As weaving production rates and resultant stresses on warp and filling yarns increase so do emissions of heat, noise, dust, etc. It is increasingly difficult to control environment conditions in both the process zone and in the personnel zone. Conventional air conditioning system designs, which have a common environment for these two zones, necessitate compromises. A new design, employing modular environmental control apparatus (MECA), partially or completely separates the two environmental zones and thereby partially or completely reduces constraints of compromise. MECA concepts are described in this first of two publications on the subject.