North Loop tower: 24-floor VRF conversion
A phased conversion that kept 340 units occupied through six months of installation.
The challenge
The original scope came in as a straightforward replacement. Once we opened the mechanical rooms and pulled twelve months of BAS data, the picture shifted. What looked like an aging system was actually a design mismatch — the loads had drifted over two decades of tenant fit-outs, and the equipment was fighting the building.
The solution
A phased conversion. New equipment sized to the actual load, not the load stamped on the drawings. Controls rewritten. Sequences of operation rebuilt from scratch. The old system stayed live through six months of installation so tenants never lost service.
The result
First full winter: 41% reduction in energy cost against the prior year, normalized for weather. Peak demand down 32%. Zero occupant complaints for four straight months. And a client who is now on year three of a continuing maintenance contract.
What it cost
Flat-rate project pricing, quoted before work began.
- VRF outdoor units and refrigerant piping (480 tons)
- $1.92M
- 340 fan-coil units and in-suite install labor
- $1.14M
- Dedicated outdoor air system and ventilation rework
- $680,000
- BAS integration, controls, and sequence rewrite
- $395,000
- Phasing, temporary conditioning, and off-hours labor
- $245,000
Phased over six months across 24 floors — billed by completed riser.
Figures reflect this project's scope and conditions. Your building will price differently — get a scoped estimate.