Board of Trustees add money to Brooks Hall renovation
CMU’s Board of Trustees voted Thursday to approve the $750,000 needed to complete Brooks Hall renovations.
The project began in August 2008, said Steve Lawrence, the associate vice president of Facilities Management, and includes installing heating, ventilation and air conditioning for the building.
Steve Smith, director of public relations, said the required funds are coming from the school’s deferred maintenance fund. The fund covers projects such as this one, as well as emergencies such as a broken water pipe, he said.
“The fund is for unexpected maintenance,” Smith said.
PREVIOUS ISSUES
Before school started, CMU learned Brooks Hall was not brought up to city fire codes. The weekend before school began, Facilities Management worked almost nonstop along with other contractors, Information Technology and various other departments to remedy the situation.
The firm hired to design the renovations in Brooks Hall missed important features to meet the city’s fire codes, including placing fire dampers in the walls, extending the height of walls and sealing with a fire caulk or sealant, Lawrence said.
“There were issues with how the design firm designed the project,” Lawrence said.
CMU worked the weekend in order to get the building up to code by 8 a.m. Monday when classes started, said David Burdette, vice president of Financial and Administrative Services, at the Board’s meeting.
“We turned it into a war zone,” Burdette said. “We had to take down almost every ceiling tile, and many of our walls had to have some wallboard work done. We had to get fire dampers... and, I have to say, with the Facilities Management staff, Steve, I think, had almost everybody at one time or another doing something.”
THE PROJECT
The renovation of Brooks Hall began in summer 2008 with installation of air supply duct work, new underground water piping and installation of a chilled water system used for the building’s air conditioning. In November 2008, the new underground system was attached to the campus’ main chilled water line.
This past summer, 120 heat pumps were installed into the building, as well as piping and duct work.
Three energy recovery ventilators were placed on the roof to provide fresh air, Lawrence said, and the existing heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment were removed.
Facilities Management performed the majority of work this summer and last summer because of a smaller student population in the summer, Lawrence said.
“We only really do the majority of work when occupation is lower,” he said.
CURRENT ISSUES
A large problem the hall is facing now is the loud noise levels in classrooms with the new heating and air conditioning elements, he said. Brooks Hall was built in 1964, and the building has different acoustics than other buildings on campus.
The problem was apparent as soon as the elements were turned on, Lawrence said. The noise is problematic because it will be distracting to students and professors, he said.
An investigation will begin shortly to find out what happened. When requesting the funds, Burdette also requested an examination of what happened.
“What we are asking you to do is to allow us to spend $750,000... so that we can complete this problem, and then go into the investigatory phase,” Burdette said.
