DG 1110.3.120
DESIGN GUIDE: MUSIC AND DRAMA CENTERS
JANUARY 1981
C H A P T E R 3: ENVIRONMENT
mance facility hours. Otherwise, central complex
or individual facility chillers and centrifugal com-
pressors are likely candidates. There are long
hours during the day when the Room is occupied
by only a few people without attendant lighting
loads, at which time low level air conditioning
is required. Heat pump applications should not
be overlooked if a substantial facility with a high
level of active programming is expected. Since
performance hours coincide with winter heating
demand in some latitudes, the excess heat of the
facility can be transferred to neighboring rooms
or buildings.
Effective zoning is an important consideration in
system design, especially where Room use is
intermittent while support facilities are occupied
on a regular daily schedule. Central incremental
hot and chilled water generation is often em-
ployed with separate air handling units for each
zone. Where support facilities are insignificant,
remote, or separately dealt with, the perfor-
mance Room air distribution system will usually
have its own central air handling unit, since the
major supply zone is a single space. However,
it is not unreasonable to consider a multizone
package unit for a small facility, provided ade-
quate modifications of standard fabrication can
be obtained to account for noise reduction and
control system criteria.
The largest of the facilities proposed in this
Guide might make use of medium pressure var-
iable volume supply in connection with support
facilities, kicking in the main space system as
required. The key requirement in all cases is a
separate, carefully preset and balanced Room
system to minimize noise, disturbing air currents
and pressure differences that can cause curtains
to billow.
FIGURE 3-10.1
HVAC SYSTEMS
In the House, air is supplied from the ceiling, the
side walls, and the edges of balconies at low
velocity. In order to obtain uniform distribution,
ments, which is especially relevant to front-of-
return air is drawn from the center of the seating
house booms and catwalks, followspot booths
area through `mushrooms" under the seats,
and on-stage power panels.
sometimes using the wedge shaped space below
the floor as a plenum (return ducts are preferred
Design of the stagehouse system is most critical.
for the ability to regulate volume and control
To prevent billowing curtains and movement of
noise). For shallow balconies, the side wall sup-
lightweight scenery it is essential to carefully
ply is usually sufficient, but deep balconies re-
balance air pressures between Stage and House.
quire overhead soffit supply and perhaps some
The best practice is to pre-cool before the curtain
underseat returns. A small amount of air should
goes up, relying on the house systems to main-
be exhausted from the ceiling to prevent for-
tain tolerable conditions during performance.
mation of hot pockets that can have a radiant
Therefore, the essential ingredients are control
effect. However, 40-60% of the lighting load can
of the stagehouse system from the stage itself,
be removed by exhausting air around the instru-
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