Plenty of potential ventilation crises await many otherwise unassuming buildings, thanks to
nothing more sinister than truck accidents, emissions from nearby buildings, or unavoidable
natural disasters. However, by pairing a clear basis of design with HVAC response strategies,
building owners can apply some forethought and preparation to avoid worst-case consequences.
Start by asking the right questions about your facility.
Identifying motor retrofit opportunities in cooling towers, air handlers, exhaust fans, and
circulating pumps reflects the no-stone-unturned strategy Rutgers employs in energy management.For those motors, boiler upgrades, and future projects, the university regularly seizes on multiple incentives opportunities — ranging from utility offers to good old-fashioned intraschool competition — to teach efficiency in action.
From a collaborative effort to rebuild after World War II to “microgrids” and buildings selling back un-used electricity, the basic concept has gone under several names and come a long way. Here, the authors discuss how facilities pursuing high performance can make sense of the many energy-related services and programs to help finance capital improvement projects and infrastructure upgrades.
Stanford University’s Energy Retrofit Program is nearing 20 years in action. The Whole Building En-ergy Retrofit Program that it spawned is tackling even bigger projects. See how these two ongoing efforts are organized to boost the campus’ long-term sustainability while earning attractive ROIs to sustain themselves as well.
Pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline faced some extreme dehumidification requirements for its facility manufacturing denture-cleaning tablets. The strategy it selected not only reached target humidity levels but also allowed a 3º increase in chilled water temperature. Get the details on the system and savings that put smiles on the faces of this project team.
Designers can typically choose either type from any major manufacturer. But what are the differences and consequences for a design? What type of space lends itself to one or the other, and what windows of opportunity for real efficiency gains do either provide? Knowing all the differences can make all the difference.
Texas Women’s University found that continuous energy monitoring and verification paid off well, yielding savings above and beyond an existing performance contract. The authors explain how measuring and managing can defeat the usual suspects that drag down plant performance. Is yours hiding some untapped greatness?
Effective hydronics, like many things in life, is about maintaining balance. Learn more about achieving the three key conditions necessary for giving your modern controller a fighting chance to do its job.
Appropriately enough, a good variable airflow design accommodates and refines a number of design variables. Particle monitoring strategies, minimum supply air calculation, HVAC sequencing, and space pressurization are just a few stops on the way to spotless performance.