STOUGHTON, MASS.--July 2006--J.C. Higgins Corp. has been awarded a contract to install the shell and core HVAC mechanical work for The Center for Life Sciences building at the Black Fan Research Center in Boston. J.C. Higgins is a subsidiary of EMCOR Group Inc., a Fortune 500® leader in mechanical and electrical construction, energy infrastructure, and facilities services for a diverse range of businesses globally. Located in the Longwood Medical area, The Black Fan Research Center is adjacent to and surrounded by Harvard Medical School Research Center, Merck Pharmaceuticals, Children's Hospital and Beth Israel Hospital.
The new Center for Life Sciences will be an 18-story building with approximately 1.1 million sf of space, including six stories of underground parking and 18-stories of tenant space for future fit out. The facility will include research and lab space for Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Dana Farber Cancer Research, Children's Hospital Research and various drug and medical research companies.

The project requires J.C. Higgins to install 6,600 tons of cooling capacity, 8.5 miles of piping; and 12 custom-built air-handling units, totaling over 1.1 million CFM (cubic feet per minute) of air. "Our ability to undertake such a complex project is one of the reasons we were selected," notes Ronald Ledoux, president of J.C. Higgins Corp. "The site has a tremendous amount of existing utilities that serve a variety of buildings, requiring careful coordination. To ensure there is no disruption of services, we have developed an elaborate plan that involves intricately phased construction and detailed transportation scheduling for the rigging and HVAC equipment."

The result is an effective construction process on the heavily congested work site. "Additionally, we have had to use a process called 'hot tapping,' installing mechanical piping into existing chilled water lines that remain in operation," Ledoux explains. "This difficult and complicated procedure required x-ray welding, careful inspection, and strict controls to ensure a successful and safe execution."

Architect for the $350-million project is Tsoi Kobus and Associates. The mechanical electrical piping engineer is A.H.A. Associates. Construction is scheduled for completion in November 2007. Construction and interim financing for the project was provided by Anglo Irish Bank Corporation plc, Bank of America, and Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company.

About J.C. Higgins Corp. Founded in 1924, J.C. Higgins Corp. is New England's leading mechanical contracting organization capable of performing a wide spectrum of services including heating, ventilation, air conditioning, plumbing, fire protection, energy management and power plant and process piping. The company services major general contractors, construction managers, commercial developers, hotels, universities, financial institutions, hospitals and healthcare facilities, research laboratories, high-tech and heavy industries and some public utilities throughout New England. Headquartered in Stoughton, Mass., J.C. Higgins is a wholly owned subsidiary of EMCOR Group Inc.