Project Improves Reliability and Reduces Water Consumption for the Observatory

NEW YORK, July 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ABM (NYSE:ABM), a leading provider of facility solutions, was selected to participate in an improvement project for Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, California. ABM facilitated the modernization of the Observatory’s air conditioning systems, and the project was completed in May 2019.

“ABM is honored to have been chosen to work with the renowned Griffith Observatory,” said Mark Newsome, President of ABM Technical Solutions. “We helped the Observatory and supported the state’s water conservation initiative by offering an alternative air conditioning solution.”

Griffith Observatory and the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks selected ABM to provide a more comfortable environment for visitors and employees. Improvements to the air conditioning systems at the Observatory included replacing water-cooled chillers with air-cooled chillers, which are considered a strategic alternative, particularly in areas where drought conditions are prevalent. This strategic alternative reduces the use of large volumes of water, as air-cooled chillers utilize fans that force air over refrigerant lines to produce a cooled environment. The City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks selected air-cooled chillers that were factory upgraded to make them as quiet as possible. Quiet operation will help reduce the level of noise disturbance to Observatory visitors, as well as employees.

The operation of removing and replacing the chillers included the use of a 450-ton crane to lift the roof off the facility that housed the chillers, hoisting out the approximately 40,000 pounds of water-cooled chillers and replacing them with the air-cooled chillers. Along with the installation of the new chillers, the pumps and related piping were replaced, and the HVAC controls were upgraded to maximize energy and operational efficiency.  

Click here for the video to see how ABM prioritized communication and collaboration first, to make sure that no need would be overlooked, and to make sure that the project would be completed within the scheduled two-week timeframe.

“From the very beginning, I was impressed by ABM’s level of planning and communication,” said Mark Pine, Deputy Director of Griffith Observatory. “I knew we could have confidence the project would happen on time and in the reliability of the system ABM installed.”

Griffith Observatory, operated and maintained by the City of Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks, opened in 1935 and includes the Samuel Oschin Planetarium, a leader in public astronomy. Over 1.6 million visitors enter the Observatory each year and it has been featured in more than 300 films and television shows.

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ABM (NYSE:ABM) is a leading provider of facility solutions with revenues of approximately $6.4 billion and approximately 140,000 employees in 350+ offices throughout the United States and various international locations. ABM’s comprehensive capabilities include janitorial, electrical & lighting, energy solutions, facilities engineering, HVAC & mechanical, landscape & turf, mission critical solutions and parking, provided through stand-alone or integrated solutions. ABM provides custom facility solutions in urban, suburban and rural areas to properties of all sizes - from schools and commercial buildings to hospitals, data centers, manufacturing plants and airports. ABM Industries Incorporated, which operates through its subsidiaries, was founded in 1909. For more information, visit www.abm.com.

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