For years, MEP engineers have debated the untapped potential lying within the walls and ceilings of virtually every modern commercial building: fire protection piping. Building owners sink a hefty sum into fire sprinkler infrastructure. Why not tap into this water distribution network for other uses, like toilet flushing?
Until recently, code officials have told Building Teams “hands off,” for fear of jeopardizing the integrity of these critical systems. But they are slowly coming around.
Two recent innovations are indicative of the trend. The first, the Fluid-Driven Sprinkler Light, utilizes a water turbine micro-generator with high-illumination LED light engines to provide emergency lighting without the need for batteries or other power sources (pictured above). Developed by the Industrial Technology Research Institute, the technology can provide for safer access and egress during fires, when buildings are engulfed by smoke.
High temperatures activate the sprinklers, and the flow of the water generates electricity to power the LEDs, which project a laser-based holography pattern light. The lights can be positioned to illuminate evacuation routes.
For the $29 million, four-level addition to the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research Expansion, in Ann Arbor, the engineering team, led by MEP engineer Peter Basso Associates, utilized the building’s fire protection piping system to distribute chilled water to the chilled beams (pictured, below). The dual-function design eliminated approximately 70% of the piping normally associated with a chilled beam system, and reduced first cost by an estimated $500,000.
It is the first installation of its kind in the U.S., and it required that all components of the combined fire protection/chilled beam system be rated for a minimum 175 PSIG (pounds per square inch gage) operating pressure, according to Brian Runde, PE, LEED AP, VP with Peter Basso Associates. He says using chilled beams helped the project reduce overall building energy use by 37.2% versus an ASHRAE 90.1-compliant building.
Photo: Peter Basso Associates
Related Stories
75 Top Building Products | Apr 22, 2024
Enter today! BD+C's 75 Top Building Products for 2024
BD+C editors are now accepting submissions for the annual 75 Top Building Products awards. The winners will be featured in the November/December 2024 issue of Building Design+Construction.
AEC Tech | Feb 20, 2024
AI for construction: What kind of tool can artificial intelligence become for AEC teams?
Avoiding the hype and gathering good data are half the battle toward making artificial intelligence tools useful for performing design, operational, and jobsite tasks.
Sustainability | Nov 1, 2023
Researchers create building air leakage detection system using a camera in real time
Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory have developed a system that uses a camera to detect air leakage from buildings in real time.
Resiliency | Aug 7, 2023
Creative ways cities are seeking to beat urban heat gain
As temperatures in many areas hit record highs this summer, cities around the world are turning to creative solutions to cope with the heat. Here are several creative ways cities are seeking to beat urban heat gain.
AEC Innovators | Jun 15, 2023
Rogers-O'Brien Construction pilots wearables to reduce heat-related injuries on jobsites
Rogers-O'Brien Construction (RO) has launched a pilot program utilizing SafeGuard, a safety-as-a-service platform for real-time health and safety risk assessment. Non-invasive wearables connected to SafeGuard continuously monitor personnel to prevent heat exhaustion on jobsites, reducing the risk of related injuries. RO is the first general contractor to pilot this program.
Office Buildings | May 15, 2023
Sixteen-story office tower will use 40% less energy than an average NYC office building
This month marks the completion of a new 16-story office tower that is being promoted as New York City’s most sustainable office structure. That boast is backed by an innovative HVAC system that features geothermal wells, dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS) units, radiant heating and cooling, and a sophisticated control system to ensure that the elements work optimally together.
Design Innovation Report | Apr 27, 2023
BD+C's 2023 Design Innovation Report
Building Design+Construction’s Design Innovation Report presents projects, spaces, and initiatives—and the AEC professionals behind them—that push the boundaries of building design. This year, we feature four novel projects and one building science innovation.
Design Innovation Report | Apr 19, 2023
Reinforced concrete walls and fins stiffen and shade the National Bank of Kuwait skyscraper
When the National Bank of Kuwait first conceived its new headquarters more than a decade ago, it wanted to make a statement about passive design with a soaring tower that could withstand the extreme heat of Kuwait City, the country’s desert capital.
Design Innovation Report | Apr 19, 2023
HDR uses artificial intelligence tools to help design a vital health clinic in India
Architects from HDR worked pro bono with iKure, a technology-centric healthcare provider, to build a healthcare clinic in rural India.
3D Printing | Apr 11, 2023
University of Michigan’s DART Laboratory unveils Shell Wall—a concrete wall that’s lightweight and freeform 3D printed
The University of Michigan’s DART Laboratory has unveiled a new product called Shell Wall—which the organization describes as the first lightweight, freeform 3D printed and structurally reinforced concrete wall. The innovative product leverages DART Laboratory’s research and development on the use of 3D-printing technology to build structures that require less concrete.
