HVAC issues at the Roos Recreation Center will finally be resolved.
Last summer, employees and visitors at the Roos Center reported that the gym seemed too warm. The grand opening of the center was on May 26, 2018, only a month or so before the issue was first noticed. Jeffrey Chamberlain of 20/10 Engineering, the mechanical engineer on the Roos project, adjusted the machinery and controls and updated the maintenance plan.
But in summer 2019, the problem reoccurred.
Roos Recreation Center architect Frank Parisi, said when this happens, it’s usually one of three problems. He looks for an install issue, a maintenance problem, or a design flaw. He and Chamberlain discovered that the tonnage on the air-conditioning unit was short. Chamberlain said it came down to a “math issue.” The translucent walls let heat in differently than standard walls would, something not taken into account when calculating air-conditioning needs in the facility.
Chamberlain plans to remedy the problem with an extra 10 tons of cooling provided through hanging coils. His goals are to do this without disrupting patrons while retaining the architectural integrity of Roos in the process.
The roughly two-week project will begin in approximately two weeks. Parisi and Chamberlain will coordinate with fitness center manager Andrew Doss and Jackie Iovinelli, executive director of the Park District of Forest Park, to find the most convenient time.
“We’ll take care of the whole thing,” said Parisi, of Williams Architects. According to Iovinelli, Williams Architects has had a long and positive relationship with the park district.
