AOC Experts Keep it Cool for Historic Preservation Efforts

Last summer, as temperatures rose across Washington, D.C., the LOC Music Division staff noticed slightly elevated thermostat readings in their office spaces in the James Madison Memorial Building, the largest library building in the world. The warmer environment was creating uncomfortable conditions for staff — and even slight differences in temperature can create a non-ideal environment for preservation work. To keep them from cooking, the AOC's air conditioning experts went to work.

Christopher Toner, the A/C shop Direct Digital Controls (DDC) Electronics Mechanic Leader, was called in to take the lead on the investigation.

Toner first consulted work order records from past years to see if similar complaints had occurred in the same area at the same time of year. His hunch was correct, which meant that any previous fixes weren't solving the underlying problem. He knew he had to look deeper into the system to create a lasting solution.

Clockwise from top left: the lobby of the James Madison Memorial Building; the hallway area by the LOC Music Division; AOC's Chris Toner.

Using the building automation system network (BASnet), Toner inspected the performance of the internal mechanisms of the cooling system. BASnet data pointed him to specific field devices which may have been contributing to the problem. He visited smoke, transfer, return and supply dampers in the area, checking to see if the proper airflow was being delivered to the spaces. Initially, the issues he found were minor and the improvements he employed barely helped bring down the heat. A deeper dive revealed improperly functioning variable air volume (VAV) boxes. Toner located more than a dozen broken thermostats and broken compressed air lines, as well as old electric reheats in the building that were no longer in use or powerless.

Remember the hissing sound you sometimes hear coming from old thermostats? The noise is often caused by broken compressed air in a line that controls the VAV box in the ceiling, which determines how much cooler air to bring into the room. When the line gets old, it becomes brittle and can break into sections affectionately called "macaroni" by air conditioning mechanics. Toner and his colleagues found macaroni in several locations around the building. The macaroni they found was, one could say, far from "al dente."

After repairing the failed field components his team identified, Toner collaborated with the A/C shop (again, using BASnet) for three weeks to focus on tweaking the systems' operations until he found the right combination of changes that would return the spaces to their model temperatures. The LOC Music Division team was thrilled to feel the improvements.

The Library of Congress Music Division’s extensive collection must be preserved carefully in rows of temperature-controlled shelves.

"Higher temperatures contribute to faster deterioration of paper and other organic materials," said Nancy Lev-Alexander, a Preservation Specialist with the Library of Congress Conservation Division. "Chris' initiative was impressive; all along we needed someone with the knowledge, persistence and stamina to lead this investigation to success."

In the end, Toner and his team took ownership, professionally and proactively communicated, demonstrated excellent customer service and thought creatively. Using specialized DDC technology and tools, they crafted a solution that was successful in permanently stabilizing the temperatures in the affected areas. Such efforts show how the extraordinary services provided by the AOC's innovative and empowered workforce are instrumental to preserving the treasures of the LOC.