption.

In addition to the core air handling design, TMI incorporated several custom engineered features to enhance serviceability, safety, and installation efficiency:

• A cantilevered top tunnel catwalk, factory-furnished for safe and convenient access
• A full-length bottom tunnel bolt-on platform, simplifying maintenance across the entire unit
• A single point power panel with distributed subpanels for each fan array, streamlining electrical integration
• Thrust restraints on open plenum fan arrays, ensuring stable operation and long-term reliability
• Low Harmonic VFDs
• Piping Vestibule enclosure for piping headers
• Airflow Measuring Stations (AFMS) for OA, RA & EA connections

TMI distinguished itself not only with a strong technical solution meeting owner specific requests, but with the ability to commit to and execute a shortened fabrication timeline, delivering the equipment within 14 weeks from release. This level of schedule certainty was critical in enabling the project team to meet Tufts’ strict summer construction deadline.

Despite the compressed timeline and the challenges of working within an active campus environment, the project was successfully delivered on schedule. The result is a robust, energy-efficient mechanical system that supports the continuous operation of one of Tufts’ most heavily utilized administrative buildings—executed with precision, reliability, and on-time performance.

Dynamic Air Service further supported the project with on-site supervision, equipment start-up, and field pressure testing, ensuring proper installation and performance verification. In addition, a one-year preventative maintenance agreement was provided to the owner, reinforcing long-term system reliability and operational confidence.