Constructing HVAC systems according to standards such as ASHRAE 55-2010 are counterproductive to the goal of building energy efficient, comfortable spaces, argue the authors of this article.
The ASHRAE standard for office buildings incorporates a decades-old formula based on the metabolic rates of the average man working at a desk. Updating such standards, which many designers rely upon, would go a long way towards improving sustainability and meeting President Obama’s challenge to limit carbon emissions, the authors say.
Currently, the standard encourages the use of equipment that is much bigger than needed with over-cooled spaces resulting. “Defaults such as these make future efficiency improvements harder to achieve because once a building is built, we are stuck with the design for decades, at least,” the authors write.
“Thinking about building design and efficiency in comparison to the highest performance or current industry standards, rather than just the average, could elevate new standards. The goal is that when quick decisions are made, those decisions tip toward a more efficient outcome—and fewer wool jackets in the summer.”
ASHRAE has responded to the HVAC study.
Related Stories
Sponsored | Transit Facilities | Jun 15, 2015
Success through teamwork for landmark California project
The Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center (ARTIC) is the Grand Central Station of the future
HVAC | Feb 6, 2015
ASHRAE, REHVA publish guide to chilled beam systems
The guide provides tools and advice for designing, commissioning, and operating chilled-beam systems.
Brick and Masonry | Feb 5, 2015
3D-printed 'cool brick' may provide cooling solution for arid locations
Cool Brick is made of porous ceramic bricks set in mortar. The bricks absorb water, which cools the air as it passes through the unit.
| Dec 28, 2014
New trends in ceiling designs and materials [AIA course]
A broad array of new and improved ceiling products offers designers everything from superior acoustics and closed-loop, recycled content to eased integration with lighting systems, HVAC diffusers, fire sprinkler heads, and other overhead problems. This course describes how Building Teams are exploring ways to go beyond the treatment of ceilings as white, monolithic planes.
| Sep 5, 2014
Uponor launches new stainless-steel manifold for radiant heating and cooling applications
Made of corrosion-resistant stainless steel, the manifold is available in 1" and 1¼" sizes in 2 through 8, 10 and 12 loop configurations.
| Aug 14, 2014
8 do's and don'ts for completing an HVAC life cycle cost assessment
There are many hurdles to overcome when completing a life cycle cost assessment. RMF Engineering’s Seth Spangler offers some words of advice regarding LCCAs.
| Aug 14, 2014
Life cycle cost analysis using energy modeling
A life cycle cost analysis helps a school district decide which HVAC system to use in $198 million worth of future building projects.
| Aug 4, 2014
Facebook’s prefab data center concept aims to slash construction time in half
Less than a year after opening its ultra-green, hydropowered data center facility in Luleå, Sweden, Facebook is back at it in Mother Svea with yet another novel approach to data center design.
| Jul 17, 2014
A harmful trade-off many U.S. green buildings make
The Urban Green Council addresses a concern that many "green" buildings in the U.S. have: poor insulation.
| Jul 17, 2014
GSA study finds biomass boilers are viable option for heating federal buildings
After operating the first biomass boiler in the Ketchikan, Alaska, Federal Building, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has concluded that biomass boilers are a viable alternative for hot-water-heated buildings where natural gas is unavailable.
