Please raise your hand if you enjoy having two energy codes providing the standard of care for your projects.

Continuing with the theme from last month, this column presents another real-life example of how trend analysis, if done thoughtfully, can uncover wasted energy that no one even suspected.

Last month I discussed the niche business of troubleshooting and the pertinent things to do in preparation of the data collection, data analysis, and eventually the potential solution(s) plan. This month, I’m going to continue with this topic, focusing on water-side problem solving.

Whether it’s new construction commissioning or existing building retro-commissioning, “commissioning” is about entire systems and their performance.

Variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems are popular options in both residential and customer facilities.

In my May 2016 article, “The Radiant Roads to School Design,” I was in the middle of designing a building with a radiant heated and cooled slab with DOAS/openable windows for ventilation for the College of Continuing and Professional Education (CCPE) at CSU Long Beach (CSULB).

This month’s Facility File will focus on the B2B June test for the renovation of an office building located on a major corporation’s U.S. headquarters campus. The existing HVAC system to be replaced is an antiquated hot water heating system serving baseboard radiation, unit heaters, and a rooftop HVAC unit.

HVAC product selection is not as easy as it sometimes seems. For sure, the key part of engineering is the KIS principle (Keep It Simple).

Overby-Sheppard Elementary in Richmond, Virginia, needed more than an HVAC upgrade, but with tight budgets and minimal state funding, it didn’t seem likely. The 40-year-old building needed a full overhaul to provide students with a healthier, distraction-free environment.

When a building is found to be consuming excess energy, the next step is usually an energy audit followed by retro-commissioning of the HVAC system. If available, an infrared scan of the building exterior might follow.