Lighting

Upon walking into the lobby of the museum, one would easily assume that the ample sunlight from the window walls may provide sufficient lighting to the museum interior.  However the majority of lighting energy consumed does not come from the areas, but rather the surrounding galleries where sunlight does not reach.

Lighting is one of the biggest sources of energy consumption in the art museum.  However even though monthly electricity bills can boast up to $270,000 each month, the institution has been slow to conduct lighting retrofits for a number of reasons.

According to Vasquez, one of the largest concerns of LED lighting has been throw distance, which is how far light can reach from it’s source.  Although LEDs produce more intense light for less energy, many models do not have the spotlight effect that make gives the artwork optimum color and experience.

In the galleries, there are only two types of lightbulbs, with warming and cooling filters attached based on aesthetic recommendations from each gallery’s curator.

However, lighting retrofits for museums can also be realized by other ways.  For instance, many museums include back offices, storage areas, and corridors that do not need the color-sensitive lighting required by displaying artworks.

On-Site Energy Generation

Currently, the museum has been considering the possibility of installing a long-term energy solution with an on-site cogeneration facility.

CoGeneration Turbine.
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The primary motivation behind this is to wean the museum off its dependence on ConEd steam, which is required to heat the building.  Not only is this steam expensive, but is also corrosive to the building’s pipe infrastructure due to lack of filtration of corrosive oxygen in the steam.  Furthermore since Hurricane Sandy, New York City has set priorities for steam delivery in case of emergency, acknowledging that there may be future occurances when steam is not available to everybody.

The possible closure of Indian Point nuclear energy plant in Upstate New York, which currently provides nearly 40% of New York City’s energy, is also a strong motivation for the museum to adopt alternative energy sources.

John explains that if Indian Point closes, all electricity consumers in New York would likely have to pay higher prices for energy or seek alternative resources.

“Instead of being a victim, we can be a winner”, John says of the utilization of local generation.

Inspired by a Capstone Microturbines, which operate like jet engines, Vasquez hopes that the future on-site generation at the museum will take advantage of generated heat for other uses instead of for lift.  Several of these uses include using thermal byproduct to heat up domestic hot water in the building, both for restroom use, kitchen use, and with HVAC systems.

Environmental Responsibility

When asked what was the most fulfilling part of his job, John took a moment of pause, then with a calm smile described his ritual morning ritual of arriving to work.  “I come in every day at 7AM to make sure everything is running smoothly and we’re ready to open”, he says.  “Sometimes I stand in front of works such as a Monet or Matisse before there is anyone in the museum”, he says, “and feel a sense of responsibility”.

“Energy for us is a double-edge source.  We are finding ways to save energy but not at the expense of environmental conditions for the art”.

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In a exclusive interview, John V.*  Director of Facilities at the a renown art museum in Manhattan, New York provides the an in-depth look at the existing operating systems and outlook to the future of museum sustainability.

Prior to working for the museum, John worked in facilities management on university campuses and academic institutions for more than 30 years.  Currently at the museum, the facility veteran’s responsibilities include day-to-day maintenance of mechanical systems, upkeep of climate controls, and leading capital projects for the museum’s long-term sustainability.

Museum Climate Control

According to John, the works of art housed at the museum are incredibly climate-sensitive.  For an average commercial or residential, it is sufficient to have a single air handler, or filtration system, to produce clean breathable air.  However the stringent conditions at the museum require the building to have two complete air handling units.

“Imagine mold spores building up on a Picasso or Matisse”, John says, “Particulates include pollen, dirt, dust, and mold and can come from anywhere, including from under your shoes”.

Additionally, keeping the filters clean is of high priority, both for the cleanliness of the air as well as for making sure machines are running optimally.  Without frequent replacement of new filters, residue can cause blockades on the machinery, impacting both air quality as well as power to run the machines.

However arguably the most important environmental monitoring taking place in art museums is with temperature and humidity control.  John says that the museum must always follow the “70/50 Rule”, which requires 70 degrees F and 50% relative humidity at all times.  This is because unlike people who can tolerate mild temperature swings inside buildings through the months, John describes, works such as paintings are much more sensitive. For example, changes in humidity will cause the wooden panels of paintings to expand and contract, which can result in cracks and unrepairable damage on the works.

According to John, each museum visitor adds heat and moisture to the space, and thus needed to be factored into equation as well.  For this reason, museums require floor-by-floor temperature monitoring to ensure that paintings in each gallery are maintained in optimal conditions at all times.

 Technology in Museums: BMS

The 24/7 operations of the museum’s climate change significant energy, man-power, and controls.  Since these conditions need to be consistently met, a certain amount of automation is required in addition to the eyes of the facilities team.

BMS, or building management systems, are responsible for this job and are software suites that monitor and control environmental conditions for commercial buildings and museums alike .

The center of this building is a tall, open atrium around which the museum’s galleries are built.  Because of this single space, monitoring environmental conditions with temperature and humidity sensors is not only important, but a necessity in preserving the works and maintaining comfortable conditions for the museum visitors.

According to John, any system used by a museum of this scale needs to be “smart…nimble… and should be able to respond to change quickly”.

Photography by KevinZim. Countless communities who once relied on certain ecological services such as fisheries or forestries have been decimated.

Everywhere, the earth is changing. As a result, climate change, environmental degradation, and global warming appear at once to be enormously overwhelmingly, global concerns – and they are. Environmental affairs know no boundaries, no boarders, no race, no gender, no property, and no currency. At a press conference presenting the most recent report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Rajendra Pachauri, chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, boldly stated that, “Nobody on this planet is going to be untouched by the impacts of climate change.”

Without a doubt, big moves will be needed on national and international scales in order to prevent and adapt to global climate change. Properly formed legislation is essential, as is the strong leadership of public figures and powerful national and multi-national organizations. Jedediah Purdy, a Professor of Law at Duke University, notes that one way out of the situation is with “extraordinary politics: politics that goes beyond the usual interest-swaping and sets new commitments for the country and the world.” The other way out, which he believes more likely and yet not as productive, will be extraordinary technological developments in the areas of renewable energy and geo-engineering.

The amount of work that needs to be done in order to fully deal with anthropogenic climate change and global warming can at times feel overwhelming and impossible to accomplish.

Sally Weintrobe, a practicing psychoanalyst, in her piece entitled “The Difficult Problem of Anxiety in Thinking About Climate Change,” explains that, “we are trying, unsuccessfully, to manage contrary internal positions within our psyches…where we simultaneously feel no guilt and it is the other person/nation/corporation who is to blame and, on the other hand, where we feel monstrously guilty and to be blamed.” In this statement, Weintrobe reveals that all environmental issues are simultaneously enormous, global calamities, and very personal and sentimental individual crises.

How to tackle these huge issues? Where to begin?

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The conversations surrounding the link between sustainability and happiness by the international community most significantly the UN all have important implications for future policy and conversations. In fact, as recently as three years ago in 2011, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution specifically, “calling on countries to include happiness in their measurements of progress.” A prime model for UN member nations is the country of Bhutan, who has adopted a seemingly unusual measure of well-being called Gross National Happiness.

While Bhutan’s commitment came from the top, its government, the U.S. will need a grassroots, bottom up approach.

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Photo Courtesy of Lynda On Tour.
Consumers have thousands of choices in today’s markets – why not choose green?

Earlier this week, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released its latest comprehensive report evaluating the current and projected impacts of global climate change. At a press conference presenting the report, IPCC chairman Rajendra Pachauri told New York Times reporters that, “Nobody on this planet is going to be untouched by the impacts of climate change.” The results of the study are incredibly daunting.

This is certainly not the first time the global community has heard about the perils of climate change and the certain devastation it will bring to our societies. That being said, not much has changed for the better in the past few decades in terms of humans’ overall treatment of the environment. While people may be more educated and informed than ever before, there is still a long way to go towards shifting the status quo away from harmful and destructive human actions, and towards sustainability and environmental protection. Continue reading →