Prospect Hill Lawrence Triple-Decker Heat Pump Conversion — Case Study

Property: Triple-decker multi-family residential, Prospect Hill Lawrence
Owner: A.M. (property owner alias)
Scope: Whole-building conversion from per-apartment gas heating to per-apartment multi-zone ductless heat pump systems (3 apartments)
Timeline: Diagnostic and design 4 weeks, staggered per-apartment installation 9 weeks (3 weeks per apartment coordinated with tenant occupancy)
Investment: $46,800 total whole-building installation, $30,000 Mass Save Whole-Home rebate scope, $6,000 IRA 25C, additional 15% multi-unit landlord discount ($7,020), net $3,780

Situation

A.M. owns a triple-decker multi-family residential property in Prospect Hill Lawrence, one of the neighborhoods where Diego Ramirez (Rivic bilingual technician) also lives, giving Rivic first-party neighborhood familiarity. The property has three separate apartments with independent per-apartment gas heating configurations, and the property is within the 2018 Columbia Gas over-pressurization event affected zone, meaning 527 CMR 5.00 amended-code documentation requirements apply.

A.M. is part of a small landlord portfolio (5 rental units total across A.M.’s Lawrence properties; this property represents 3 of the 5 units) and qualifies for Rivic’s landlord portfolio discount tier (15% multi-unit discount at 5 units; 10% at 3 units; 20% at 10+ units). Tenants across all three apartments are primarily Spanish-speaking, consistent with Prospect Hill and Lawrence demographic patterns (Lawrence is 82% Hispanic overall). Diego Ramirez handled bilingual English/Spanish coordination throughout the project.

Original per-apartment configurations: (1) first-floor apartment with early-2000s gas furnace (converted from earlier oil heating configuration during previous ownership) and window AC units, (2) second-floor apartment with 1990s-era gas furnace and window AC units, (3) third-floor apartment with 2010s gas furnace and window AC units. All three apartments had limited existing ductwork suitable only for older forced-air heating, not adequate for retrofit heat pump installation without significant additional work.

A.M. requested Rivic assess options for whole-building modernization with priorities: (1) gas heating elimination reflecting the 2018 event history and A.M.’s desire to reduce ongoing gas infrastructure exposure across the Lawrence portfolio, (2) coordinated Mass Save rebate maximization through per-apartment Whole-Home rebate qualification, (3) improved tenant comfort particularly for summer cooling (window AC insufficient for the triple-decker’s thermal loads), (4) portfolio-scale cost optimization given A.M.’s landlord operations across multiple Lawrence properties.

Diagnostic and Assessment

Marcus Devlin conducted the primary diagnostic assessment given his 2018-19 Columbia Gas relight response experience directly applicable to Lawrence affected-zone properties. Diego Ramirez handled bilingual English/Spanish diagnostic communication with A.M. across multiple planning meetings and with tenants across all three apartments for scheduling coordination.

Key findings: (1) existing gas equipment across all three apartments adequate for continued operation but with efficiency and reliability considerations that made replacement economically favorable given the Mass Save rebate opportunity, (2) existing ductwork limited and not suitable for retrofit heat pump installation without significant additional work (unlike the South West Methuen triple-decker where existing ductwork was suitable), (3) electric service capacity per apartment adequate for heat pump conversion (200A per apartment; some upgrades required on the first-floor apartment where original service was 150A), (4) 2018 affected-zone documentation verification (Eversource records confirmed affected-zone status; Prospect Hill Lawrence is centrally within the affected zone).

ACCA Manual J load calculations for each apartment reflected triple-decker heat loss patterns (higher heat loss on top-floor apartments due to roof exposure, moderated heat loss on interior middle-floor apartments): first-floor 42,000 BTU/hr heating and 24,000 BTU/hr cooling at design conditions, second-floor 38,000 BTU/hr heating and 20,000 BTU/hr cooling, third-floor 46,000 BTU/hr heating and 26,000 BTU/hr cooling (higher due to roof exposure).

Solution: Per-Apartment Multi-Zone Ductless Heat Pump

Rivic recommended per-apartment Mitsubishi Hyper-Heat MXZ multi-zone ductless heat pump configuration given the inadequate existing ductwork across all three apartments. Configuration: (1) first-floor apartment 4-zone Mitsubishi Hyper-Heat MXZ with wall-mount cassettes in living room (18,000 BTU/hr), main bedroom (12,000 BTU/hr), and two smaller bedrooms (9,000 BTU/hr each) — 48,000 BTU/hr outdoor condenser, (2) second-floor apartment 4-zone comparable configuration with 42,000 BTU/hr outdoor condenser, (3) third-floor apartment 4-zone comparable configuration with 48,000 BTU/hr outdoor condenser (higher capacity due to roof exposure).

Ryan Sullivan (Mitsubishi Diamond Contractor lead at Rivic) handled equipment specification and installation planning. Mitsubishi Hyper-Heat MXZ selected for the installations given superior cold-climate performance (Mitsubishi Hyper-Heat maintains approximately 100% of nominal capacity at 5°F outdoor temperature, approximately 85-90% at -5°F — exceeding Bosch IDS 2.0 cold-climate performance), individual cassette-level zone control valuable for tenant comfort management, extended warranty scope (12-year compressor warranty on Diamond Contractor installations), and Mass Save qualifying scope for per-apartment Whole-Home Heat Pump rebate.

All three per-apartment gas furnaces decommissioned and removed as part of the conversion; gas heating service disconnected from each apartment. Each apartment operates fully independent electric heat pump for both heating and cooling; no gas heating dependency remains.

First-Floor Electrical Service Upgrade

The first-floor apartment required electrical service upgrade from 150A to 200A to accommodate heat pump installation. Rivic subcontracted electrical service upgrade with licensed Massachusetts electrician; upgrade completed prior to heat pump installation. Additional cost approximately $2,400 for the electrical service upgrade included in the total installation cost.

Amended-Code Documentation, Marcus Devlin, and Diego Ramirez Coordination

Marcus Devlin handled amended-code documentation for the affected-zone gas equipment removal scope. Documentation package included: combustion analysis printout retention for each removed gas furnace (10-year retention in customer file), manometer-verified gas pressure documentation for removal and disconnection scope, complete venting decommissioning documentation, coordination with Eversource Gas of Massachusetts for gas service disconnection per apartment. Marcus’s 2018-19 relight response experience directly informed the removal scope.

Diego Ramirez handled bilingual English/Spanish communication with A.M. and with tenants across all three apartments throughout the project. Diego’s Prospect Hill Lawrence residency and Greater Lawrence Technical grad background (2015) provided first-party neighborhood familiarity that improved coordination scheduling, tenant communication clarity, and cultural context awareness. Tenant feedback across all three apartments indicated the bilingual coordination and Diego’s local knowledge significantly improved the tenant experience during the multi-week installation.

Mass Save Multi-Unit Rebate Coordination and Landlord Portfolio Discount

Kathleen Brennan coordinated Mass Save Whole-Home Heat Pump rebate scope across all three apartments. Each apartment qualified for individual $10,000 Whole-Home rebate (total $30,000 across three apartments) given complete fossil-fuel elimination per apartment. Additionally, each apartment qualified for $2,000 IRA 25C federal tax credit (total $6,000 across three apartments).

Landlord portfolio discount: A.M. qualified for Rivic’s 15% multi-unit landlord discount tier given A.M.’s 5-unit Lawrence portfolio (this triple-decker representing 3 of the 5 units). 15% discount on installation labor and equipment cost (before rebates) applied to the gross installation cost of $46,800, providing $7,020 discount before rebate coordination.

Outcome

Whole-building installation completed over 9 weeks with staggered per-apartment installation: (1) third-floor apartment weeks 1-3, (2) second-floor apartment weeks 4-6, (3) first-floor apartment weeks 6-9 (extended for electrical service upgrade coordination). Diego Ramirez maintained bilingual tenant communication throughout the installation schedule including installation day coordination, temporary alternate heating coordination during transition periods, and post-installation orientation on heat pump operation and controls.

Post-installation year-one operational verification across all three apartments showed reliable heat pump operation through the first winter including several extended cold-snap periods with outdoor temperatures reaching 0°F to 5°F range; Mitsubishi Hyper-Heat MXZ performance was noticeably better than would be expected from Bosch IDS 2.0 at those extreme temperatures with tenants reporting adequate warmth without supplemental heating scope.

Ongoing Operating Cost Change

Post-installation first-year utility monitoring across all three apartments: per-apartment electric heating cost approximately $980-$1,480/year, per-apartment electric cooling cost approximately $280-$420/year (dramatically improved cooling compared to previous window AC operation), combined per-apartment operating cost approximately $1,260-$1,900/year. Total whole-building operating cost approximately $4,600/year compared to previous approximately $5,800/year combined gas heating and window AC operation across all three apartments.

Investment Summary

• Total installation cost: $46,800 whole-building ($14,000-$17,000 per apartment including electrical upgrade on first floor)
• Rivic landlord portfolio discount: $7,020 (15% multi-unit discount)
• Mass Save Whole-Home Heat Pump rebate: $30,000 ($10,000 × 3 apartments)
• IRA 25C federal tax credit: $6,000 ($2,000 × 3 apartments)
• Net investment: $3,780 after landlord discount, Mass Save rebate, and IRA 25C credit
• Annual operating cost reduction: approximately $1,200/year (combined heating + cooling with substantial comfort improvement)
• Simple payback: approximately 3.2 years after all discounts, rebates, and tax credits

Frequently Asked Questions About This Case Study

Does Rivic’s landlord portfolio discount apply to all Lawrence multi-unit properties?

Yes for qualifying landlord portfolios. Rivic offers landlord portfolio discount tiers: 10% multi-unit discount at 3-4 rental units, 15% multi-unit discount at 5-9 rental units, 20% multi-unit discount at 10+ rental units. Discount applies to installation labor and equipment cost before rebate coordination. Kathleen Brennan handles landlord portfolio verification and discount coordination. Portfolio discount stacks with Mass Save rebate scope and IRA 25C credit for maximum cost optimization on landlord installations. Applicable across all Rivic service areas including Lawrence, Methuen, Andover, and other Merrimack Valley cities.

Why was Mitsubishi Hyper-Heat MXZ selected here rather than Bosch IDS 2.0 as in the South West Methuen case study?

Different property configurations favored different equipment. South West Methuen property had suitable existing ductwork enabling cost-effective ducted heat pump installation with Bosch IDS 2.0. Prospect Hill Lawrence property had inadequate existing ductwork requiring multi-zone ductless configuration; Mitsubishi Hyper-Heat MXZ is the industry-leading multi-zone ductless option with superior cold-climate performance. Additionally, A.M.’s landlord portfolio scale favored premium equipment specification (Mitsubishi Hyper-Heat MXZ 12-year compressor warranty on Diamond Contractor installations provides extended reliability that benefits portfolio-scale rental operations). Bosch IDS 2.0 would have been feasible in ducted configuration if property had suitable ductwork; A.M. selected Mitsubishi given the ductless requirement and portfolio economics. Rivic recommends equipment tier based on individual property configuration and property owner priorities.

Can Rivic complete similar conversions on my other Lawrence multi-unit properties?

Yes for properties with suitable configuration. Prerequisites: adequate per-apartment electric service (typically 200A per apartment; some older Lawrence properties require electrical service upgrades before heat pump installation), per-apartment metering allowing Mass Save Whole-Home rebate qualification per apartment, and coordinated tenant scheduling for staggered installation. Rivic’s diagnostic assessment includes multi-unit feasibility evaluation and provides portfolio-scale economic analysis for landlords considering fleet modernization. Portfolio-scale coordination (multiple properties scheduled sequentially) provides Kathleen Brennan and Diego Ramirez coordination benefits including simultaneous Mass Save application processing.

Was the 2018 event affected-zone status a significant concern for A.M.’s tenants?

Some tenants (particularly older residents who directly experienced the 2018 event and its aftermath) expressed continued concern about gas heating exposure; the conversion eliminated these concerns for A.M.’s properties. Practical implications of affected-zone status for this conversion: 527 CMR 5.00 amended-code documentation requirements for gas equipment removal (Rivic handles as standard practice), Eversource Gas of Massachusetts coordination for gas service disconnection per apartment, and Marcus Devlin’s 2018-19 relight response experience providing streamlined removal scope. Post-conversion the property has no remaining gas infrastructure or affected-zone concerns.

What’s the typical cost range for Lawrence triple-decker heat pump conversion?

Typical range: $32,000-$54,000 whole-building depending on per-apartment configuration, equipment tier, and electrical service upgrade requirements. This case study’s $46,800 total reflects premium Mitsubishi Hyper-Heat MXZ equipment specification with electrical service upgrade on first-floor apartment. Cost-effective installations using Bosch IDS 2.0 with existing suitable ductwork typically cost $28,000-$42,000; premium multi-zone ductless configurations typically cost $42,000-$54,000. Landlord portfolio discount 10-20% depending on portfolio size, Mass Save Whole-Home rebate $10,000 per apartment ($30,000 for 3-apartment triple-decker), and IRA 25C credit $2,000 per apartment ($6,000 for 3-apartment) apply consistently regardless of equipment tier where the installation qualifies for Whole-Home rebate scope.

Contact Rivic Heating and Air Conditioning — Prospect Hill Lawrence Triple-Decker HVAC

Prospect Hill Lawrence triple-decker whole-building HVAC modernization including per-apartment multi-zone ductless heat pump conversion, 2018 Columbia Gas affected-zone amended-code documentation, Diego Ramirez bilingual English/Spanish tenant coordination with Prospect Hill first-party residency familiarity, Marcus Devlin 2018-19 relight response experience applied to gas equipment removal, coordinated Mass Save Whole-Home rebate scope across multiple apartments, and Rivic’s landlord portfolio discount tier for multi-unit landlord operations all route through our 225 Broadway #306 office in downtown Methuen. This case study represents a specific installation completed for A.M.; individual property assessments determine equipment specification and installation scope.

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