However, no one wanted to preserve the existing heating and cooling system, which featured a wheezy steam boiler and gusty window and ceiling fans. City manager John Salomone was surprised to learn there was no air conditioning in the building when he arrived a few years ago. Summer temperatures occasionally topped 95°F in some offices.
City Hall's new heating and cooling system had to meet several criteria. It had to be cost-effective, energy efficient, provide a more comfortable working environment, and blend into the landmark building both inside and out. While a gas boiler and central air system was a conventional choice, John Manning, P.E., who heads his own design firm, Earth Sensitive Solutions, LLC, recommended an alternative.