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BosNews
John Brown House to get new air conditioning, heating
1:34 PM Wed, Feb 03, 2010 | Permalink
Thomas J. Morgan Email
PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The Rhode Island Historical Society announced Wednesday that work will begin Monday on a new heating and air conditioning system for the John Brown House Museum that will greatly improve storage conditions for the society's collections.
The museum, built between 1786 and 1788 as a private residence, has never had air conditioning, the society said in a news release.
The new system will employ a closed-loop geothermal well system to provide cool air for the house in summer. The well system contains a fluid that acts as a heat exchanger to bring the constant earth temperatures to the heat pump to provide energy to heat and cool the Museum.
The new system will utilize existing ductwork and work in conjunction with existing boilers to provide heating and cooling while consuming less energy than conventional systems and reducing operating costs.
The project will begin with the removal of two trees, a black locust and a purple ash near the house, to make room for drilling, while increasing the safety and viability of the stand of American elms and the John Brown House itself.
The project is financed in part by a grant of $243,000 from Save America's Treasures, a federal program administered by the National Park Service. Additional money has been provided by the Champlin Foundations of Rhode Island. The project has been designed by Haynes & DeBoer Associates of Providence and mechanical engineers Landmark Facilities Group of Norwalk, Conn. Construction will be managed by E. W. Burman Inc. of Warwick.
The John Brown House Museum, built by wealthy Providence merchant John Brown, is an example of transitional Georgian-Federal architecture. It embodies the cultural values and aspirations of the wealthy mercantile class that arose in Providence during and after the Revolutionary War. The house was later owned by utility tycoon Marsden J. Perry, who altered and modernized it with electricity, a central heating system, lavish indoor bathrooms, and an up-to-date kitchen and laundry.
The museum's collection houses objects of everyday use, including furniture, that document the daily lives of Rhode Island's people of many economic backgrounds and interests. Newport furniture of the early Federal period documents the artistry of the nation's early craftsmen, and the wealth of the merchants who commissioned their work, while tooth powder mills, surgeons' kits and pharmacists' supplies represent the daily maintenance of individuals.
http://newsblog.projo.com/2010/02/john-brown-house-to-get-new-ai.html |
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