according to a report from an outside consultant.
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More than $3.7 million dollars is required to return Alden Library's heating, ventilation and air cooling systems to serviceable condition according to a report from an outside consultant. Alden is undergoing a refurbishment of about $1.4 million to its two biggest air-handling units, those that ventilate the first, second and third floors. Located in the first-floor mechanical room, the units are responsible for heating and cooling some of the most-used parts of the library. The report was requested after library visitors complained the building was not staying at room temperature, said Project Manager David Brown of University Planning and Implementation. Renovations to the old equipment should increase the units' circulation while keeping Alden active, he added. It's one of our most important buildings on campus he said. The report, compiled by Dayton's Stan and Associates, Inc. in 2007 at a cost of about $119,000, profiled how efficiently Alden's air handlers were meeting demand. Keeping the units working properly takes on added significance because air-handling parts breaking down could damage Alden's books, said Phil Becker, the firm's project manager for the report. I would guess certainly the most severe thing that would happen is a pipe break that would cause water damage in the building Becker said of the units' pipes that have deteriorated with age as well. To avoid that, OU spent $975,000 this school year to coat the concrete for waterproofing and funneling any possible leaks toward newly installed drains. Worst case we would have to shut off areas (of the library). We're not that bad off yet that's why we're trying to be proactive Brown said. Four of the nine air handlers were built at Alden's inception in 1966, while the remaining five were installed during renovations in 1970 and 1971. Although each are fairly outdated, Becker said, universities often conduct better maintenance than other firms and see better results. You get 25 years with a piece of HVAC (heating ventilation and air conditioning) equipment that's great Brown said. The next phase includes refurbishing air handlers seven, eight and nine - which maintain the eastern sections of floors four, five, six and seven - in 2010. Estimated inflation costs range from $842,000 to $1.1 million dollars upon completion. All nine units will have to be refurbished, a project Brown said OU hopes to accomplish by 2016, at a cost that could increase by millions depending on inflation. We always try to use our funds as efficiently as possible Brown said. Funding plays a large role in the project being spread over several years, as Ohio's biennium allowances dictate when certain problems can be fixed, Brown said. Completely replacing any of the nine units outright was deemed too expensive and disruptive, Becker said. At a size of about 12 feet tall, 12 feet wide and 20 feet long, the units are too large to install without knocking down walls, he added. You can break (the units) into parts smaller than that but not small enough to take out the door |
