The McCormack Building Chiller Replacement project, sponsored by the
Massachusetts Bureau of State Office Buildings, required the use of a helicopter to replace two
450 ton capacity electric chillers with new 550 and 650 ton capacity chillers on the 22nd floor of
the McCormack building in the heart of downtown Boston. In addition to the air lift and the
installation, new chilled water pumps with variable frequency drives were installed, the controls
system was upgraded, and the electrical distribution system was modified, including the
installation of a manual transfer switch setup.
The most intricate piece of this project was orchestrating the series of helicopter lifts, while ensuring the safety of all involved. To accomplish the air lifts, J.F. White and its
rigging subcontractor carefully coordinated the strategy for the air lift operation with State and
City officials, adjacent contractors, equipment vendors and the immediate neighborhood
community. J.F. White's meticulous planning, constant supervision, and communication among
its team members were the key to the successful air lift and installation project.
The helicopter lifts were clearly the "highlight" of this project. Yet, it was J.F. White's ability to bring together a variety of individuals with the necessary technical and engineering expertise
that assured the project's success. And, as further evidence of J.F. White's commitment to
getting the job done, the new chillers were brought on-line to produce chilled water for the
McCormack Building 59 days ahead of schedule.
