PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Gentek Building Products manufactures vinyl, aluminum and steel siding and windows and is a division of Associated Materials Incorporated (AMI).

Gentek needed an engineering and discovery study of its ventilation and air flow system. The review included a structural check and modification for the installation of a new Make-Up Air (MUA) unit (146,000 cfm). The program also needed to take advantage of key incentive and rebate initiatives.

B&M SCOPE OF WORK

The Gentek installation program was necessary because the equipment was beyond a useful life of 25 years and had become obsolete. The system was in danger of failure and posed a significant health and safety risk. The project had the following problems:

• Existing MUA-3 & 4 only ventilated the production area (125,000 cfm)
• Existing units were mid-1980s vintage (reinstalled from another site)
• Existing direct-fired gas units were not suitably interlocked with exhaust
• Existing units were in poor condition with regular failures and repairs
• Plant production area experienced cold stress regularly

The recent review revealed new equipment was the best solution and offered opportunities to boost efficiency and better match overall ventilation requirements.

BENEFITS TO CLIENT OR PROBLEM(S) SOLVED

When Gentek needed a professional team of experts to install the new machinery it called Black & McDonald. The new MUA unit was compliant with the requirements for safe operation and improved reliability and stability and is projected to last 25 years. The system improved air quality in the occupant environment, temp control and performance efficiencies by 15 percent. The installation also delivered more than $9,000 in utility incentive program rebates to the client.