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Description: The Main Library, located on West Circle Drive between I.M. Sports Circle and Olds Hall, serves as the central hub for Michigan State University's knowledge base, on-campus-research, and quiet study for the campus community.
MSU owns more than 4,500,000 volumes and 33,000 publications, along with maps, recordings and other resources. The Main Library houses many items that, due to their age, require specific temperature and humidity criteria be met to sustain preservation. This is accomplished using steam absorption chillers to create chilled water for the building's air-conditioning system. It was discovered during a maintenance inspection that the significant components of the chillers had reached the end of their service life and need to be replaced. In addition, a recent study concluded that the cooling load has increased such that there is no longer system redundancy to sustain operations during a maintenance event.
This project will include a complete replacement of the building's chilled water system, including:
- Excavation of the south and west sides of the east wing of the building;
- Complete demolition and replacement of existing absorption machines, chilled water pumps and piping in basement mechanical room and cooling towers;
- New below-grade enclosure on the west side of the east wing for the new electrical substation;
- Expansion of area along the south side of the east wing for chiller installation;
- New electrical substation transformers and equipment to serve the additional electrical demand in the building;
- New steam absorption chillers, pumps and cooling towers;
- Replacement of sections of steam distribution piping in the steam tunnel leading to the Library;
- Four separate air handling units in the west wing to be replaced with a single, variable-volume air-handling unit;
- Electrical service connections to equipment;
- HVAC control connections;
- System balancing;
- Site restoration upon the completion of the project including, but not limited to, sidewalks, plantings, sections of Lot 11 (located south of the building), installation of a pedestrian speed table across the service drive and the creation of a barrier-free, universal plaza leading to the south entrance of the building.
Questions, comments, concerns?
Design Representative: Jacob Sabins, jsabins@pplant.msu.edu, 517-355-6493
Construction Representative: Todd Wilson, tdwilson@pplant.msu.edu, 517-432-4355
Please refer to the Construction Detours web page for current and upcoming detour information.