July 1, 2011
Features
An alternative to conventional variable-air-volume (VAV) systems, chilled beams circulate chilled water through tubing embedded in a metal ceiling fixture to wick away heat. The business end of a chilled beam is made of copper tubing bonded to aluminum fins. The beam is housed in a sheet-metal enclosure typically placed at ceiling level...
A properly tensioned belt ensures smooth operation and extends the service life of fans and motors. Conversely, an improperly tensioned belt can cause a host of easily preventable problems, including noise, vibration, poor fan performance, bearing wear, and shortened fan-motor life....
Blending stratified warm and cool air through the use of large-diameter, low-speed fans eliminates the draft associated with typical fan circulation to achieve a comfortably heated space....
As a potential source of Legionella, cooling towers require special attention, but state-of-the-art protection is possible and affordable...
This is the third article in a five-article series on central-chiller-plant modeling. This article will develop a rationale for controlling a P-only plant at a level of performance on par with that of a P/S plant operating at the low-load delta-T conditions defined by the previous two articles....
Columns
From Manhattan to San Francisco, the commercial building infrastructure is aging and many building owners wrestle with how they will maintain them. They’re trying to spend dollars carefully in an effort to balance profits with tenant retention and property value. ...
When a team prepares to design a sustainable or high-performance building, the designers usually seek to comply with a rating system such as the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC’s) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) or Green Globes. Now, there is a third option available to designers: meeting the criteria spelled out in ANSI/ASHRAE/USGBC/IES Standard 189.1, Standard for the Design of High Performance Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings....
“Finer Points of Building Information Modeling” (May 2011, http://bit.ly/BIM0511) is a very good article. The concerns and suggestions mentioned are extremely important in the application of HVAC modeling. ...
Departments
Fan impending electricity-rate increase, officials for the city of Marshall, Texas, knew they needed to update aging, inefficient HVAC equipment in city buildings for the city to continue to operate in a fiscally and environmentally responsible manner....
In pursuit of Platinum certification under the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green-building rating system, project manager Steve Young of controls and mechanical-design contractor American Heating specified measurement of the power consumption of each HVAC motor....
News & Notes
Rising energy prices, government incentives, and enhanced public image are driving energy efficiency in buildings to new heights, the fifth annual global Energy Efficiency Indicator (EEI) reveals. ...
Former BACnet Committee chairman and long-time Alerton building-standards engineer William “BACnet Bill” Swan died June 4....
The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) installed new officers and directors during its 2011 Annual Meeting, held June 25-29 in Montreal. ...
WattStopper, manufacturer of energy-efficient lighting controls, has published a set of best practices to help specifiers and facility managers quickly identify and implement energy-saving lighting-control solutions for classrooms. ...
Proposed American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Standard 188P, Prevention of Legionellosis Associated With Building Water Systems, is undergoing a second public review, which will end July 25....
Calendar of upcoming events in the HPAC Engineering industry...
Recent Comments