Harvard University Kennedy School of Government

Project Scope

McDonald Electrical provided comprehensive electrical construction services in the Harvard Kennedy School Campus Transformation Project. The 91,000 square-foot expansion is comprised of classrooms, dining, office and collaboration space within three new structures that connect to four existing buildings. The expansion project included the infill construction at the perimeter of the campus and connection to the existing school. 

The project entailed the installation of primary power, emergency power, lighting and lighting control, as well as the complete fire alarm system upgrade in the existing facility and its integration into the expansion building’s new fire alarm system.

Primary power was provided by the installation of a 13,800V substation, and emergency power by a 400kW generator located on the facility’s roof. Our installation of the building’s elaborate LED lighting package and state-of-the-art lighting control system provides the expanded Harvard Kennedy School with optimal, energy-efficient lighting control, which includes such features as daylight sensing and scene settings.

Special Challenges

Complex, high-end finishings required critical attention to detail while phasing one building to another with multiple break-through points into the existing school. The complete fire alarm upgrade for the existing school was provided while the facility was occupied.