Historic Window Replacement

The Hart-Dole-Inouye Federal Center located in Battle Creek, Michigan is home to several historic buildings including Building #5 which at one time functioned as the “power” building and currently houses the boiler equipment for the campus. The building was constructed in 1923.  The building’s exterior had fallen into a deteriorated state, especially the masonry and windows.  The focus of this project was the windows. The intent of the study was to determine the possible solutions for the repair or replacement of the windows in Building #5 by reviewing applicable standards, exploring and documenting existing conditions, and proposing the best solution. Besides addressing the historic nature of the windows, the project addressed the following concerns: Safety, Serviceability/Maintenance, Energy, and Water Intrusion. Ultimately new steel windows with low E insulated glass were selected because of the product's ability to closely replicate the existing window profiles, to maintain the same material as the original building and to improve the energy efficiency of the building.