The potential hazards and maintenance efforts associated with poorly located HVAC equipment can be a perpetual battle for facility managers and building maintenance staff.
If HVAC equipment is difficult to access, it is less likely to be properly maintained. Inadequate maintenance leads to component failure, which can be catastrophic in a museum setting.
HVAC design for museums in cold weather climates often requires an attention to detail that's typically not necessary when humidification is not a factor.
Because cold, dry, outdoor air must be heated and humidified prior to discharging into the gallery space, and because exterior windows and mullions have the potential to get colder than the space dew point, special care needs to be taken to ensure that condensation does not form on these elements.
Topics: hvac condensation, hvac equipment, high performance hvac design