Peck Pavilion is a 4-story research building that contains primarily wet laboratory and office spaces at University of Chicago’s Medical Center. MEPIS was commissioned to provide design services for the replacement of two 30,000 CFM Air Handling units (AHU) with associated return fans. The scope also included replacement of existing steam to hot water heat exchanger that serves pre-heat coils in the air handling units.
The existing air handling units connect into a common supply duct and are redundant, but the return fans associated with the units are not redundant. Since the units serve mix spaces of wet labs and offices the air handling units and return fans could not be shutdown during construction.
MEPIS hired test and balance firm to determine existing airflow rates of both supply and return fans. Based on TAB report and documented existing conditions the construction documents were developed. Since only the supply fans were redundant and not the return fans. The project was designed to be completed in phases. A temporary return fan was installed in phase 1 to facilitate construction without downtime to the ventilation system. Existing mechanical equipment were 208V and to comply with campus standards the new mechanical equipment was selected for 480V. A new fed from basement main distribution panel to the 4th floor mechanical room was installed. The steam to hot water heat exchangers installed under the project are sized to accommodate future air handling units in the mechanical room S-41 & S-43.
