Designing HVAC systems for large, mixed-use facilities is never easy, but imagine if that design had to meet the diverse needs of both a university and a community center all within the same building.
A step-by-step look at the retro-commissioning process that led to the implementation of a hybrid, 3-pipe HVAC system at the Watergate office building.
Recognized internationally for a name and even a suffix that has entered the pop culture lexicon, the luxury complex of modernist buildings on the banks of the Potomac River known as the Watergate Complex is an icon like no other in Washington.
A 52,000-square-foot, seven-story building was transformed from an office facility into 65 one- and two-bedroom rental units. The contractor accomplished this using Stainless Vertical Firetube condensing boilers.
When building owners want their building systems to be designed for resiliency, the discussion between the owner and the engineers typically includes redundancy and temporary HVAC systems that can support all building HVAC systems or portions thereof.
For Chicago, the best-case scenario is that electricity use increases by 12% and water use increases by 4% if global warming crosses a 1.5°C threshold. But if a 2.0°C threshold is reached, then the worst-case scenario is a 20% increase in electricity use and a 6% increase in water use.