The Dolley Madison House, Cosmos Club, and Tayloe House buildings are part of the National Courts Building complex. All three buildings are listed as historic properties by the GSA National Capital Region Historic Preservation Office. The three buildings are all served by the same reverse return, dual temperature piping system.  The piping system is divided into an air handling unit (AHU) piping loop and a fan coil unit (FCU) piping loop. The FCU pipe riser was failing and leaking.

Summer Consultants replaced 6,000 linear feet of aging and deteriorated steel and copper piping within the three buildings. The system was reconfigured as a direct return. Existing three-way control valves were replaced with new two-way control valves. New control valves were added where there were none. The constant volume pumping system was also upgraded to a variable volume system. The controls were integrated with the Courts Building existing control system.

Construction was phased. Construction in occupied areas was conducted after hours to minimize disturbance to building occupants and maintain water service during normal business hours.