Case Study: One Worldwide Plaza BMS Modernization
Located at 825 Eighth Avenue in Manhattan’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood, One Worldwide Plaza is a 50-story, 778-foot-tall commercial office tower completed in 1989. Known for its distinctive pyramid-shaped roof and postmodern architecture, the building remains a key fixture in New York City’s skyline. In 2023, T.M. Bier & Associates (TMBA) was selected to lead a full retrofit of the building’s antiquated Johnson Controls BMS, replacing it with a modern Distech Niagara system.
The project was ambitious in scope: TMBA was tasked with removing outdated equipment, installing new backplates into existing control panels, rewriting all control sequences and algorithms, and building a comprehensive new graphics library from scratch. The goal wasn’t just modernization—it was performance. One of the primary objectives was to position the building for a Con Edison rebate by improving energy efficiency and operational effectiveness.
The retrofit covered a wide range of building systems, including the air handlers, cooling towers, condenser water plant, steam pressure reducing valve station, and hot water system. TMBA also installed new indoor air quality sensors and implemented advanced demand-controlled ventilation algorithms, ensuring the system could respond dynamically to CO₂ levels in tenant spaces to maintain optimal comfort.
As with any legacy system retrofit, challenges emerged. Many of the building’s variable frequency drives were outdated and had to be integrated into the new platform with custom block programming. TMBA coordinated directly with the original equipment manufacturers and leaned on documentation, field testing, and onsite support from Distech to overcome these hurdles. The project also served as a proving ground for TMBA’s internal team, who navigated the growing pains of scaling up with a new controls platform.
What made this project especially complex—and impressive—was the requirement to complete the work with zero downtime. The building remained fully operational throughout the retrofit, including its largest tenant, a major law firm. TMBA successfully maintained system continuity without impacting day-to-day operations. Another key improvement was the removal of tenant access to the BMS, a decision that restored control to building management and improved system integrity.
Collaboration played a vital role in the project’s success. TMBA worked closely with Fischer Energy, the building’s energy consultant, who helped redesign control algorithms with an eye toward efficiency. Coordination with RXR Property Management and the building’s facility engineering team ensured alignment from concept through commissioning.
By the fall of 2023, the retrofit was essentially complete, with additional refinements carrying into early 2024. The results were immediate and measurable. The building achieved its Con Edison rebate thanks to demonstrated energy savings. It now operates with a modern, remotely accessible BMS, receives 24/7 service from TMBA, and benefits from improved indoor air quality control for occupant comfort.
For TMBA, the project was more than just a technical upgrade—it was an opportunity to build trust. The building team, already familiar with TMBA’s work through a prior relationship with Project Manager Jonathan Ricardo, specifically requested TMBA after being disappointed by previous service providers. Within the first month, TMBA delivered remote access and system features that their predecessor had claimed were impossible.
“Not another BMS contractor could have accomplished this scope, at this scale, with zero downtime,” said Ricardo. “We quickly proved that we were more than a vendor—we were a partner committed to their success.”
One Worldwide Plaza now stands not only as an architectural landmark, but also as a model of what’s possible when modernization, collaboration, and service excellence align.
