The Art Institute of Chicago was built in the 1890s. Many challenges arose when it came time to upgrade and replace the existing Air Handling Units (AHUs) serving the galleries throughout the building. The galleries had to remain open to the public during construction, and proper environmental conditions had to be maintained for the artwork and artifacts.

McGuire Engineers helped develop a plan to replace the aging units in a specific sequence to allow minimal disruption to the museum’s exhibit spaces and scheduled events.

SERVICES PROVIDED

MEPFP Engineering Services
Air Handling Units
Cooling & Plant Renovations
Gallery Renovations

ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS

• Designed system in three dimensions using BIM design tools.
• Measured the construction access to allow the equipment to be successfully transported piece by piece.
• Provided construction administration services to help maintain quality of project installation.
• Commissioning of system after installation.
• Renovation of several exhibits
• Energy studies to support equipment replacement with life-cycle cost analysis.