Rendering of LRTA Gallagher Terminal / courtesy of AECOM
Lowell, MA – GTC Construction Management is currently installing Hope’s steel windows as part of the LRTA Gallagher lobby modernization and the new pedestrian bridge projects.
These steel windows feature a technology that has fiber-reinforced polymer nested within the steel window frame, which increases thermal efficiency and enhances resistance to condensation. Steel is five times more thermally resistant than aluminum, making it the ideal material for energy-efficient windows and doors.
“Using sustainable and efficient materials is paramount for our future generations; the public benefits from this project will be realized both immediately after construction and well into the future,” said Keith Zybert, vice president of GTC.
Air curtains will also be installed over the main entrances into the Lowell Regional Transit Authority (LRTA) Gallagher Terminal. These curtains can reduce up to 80% of energy loss through a doorway as well as reduce the energy transfer from conditioned space to the outside environment.
This kind of system works in all seasons, keeping the warm air in during the winter and keeping the hot air out during the summer. The unit doesn’t consume energy to operate and is minimal compared to the energy that would be required to recondition the interior air lost through a doorway that is not outfitted with an air curtain.
Lastly, new LED equipped light fixtures will be installed throughout the project. The new fixtures will be wired through occupancy sensors to insure the fixtures will only be lit when needed.
Jonathan Keevers, GTC president, expects that when completed in the summer of 2017, this envelope upgrade will help conserve energy and reduce heating and cooling costs for the LRTA and MassDOT.
Submitted by Victoria Waiswilos
