The Met’s Skylights and Mechanical System Replacement

The skylights of the A, B, and C wings of the Metropolitan Museum of Art provide natural daylighting for the European Paintings Galleries, which house some of the museum’s most valuable works of art. The existing skylights, made of corrugated wire glass, were last replaced in the 1930s and 1940s and have far exceeded their reasonable service life, and required preplacement to address water leakage risks, thermal control and condensation challenges, and uneven lighting conditions in the galleries. Join us for a case study presentation that outlines the fundamentals of skylight design, the challenges of replacing existing skylights in historic buildings, the relationship between HVAC systems and building envelope in a humidity-controlled environment, and the multi-disciplinary coordination required. Kateri Knapp, Senior Façade Consultant at Arup, and Erik Bodelson, a Partner at Kohler Ronan, will walk us through the Met’s renovation of over 30,000 square feet of skylights and extensive mechanical system upgrades.

Speakers:
Erik Bodelsen, PE, LEED AP, Partner, Kohler Ronan
Kateri Knapp, Senior Facade Consultant, Arup

About the Speakers:
Erik Bodelsen is a Partner at Kohler Ronan with over twenty years of experience in engineering design and project management. During his tenure at Kohler Ronan, he has been the lead on many significant cultural projects and energy responsible designs, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s ABC skylights, Costume Institute, and the long-term feasibility study master plan. Bodelsen has also applied his expertise to other prestigious New York City museums such as the MoMA and the American Museum of Natural History. Outside of New York, Bodelsen’s portfolio consists of building systems design for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, and the Princeton University Art Museum. Bodelsen holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Northeastern University and is a licensed PE in CT, FL, NY, OH, and TN. He is a member of both ASHRAE and MAAM and is an accredited LEED BD+C professional.

Kateri Knapp is a Senior Façade Consultant at Arup with the Façade Engineering and Building Physics team in New York. She is experienced in the design and engineering of building envelope systems, with a focus on projects that require multi-discipline integration, in particular calibrated daylighting coordination and tight thermal performance specifications. Knapp’s experience includes domestic and international projects in the arts and culture, governmental, and aviation sectors. Some of her recent projects include the Metropolitan Museum of Art ABC skylight replacement, the Metropolitan Museum of Art Michael C. Rockefeller Wing renovation, and the Frick Collection expansion and renovation. Knapp has served as Visiting Assistant Professor at Pratt Institute and has served as a guest design critic at Pratt Institute, Thomas Jefferson University, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. She holds both a Bachelor of Architecture and Master of Science from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

This event is offered virtually; you will receive an email with a Zoom link to access the program.