Building access to mechanical rooms
is often limited by narrow entry points,
freight elevators, exterior louvers
located several stories above grade
level, and difficult pathways around
existing equipment. Mechanical rooms with complex ductwork, piping, and structural members require AHUs to be designed to specific physical dimensions, often to the nearest inch, in order to maximize performance for a given space allocation. Frequently, AHUs are upsized prior to replacement to meet new building requirements.
When the 2014 budget was approved, Vanderbilt University’s Plant Operations chose Temtrol for several AHU replace- ment projects on campus. The projects included: VU Stevenson Center for Physics and Astronomy, VU Garland Hall, and VU Old Gym Fine Arts.
Temtrol’s RAPID knock-down AHUs
provided the best solution for these
AHU replacement projects. The AHUs
shipped assembled to the contractor’s
shop with minimal screws and without
sealant. The contractor marked the
units based on their scheme, dis-
assembled each section down to manageable components, and reassembled
the units in the mechanical penthouse
at the jobsite. The fully-welded base
rails were hoisted up via crane and
brought through an exterior louver. All
wall framing members, wall panels,
coils, filter racks, and FANWALL cubes
were delivered to the mechanical space
via the building’s freight elevator.
The contractor’s previous experience
with the RAPID knock-down product
allowed for a smooth installation.
Most contractors prefer the RAPID
knock-down product offering over the
traditional palletized product that ships
already broken down with assembly
instructions.
Expected equipment life played a key role in selecting Temtrol as the manu- facturer of choice for these projects. VU Plant Operations wanted a product that would meet their AHU replace- ment cycle of 30+ years. Temtrol’s heavy material gauges allow for longer equipment life as compared to cata- loged constructed units commonly found in the market place. The AHUs installed comprised of filters, coils, FANWALL Technology, variable frequency drives, airflow monitoring, and custom electrical panels with touch screen user interface. The 2014 AHU replacement projects were a huge success. Similar 2015 projects were provided.