Munters' precise climate control in the LIC archive

Sustainable and accurate climate management in the Learning and Innovation Center Archive

In the construction of the Learning and Innovation Centre (LIC) in the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), accurate climate control for the archive rooms was critical. Munters was selected by Arcadis, the world's leading company delivering intelligence-driven sustainable design, engineering, and consultancy solutions for natural and built assets, as the ideal partner to provide an energy-efficient and reliable solution to preserve valuable documents and materials.

‘Sustainability was paramount in the construction of the LIC, both in terms of material use and energy consumption. Our goal was to minimize energy consumption, which led to several things including improved ventilation, where Munters made a big difference.’
- Thomas Haustraete, Project Manager at VUB

Why climate control is essential for archives

In archives, fluctuations in temperature and humidity can have damaging effects on documents and objects. Too high humidity increases the risk of mold and material degradation, while too low humidity can cause paper and other delicate materials to dry out and become brittle. For the LIC, a stable, precisely controlled environment was an absolute priority.

An innovative collaboration

Munters' expertise in moisture control was crucial for the LIC archive, with their ability to act as a thinking partner proving invaluable. For example, there was a lot of consultation during the design phase, which ensured that the installation went smoothly, this project-oriented thinking from the start ensured that all parties could count on a great result.

‘Munters is not only a supplier of essential climate technology, but also actively thinks along with the customer. That makes us strong. The LIC project is a great example of this: determining the right concept was a challenge, but we are proud to have been involved from design to delivery.’
- Wouter Adriaens, Applications Engineer at Munters

Each dehumidification system is designed according to the customers’ needs. Munters uses in-house tools to select, configure and calculate systems tailored to the project, allowing Arcadis to be even more ambitious in their design.

Versatile ventilation for archive rooms

Today, an ML1100PLUS system is installed in the archive room of the LIC: a modular climate system that can cool, heat, humidify, and dehumidify the room in a highly energetic way. The Vrije Universiteit Brussel had set strict performance standards with very specific limits for humidity and temperature:

• - The LIC archive standards are 18 °C and 45% RH (relative humidity).
• - Stable conditions of 1 °C and 3% within a 24-hour period.
• - Keep fluctuations to ±2 °C and 5% over a longer term

Thanks to the ML1100PLUS' precise cooling and heating coil, humidifier and dehumidifier, the room always remains within these standards without any problems.

The application of the ML1100PLUS is very diverse. The system is ideal for storage rooms and archives, such as those at the LIC, but has also been proven in museums and galleries, clean rooms and laboratories, for food production, and for packaging, filling and capsule rooms in pharmaceutical and industrial processing lines

What makes this ventilation solution so special?

Crucial to the powerful operation of the ML1100PLUS is the desiccant wheel, a smart technology that filters water vapour out of the room. This technology was not only invented by Munters, but is to this day the best-performing desiccant rotor on the market. Combined with the careful temperature control of the ML1100PLUS, the LIC now has an efficient all-in-one solution, which can be easily operated via a central control system.

Advantages of the ML1100PLUS unit:

• - Precise climate control - keeps temperature and humidity constant within required standards.
• - Energy efficiency - reduces energy consumption and contributes to LIC's sustainability goals.
• - Compact and modular - easy to integrate into various storage and research spaces.
• - Minimal maintenance - robust design with a long service life and low maintenance requirements.

‘Together with Wouter Adriaens of Munters, we at Arcadis determined how the air group should be constructed and perform. We also looked together at the overpressure and airtightness in the archive. The cooperation went very smoothly, both in design and execution. This was clearly a successful collaboration!’
- Vera Desoppere, Senior project engineer at Arcadis

A future-proof solution

With 70 years of experience in climate management, Munters continues to invest in innovative technologies to develop energy-efficient and sustainable climate solutions. The installation at the LIC is a perfect example of how progressive engineering and collaboration can lead to a future-proof solution.

‘We continuously invest in our R&D department to develop environmentally friendly and energy-efficient solutions. From our position as a manufacturer, we are constantly looking for what the market needs and how we can tailor our development and innovation accordingly.’
- Wouter Adriaens, Application Engineer at Munters