Retrofitting, adding or modifying an effective and highly efficient HVAC – heating, ventilation, and air conditioning – system in a heritage or historical building can be a challenging task.
Given the experience that the team at Equilibrium Air Conditioning have gained through their many and diverse commercial air conditioning projects, here are five considerations that must be made.
Purpose
What is the purpose of the project, and of the HVAC in particular? It is important to keep the end user in mind throughout. Planning and deciding your path to in a heritage building is the first step, and being prepared for challenges and adjustments along the way is equally important.
Building Codes
Depending on where your building is located, there will be particular building codes, rules and regulations that must be adhered to in order to protect and preserve historic and heritage buildings. Be familiar with these and obtain any necessary permits prior to the project.
Ductless Options
It’s very possible that may be possible that If the existing ductwork isn’t able to support the new HVAC system, consider replacing it with a mini-duct system. Mini-duct systems use smaller ducts that you can retrofit into your existing system without damaging the walls and other original materials of the heritage building.
Maintenance
Regular maintenance and servicing is crucial across all commercial HVAC installations and solutions and this is no different across a project in a heritage or historical space. If you can keep this in mind when creating access areas and detailing components it will make repairs, replacement and servicing smoother in the future.
Embrace Technology
When upgrading or updating the old, often we must look to the new. Modern heating and cooling solutions utilise incredible technologies that can not only save space and minimise vibration but can save time and money during the installation and operating phases.
If you’d like to know more, click through to read about our recent project within the historic Sandstone Education Building in Sydney, and our involvement in creating a luxurious 6-star hotel – Capella Sydney: https://equilibriumac.com.au/2023/03/21/project-spotlight-capella-sydney-now-open/
And if you would like to discuss your commercial air conditioning needs with a company that excels, don’t hesitate to call Equilibrium Air Conditioning on (02) 9439 4822.