The art conservation literature presents a wide range of recommended temperatures and relative humidities required to protect the safety of collections in museums, but the operating energy costs for specific criteria have not been identified. The Scott Gallery at the Huntington Library and Art Gallery in San Marino, CA, was selected for a detailed study of energy costs associated with recommended environmental levels for museums. The results of computer simulations of the Scott Gallery when located in Albuquerque, NM., Burbank, CA., Minneapolis, MN., New Orleans, LA, and New York, NY are presented. The simulations were performed using the DOE-2 building energy analysis computer program. The peak heating and cooling load components are identified, thermal zone loads quantified, and psychrometric analysis of the annual energy requirements with fixed and variable inside air temperature and relative humidity (RH) setpoints are presented. In all five climate regions the minimum energy consumption occurred with 70 deg F and 50% RH setpoint.

KEYWORDS: indoor air, temperature, relative humidity, museums, energy consumption, computer programs, computers, USA, heat load, cooling load, peak load, buildings, climate, art galleries.