Questions to Ask When Upgrading Your Repository’s HVAC Systems January 31, 2012
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Hi PALMCOP Members,
As many of you know, the Louise Pettus Archives and Special Collections here at Winthrop had the unique opportunity to move into a newer building and to obtain a new HVAC system for the collection storage area. This was one of those “once in a lifetime” opportunities that posed a very simple, yet challenging question: What are the fundamental questions to ask in this situation so that you as the Curator/Archivist/Collections Manager/Librarian can communicate the type of needs and specifications for your collection when working with an engineer?
Fortunately, there are resources available to help. We consulted Michele F. Pacifico and Thomas P. Wilsted’s Archival and Special Collections Facilities: Guidelines for Archivists, Librarians, Architects, and Engineers (2009) and Wilsted’s Planning New and Remodeled Archival Facilities as resources and found some great explanations for asking very specific questions. We applied those questions in an e-mail that was submitted to our Facilities Manager and to the engineer who worked on the project. We also retained that information and have included it with our in-house documentation for future reference. Listed below are the questions we included in our e-mail and the replies (in red):
From: Ryals, Robert B
Sent: Wednesday, July 13, 2011 12:56 PM
To: Hardin, Walter A.; White, Gina P; Johnston, Andrew Donald
Subject: RE: HVAC
Hi Walter,
Thank you very much for the update.
It would be extremely helpful for us to have some specific information about the type, design, specifications, capabilities, and upgrade options of the HVAC systems that have been ordered for the Bookworm building. And, I apologize if most of these questions are a “repeat” of questions asked at the previous roundtable telephonic meeting that we had in your conference room. I just want to ensure that we are all on the same page. If we have a full understanding about the qualities and capabilities of the system, then it will help us – on our end – during the system control calibration process and with expectations for our environmental monitoring program. Also, it will help us with long-term preservation planning and we will know what our options are if we need to consider any “upgrades” or additions to the system down the road (e.g. – air filtration for airborne particulates and gaseous pollutants ):
Chilling/Heating qualities:
Q: Is the system in the basement dessicant, glycol, chilled/hot water-based (or other) for heating and cooling?
A: The AHU serving the basement Archive space is a Desiccant Wheel for dehumidification coupled with a Refrigerant based cooling system and gas-fired heating system. The AHU serving the main level space is a Refrigerant based cooling system with “hot gas reheat” for direct dehumidification control and a gas-fired heating system.
Q: Is this a direct expansion cooling or other type of system?
DX
Humidification/De-Humidification:
Q: Does the system have the capability to de-humidify without introducing excessive heat that would increase temperature levels?
A: Neither system will excessively heat the space such that it would increase temperatures above the set point.
Q: Does the system have the capability to add humidity during dry periods, including the winter months?
A: If the incoming outside air has a lower moisture content than the return air from the space, the Basement AHU will likely transfer moisture through the desiccant wheel to help maintain the desired moisture level. No additional humidification capabilities have been added to either AHU.
Air Filtration :
Q: Where is the air intake for the units? Is it at least 10 feet above the grade level?
A: Basement AHU is on grade, sitting on a 4’ tall curb – Intake is below 10’ Rooftop AHU is at least 10’ above grade
Q: Can the system accommodate a pre-filter MIRV of at least 7?
A: Yes, MERV 13 filters should be included with the AHUs submitted.
Q: Can the system accommodate a final filter MIRV of at least 14?
A: See above, the filters are to be MERV 13 filters.
Q: Does the system have a gas phase contaminate filter? If not, then could one be installed later on if needed?
A: No. I have attached an email from a Sales Rep for a Purafil filtration unit that I inquired about, however, the pressure drop is of a concern. These units are capable of being installed as a retrofit, so one could possibly be added.
Q: Can the system accommodate a final particulate filter with a minimum MIRV 18 efficiency? (Or, as an alternative cost savings option – can it accommodate a second pre-filter with a MERV 12 or 14 efficiency?)
A: Additional filtration increases the pressure drop on the system and causes the fan to work harder (increases energy). The air handlers have MERV 13 filters available as a factory option which is what we have requested. Additional filters would likely require retrofits.
HVAC System Electronic Controls:
Q: If I recall correctly, the maximum amount that could be awarded for an IDC contract was $150,000 and we had to reduce the total number of controls in the basement from 3 to 1 so that we could get within that price range. Just to confirm our understanding about what was mentioned at the meeting – Additional controls for the system can be added once the system has been installed. (Is this correct or am I wrong?)
A: It would certainly be possible, but at a cost. It is my understanding that Trane would have to provide a separate control panel with the unit, or in this case supply one later, and the unit be refitted with the new control panel, wire/program the new controls and commission the system to ensure the controls are functioning properly.
Q: Just for confirmation – The control system will be patched into the existing campus-wide monitoring grid that Wayne monitors from facilities? (Is this correct or am I wrong?)
A: It is my understanding that this will be done, but is not included in this IDC. The control tie-in will be performed by the University, or at least by their controls contractor.
Q: Is there a Web-enabled application that would allow us to “see” what the control system is reporting in “real time”?
A: These applications certainly exist, but I am not sure if the University’s controls are setup to allow this. This would likely fall under the scope of the controls contractor that is connecting the building to the campus-wide system.
Q: What are the logging capabilities of the control system? Can we sync our data loggers with the logging system so that we are on the “same page” so to speak in regards to data comparison? (This would be extremely helpful during system calibration so that we can compare what the system interprets for temp/rh versus what our HOBOs are interpreting for temp/rh)
A: I am not familiar with the logging capabilities of the units themselves. I have seen logging and trending capabilities handled at the Building Automation System (BAS) level. This may be something Wayne or the controls contractor could answer right away, but I would need some time to research.
Q: If a funding opportunity became available to expand the control system in the basement, then, approximately, how much would that cost per control? (Or, perhaps this could be a requested budget item down the road when the overall economic picture improves?)
A: I want to say that the deduct was about $20,000 per unit. However, that was furnished from the factory. It would likely be more expensive to come in after the fact and retrofit the unit and wire the components after finishes and components have been installed.
Thank you Walter. I know that these are a lot of questions, but having the answers to them would be re-assuring. Also, again, it will really help us all to be on the same page.
Take care,
Robert
Robert B. Ryals
Reference Librarian, Assistant Professor
Dacus Library
Winthrop University
803-323-2257 (Voice)
803-323-2694 (Fax)
Moving Day for PALMCOP at the South Carolina Archives January 28, 2012
Posted by rryals in Uncategorized.1 comment so far
PALMCOP Board members proved their worth as movers and shakers on Friday, January 27th when they moved a U-Haul’s amount of PALMCOP materials out of the South Carolina Archives Building to a secured climate-controlled storage facility off Farrow Road. The move from the archives to the storage facility was done to provide PALMCOP organization members with 24 hour/7 days per week/365 days per year accessibility to emergency disaster recovery materials, and, to eliminate the South Carolina Archives role as an independent third party agent accountable and responsible for storage and maintenance of PALMCOP-owned materials.
“This is the type of sweat equity that pays off in the long run,” said DebbieLee Landi, Chair of PALMCOP. “The South Carolina Archives has been a great supporter of our activities, but this move makes it much easier for us to get immediate access to our disaster recovery supplies in the event of an emergency.”
Escorted and assisted by State Archives employees, PALMCOP Board members used hand trucks, dollys, carts, and a pallet mover to relocate three office supply cabinets and disaster-recovery workshop, promotional, conference, and other PALMCOP-related materials during the all-day move. The Board members who participated in the work day included DebbieLee Landi, Chair; Robert Ryals, Vice-Chair; Heather South, Treasurer; Sara Arnold, District 1 Representative; Autumn Marie Johnson, District 2 Representative; Jennifer Bingham, District 3 Representative; and, Ruth Kilgallon, District 9 Representative.
We were hijacked… our domain that is January 12, 2012
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Hello fellow PALMCOPers. Just wanted to send a quick post to let you know that we are working to correct the crazy blog issues that have plagued us. Our previous domain name (palmcop.org) has been taken by a foreign company who has no reason whatsoever for the name and hasn’t returned any of our attempts to contact. So, to make a very complicated story short, we will no longer be using palmcop.org but palmcopsc.org That new url should be up and running in the next few hours so please bear with us through this transition. If anyone has suggestions on other changes or posts for the blog, please post them. We need your feedback to make this the most useful tool to our members
