National Gallery of Art

Emergency backup power for Master Facility Plan renovation of the National Gallery of Art East Building in Washington, D.C.

The National Gallery of Art is one of the world’s leading art museums with a significant collection of American and European masterworks. Maintaining high standards of excellence and achievement, as well as service to the nation, continues to be the National Gallery’s highest priority. The mission of the Gallery is to serve the country by preserving, collecting, exhibiting, and fostering understanding of works of art for the American Public.

The East Building, opened to the public in 1978, is itself a work of “art in architecture” on par with the artwork it exhibits. Designed by the world-renowned architect I.M. Pei, the East Building houses and protects modern collections of paintings, works on paper, sculpture, textiles, and decorative arts. The building preserves the collection and makes it readily available to the American public and visitors from around the world in a safe and secure environment.

The East Building Renovation and Expansion Project was multifaceted and affected nearly all spaces in the public galleries and included life safety and fire protection improvements; mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and elevator updates; building envelope improvements; new gallery space, sculpture terrace, egress stairs, and art movement/public elevator

Curtis Engine supplied and JE Richards installed a 900 kW diesel powered backup generator and related transfer switches for the National Gallery of Art East Building in Washington, D.C. The new system was also integrated with the existing GE Zenith ATS's