Kent State University Museum

Kent, OH

Founded in 1985, the Kent State University Museum holds one of the world’s premier collections of fashion, textiles, and decorative arts, encompassing over 30,000 objects from the mid-eighteenth century to the present. Situated within Kent State University’s College of the Arts and sharing a building with the Shannon Rodgers and Jerry Silverman School of Fashion Design and Merchandising, the museum provides critical educational resources for students, scholars, and the broader public through rotating exhibitions, public programs, and research opportunities. The museum’s historic 1928 Rockwell Hall is essential to its mission but requires modernization to support collections care and ensure the long-term vitality of the institution—a major step in aligning the museum’s infrastructure with its long-term preservation and educational goals.

Supported by an FCI Scoping Grant, an energy audit will deliver a comprehensive assessment of Rockwell Hall’s mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and building envelope systems to inform a future HVAC renovation. This project aims to improve climate control stability crucial for preserving delicate fashion and textile artifacts while advancing institutional energy efficiency and environmental responsibility. By integrating energy use benchmarking and facility improvement recommendations, the audit will enable the museum to incorporate long-term efficiencies into future capital planning, safeguarding its collections and educational mission for generations. This initiative reflects Kent State University Museum’s commitment to innovative stewardship within the cultural and academic ecosystem.

Milestones

• Complete ASHRAE Level II energy audit of Rockwell Hall

• Identify energy consumption patterns and benchmark against comparable institutions

• Develop prioritized facility improvement measures supporting collections preservation

• Provide financial analysis and implementation strategies for energy-efficient upgrades

• Inform design specifications for the planned HVAC renovation project

• Strengthen institutional capacity for facilities management