Victoria University of Wellington

Adam Art Gallery Air Conditioning Replacement

The Adam Art Gallery (AAG) must have a tightly controlled environment in order to protect and preserve climate-sensitive works of art. This environmental control is gained though a system of air conditioning and heating equipment plus humidifiers that maintain constant temperature and relative humidity.



The gallery was constructed in 1999 with heating and cooling equipment that had an expected lifespan of 15 years. This equipment is approaching 25 years of service and is in poor condition.

There are two separate areas of the gallery:

First is the Long Gallery that was constructed on the rear lower roof (North wall) of the Student Union Building (SU). This gallery consists of a low mechanical level built on top of the lower SU roof and a three-level gallery on top of the mechanical. There are four direct expansion air conditioners in the mechanical level with four corresponding outside units sitting on an external roof beside the gallery.

The second area is part of the Kirk Building East Wing. On Level 1 is the Gallery Workshop. Directly above is the Kirk Gallery (exhibition area separate from the Long Gallery). On the ceiling of the workshop are mounted three DX units (two serving Kirk gallery and one serving the workshop).



This project was originally initiated as a like-for-like replacement of all seven units. However, in the initial project work it was apparent that two main historical design flaws exist that prevent a like-for-like replacement.

Department/Business Unit: Property Services