BOWLING GREEN, Ky. - During the $26 million renovation of Western Kentucky University's E.A. Diddle Arena, many design challenges were presented. These designs could have diminished the future performance of the arena's HVAC systems. To remedy this, mechanical engineer Don Greulich started thinking "outside of the box."
Originally, the president of Kerr-Greulich Engineers Inc. in Louisville, plus design team co-members, Edward West P.E., director of WKY construction management services, and Tony Kleyer, vice president of project architecture firm Louis & Henry, considered ceiling-hung metal ductwork that would distribute air to the arena's 10,000 capacity spectators as well as the basketball floor. The 42-year-old structure had a previous design that was a heat-only system from mezzanine level air handlers.