This month’s Facility File is based on a new 40,000-square-foot office building HVAC system using VRF heat pump equipment with a focus on the Back2Basics February test. The project will include two VRF systems, each serving approximately 20,000 square feet of space. The building will also have a 100 percent DOAS gas-fired rooftop HVAC system for ventilation to the occupants in the building.

At the recommendation of the owner’s consulting engineer, the project delivery method shall be integrated project delivery (IPD) referenced in the 2015 ASHRAE Handbook — HVAC Applications chapter 58 (Integrated Building Design) as well as chapter 3 (Commercial and Public Buildings). The IPD team shall include the building owner’s office manager, the building facility manager, a third-party owner representative to facilitate the project and oversee the VRF manufacturer’s startup and commissioning technician, the design team, general contractor, and HVAC subcontractor. The building’s facility manager and her O&M staff will also participate in the IPD process beginning at the conceptual phase along with the preselected VRF equipment manufacturer’s representative. The facility manager will assist the IPD team in understanding the intricacies of owning, operating, and managing this building.