Harry Topikian, Dectron International's vice president of business development, presented a plaque to Tami Sender, president and CEO of the Greater Joliet Area YMCA, in honor of the indoor air quality (IAQ) manufacturer's long business relationship with the not-for-profit community service organization. As part of the celebration, Dectron tracked the first YMCA dehumidifier it shipped in 1981 to the Montreal-based Westmount YMCA. "It's still running great," said Marc Grotton, director of maintenance at Westmount YMCA.

The $10.1 million, 52,000 sq ft Avery facility expects to open Feb. 2006. Mechanical dehumidification and IAQ has evolved greatly at YMCA's since 1981, according to George Stazin, director of Buildings & Furnishings Services (BFS), YMCA of the USA, Chicago. Prior to the inception of mechanical dehumidification, YMCA's typically used conventional air conditioning or air handling with inefficient exhaust techniques to control humidity. These methods worked well, according to Stazin, however, modern dehumidification offered additional benefits. As IAQ became a more predominant cultural issue in North America in the last 15 years, IAQ combined with energy savings has prompted nearly every new YMCA natatorium design to include dehumidification. "It took a while for YMCA directors to accept the technology," said Stazin, "but now nearly every new YMCA indoor pool has modern dehumidification."

Publication date: 12/19/2005