EES employees recently were “grinding it out” overnight with a unique HVAC project cleanup… but one that took months to plan.
EES Project Engineer Pete Moskal recently coordinated and managed an overnight project to remove unused HVAC equipment in a downtown New York City high rise. Several years ago, EES designed and led the installation of transportation ventilation equipment which exhausted air from an underground tunnel through a 14-story ventilation shaft. During the construction of the building, the contractors had installed temporary lights which were never removed. For safety, the lights were supported by metal brackets embedded in the air shaft’s concrete walls.
Fast forward to 2021: as the lights were meant to be temporary (and were, in fact, impeding the proper tunnel ventilation), the client called upon EES to supervise their removal. New York City closely manages projects of this type, and EES went through a lengthy process to find a properly-licensed master rigging contractor, secure the necessary permits, and schedule a date.
To avoid traffic on the active railroad tracks 18 stories below the building’s roof, the removal was planned for the early-morning hours of January 11. Pete Moskal supervised the project while the master riggers set up the nylon ropes to lower the mechanical contractors a dozen stories down the ventilation shaft. Once at the proper location in the shaft, the contractors had to cut the concrete-embedded metal light supports and the riggers lifted them up and out of the shaft. EES electricians were also involved to safely remove the power connections to the lights.
Thanks to months of meticulous planning and coordination with the various involved parties, the removal of the ventilation shaft lights was a success and EES’ longtime client was pleased with the outcome.