Project Goals
Since the summer of 2013, 2RW has been a proud participant in the Monticello Mountaintop Project, a multi-year effort to restore Monticello as Jefferson knew it and to tell the stories of the people—enslaved and free—who lived and worked on the 5,000-acre plantation. Working closely with the Thomas Jefferson Foundation and a team of architects, historic preservationists, conservators, and contractors, 2RW has been providing a wide range of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) engineering design services for this project. Jefferson saw the earth as a common and intergenerational right, suggesting that he would support the sustainable efforts being made on the site today.
Services
2RW has been providing a range of infrastructure planning and MEP engineering services for this project, including:
- Peer review of proposed underground HVAC vault designs
- Thorough analysis of environmental conditions within the house and the artifacts contained within it to develop appropriate envelope improvements, HVAC systems, and building controls
- A comprehensive building envelope plug-and-seal strategy to reduce heating and cooling load and corresponding HVAC system requirements
- MEP design for updates to the main house, North Dependency, administrative offices, public restrooms, and support buildings
- Design of custom, zoned temperature and humidity controls to preserve the house’s collections based on their type, historic value, and location
- Design of a geothermal-electric plant with a 33-well ground-source heat pump (GSHP) system and dedicated heat recovery chillers (DHRCs)
- Upgrades and replacements to site and building electrical, underground utility services, and generator
- Coordination of utility work, geothermal well installation, and HVAC construction
- Phased construction and parallel operation of existing and new systems during startup to allow for system optimization and a seamless transition
Results
The updated systems and new geothermal-electric plant:
- Replaced outdated and inefficient heating, cooling, dehumidification, and ventilation systems with modern, energy-efficient systems appropriate to the building and its collections
- Eliminated fossil fuel usage
- Cut energy use and utility bills in half
- Eliminated loud, inefficient, and unsightly oil-fired boilers, air-cooled chillers, and DX condensing units to preserve the quiet, contemplative environment that was the centerpiece of Jefferson’s “experiment”
- Preserved the view shed by minimizing/hiding utilities and generators
- Incorporated sustainable practices designed to meet the needs of current generations without compromising the needs of future generations
Awards
2016 – First Place Commercial, Virginia Energy Efficiency Leadership Awards, VAEEC
