BGS says federal refrigerant phase-out and aging steam systems will require wide equipment replacements

Joe Ajah, director for design and construction at the Department of Buildings and General Services (BGS), told the Senate Institutions Committee on Jan. 23 that a federal phase‑out of widely used refrigerants and aging steam infrastructure is forcing extensive equipment replacements across state buildings.

Ajah said many air‑handling units still contain R‑22 refrigerant, which is being phased out, and that newer refrigerants such as R‑410A, R‑134a and R‑407C operate at higher pressures and often require replacing whole units and interconnecting lines rather than only recharging systems. He said BGS collects and reuses clean refrigerant when possible, but many units are beyond repair and must be replaced.

The committee was told that specific buildings already on BGS’s replacement list include systems at 9 State Street, where R‑22 units have been removed and replaced; Ajah said those are now coming off the list as upgrades are completed.

Ajah also flagged an urgent risk at 120 State Street, a 1940s building that uses steam piping embedded in or along exterior walls. He said prior leaks and the possibility of a catastrophic pipe failure would require jackhammering floor slabs and disrupting occupants for days if a major repair becomes necessary. The project scope includes replacing steam with a hot‑water system, adding fresh‑air ventilation, and upgrading electrical and ceilings.

A previously permitted separate heat plant for a laboratory complex was discussed as a solution to steam pressure and reliability issues. Ajah said the lab’s autoclaves require roughly 60 psi, while the college heat loop that serves the site can fall to the high‑40s psi and is sometimes shut off in summer. That fluctuation and short cycling can damage sensitive lab equipment; BGS said building a dedicated heat plant (the structure that had been a bid alternate in the original project) would stabilize pressure and reduce equipment wear.

BGS also described a transition at a state correctional facility from a hand‑fed wood/“chunk” boiler to a central wood‑chip system. Ajah said a study found wood chips were the most appropriate fuel and that a design contract will be issued; he noted safety and staffing concerns tied to incarcerated individuals previously tasked with chopping and feeding wood.

Separately, Ajah described ongoing work to stop water infiltration in the underground tunnel between 133 and 111 State Street. Work aims to expose and fix the exterior waterproofing, add watertight doors at building interfaces, and limit flood migration between buildings — work BGS said FEMA will review for mitigation funding.

No formal actions or votes were taken on these matters during the Jan. 23 meeting. Committee members asked for project scopes and timelines for higher‑risk items; Ajah said some projects are in design and others are awaiting funding.

Ending

Ajah said BGS will continue design and prioritization and use contingency and capital funds where possible; committee members requested the project scopes and prior studies be provided before work proceeds on multi‑option projects.