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An important resource for regional artists of all ages, theAlliance for the Visual Arts (AVA) recently undertook a complete renovation of its headquarters in the historic Carter Building in Lebanon, N.H. More than 150 years old, the three-story, 36,000-sq.-ft. building was once home to an enormous manufacturing and merchandising enterprise that made overalls and other work clothes for customers throughout the northeast and beyond.

The extensive AVA renovation involved the entire building and included a new main entry, a patio that abuts the restored main gallery, administration offices and additional galleries, a teaching studio for children, a library, darkroom facilities, and more than 20 individual studios available to artists. A second stairway and elevator also was added, and all utilities were updated including full mechanical, electrical, fire alarm and sprinkler. The many energy-saving improvements to the building will make it an appropriate candidate for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification by the U.S. Green Building Council.

VE Plus is an integrated program designed to reduce installation costs in cable management systems. The program includes free estimating support, a certified installer program, streamlined purchasing power and guaranteed cost savings. Components of the program include Cablofil/Legrand wire cable tray, Southwire MC and MC Feeder cable, and PlugTail connecting devices from Pass & Seymour/Legrand.

Defiance Electric & Crossover Inc. was selected as the electrical and communications contractor and chose to use the new VE Plus program as a way to provide an integrated solution that increases efficiency and reduces installation costs. "We like the VE Plus program because it provides a cohesive cable management system that is designed to work together from end to end," says Todd Boucher, vice president, Defiance Electric & Crossover Inc. "The value of this program is consistent with our philosophy that an integrated services approach offers the most efficient and scalable solution, especially in complex installations like the AVA Gallery project."

MC cable supported by Cablofil/Legrand wire tray installs faster than unsupported MC cable installations and is more orderly in appearance. The system is capable of supporting a large number of cables in a single run and since the unique design of MC cables in tray keeps cables cool, no derating of cables is needed. In addition, multiple cables can be easily pulled into the Cablofil system with no lubing required. These advantages were important in Boucher's decision to select VE Plus.

"The restoration of the historic Carter Building presented significant design and installation challenges because the electrical and communications systems were to be exposed throughout the facility," Boucher says. "The components of VE Plus allowed us to utilize shared pathways for these systems, minimizing the occupation of valuable ceiling space while still providing an aesthetically pleasing solution that preserved the décor of this unique gallery and art center."

The option to use shared pathways is an important benefit of VE Plus. A single structure to support a number of cable types—electrical, data, communications, and/or security—is inherently more efficient and cost effective than power cables in conduit plus an additional support structure for data or communications.