Project: Roberta A Smith Library at Muskingum University

In The BlueDuct® June 13, 2018

The BlueDuct® Increases Efficiency at the Roberta A Smith Library

The Roberta A Smith Library at Muskingum University renovation and expansion enables the use

The BlueDuct® Roberta A Smith Library

of technological advancements and to meet the needs of today’s students. The library is over 50 years old. This development adds 15,000 square feet to the original 23,000-square-foot building. Construction on the facility came to a head during the 2015-2016 school year. Besides offering library services, the facility will feature a colloquium center, technology centers, café and lounge, classrooms, a teacher preparation learning, an assessment center, and more.

Lasting Benefits

Renovating and expanding the existing building will not only save millions of dollars, but it also offers sustainability benefits. To further the environmental advantages, the library will be more energy-efficient and have maximum indoor air quality by integrating The BlueDuct® underground preinsulated duct system.

Meticulous Design

The underground duct installation started with digging the trenches. Getting the elevations correct was critical to this project because The BlueDuct® penetrates the foundation wall in two locations. During elevation work, Vishal Sookhai, a field-training specialist from AQC Industries, arrived at the job site. The weather on the first day was rainy and around 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperatures on the second day were in the high 50-degree Fahrenheit range.

The BlueDuct® Roberta A Smith Library

Sookhai noticed that a revision had been made after the original set of plans were drafted. This revision changed an angle in one area from 11.25° to 30°. AQC’s CAD team proposed a solution to accommodate this modification. They promptly provided revised drawings while the crew was still on-site to prevent delay.

Despite this challenge, three installers, along with assistance from Sookhai, completed the installation in just two and one-half days. The general contractor and mechanical engineer were delighted with the progress, given construction was two months behind schedule. The improvements at the Roberta A Smith Library will maintain optimal efficiency for years to come.