Beardsley’s Background with SUNY ESF
Located on a 2,800-acre forest adjacent to Cranberry Lake in the heart of the Adirondacks, the Wanakena Ranger School serves as both an educational campus and living environment for students attending SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. The main campus building, which supports housing, educational, and dining functions, is currently heated by fuel oil burners that have reached the end of their functional life.
Under a Term Contract with ESF, Beardsley completed a schematic report evaluating replacement options for the Ranger School’s aging heating system. Senior Mechanical Engineer John Hewitt, P.E., and Josh Marris, Mechanical E.I.T., performed initial field investigations, energy modeling, and system evaluations to develop recommendations for potential replacement options. These included geothermal, all-electric, and propane-based systems designed to improve efficiency while reducing long-term environmental impacts.
Evaluating Sustainable Heating System Upgrades: Applying Real-World Data in the Classroom
On May 1, 2026, Beardsley was proud to join ESF in critiquing Capstone presentations for Dr. Jenny Frank’s Sustainable Energy Management course focused on sustainable mechanical upgrades for the Wanakena Ranger School. Using the real-world data developed through Beardsley’s schematic report, students evaluated the sustainability impacts of geothermal, propane, biodiesel, and biomass (wood-pellet) systems, comparing each option against baseline energy modeling.
The student teams developed recommendations for administrators that balanced overall project cost with greenhouse gas and carbon footprint reduction goals. The presentations demonstrated not only strong technical understanding, but also the importance of integrating sustainability, energy efficiency, and operational considerations into infrastructure planning.
Nationally recognized for its commitment to sustainability, ESF continues to prioritize environmentally responsible decisions across its campus infrastructure. Beardsley has been proud to support this mission through numerous projects, including electric vehicle charging station installations, trail and infrastructure upgrades at the Newcomb Campus, replacement of the Goodnow Fire Tower, water supply improvements at the Ranger School, and many more sustainability-focused initiatives.
Providing students with opportunities to work on active projects creates valuable real-world learning experiences while also contributing meaningful ideas to ongoing campus improvements. Beardsley appreciates the opportunity to collaborate with ESF and Dr. Jenny Frank in supporting the next generation of sustainability professionals.
Upcoming Projects
This summer, our team will continue work at the Ranger School by replacing the existing domestic hot water fuel oil boiler with a new all-electric system, further reducing reliance on fossil fuels in the North Country.
