Contact: Jodi Scott
Public Relations
678-539-1140
jscott@ashrae.org

ATLANTA – A new web application from ASHRAE automates the calculations needed to show a building project’s compliance with Standard 90.1-2010.

The 90.1 ECB web application is a tool for modeling compliance with ANSI/ASHRAE/IES 90.1-2010, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, using the Energy Cost Budget (ECB) method in the standard.

The application allows users to input project parameters and then calculate the proposed design’s projected performance and compliance, with the results exportable in a workable spreadsheet for project use,” Drake Erbe, chair of the Standard 90.1 committee, said.

The application is accessible from desktop, tablet or other device. It allows users to store project information in one place for easy reference and comparison.

The app is free of charge to users. To learn more, visit 901ECB.ashrae.org.

ASHRAE, founded in 1894, is a global society advancing human well-being through sustainable technology for the built environment. The Society and its more than 54,000 members worldwide focus on building systems, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, refrigeration and sustainability. Through research, standards writing, publishing, certification and continuing education, ASHRAE shapes tomorrow’s built environment today. More information can be found at www.ashrae.org/news.

Contact: Jodi Scott
Public Relations
678-539-1140
jscott@ashrae.org

ATLANTA – A newly published document from ASHRAE and IES gives users of their energy efficiency standard immediate access to an optional third path for compliance, providing more flexibility for the industry.

Standard   90.1-2013 Appendix G: Performance Rating Method is an excerpt from ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1 (I-P), Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings. The document gives users immediate access to selected addenda slated to be published in the 2016 version of the standard. The majority of the document is comprised of addendum bm, which allows Appendix G to be used as a compliance path within the standard.

“This document is being provided at the request of users,” Drake Erbe, chair of the Standard 90.1 committee, said. “This is the first time ASHRAE and IES have made available an interim clean publication of a portion of Standard 90.1, and we are doing so now because users have expressed a critical need for this guidance. Several entities have expressed interest in developing programs based on the revised appendix. This release also gives advanced notice to software developers that may be interested in automating the process of creating the Appendix G baseline.”

Erbe notes that the guidance in addendum bm had two significant impacts on Appendix G.

“Previously Appendix G was used only to rate ‘beyond code’ performance of buildings but could not be used to demonstrate compliance with the base 90.1 standard,” he said. “Now the standard provides that compliance path and gives credit for integrated design resulting in energy savings such as efficient use of building mass, optimized building orientation, efficient HVAC&R system selection and right sizing of HVAC&R equipment.”

Using this new version of Appendix G to show compliance with the 2016 version of the standard, the proposed building design needs to have a Performance Cost Index (PCI) less than that shown in Table 4.2.1.1 based on building type and climate zone.

The second change is that the baseline design is now fixed at a certain level of performance, the stringency of which is expected not to change with subsequent versions of the standard. By this, a building of any era can be rated using the same method with the same baseline of compliance. The intent is that any building energy code or beyond-code program can use this methodology and simply set the appropriate target for their needs analogous to those in the table. Therefore, a beyond-code program may wish to set a target less than is shown in the table (a target of 0 is a net zero building), while compliance with a previous version of the standard may wish to set a target above what is shown. Because unregulated loads are not included in the compliance target in Table 4.2.1.1, beyond-code programs that encourage improvement in unregulated loads may wish to modify the target to include those loads.

Other addenda included in the excerpt are:

• Addendum k directs the modeler to use the default assemblies in Appendix A for baseline opaque envelope assemblies.
• Addendum r establishes the hierarchy of the decision-making process for selecting baseline HVAC systems.
• Addendum z provides detail on the simulation of base-line building heat pumps, including how auxiliary heat is used in conjunction with heat-pump heating.
• Addendum aa provides direction regarding when it is appropriate to model a heating-only system in Appendix G.
• Addendum ad clarifies when baseline HVAC systems should be modeled with preheat coils.
• Addendum dx makes changes to the baseline lighting power allowances in Appendix G.

Erbe noted that while it is likely that the version of Appendix G published in the 2016 edition of the standard will include additional changes to Appendix G, it is not likely that they will be as extensive as those included in addendum bm. The primary focus is to make the new methodology with a fixed baseline available so users become familiar with it.

The cost of Standard 90.1-2013 Appendix G: Performance Rating Method—Excerpt from ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2013 (I-P) is $41 ($35, ASHRAE members).

To order, visit www.ashrae.org/bookstore or contact ASHRAE Customer Contact Center at 1-800-527-4723 (United States and Canada) or 404-636-8400 (worldwide) or fax 678-539-2129.

ASHRAE, founded in 1894, is a global society advancing human well-being through sustainable technology for the built environment. The Society and its more than 54,000 members worldwide focus on building systems, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, refrigeration and sustainability. Through research, standards writing, publishing, certification and continuing education, ASHRAE shapes tomorrow’s built environment today. More information can be found at www.ashrae.org/news.

###

Contact: Jodi Scott
Public Relations
678-539-1140
jscott@ashrae.org

ATLANTA – While the United Kingdom’s Government Construction Strategy mandated use of Level 2 building information modeling (BIM) on all public sector projects by 2016, recent surveys show that fewer than 15 percent of firms are fully prepared to do so.

“There is a very strong push for BIM in the UK,” Tim Dwyer said. “While the majority of firms have indicated they are not ready for the mandate (84 percent), nearly two-thirds have indicated it will be good for the building industry and is the future for building services.”

Successful collaborative efforts within firms and between firms for BIM are presented in a session Dwyer is chairing at the ASHRAE 2016 Winter Conference, which takes place Jan. 23-27, Orlando, Fla. The ASHRAE co-sponsored AHR Expo is being held Jan. 25-27, next door at the Orange County Convention Center. To register for the ASHRAE Conference, which includes free access to the Expo, visit www.ashrae.org/orlando.

The Technical Program features eight tracks, some 100 sessions and more than 300 speakers. It runs Sunday, Jan. 24, through Wednesday, Jan. 27, and offers over 200 Professional Development Hours, as well as Continuing Education Units, which can be applied toward a Professional Engineering license in many states, including the state of Florida.

Dwyer’s seminar focuses on “Delivering Building Performance through Collaboration and Integration.” He notes that with an ever-increasing demand for more stringent building environmental requirements, collaboration across the building ‘team’ is critical to deliver effective buildings that meet standards and performance metrics.

“Successful projects do not come from ‘silo’ working practices, and increasingly the engineer will be the lead for interdisciplinary design solutions that benefit from the integrating tools, which include BIM, and technologies as well as timely, and properly informed, client communication and interaction,” he said. The seminar takes place Tuesday, Jan. 26.

Other sessions that incorporate BIM are:

• Do Tall, Super Tall and Mega Tall Buildings Consume More Energy than Conventional Buildings or Do They Conserve More Energy?
• New CFD Techniques for Design of Air Distribution Systems
• BIM Strategies for Energy Modeling and MEP Design Consulting
• Improving the Design and Performance of Ground Source Heat Pump Systems
• Building Modeling Simulation
• Building Modeling and Optimization
• Advancements in Energy Modeling
• Strategies to Improve Building Models and Operation
• Simulation for Cutting-Edge Building Design

ASHRAE, founded in 1894, is a global society advancing human well-being through sustainable technology for the built environment. The Society and its more than 54,000 members worldwide focus on building systems, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, refrigeration and sustainability. Through research, standards writing, publishing, certification and continuing education, ASHRAE shapes tomorrow’s built environment today. More information can be found at www.ashrae.org/news.

###

Contact: Jodi Scott
Public Relations
678-539-1140
jscott@ashrae.org

ATLANTA – A call for programs has been announced for ASHRAE’s 2016 Annual Conference, June 25-29, St. Louis, Mo.

 “A new ‘Smart Building Systems’ track for this conference addresses the revolution in information technology applied to the built environment,” Tom Kuehn, Conference Program chair, said.  “Weather and time of day utility rate forecasting, distributed sensors and remote monitoring and control are all included in the track. Topics key to personal success are included in the “Professional Skills Beyond Engineering’ track.  Programs describing advances in refrigeration technology are given special emphasis and other tracks cover more conventional topics.”

Programs are sought for the following tracks: Advances in Refrigeration Systems and Alternative Refrigerants; Fundamentals and Applications; HVAC Systems and Equipment; Smart Building Systems/Remote Monitoring and Diagnostics; Indoor Environment: Health, Comfort, Productivity; Professional Skills Beyond Engineering; and Renewable Energy Systems and Net Zero Buildings. Programs are also sought for the fourth annual Research Summit, which reports results on any aspect of ASHRAE-related research. In addition, programs focusing on practical applications and utilizing case studies are requested.

Programs are requested for the following program types: Seminars, which include 1-4 presentations on a similar topic; Workshops, which allow equal time for 1-2 presentations and discussion; and Forums, which are discussion-based sessions with no presentations.

A call for programs (non-paper based presentations) is now open through Feb. 8, 2016. To submit a proposal or for more information, go to www.ashrae.org/Stlouis.

The ASHRAE 2016 Annual Conference will take place at the America’s Center Convention Complex and Renaissance St. Louis Grand Hotel. The event will attract some 2,500 conference attendees and meeting participants.

ASHRAE, founded in 1894, is a global society advancing human well-being through sustainable technology for the built environment. The Society and its more than 54,000 members worldwide focus on building systems, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, refrigeration and sustainability. Through research, standards writing, publishing, certification and continuing education, ASHRAE shapes tomorrow’s built environment today. More information can be found at www.ashrae.org/news.

###

Contact: Jodi Scott
Public Relations
678-539-1140
jscott@ashrae.org

ATLANTA – Over the last 15 years single family homes have been built tighter, making them much more energy efficient and comfortable compared to drafty houses of the past. But there’s a tradeoff.

"While the energy benefits are great, air tight homes demand thoughtful HVAC&R design for ventilation and building pressure management," Lew Harriman said. "The big issues involve adequate outdoor air for kitchen and bathroom exhausts and combustion appliances, plus the continuous ventilation now required by ASHRAE’s residential indoor air quality standard, 62.2."

Air tightness is indirectly connected to indoor air quality (IAQ) because IAQ is connected to total ventilation, and leaky buildings can contribute to total ventilation. But it is much more energy efficient to provide ventilation mechanically vs. through air leakage, Harriman notes.

Harriman is chairing a session that addresses residential building applications at the ASHRAE 2016 Winter Conference, which takes place Jan. 23-27, Orlando, Fla. The ASHRAE co-sponsored AHR Expo is being held Jan. 25-27, next door at the Orange County Convention Center. To register for the ASHRAE Conference, which includes free access to the Expo, visitwww.ashrae.org/orlando.

The Technical Program features eight tracks, some 100 sessions and more than 300 speakers. It runs Sunday, Jan. 24, through Wednesday, Jan. 27, and offers over 200 Professional Development Hours, as well as Continuing Education Units, which can be applied toward a Professional Engineering license in many states, including the state of Florida.

The seminar, High Performance Residential Building Applications and Issues, takes place Monday, Jan. 25. Experts from the natural gas industry, the U.S. Department of Energy and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory will describe results of their decades of real-world experience measuring and understanding the behavior of tight houses. They will provide practical tips and traps to help both HVAC professionals and home owners ensure safe, high quality indoor air in the tight, net-zero energy houses of the 21st Century, according to Harriman.

The seminar program is part of the Technical Program track on modern residential systems.

"Engineering for residential HVAC and plumbing systems and equipment used to be referred to as catalog engineering: for a two bedroom house choose one from Column A; for a three bedroom house choose one from Column B," Jennifer Leach, chair of the track and of the Conference Technical Program, said. "Recent years have seen a boom in energy efficient solutions for the savvy, fiscally-conscience home owner. From glazing to water heating to lighting, speakers in this track are going to provide updates on the latest advances for the residential market."

Other sessions that incorporate residential are:

• Residential Smart Appliances: Enabling Electric Grid Resilience and Demand Response
• Heat Pump Applications for Domestic Hot Water
• Considering Occupancy Behavior in Design and Operation for Residential Buildings
• Challenges and Opportunities in Residential Construction
• How Can ASHRAE Help Provide Affordable High Performance Residential Buildings in Countries with Developing Economies?
• Net Zero Energy Home Strategies from Coast to Coast
• An Assessment of Unconventional Heat Pump Sizing with Variable Capacity Technology
• Residential Energy Savings from Fuel Switching, Hot-Gas Bypass and Conditional Demand Analysis
• Updates and Perspectives on the New Version of ICC 700, The Residential Green Building Standard
• Acoustics in Multi-Family Residential Environments
• Metrics Matter: How Should We Judge Energy Performance?
• High Performance Residential Building Applications and Issues
• Introduction to Biomass Heating and Hydronics for Young Engineers

ASHRAE, founded in 1894, is a global society advancing human well-being through sustainable technology for the built environment. The Society and its more than 54,000 members worldwide focus on building systems, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, refrigeration and sustainability. Through research, standards writing, publishing, certification and continuing education, ASHRAE shapes tomorrow’s built environment today. More information can be found at www.ashrae.org/news.

###

Contact: Jodi Scott
Public Relations
678-539-1140
jscott@ashrae.org

ATLANTA – Wind turbines, subcooled glycol/water, geothermal wells, reuse of coil condensation water and a central heat pump water heating system are among the innovative measures used in the five buildings receiving ASHRAE Technology Awards.

The awards recognize outstanding achievements by members who have successfully applied innovative building design.  Their designs incorporate ASHRAE standards for effective energy management and indoor air quality. Winning projects are selected from entries earning regional awards.

First place awards will be presented at the ASHRAE 2016 Winter Conference, Jan. 23-27, Orlando, Fla.

Following are summaries of the winning projects:

Walgreens Net Zero Store

Benjamin A. Skelton, P.E., BEMP, president, Cyclone Energy Group, Chicago, Ill., receives first place in the new commercial buildings category for the Walgreens Net Zero Store, Evanston, Ill. The building is owned by Walgreen Co.

The global retail pharmacy brand set out with a vision to create a scalable retail building design that would serve as a showcase for innovative, sustainable and high performance design to sustainability, architecture, engineering and retail communities. The store is designed to achieve net zero energy use by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s most stringent definition of “renewable energy generated within the building footprint.”

Among its innovative features are:

• 840 roof-mounted solar panels, generating enough energy to power 30 Illinois homes for a year
• two 35-foot-tall wind turbines, using winds from Lake Michigan to generate enough power to offset annual greenhouse gas emissions from 2.2 passenger vehicles
• geo-exchange energy obtained by drilling 550 feet into the ground below the store
• LED lighting and daylight harvesting
• carbon dioxide refrigerant for heating, cooling and refrigeration equipment
• energy efficient building materials

The owner set out with a vision to create a store that would be an innovation laboratory to test products, materials, systems and equipment that could be incorporated into prototype designs and retrofit throughout existing stores. Walgreens also wanted to share the results from the design, construction and ongoing operation of the store with the public, design community and even their competition. The store is designed to facilitate tours, including hosting executives and designers from their retail competition.

DPR Construction’s San Francisco Net Positive Energy Office

Dylan T. Connelly, associate, Integral Group, Oakland, Calif., receives first place in the existing commercial buildings category for DPR Construction’s San Francisco Net Positive Energy Office. DPR Construction occupies the building and has a 10 year lease with an option for 10 more years.

A national construction company, DPR sought to lead by example and transform the building industry with its retrofitted net positive 22,000 square foot San Francisco office. The office demonstrates the potential of the capabilities of integrated, innovated and replicable design, reducing energy use and improving indoor environmental conditions while being cost effective with today’s technologies. The design includes a 118 kw rooftop photovoltaic system, all electric systems, operable skylights, building management system controlled ceiling fans, enhanced daylighting and living walls.

A net positive energy office building was achieved by reducing energy loads through use of efficient HVAC and electrical systems, and by installing photovoltaic and solar thermal systems on the roof to produce more energy than the building consumes. The target energy use index (EUI) was 23.6 kBTU/square foot/year and achieved a first year EU of 20.4, significantly lower than the code baseline of 49 EUI and 20 percent net positive energy. By retrofitting an existing building vs. building new, the project reduced its initial carbon footprint by over 70 percent.

Occupant comfort and health is also a top priority. A dedicated outdoor air system delivers 30 percent more ventilation than required ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2010, Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality.  Heat recovery ventilators use MERV 8 pre-filters and MERV 13 final filters to filter out contaminants, increasing the efficiency of filtration and continuing to improve indoor air quality.

Another interesting feature is the use of dynamic elements, such as sunlight and plants, to activate the space, engage users and provide a connection of surroundings. Three living walls in the main lobby improve indoor air quality by absorbing volatile organic compounds while also increasing the overall wellbeing for occupants.

Anne-Marie Edward Science Building – John Abbott College

Nicolas Lemire, Ing., HFDP, president/principal, Pageau Morel and Associates, Montreal, Quebec, receives first place in the new educational facilities category for the Anne-Marie Edward Science Building at John Abbott College, Sainte- Sainte-Anne-De-Bellevue, Quebec. The building is owned by the college.

The contemporary six-story facility is named after a victim of a 1989 shooting at Ecole Polytechnique who was a science graduate of John Abbott. Anne-Marie Edward had been pursuing an engineering degree, and the community felt that through engineering, the pavilion demonstrated how humans are essential to environmental sustainability using applied knowledge and technology.

Energy diversification is accomplished with the use of geothermal wells, electrical heating and cooling, natural gas hot water heating and solar preheating. Potable water consumption is reduced with the use of low flow plumbing fixtures and resources are maximized through reuse and recuperation:

• reuse of return air as compensation air in laboratories
• reuse of coil condensation water to humidify exhaust air
• recuperation on both general and laboratory exhausts
• recuperation through heat pump extraction and storage in stratified tanks
• recuperation of rainwater and fan-coil condensation water.

Laboratory ventilation requirements and large glazing surfaces can have devastating effects on energy efficiency. Nonetheless, the building’s actual energy use is 45 percent lower than the baseline case and 10 percent lower than the proposed simulation. 

Seattle-Tacoma (Sea-Tac) Airport Pre-Conditioned Air

Ken Warren, P.E., capital project manager, Port of Seattle (Wash.), receives first place in the new industrial facilities or processes category for the Sea-Tac Airport Pre-Conditioned Air project. The building is owned by the Port of Seattle.

The Port’s Century Agenda sets a vision of reducing carbon emissions and air pollutants, increasing energy conservation, being socially and fiscally responsible and exceeding customer expectations. Its Pre-conditioned Air project is an important step in meeting an agenda objective of being the greenest, most energy efficient port in North America.

The system includes a pre-conditioned air plant (PCAP), piping and air handlers to provide cooling and heating for airplanes during boarding and deplaning to reduce costs for airlines, improved air quality, reduced noise and increased energy efficiency. The PCAP delivers sub-cooled glycol/water through 15 miles of piping to each of the 73 airplane gates in the existing facility, to serve the complete airplane HVAC&R needs. The system allows airplanes to shut off their jet-fueled on-board auxiliary power units (APUs), resulting in jet fuel savings and reductions in carbon dioxide and other gas emissions.

The reductions realized through the project include annual savings of:

• An estimated five million gallons in fuel; a $15 million savings in airline fuel costs
• 40,000 metric tons of greenhouse gases, the equivalent of removing 8,000 cars from the road
• 73 tons of nitrogen oxides
• Noise pollution from aircraft parked at the gates operating their APUs

Stack House Apartments

Jonathan M. Heller, P.E., principal engineer, Ecotope Inc., Seattle, Wash., receives first place in the residential category for the Stack House Apartments. The building is owned by Stack House Acquisition LLC.

The project includes two new multifamily buildings and one adaptive reuse of a historic building, which helped to retain some of the historical character of the neighborhood. The project covers an entire city block in the South Lake Union neighborhood of Seattle.

Innovative mechanical systems include a central heat pump water heating system in the largest of the two multifamily buildings, ductless heat pumps for 40 percent of the apartment units and common spaces, and rainwater catchment and reuse for urban agriculture on the roof. The historic building was included in the City of Seattle’s pilot of an outcome-based energy code; the first program in the nation to predicate energy code compliance on post-occupancy proof of highly efficient operations. The project also participated in a stormwater treatment pilot project with Seattle Public Utilities with two biofiltration swales providing primary treatment to stormwater run-off from the Capitol Hill neighborhood before discharging to Lake Union.

The apartments are among the most energy efficient in the Pacific Northwest with measured EUIs of 19.8 kBtu/square foot/year for the West Building and 27.1 kBtu/square foot/year for the Southeast Building.
ASHRAE, founded in 1894, is a global society advancing human well-being through sustainable technology for the built environment. The Society and its more than 54,000 members worldwide focus on building systems, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, refrigeration and sustainability. Through research, standards writing, publishing, certification and continuing education, ASHRAE shapes tomorrow’s built environment today. More information can be found at www.ashrae.org/news.

###

Contact: Jodi Scott
Public Relations
678-539-1140
jscott@ashrae.org

ATLANTA – The ASHRAE and IBPSA-USA SimBuild 2016: Building Performance Modeling Conference has announced a call for presenters.

The co-organized conference takes place Aug. 10-12, 2016, Salt Lake City, Utah.  To submit an abstract or for more information, visit www.ashrae.org/simbuild2016. 

“The practical application of modeling buildings includes a broad range of professional services requiring an equally broad range of expertise, knowledge, skills and tools. This call for presentations addresses these practitioner needs,” Dennis Knight, conference chair, said. 

 Modeling is useful throughout a building’s life cycle from analyzing individual elements and assemblies at the beginning stages of design through measuring the performance of a building after it is constructed and using calibrated models to improve performance.  

While energy may be the single-most highly visible form of modeling, it is clear that practitioners face many other requirements, such as occupant comfort (acoustics, thermal and visual), indoor environmental quality, sustainability, resilience, life safety, system design, component selection, documentation, code compliance, utility incentives analysis, and building performance rating and labeling programs, to name a few.

“This expanded scope of work facing modelers combined with integrating tools like BEM and SIM with BIM describe the challenges facing practitioners today.  Through the call for presenters and invited speakers, the conference aims to provide ways to address these common concerns.”

With a goal to address the lifecycle of buildings, the overall theme for the conference is “Using Simulation to Improve Building Performance from Planning and Design to Construction, Operations and Retrofit." 

The conference seeks practical application presentations on the following building modeling topics:

• Energy efficiency
• HVAC component modeling and load analysis
• Urban scale modeling
• Lighting and daylighting
• Optimization
• Computational fluid dynamics
• Data exchange and interoperability
• Energy auditing
• Life cycle cost and economic analysis
• Model calibration and validation
• Automation and scripting
• Weather data for modeling
• Occupant comfort
• Heat, air, moisture modeling
• Uncertainty analysis
• Big data applications for large scale simulations
• Standards, organization, best practices and workflow for BEM and SIM
• Documenting existing conditions in BIM using photographs, laser scans and point clouds for use in BEM and SIM applications

Modelers, software developers, architects, engineers, building owners and other practitioners are invited to submit presentation proposals on these topics. Presentations addressing case studies, workflow and process, cloud-based solutions, and challenges and work arounds are encouraged. 

“These presentations should address the practices of building modeling using existing tools,” Knight said.

Abstracts (400 or less words in length) and a 100-word promotional abstract are due Feb. 3, 2016.  Papers are not required for accepted presentation proposals.

To submit an abstract or for more information, visit www.ashrae.org/simbuild2016. 

A call for papers recently closed with more than 200 abstracts received.  Abstracts are currently being reviewed, and authors of accepted papers will present at the conference as well.

The conference will cover two-and-a-half days and will be preceded by two days of optional training seminars and short courses. 

ASHRAE, founded in 1894, is a global society advancing human well-being through sustainable technology for the built environment. The Society and its more than 54,000 members worldwide focus on building systems, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, refrigeration and sustainability. Through research, standards writing, publishing, certification and continuing education, ASHRAE shapes tomorrow’s built environment today. More information can be found at www.ashrae.org/news.

IBPSA-USA is the United States regional affiliate of the International Building Performance Simulation Association (IBPSA). The mission of IBPSA-USA is to advance and promote the science of building simulation in order to improve the design, construction, operation and maintenance of new and existing buildings in the United States.

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Contact: Jodi Scott
Public Relations
678-539-1140
jscott@ashrae.org

ATLANTA – Heat – whether in designing a building in Qatar or a temporary structure for heat illness victims – was the focus of two ASHRAE competitions challenging students in their engineering skills.

The 2015 Design Competition focused on a three-story classroom and office building in Doha, Qatar, while for the Applied Engineering Challenge, students were required to design a collapsible portable conditioned shelter for treatment of heat illness victims. Thirty-nine teams representing 10 countries entered the events.

First place recipients in the HVAC System Selection are from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Team members are Brianna Brass, currently seeking a Master’s of Architectural Engineering degree, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Matthew Easlon, Feinschule Hagwon, Gwangju, Korea; Mary Kleinsasser, currently seeking a Master’s of Architectural Engineering degree, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Ben MacKenzie, mechanical engineering intern, Affiliated Engineers, Madison, Wis.; and Rachel Obenland, currently seeking a Master’s of Architectural Engineering degree, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The faculty advisor is David P. Yuill, Ph.D., P.E., while industry advisors are Joe Hazel, P.E., HFDP, Specialized Engineering Solutions, Omaha, Neb., and Dan Karnes, Leo A. Daly, Omaha, Neb.

After comparing HVAC system options, the team chose a water source heat pump system utilizing a closed seawater loop field. The system had the lowest life cycle cost of the three systems considered. The seawater loop field provides a sustainable energy source with a low environment impact. Comfort and indoor environmental quality are easily maintained due to the adjustability of the system within the building.

The system showed a 44 percent energy improvement over the baseline. It is projected to cost $3.8 million over a 50 year period, which is $695,000 less than a variable air volume air handling system with thermal ice storage option and $220,600 less than fan coil units with a dedicated outside air system and thermal ice storage option.

First place recipients in the HVAC Design Calculations also are from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Team members are Kristin Hanna, currently seeking a Master’s of Architectural Engineering degree, University of Nebraska-Lincoln; Garrett Johnson; Mark Wilder, mechanical intern, M.E. Group, Omaha, Neb. The faculty advisor is David Yuill, Ph.D., P.E.

To address the peak cooling load of 157 tons, students designed a thermal ice storage system, which allows the chiller size to be reduced to 100 tons while still meeting load. Although the ice storage system adds initial cost, it is shown to reduce life cycle cost because of the reduction in initial cost for the chiller and reduction of energy used during peak demand hours throughout the cooling season.

The team also designed a creative condenser water heat rejection approach, using several decorative fountains on the school grounds. The approach is unusual but has been implemented in the Museum of Islamic Art in Doha. Heat and mass transfer calculations show that a total of 240 square meters of fountains will be required.  

First place in the category of Integrated Sustainable Building Design goes to a team from Portland State University. Team members are Krestina Aziz, architectural designer, Otak, Portland, Ore.; Adam Buchholz, estimator, Johnson Air Products, Portland, Ore.; Nicole Dunbar, mechanical designer, Mazzetti Inc., Portland, Ore.; Lee H. Han, mechanical engineer, PAE Consulting Engineers, Seattle, Wash.; Joel Joiner, project manager, Hydro-Temp Mechanical, Wilsonville, Ore.; Osman Sarper Kucuk; Blake Reynolds, mechanical designer, Interface Engineering, Portland, Ore.; Natalie Sherwood, mechanical designer, Interface Engineering, Portland, Ore.; Huy Tran, CLEARRresult, Portland, Ore.; and Alex Wilson, graduate student, Portland State University.  The faculty advisor is Huafen Hu, Ph.D.

The team worked to integrate site location, building orientation, envelope components and mechanical systems to achieve a building approaching net zero energy. The building site was chosen on the basis of wind direction, public transportation and proximity to the Persian Gulf to take advantage of any naturally cooled air. For mechanical system design, they chose a combination or radiant beams with a dedicated outdoor air system, energy recovery ventilators and thermal storage.

Low flow plumbing was selected to reduce the building’s reliance on the energy intensive desalinated water available in Doha.  Shading and orientation also played an important role due to the high solar gain the region. Solar generation was chosen for a source of renewable energy.

For the Applied Engineering Challenge, students were required to design a collapsible portable conditioned shelter that can be assembled in the field to assist in the treatment of a victim of heat illness, including heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

The first place Applied Engineering Challenge recipients are from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo: Miren Aizpitarte, project engineer, Critchfield Mechanical Inc., San Jose, Calif.; Cinthya Mendez, mechanical engineer, Western Allied Mechanical, Menlo Park, Calif.;  Julia Stone, mechanical facilities engineer, Intel, Chandler, Ariz.; and Willis Tang, design engineer, ACCO Engineered Systems, Glendale, Calif. Their faculty advisor is Jesse Maddren, Ph.D., P.E.

The team chose a pentagonal structure with an airbed and chilled pad inside. The structure was cooled by a portable air-conditioning unit with an evaporative cooling option for dry climates. The tent walls, doors and roof are thinly insulated, and also feature air gaps and layers of nylon shading material. There also is a clear plastic observation window.

The portable, conditioned structure will effectively treat victims of heat exhaustion, heat cramps and heat rash on job sites. Design criteria were developed to ensure that construction workers, who are the target audience, would be comfortable in the structure for an extended period of time.

The projects will be shared at the 2016 ASHRAE Winter Conference, Jan. 23-27, Orlando Hilton, Orlando, Fla. Also taking place at that time is the ASHRAE co-sponsored AHR Expo, Jan. 25-27, Orange County Convention Center, Orlando.

ASHRAE, founded in 1894, is a global society advancing human well-being through sustainable technology for the built environment. The Society and its more than 50,000 members worldwide focus on building systems, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, refrigeration and sustainability. Through research, standards writing, publishing, certification and continuing education, ASHRAE shapes tomorrow’s built environment today. More information can be found at www.ashrae.org/news. 

Contact: Jodi Scott
Public Relations
678-539-1140
jscott@ashrae.org

ATLANTA – Guidance on how to reduce the risk of Legionnaires’ Disease via a recently published standard will be shared in a new course from ASHRAE at its 2016 Winter Conference. The course is one of 20 courses being presented at the Conference and AHR Expo.

“We’ve already seen the real-life application of this standard when sections of it where adopted by the New York City Council following a deadly outbreak there,” Bill Pearson, course instructor who serves on the Standard 188 committee. “This course is designed to help prevent future outbreaks by showing the industry how to navigate the standard.”

The Conference takes place Jan. 23-27, Orlando Hilton, while the ASHRAE co-sponsored AHR Expo takes place Jan. 25-27, next door at the Orange County Convention Center. To register for the ASHRAE Conference, which includes free access to the Expo, visit www.ashrae.org/orlando.

ASHRAE Learning Institute (ALI) is offering 20 high-quality, authoritative Professional Development Seminars and Short Courses. ALI courses provide training with real-world experiences for immediate application. Attendees can earn continuing education credits. For more information or to register, visit www.ashrae.org/orlandocourses.

The new half-day Short Course, ASHRAE Standard 188-2015 – Successfully Managing the Risk of Legionellosis, focuses on ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 188-2015, Legionellosis: Risk Management for Building Water Systems,  which establishes the minimum legionellosis risk management requirements for the design, construction, installation, commissioning, operation, maintenance and service of centralized building water systems and components. Michael Patton, a member of the Standard 188 committee, also is an instructor of the course.

Attendees will learn how to use and comply with the standard; where Legionella propagates and who is at high risk for legionellosis; how to create a workable Legionella water management plan; and the responsibilities of project engineers and designers.

The five full-day Professional Development Seminars being offered are:

• Commercial Building Energy Audits
• Commissioning Process in New & Existing Buildings
• Designing HVAC Systems to Control Noise & Vibration
• Energy Modeling Best Practices and Applications (Co-sponsored by IBPSA-USA)
• Operations and Maintenance of High-Performance Buildings

The 15 Half-Day Short Courses are:

• Laboratory Design: The Basics and Beyond
• Troubleshooting Humidity Control Problems
• Understanding & Designing Dedicated Outdoor Air Systems
• Variable Refrigerant Flow System Design & Application
• Air-to-Air Energy Recovery Applications: Best Practices
• Application of Standard 62.1-2013 (ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2010, Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality): Multiple Spaces Equations & Spreadsheets
• Building Demand Response & the Coming Smart Grid
• Energy Management Best Practices
• Avoiding IAQ Problems
• Commissioning Process & ASHRAE Standard 202 (ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 202-2013, Commissioning Process for Buildings and Systems)
• Complying with Standard 90.1-2013 (ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1-2013, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings): HVAC/Mechanical
• Evaluation and Control of Legionella in Building Water Systems
• Exceeding Standard 90.1-2013 to Meet LEED Requirements
• IT Equipment Design Evolution & Data Center Operation Optimization
• Designing High-Performance Healthcare HVAC Systems

ASHRAE, founded in 1894, is a global society advancing human well-being through sustainable technology for the built environment. The Society and its more than 54,000 members worldwide focus on building systems, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, refrigeration and sustainability. Through research, standards writing, publishing, certification and continuing education, ASHRAE shapes tomorrow’s built environment today. More information can be found at www.ashrae.org/news.

 

Contact: Jodi Scott
Public Relations
678-539-1140
jscott@ashrae.org

ATLANTA – A call for papers for the IAQ 2016 Conference, “Defining Indoor Air Quality: Policy, Standards and Best Practices,” co-organized by ASHRAE and AIVC, has been extended until Nov. 30, 2015.

The conference will take place Sept. 12-14, 2016, in Alexandria, Va. at the Crowne Plaza Old Town Alexandria. To submit an abstract or for more information, visit www.ashrae.org/IAQ2016.

The conference is the 18th in the ASHRAE IAQ series since its inception in 1986 and the 37th AIVC conference. The program will focus on current and emerging definitions of indoor air quality and how they are – or could be – implemented in government policies and in standards for the design and operation of buildings and other indoor environments used worldwide. IAQ 2016 will also highlight best practice solutions that go beyond existing minimum requirements.

Authors are invited to submit papers on the following topics and others appropriate to the Conference theme:

• Definitions and metrics 
  • Perception vs. performance
  • Monetization of IAQ
  • DALY (disability adjusted life years) and related approaches
  • Task performance/productivity
  • Integrated IEQ metrics
• Regulatory vs. voluntary compliance for achieving IAQ
• IAQ certification programs
• Low energy/high performance buildings and IAQ
• IAQ in sustainable building programs
• Interactions: IEQ, climate change, energy efficiency
• Monitoring 
  • Sensors and big data
  • Post occupancy evaluations
• Best practices 
  • Case studies with data
  • Design, construction, operation
  • Commissioning
• Ventilation and infiltration 
  • IAQ, energy and moisture impacts
  • Mechanical and natural ventilation performance
  • IEQ and natural ventilation
  • IAQ and building/ductwork airtightness
• Residential IAQ standards and policies
• IAQ in Developing Economies
• IAQ in mobile environments: aircraft, trains, ships, motor vehicles

Abstracts are due Nov. 30, 2015.  Upon acceptance, papers are due March 14, 2016.
The conference program will include internationally acclaimed keynote speakers, original peer reviewed papers and the latest in indoor environmental quality control, plus invited speakers, workshops and panel discussions. A call for presenters will be announced after the call for papers closes.  Invited speakers and keynote speakers will be announced.

The Indoor Air Quality Association and the Indoor Environmental Quality Global Alliance are partnering organizations.

ASHRAE, founded in 1894, is a global society advancing human well-being through sustainable technology for the built environment. The Society and its more than 50,000 members worldwide focus on building systems, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, refrigeration and sustainability. Through research, standards writing, publishing, certification and continuing education, ASHRAE shapes tomorrow’s built environment today. More information can be found at www.ashrae.org/news.

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