Princeton University Improves HVAC System in Renovation Project Using Aeroseal
Princeton University Sealed the Ductwork in Its Jadwin Hall During a Renovation, Improving the HVAC System.
When an establishment has been around as long as Princeton University, renovations to its buildings’ infrastructure become an ongoing process. That process was recently focused on the school’s physics department, and Aeroseal was included in the project.
Jadwin Hall was first built in the late 1960s and currently serves as the headquarters for the University’s Department of Physics. The six-story building includes 90 laboratories, 84 offices and eight classrooms. After more than 50 years of operation, the building’s HVAC system was due for an upgrade.
Project Overview
- Building: Princeton University, Jadwin Hall
- Contract Engineers: Irwin Leighton Inc.
- TAB Company: RCC Engineering
- Aeroseal Company: Aeroseal of Philadelphia
- Goal: Reduce leakage in two exhaust shafts
- Before Aeroseal: 533 CFM of leakage
- After Aeroseal: 8 CFM of leakage
- Results: A 98% reduction of leakage
This project included upgrading the VAVs, replacing the exhaust fans, and even replacing much of the ductwork.
Two of the building’s main exhaust shafts could not be replaced. Made of masonry block and brick veneer, these six-story shafts were part of the building itself. Removing them would mean expensive demolition (tearing down the walls and rebuilding). Unfortunately, early testing showed that both shafts – one venting offices and labs and the other used to exhaust bathrooms – both had significant leakage. As a result, the exhaust fans were running much hotter than they should have been and heating and cooling costs were escalating. At the same time, air quality issues remained a concern.
“The $70 million dollar renovation project began about five years ago and included replacing windows, new paint and flooring and other areas of concern with special attention given to the building’s HVAC. The aging HVAC system wasn’t working as well as it should, so to increase performance and decrease our carbon footprint, we focused much of the project on updating the system”
Aric Duvalla
Assistant Facilities Supervisor
Princeton
“We were clearly loosing a substantial amount of CFM in these two shafts,” said Russ Campbell, owner of Campbell Engineering, Princeton’s TAB contractor on the project. “To properly balance the system and to optimize performance, we knew we needed to seal these leaks. But how?”
Fortunately, one of the contract engineers on the job, an HVAC professional at Vanderweil Engineers, was in contact with a local Aeroseal contractor regarding the use of the duct sealing technology on his own home. He talked to Doug Meyers at Aeroseal of Philadelphia about using Aeroseal on the masonry duct system at Jadwin Hall. After an initial review of the technology, Aeroseal of Philadelphia was brought on campus to tackle the leakage problem.
The duct sealing process took about two and a half days to complete – a half day to set up, a day to seal one of the shafts and a second day to complete the second shaft. The work was done while classes were in session and without major interruption to normal building operations.
“We decided the best way to access the interior of the shafts was from the top down,” said Meyers. “Before we arrived, the engineers had removed the connector to the exhaust fans and replaced them with a temporary plate. Then we were able to cut a hole into the plate and access the interior of the shafts. From there, it was a fairly straightforward process, with actual sealing taking just hours per shaft to complete.”
Metal ducts, aluminum, fiberglass, flex duct or even stone cold masonry walls – Aeroseal can seal them all. The aerosol mist of sealant seals around the leak and leaves the actual shaft walls virtually sealant free.
The end results: 533 cubic feet per minute (CFM) of duct leakage was reduced to 8 CFM (98% reduction).
“Frankly, I don’t know of any other way we could have accomplished this goal short of tearing down walls and rebuilding. This was really a project saver.”
Dan Sabatino
General Contractor
Irwin Leighton
“After sealing the ductwork using Aeroseal, we were able to balance the system and maximize the performance of the building’s exhaust,” said Dan Sabatino, the general contractor with Irwin Leighton. “Frankly, I don’t know of any other way we could have accomplished this goal short of tearing down walls and rebuilding. This was really a project saver. I took a special trip to the work site to see this new technology in action for myself and found it was exactly as the Aeroseal team described it. It worked out well. No glitches. No Issues.”
“We noticed a considerable improvement in the building’s exhaust system,” said Duvalla. “I know there are other projects on campus that would benefit from this new approach to duct sealing.”
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To learn more about improving the heating/cooling comfort, indoor air quality (IAQ), and energy efficiency of your home or building, email us a message to info@aeroseal.com or give us a call 937-428-9300.