382 Broadway, Somerville, MA
A complete mechanical package for a new 10-unit residential building: individually zoned heat pump systems, per-unit balanced ventilation, and every exhaust termination in the building — designed, installed, and commissioned by one team.
The Project
382 Broadway is a new 10-unit residential building in Somerville, one of the densest multi-family markets in Greater Boston. The developer needed a mechanical contractor who could deliver the entire HVAC and ventilation scope — heating, cooling, fresh air, and all exhaust venting — on a coordinated schedule with the other trades, and produce documentation that would clear Somerville inspection without delays.
The System
Each of the ten units received its own dedicated outdoor heat pump feeding ductless mini-split indoor heads — 23 heads across the building, placed room by room from the Manual J load calculation rather than a per-floor rule of thumb. Individual systems mean every resident controls their own heating and cooling, every unit is metered separately, and a fault in one system never affects a neighbor.
Ventilation was handled with one Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV) per apartment — ten in total — providing continuous balanced fresh air while recovering heat from exhaust air, a critical detail in a tightly air-sealed new building. AirPrime also installed all bathroom exhausts, dryer vents, and kitchen hood venting for the entire building.
Delivered
- 10 dedicated outdoor heat pump condensers, placed for service access on a tight urban lot
- 23 mini-split indoor heads, located per room-by-room Manual J
- 10 ERVs — one per apartment — for balanced, heat-recovering fresh air
- All bathroom, dryer, and kitchen hood venting throughout the building
- Commissioning and documentation for inspection sign-off
