J.M. Electrical completes advanced building control systems in new Mass. College of Art and Design residence hall

J.M. Electrical Company, Inc., premier professionals in advanced automated building system installations, has completed several life safety and heating and cooling control systems installed at the new residence hall on Massachusetts College of Art and Design's campus in downtown. Set to open in the fall of 2012, this 21-story residence hall involved the sophisticated integration of various control systems to help achieve a minimum LEED Silver certification for environmental sustainability. As colleges and universities in the city seek to house a higher proportion of students on-campus, the standard "dorm" lifestyle has been elevated. Today's residence halls are much more sleek and attractive than they used to be. Sophisticated internal systems are designed not only to maximize student safety, but also attract students with enhanced quality of life. Beginning installation in May 2011, this year long project required J.M. Electrical to install several automated control systems that would integrate into a sophisticated central system to serve over 200 dorm rooms, a student café, a laundry room, a fitness center, a medical center and administrative offices. J.M. Electrical specialists installed heating and cooling controls in every dorm room to reduce energy use with high-efficiency equipment. "The new 21-story residence hall will create modern gathering and living areas for undergrads and bolster MassArt's urban-student lifestyle," said Ana Davis, executive director of marketing and communications at Mass. College of Art and Design. "The integrated heating and cooling controls installed by J.M. Electrical in each of the 200 dorm rooms will help enhance living conditions for our students while helping the college to streamline our control systems to work more efficiently and effectively." Along with enhancing student living conditions, J.M. Electrical made them safer with integrated fire alarm, smoke control, and life safety systems. With J.M. Electrical's experts seamlessly integrating all three systems to communicate with one another, student safety is assured and the building control systems coordinate effectively without the risk of human error. "Through our experience in working with a number of large institutions, our experts understand the importance of systems working fluidly together to elevate operating efficiencies to a new level," said Frank Kelly, project manager at J.M. Electrical. "MassArt recognized the importance of automated building controls, which allowed our electricians to install efficient and critical integrated systems that will save money and energy while also providing a better experience for occupants." Specializing in the installation of advanced integrated building systems for over 25 years, J.M. Electrical has the experience and expertise to weave together the project's many essential threads. While advanced building systems have been the cornerstone of the business, J.M. Electrical also focuses on instrumentation, retrofit/performance contracting, and renewable energy. The Mass. College of Art and Design was the nation's first independent public college of art and design, and the first art school to grant a degree. This residence hall is its first LEED-certified campus building. Founded in 1985, J.M. Electrical specializes in the installation of integrated control systems, including automation controls, fire alarm and security systems, instrumentation, retrofits, and renewable energy. J.M. Electrical has developed a unique approach to quality management and customer satisfaction, assigning project managers to oversee installation, assist the customer through the planning and design processes, manage QA/QC and ensure that project milestones are met. J.M. Electrical successfully managed automation control work in the Boston Convention Center and Merck Pharmaceuticals' Boston Research Center, among others. Headquartered in Lynnfield, and serving the greater New England region, J.M. Electrical carries ISO 9001 Certification, DCAM Prime Contractor Certification, NABCEP Solar PV Installer Certification, and LEED AP Accreditation, Building Design + Construction Certification. J.M. Electrical has over 70 employees, and all electricians receive over 10,000 hours of training through the NECA/IBEW joint training center. For more information, visit www.jmelectrical.com.