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Environmental Sustainability

Optimising Gallery Ventilation for Energy Efficiency at Warwick Arts Centre

Meads Gallery
Warwick Arts Centre

The ventilation system in the Mead Gallery, in the Arts Centre Building, was originally designed to maintain tightly controlled temperature and humidity levels to protect sensitive artwork on display. This high level of environmental precision required energy-intensive processes—including simultaneous heating and cooling—and 24/7 operation of the air handling unit (AHU) throughout the year.

Recognising that artwork is not exhibited in the gallery year-round, the University’s Energy and Sustainability Team proposed a new control strategy to reduce unnecessary energy consumption during non-exhibition periods. This initiative is part of the team's ongoing efforts to identify opportunities for reducing campus energy use through innovative projects and low- or no-cost solutions.

The optimisation involved both hardware and software upgrades to the existing system:

  • Hardware Enhancements: New CO₂ sensors were installed to enable dynamic fan speed control—an improvement that was previously not possible.
  • Software Updates: The control system was reprogrammed to introduce a weekly schedule based on occupancy patterns. This allows the system to scale back during periods without exhibitions and adjust heating and cooling setpoints accordingly.

After one year of operation, the project has delivered impressive results. It achieved full payback in under 12 months and now delivers annual energy savings equivalent to the electricity use of 29 average UK homes—or the energy required to drive an electric vehicle around the world eight times.

Ahmad Alhelwe, Energy and Sustainability Technician from the Energy and Sustainability team says: "While the University of Warwick purchases 100% renewable electricity, it remains a shared and finite resource. By reducing on-campus energy use, we help free up clean energy for others—supporting a more resilient and sustainable energy system. This is particularly valuable for enabling the wider adoption of technologies that are harder to decarbonise, such as heat pumps and electric vehicles."