CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA — It might well be said that Thomas Jefferson, as an innovator and a technology lover, would certainly have specified installation of air conditioning at his Monticello home had it been available in the late 1700s. Today, the more than 200-year-old home of the author of the American Declaration of Independence, founder of the University of Virginia, and our nation’s third president, does feature air conditioning.
Providing a comfortable environment for Monticello visitors is important, but the hvac system is critical to preserving the structure and the priceless artifacts found within. Mike Merriam, director of facilities planning and construction at Monticello, said, "We strive to maintain constant temperature and humidity to preserve the very important collection of furnishings and artifacts.