The work of art

Engineered Systems, June, 2002 by Richard Barcori, Kevin Eskandari

From humidity and filtration requirements to noise issues, from gallery aesthetics to studio exhaust needs, its demanding environment makes safe and effective hvac design for campus arts facilities anything but paint-by-numbers.

Buildings that focus on art -- where art is taught, created, or displayed -- often have hvac system requirements that can be as complex as laboratory facilities. Hvac systems designed for buildings where art is taught and created are primarily oriented towards keeping occupants healthy and safe from the highly toxic materials used. Systems for museums focus on maintaining the optimal environment for the artwork. And when a building contains distinct facilities for all three activities, hvac systems can get even more complicated because of the varying conditions needed.

Two recently completed projects, as well as one currently under design, illustrate some of the challenges encountered and solutions developed when designing hvac systems for arts environments.

TEACHING ENVIRONMENTS

Art can be hazardous to your health. Many of the materials used by artists, such as plastics, lacquers, aerosol sprays, and dyes, were developed in the industrial sector and cab be highly toxic. Artists need to be concerned about the health effects of repeated exposure to art materials. The diversity of processes and art materials require a variety of solutions to create a safe environment. Add to this the complexity of threading various systems through an existing building, and you have Fayerweather Hall at Amherst College (Amherst, MA).

AMHERST COLLEGE

Fayerweather Hall was constructed in the late 19th century as the college's science building. It occupies a fairly prominent location on campus and is visible from all four approaches to the building. Studio art making comprising approximately two-thirds of the building. The art studios are primarily used for printmaking, photography, painting and drawing, and clay and metalworking sculpture.

An initial challenge was where to locate the myriad of fans needed to meet all the exhaust requirements for the various studios. Ideally, these units are located outdoors on the roof, enabling the discharge to be directed up and away from the building. However, given the prominent location of the building and the roof profile, exposed equipment on the roof was unacceptable.

Therefore, looking under the roof, two new mechanical rooms were carved out of reclaimed attic space to house exhaust fans and makeup AHUs. But how to get, the exhaust air out of the building and makeup air into the building in an aesthetically appropriate manner? Multiple exhaust stacks and intake hoods sticking up above the rooflines would ruin the roof profile and appearance of the building.

The solution involved using chimneys and dormers--elements sympathetic to the building's architecture. Existing chimneys, as well as new ones built to match them, were used to conceal vertical exhaust, stacks. An additional chimney and a new dormer, built to match existing ones, served as ways to bring makeup air into the building.

Moving air from the attic mechanical rooms to the studios was another challenge. The original use of the building, which was for scientific purposes, helped because some existing vertical chases could be reused with rebuilding and enlarging. But the amount of ductwork that had to be installed for exceeded anything that had previously been used there. As a result, additional chases were created throughout the building.

The college wanted to retain Fayerweather hall's existing large, wide-open studio spaces. Installing dropped ceilings in the studios would have dramatically altered the feeling of the studios. Instead, the ductwork and other utilities were exposed in the studios to retain a sense of openness. This required extensive coordination to ensure that the utilities were organized and routed in a visually pleasing manner.

In the interest of safety and responding to the college's construction budget, the exhaust and makeup air systems serving the studios are constant-volume systems. To control energy consumption, studio occupancy schedules are entered into the building's ddc system, which in turn controls the hvac systems.

Although an energy penalty is associated with a constant-volume system, the college feels that consistent air balances, airflows, and pressure relationships are a higher priority. Classrooms within the art history portion of the building are served by vav systems, while fancoil units serve faculty offices.

VARIOUS EXHAUST SYSTEMS

Each studio area has unique exhaust requirements. As a result, the building contains a variety of exhaust systems. These are:

* Backdraft hoods in any location where aerosolized solvents are used or painting equipment is cleaned, at sinks in the photography studio, and in printmaking areas;

* Conventional lab fume hood for acid etching in printmaking;

* Snorkels for capturing contaminants at the source where welding and cutting take place;

* Dust collection system for woodworking and plaster clay mix areas;