The comfort of animals as well as humans was considered by students designing a building for theAmerican Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). Undergraduate students were challenged by the ASHRAE 2001 Student Design Competition to design an animal services center in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Winners were announced in two categories-hvac system selection and design. Projects are evaluated on anticipated operating costs, environmental impact, comfort, health, creativity and communication of results.

First place in the hvac system design category went to Michael Hahn, Michael Laws, Joseph Laws, James Mallory and Nathaniel Mielke of Ferris State University (Big Rapids, MI). Their advisor is Mitchell LeClaire, P.E. The students designed an office area with closed loop water-to-air ground source heat pumps for zone comfort control, and a constant air volume (CAV) unit to provide ventilation air and humidification with ducted return to energy recover units.

The design also features a kennel area with closed loop water-to-air CAV units providing 100% outdoor air and humidification with ducted return to energy recovery units. The general purpose area features a rooftop packaged unit with closed loop water-to-air ground source heat pumps and humidification with energy recovery units.