Harvard Business School
Campus Utility Program
Project Overview
For over 15 years, BSI Engineering, Inc. has been the trusted Subsurface Utility Engineering (SUE) partner for Harvard Business School (HBS), supporting both major capital improvement projects and day-to-day operational needs.
Our work has ranged from targeted utility investigations for new academic and residential buildings to condition assessments of critical infrastructure systems. This longstanding relationship reflects Harvard’s commitment to proactive utility management and BSI’s ability to provide precise, reliable data for both design and maintenance.
In 2022, BSI launched a campus-wide initiative to consolidate years of investigations into a master utility plan, creating a single source of truth for existing utility data across the HBS campus. This effort, performed to ASCE 38-22 standards, now provides Harvard with unprecedented utility clarity at the earliest stages of project planning and design.
BSI’s Role: Subsurface Utility Engineering
From small-scale projects to system-wide assessments, BSI has delivered utility data that enhances safety, supports capital planning, and ensures operational continuity across the campus.
Services Provided
Utility Investigations:
Targeted SUE investigations to support building expansions, infrastructure upgrades, and capital projects across the HBS campus.
Campus-Wide Master Utility Plan (2022):
Mapped and documented all utilities across the entire campus into one consolidated master plan. Data is now leveraged at the inception of major projects, giving designers a comprehensive utility baseline.
Water System Evaluation & Valve Testing:
Comprehensive mapping, inventory, and testing of subsurface water valves, including domestic water, fire protection, and chilled water systems.
Valve Cleaning, Exercising & Condition Assessment:
Each buried valve was located, cleaned, inspected, and exercised. Operational characteristics were documented to guide maintenance priorities and life-cycle interventions.
Custom Operations Manual:
Developed a bespoke manual cataloging valve locations, characteristics, and operational impacts—ensuring future shutdowns can be completed efficiently, especially in emergency scenarios.
Ongoing On-Call Support:
BSI remains Harvard Business School’s on-call SUE consultant for any and all utility-related inquiries, providing continuity and expertise on an as-needed basis.
Key Results
- Provided Harvard with its first comprehensive master utility plan
- Enabled major projects to begin with full utility clarity from day one
- Improved system operability and reliability through valve testing and documentation
- Supported smarter maintenance and life-cycle planning for critical systems
- Ensured emergency readiness through development of an operations manual
- Strengthened Harvard’s long-term capital and operational decision-making
Project Details
DATE
2007
CLIENT / PROJECT OWNER
Harvard Business School
