Nelson-Atkins
Museum of Art

Understanding and documenting the Museum’s mechanical, electrical, water, and geothermal systems. The Museum’s systems are robust, but many components require updated documentation and performance verification. The geothermal well field, domestic water system, heat recovery chiller, and air handling units are key priorities.  Sections: Summary of Electrical, Lighting and Fire…

Understanding and improving the museum’s mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and life-safety systems to protect collections and support reliable operations. The Museum’s core systems are generally robust, but much of the infrastructure is aging and due for renewed documentation, testing, and phased modernization. Priorities include reliable temperature…

Understanding how stormwater, soils, plants, and microclimates shape resilience for buildings and visitors. The Nelson-Atkins landscape is a defining public asset — and also a functional system that influences drainage, foundation protection, microclimate cooling, and outdoor comfort. Opportunities include better stormwater performance (reducing ponding and…

Clarifying baseline landfill, recycling, and material flows to support measurable improvements. Museums generate diverse waste streams — from daily visitor operations to exhibit change-outs and back-of-house packaging. Establishing a consistent audit approach and tracking baseline diversion creates a practical starting point for improving recycling, reducing…

Creating environments that support accessibility, comfort, and belonging  The Health lens explores how the physical environment influences human comfort, accessibility, and long term wellbeing. This includes air quality, daylight and glare, acoustics, thermal comfort, ADA access, and the psychological experience of moving through public buildings. For cultural institutions, health…

Climate readiness for people, collections, and operations  This section assesses how prepared the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art is to respond to climate driven disruptions and utility failures. It builds on regional climate projections, institutional experience, and workshop based scenario planning. The findings form a consistent method that institutions across the EcoDistrict can…