Environmental Guidelines for Collections

Revised guidelines for engineers in designing heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems for museums, archives, and libraries

Project Details

About

Goal

The aim of the Environmental Guidelines for Collections project was to participate in the development of revisions to Chapter 20 of the American Society for Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) applications handbook. This handbook is a key professional reference, used by engineers responsible for designing heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems for museums, archives, and libraries, primarily in new construction.

Outcome

Revision of Chapter 20 of the ASHRAE Applications handbook, which provided a more effective balancing of all environmental concerns and an easier-to-follow structure

Background

One of the most important repositories for system-design information are the four handbooks published by the American Society for Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) dealing with: (1) refrigeration, (2) fundamentals, (3) HVAC systems and equipment, and (4) applications. These are used extensively by engineers, and represent an attempt to collect the most valuable, up-to-date, practical and theoretical data possible. One handbook, ASHRAE Applications, focuses only on industrial applications. Chapter 20 is specific to museums, libraries, and archives.

Project History

Acknowledgements

Robert Baker, project manager, BBJ Environmental Solutions, Inc.; William P. Lull*, Garrison/Lull, Inc., New Jersey; Stefan Michalski*, Canadian Conservation Institute; Jean Tétreault, Canadian Conservation Institute (*Contributors to the previous edition of Chapter 20)