The Harold Washington Library Center (HWLC) Library Improvement Project consisted of the replacement of the cooling tower (along with associated drives, header, fill, basin and vibration isolators), replacement of the metal and low slope roofing, upgrade of the fire alarm system and devices, addition of variable frequency drives on the air handling units and addition of a building generator for life safety functions.

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Garza Karhoff Engineering provided structural engineering services and construction administration services for the addition of the building generator for life safety functions. The work included analysis of the existing structure for loads from the new generator and associated fuel tank along with a new 3-hour fire-rated wall enclosure with mezzanine roof. Support for the new generator exhaust muffler and associated exhaust piping were included in the scope as well. Design drawings for the new work, including reinforcement of the existing floor slab using carbon fiber reinforced fabric/rods, were provided along with construction administration services.