Best Practices For Infiltration and Building Presurization

FA L L E D I T I O N
HVAC
 Best practices for infiltration
and building pressurization
Contents
3  Best practices for infiltration and building pressurization
15  Case study: Office building pressurization
19  Air Solution Company Cottonwood Filter Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower Equipment
20  Advances in building automation
33  CR 95 Pumps Increase Efficiency, Reduce Downtime for
Chemical Plant
34  How Cottonwood Filter Screens Increase Operational
Efficiency on Condenser Coils Systems
38  How Prefabrication and Modular Construction Are Changing
HVAC Systems in Buildings
49  HVAC energy-saving strategies
61  Case study: Hospital surgical suite HVAC system
Best practices for infiltration  Best practices
and building pressurization for infiltration

and building
pressurization
Observe the mechanics of infiltration and pressurization in a building, Case study: Office
modeling methodologies and what can be done to better account for them building pressurization
in air handling system design Air Solution Company

Cottonwood Filter
Screens For HVAC
D esign assumptions regarding infiltration and mechanical building pressurization

have long played a role in air handling system design. Infiltration, a fickle heating
and cooling load, must be accounted for and a mechanical building pressurization
and Cooling Tower
Equipment
Advances in building
automation
strategy must be included to combat infiltration.
CR 95 Pumps Increase
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Given the demands of energy code compliance and the increasing popularity of ded- Downtime for Chemical
icated outside air system and dry coil system types, infiltration and building pressur- Plant
ization design details and assumptions remain as important as ever in the design of a How Cottonwood
successful air handling system. Filter Screens Increase
Operational Efficiency on
Condenser Coils Systems
Infiltration is a natural phenomenon that occurs when the pressure on the exterior of
How Prefabrication and
a building is higher than the interior, causing outside air leaks through the building Modular Construction
envelope from outside to inside. This can lead to increased peak heating and cooling Are Changing HVAC
Systems in Buildings
loads and potential indoor air quality concerns because the infiltrating air is unfiltered
HVAC energy-saving
and unconditioned.
strategies
Case study: Hospital

This differential pressure is created by three elements: stack effect, wind and mechani- surgical suite HVAC
cal building pressurization. Each of these three elements vary from building to building system
and even moment to moment, resulting in a heating and cooling variable that is chal-
lenging to calculate, measure and control. 3
Best practices for infiltration and building pressurization
 Best practices
for infiltration
One may think that if a building is mechanical- and building
pressurization
ly pressurized, infiltration will not occur; how-
ever, that is not true for the following reasons: Case study: Office
building pressurization
• Pressure within a building is nonuniform Air Solution Company

Cottonwood Filter
from room to room and floor to floor. Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
Equipment
• Wind pressures on the exterior of a build-
ing are highly nonuniform. Advances in building
automation
• In most applications, a mechanical pres-
Efficiency, Reduce
surization strategy cannot and should Downtime for Chemical
Plant
not attempt to offset high wind pressures
experienced by windward exterior walls on How Cottonwood
Filter Screens Increase
windy days. Figure 1: Washington, D.C.-based Museum
of the Bible’s HVAC systems provide optimal Condenser Coils Systems
temperature and relative humidity conditions
A calculation procedure to quantify infiltration for the enjoyment and preservation of biblical How Prefabrication and
loads can be found in the ASHRAE Handbook – artifacts. The HVAC system dynamically Modular Construction
controls building pressure to maintain a Are Changing HVAC
Fundamentals. The procedure was used to gen- Systems in Buildings
positive pressure balance between the
erate the data presented here. galleries and adjacent spaces, allowing the
HVAC energy-saving
galleries to adhere to strict temperature and
strategies
relative humidity tolerances. Courtesy: Alex
Stack effect Fradkin Photography Case study: Hospital
A common culprit in cold lobbies of high-rise surgical suite HVAC
system
buildings throughout the world, stack effect is the industry description for when a
building becomes a large, unintended chimney. The process is driven by interior heat-
ing, ventilation and air conditioning systems altering the density of air within the build- 4
 Best practices
for infiltration
ing compared to the outside air. and building
pressurization
This density differential creates an up- Case study: Office

ward chimney effect in the winter as
cool, dense outdoor air enters at lower Air Solution Company
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floors, rises through the building and Screens For HVAC
exits at the upper levels. In the summer, and Cooling Tower
Equipment
the process is reversed. As a result, lower
floors see the largest wintertime infiltra- Advances in building
automation
tion loads due to stack effect and upper
floors see the largest summertime infil-
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tration loads due to stack effect. Downtime for Chemical
Plant
The magnitude of stack effect is positively How Cottonwood

correlated with building height, density Operational Efficiency on
Figure 2: A hybrid pressure control strategy
differential between the interior and exterior air shows how the measured differential pressure Condenser Coils Systems
and ease of air travel between floors. Compart- is used to inform the airflow offset setpoints,
which are subject to high and low limits. Modular Construction
mentalization is the designer’s best weapon to
Courtesy: SmithGroup Are Changing HVAC
combat stack effect. Measures including well- Systems in Buildings
sealed shafts, floor openings and stairwell doors play a major role in preventing vertical
HVAC energy-saving
air travel through the building, as well described by in ASHRAE documentation. strategies

In addition, multifloor HVAC systems can be designed to prevent unintended air travel surgical suite HVAC
between floors by adding airflow measurement and motorized dampers to the return system
air system on each floor (see Figure 2).

5
 Best practices
for infiltration
and building
Wind pressurization
Wind is perhaps the most easily understood contributor to infiltration, but can be the
Case study: Office
most difficult to quantify and predict. The pressure created is a function of wind speed
and direction with respect to each portion of the building’s exterior envelope.
Air Solution Company
Cottonwood Filter
However, the pressure created will differ significantly even for portions of the same Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
façade due to the dynamic flow of air around the building. Friction from the wind trav- Equipment
eling across the surface of the earth results in the formation of a boundary layer lead-
ing to higher wind speeds for upper levels of buildings. automation
Wind is also a highly localized phenomenon. Dense urban centers will have higher Efficiency, Reduce
boundary layers and have the potential for wind-tunneling between buildings. Exposed Downtime for Chemical
Plant
sites will have lower boundary layers and more predictable wind speeds and directions.
How Cottonwood
Weather data files typically are based on measurements at an airport featuring relative- Operational Efficiency on
ly open terrain at an elevation of 33 feet. The designer should determine if those con- Condenser Coils Systems
ditions apply to the local site. If not, wind speed adjustment procedures are detailed How Prefabrication and
Modular Construction
in the ASHRAE Handbook. Where a higher-level of analysis is needed or desired, wind
Are Changing HVAC
tunneling, computational fluid dynamics modeling or the use of a portable weather Systems in Buildings
station can be applied. HVAC energy-saving
strategies
Mechanical pressurization Case study: Hospital

Mechanical pressurization is the only contributor to infiltration loads that designers surgical suite HVAC
system
have dynamic control over. It occurs when the building’s air handling system is con-
trolled in a manner that intentionally introduces a higher quantity of outside air into a
6
 Best practices
for infiltration
building than the quantity of air exhausted and relieved. Mechanical pressurization is and building
pressurization
one of the more debated and written about topics in the HVAC industry — most agree
that buildings should be positively pressurized in the summer to prevent the infiltration Case study: Office
of hot, humid air into the building and exterior wall assembly.
Cottonwood Filter
There is not a simple consensus regarding building pressurization in the winter. In Screens For HVAC
some cases, positive pressurization to prevent the infiltration of cold air is desirable. and Cooling Tower
Equipment
In others, the need to prevent moisture migration through the exterior wall assembly
from inside to outside results in a neutral or slightly negative wintertime pressurization Advances in building
automation
strategy.
Efficiency, Reduce
This topic is well covered in ASHRAE Humidity Control Design Guide for Commercial Downtime for Chemical
Plant
and Institutional Buildings. The correct solution is unique to each project and should
be determined in coordination with an expert on building envelope technology. Fac- How Cottonwood
tors to be considered are: exterior wall construction, vapor barrier status, outdoor Operational Efficiency on
temperature conditions, indoor temperature and relative humidity conditions, outdoor Condenser Coils Systems
air quality, sensitivity of building occupants and building height. How Prefabrication and
Are Changing HVAC
The changeover from positive pressurization to neutral/negative pressurization can Systems in Buildings
occur when the outside air dewpoint falls below the indoor dewpoint set point.
HVAC energy-saving
strategies
The manner of building pressure control is also a subject of frequent debate. Four
methods are typical in the industry: surgical suite HVAC
system
• Manually balanced — no dynamic control.

• Fan speed tracking. 7
 Best practices
for infiltration
• DP-based control. and building
pressurization
• Airflow offset based control.
Case study: Office
In new buildings, DP-based control and airflow offset based control are the most com-
mon. In DP-based control, the quantity of relief air removed from the building is varied Air Solution Company
Cottonwood Filter
to maintain a fixed DP setpoint between the interior and exterior of the building. The Screens For HVAC
setpoint is typically in the range of 0.001 to 0.05 inches w.c. and Cooling Tower
Equipment
When employing this strategy, it is important to specify a sensor that is highly accurate Advances in building
automation
at low DPs. Typical duct DP sensors will not be sufficient. The placement of the out-
door pressure port should negate any wind effects. Avoid vertical exterior walls where
Efficiency, Reduce
possible. A static outside air probe mounted 15 feet above the roof of the building will Downtime for Chemical
Plant
provide the best results. Consideration should be given to the design and placement
of the DP sensor and its associated tubing. How Cottonwood
Airflow offset-based control is popular due to its simplicity and ability to maintain gen- Condenser Coils Systems
erally positive pressurization. The air handling system is controlled to maintain a fixed How Prefabrication and
airflow differential between the outside air intake and relief/exhaust air. The strategy Modular Construction
Are Changing HVAC
also eliminates what some perceive as an overreliance on a single building DP sensor Systems in Buildings
that may be correctly designed, placed, installed and calibrated. Airflow offset based
HVAC energy-saving
control typically requires more airflow measuring stations than DP control, increasing strategies
system cost.
surgical suite HVAC
Equally important to the pressurization strategy is that the return air system design system
does not create highly negative pressure in ceiling plenums. In ducted return air sys-
tems, return air ductwork must be well sealed. Plenum return systems must be carefully 8
 Best practices
for infiltration
designed to avoid negative pressure and building
pressurization
in exterior plenum spaces. Alterna-
tively, through coordination with the Case study: Office
architect, return plenums can be ter-
minated a few feet from exterior walls Air Solution Company
Cottonwood Filter
to avoid the problem altogether. Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
Equipment
Summation of pressures
Whether airflow travels into or out of automation
leaks in a building’s envelope is deter-
mined by the summation of the stack, Efficiency, Reduce
wind and mechanical pressurization Downtime for Chemical
Plant
effects (see Figure 3). Table 1 contains
data for average winter conditions in How Cottonwood
a standard nine-story office building. Note that Figure 3: Building pressure is determined Operational Efficiency on
based on the summation of stack effect, Condenser Coils Systems
the wind pressure is highest for the windward
wind pressure and mechanical pressurization
wall and higher for upper floors than lower floors. and will vary for each floor and each façade. How Prefabrication and
Note that the pressure due to stack effect is high- Courtesy: SmithGroup Modular Construction
Are Changing HVAC
est for the lowest floor. Systems in Buildings
HVAC energy-saving
Table 2 depicts average summer conditions for the same building. Like the winter con- strategies
dition, wind pressure is highest for the windward wall and upper floors. Stack effect is Case study: Hospital
reversed in the winter, with its largest impact on the upper floors. surgical suite HVAC
system
The quantity of infiltration and its inverse, exfiltration, is determined by the magnitude
9
 Best practices
for infiltration
and building
pressurization
Case study: Office

Cottonwood Filter
Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
Equipment
automation
Efficiency, Reduce
Downtime for Chemical
Plant
of the pressure difference across a wall assembly, Table 1: The sample winter infiltration and How Cottonwood
building pressurization characteristics for a Filter Screens Increase
the leakiness of the envelope and the amount Operational Efficiency on
nine-story office building is shown. Note that
of exterior wall/roof square footage. A popular the values represent average conditions, not Condenser Coils Systems
practice in the industry has been to calculate peak conditions. Courtesy: SmithGroup
infiltration based on an arbitrary air change rate; Modular Construction
Are Changing HVAC
however, calculating infiltration based on cubic feet per minute per square foot of ex- Systems in Buildings
terior wall area is more in line with the physics of the situation.
HVAC energy-saving
strategies
In reality, air leakage mostly occurs at building joints, window frames and where grout
has worn away, making cubic feet per minute per square foot of exterior wall area an surgical suite HVAC
imperfect but correlated metric. system
Determining the leakiness of a building envelope has been a challenge for decades. 10
 Best practices
for infiltration
and building
pressurization
Case study: Office

Cottonwood Filter
Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
Equipment
automation
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Plant
How Cottonwood
Fortunately, modern codes and standards require Table 2: Note in this sample summer Operational Efficiency on
minimum envelope air leakage performance. infiltration and building pressurization Condenser Coils Systems
characteristics for a nine-story office
ASHRAE Standard 90.1: Energy Standard for Build- building that the values represent How Prefabrication and
ings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings Sections average conditions and not peak Modular Construction
conditions. Courtesy: SmithGroup Are Changing HVAC
5.8 and 5.9 contain requirements for minimum enve- Systems in Buildings
lope tightness when tested at a pressure differential
HVAC energy-saving
of 0.3 inches w.c. Building pressure differentials during typical operation will be much strategies
lower and the quantity of infiltration to expect can be roughly calculated using the ex-
ponential relationship between pressure and flow. surgical suite HVAC
system
For existing buildings, ASHRAE has published typical infiltration rates as a function of
DP for tight, average and loose constructions. The rates were determined through pres- 11
 Best practices
for infiltration
sure tests of existing buildings. The and building
pressurization
assumption made for envelope
tightness is by far the most import- Case study: Office
ant variable in an infiltration calcula-
tion. Figure 4 depicts the infiltration Air Solution Company
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airflow for a wall subject to a -0.025 Screens For HVAC
inches w.c. pressure differential for and Cooling Tower
Equipment
tight, average and loose categories.
automation
Controlling building Figure 4: Infiltration air flow versus envelope
tightness for a given envelope differential CR 95 Pumps Increase
pressure pressure is highlighted. Envelope tightness Efficiency, Reduce
Careful design of the building pressurization plays the largest role in the determination Downtime for Chemical
of calculated and actual infiltration loads. Plant
control system will play a significant role in the
Courtesy: SmithGroup
operational efficiency and maintainability of a How Cottonwood
new building A successful mechanical pressuriza- Operational Efficiency on
tion strategy for most applications is to provide only sufficient pressurization to offset
stack effect on the worst-case floor and no more. Any additional pressurization results How Prefabrication and
in little to no reduction in infiltration and increases exfiltration. Are Changing HVAC
The increase in exfiltration beyond what is required represents a missed opportunity for re- HVAC energy-saving
lief air energy recovery. It is important to understand that in positively pressurized building, strategies
a significant quantity of air will exfiltrate through the building envelope. The quantity of ex- Case study: Hospital
filtrating air is a function of the exterior envelope surface area, DP and envelope tightness. surgical suite HVAC
system
The amount of air required to exfiltrate from the building to positively pressurize the
12
 Best practices
for infiltration
worst-case floor can be as high as 50% of the design ventilation airflow rate. In systems and building
pressurization
designed with relief/exhaust air energy recovery, this can lead to significant flow imbal-
ances between the relief/exhaust air and outside air sections of the energy recovery Case study: Office
device and a reduction in overall energy recovery effectiveness, potentially resulting in
capacity issues if the system/coils are designed to account for full energy recovery. Air Solution Company
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The location of the indoor pressure port(s) should be an area that represents typical build- and Cooling Tower
Equipment
ing pressure. Avoid intentionally pressurized spaces, ceiling plenums, exterior zones, loca-
tions near building entrances or exits and locations that may be influenced by diffuser jets. Advances in building
automation
Consider a cold winter day and refer to Table 1. Note that stack effect causes an internal
pressure difference between the first and ninth floors of 0.104 inches w.c. w.c.
Efficiency, Reduce
Plant
If the indoor pressure port were located on the first floor, a DP setpoint of 0.053 inches
w.c. would be required to offset stack effect and keep the building mostly positive. If How Cottonwood
the indoor pressure port were located on the ninth floor, any DP setpoint below 0.104 Operational Efficiency on
inches w.c. would result in negative pressurization of lower floors. Condenser Coils Systems

In the summer, the reverse occurs (see Table 2). If the indoor pressure port were located Modular Construction
Are Changing HVAC
on the first floor, a DP setpoint below 0.01 inches w.c. would result in negative pressur- Systems in Buildings
ization of the top floors. In taller buildings where summer humidity control is especially
HVAC energy-saving
important, multiple indoor pressure ports may be warranted — one port on the first or strategies
second floor and one port on the top floor. During summer months, the reading from the
pressure port on the top floor would be used to control the system and during winter surgical suite HVAC
months the reading from the pressure port on the first or second floor would be used to system
control the system. This strategy eliminates DP setpoint guesswork and allows for a re-
duction in the setpoint because the system is actively controlling to the worst-case floor. 13
 Best practices
for infiltration
For tall buildings with air systems serving multiple floors, a hybrid, cascading approach and building
pressurization
between airflow offset and DP can be used. In this approach, supply/outside air to
each floor is measured and a modulating damper in the return/relief air system main- Case study: Office
tains an active airflow offset setpoint. The active airflow offset setpoint for all floors can
be increased or decreased in unison based on the reading of the building DP sensor. Air Solution Company
Cottonwood Filter
Screens For HVAC
This approach allows for active DP control and reduces the potential for the air han- and Cooling Tower
Equipment
dling system to create unintended pressure differentials between floors that may ex-
acerbate stack effect. High- and low-limit airflow offsets can also be programmed to Advances in building
automation
allow the building to stay generally positive should an issue occur with the building DP
sensors.
Efficiency, Reduce
Plant
Accounting for building pressurization and infiltration in the design of air handling sys-
tems is a challenging task. An understanding of the forces that drive them and the use How Cottonwood
of the latent infiltration design day method — as highlighted in the case study — can Operational Efficiency on
lead to significantly improved component sizing and system performance. Condenser Coils Systems

Kevin Ricart, PE; Rosemary Hwang, LEED AP; and Connor Harrigan Modular Construction
Are Changing HVAC
Kevin Ricart is a mechanical engineer with SmithGroup, specializing in the design and Systems in Buildings
analysis of HVAC systems for commercial buildings, health care facilities, museums,
HVAC energy-saving
laboratories and government facilities. Rosemary Hwang is a mechanical engineer strategies
with SmithGroup, where she has gained valuable HVAC design experience in various
market sectors. Connor Harrigan is a mechanical engineer with SmithGroup, working surgical suite HVAC
primarily on workplace and government projects in the design and analysis of HVAC system
systems.
14
Case study: Office building Best practices for
pressurization
infiltration and building
pressurization
 Case study:
Consider the impact of infiltration and building pressurization on air Office building
systems in an office building pressurization
T he effect of infiltration and building pressurization on air handling system sizing Cottonwood Filter
Screens For HVAC
and design can be best conveyed through a case study. Consider a nine-story, and Cooling Tower
270,000-square-foot office building located in Washington, D.C., a climate with hot Equipment
and humid summers and cold winters. Each floor is modeled identically and primar- Advances in building
automation
ily consists of office and conference space. Occupancy rates are based on the 2018
edition of the International Mechanical Code default occupancy rates. CR 95 Pumps Increase
Efficiency, Reduce
The building is conditioned with a dedicated outside air system and radiant ceiling Plant
panel type system, in which the outside air provided by the DOAS must handle all How Cottonwood
latent loads due to occupants and infiltration. The design supply air dewpoint is 47°F. Filter Screens Increase
Building entrances and exits on the first floor are not included in the analysis. Condenser Coils Systems

The outside airflow to each zone is determined based on the worst case of the ven- Modular Construction
tilation and latent load requirement. The latent load associated with infiltration Are Changing HVAC
will peak at the perfect combination of wind speed, wind direction and outside air
dewpoint. Fortunately, swampy, humid weather and high winds speeds do not often HVAC energy-saving
strategies
coincide. Due to this relationship, latent infiltration is best expressed using a metric
called latent Btuh per square foot of exterior wall area. Case study: Hospital
surgical suite HVAC
system
Using the infiltration calculation procedure in ASHRAE Handbook – Fundamentals
combined with a full year of weather data, one can calculate the latent infiltration load
15
Case study: Office building pressurization
Best practices for
pressurization
for each hour of
the year, then sort  Case study:
Office building
highest to lowest
pressurization
and plot the data
to generate a latent Air Solution Company
Cottonwood Filter
Btuh per square foot Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
of exterior wall area
Equipment
demand curve for
each level and each automation
façade of a building.
Figure 5: The latent infiltration demand curve Efficiency, Reduce
The designer can then choose a point on the data were produced by calculating the latent Downtime for Chemical
Btuh per square foot for each hour of the year, Plant
curve deemed most appropriate for the appli-
sorting the results from highest to lowest, then
cation. An example is shown in Figure 5, which How Cottonwood
plotting the highest 100 values. The y-axis value
includes three demand curves for ninth floor is the latent infiltration design day condition. Operational Efficiency on
Courtesy: SmithGroup Condenser Coils Systems
rooms on the west side of the building to illus-
trate the potential impact of the indoor pres- How Prefabrication and
sure port location. The data are based on a differential pressure setpoint of -0.025 Modular Construction
Are Changing HVAC
inches w.c. Systems in Buildings
HVAC energy-saving
Figure 5 indicates that placing the indoor pressure port on the ninth floor will result strategies
in a significant reduction in latent infiltration assuming a fixed DP setpoint. It does so
by providing increased mechanical pressurization leading to increased exfiltration on surgical suite HVAC
system
lower levels and through nonwindward walls, thus reducing the relief/exhaust airflow
available for energy recovery.
16
Best practices for
pressurization
The takeaway from this comparison is that indoor
pressure port location and DP setpoint have a  Case study:
Office building
significant impact on where buildings experience
pressurization
peak loads. Strategies that result in a highly pres-
surized building will lead to reduced peak room Air Solution Company
Cottonwood Filter
level loads due to the prevention of infiltration, Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
but will cause increased outside air loads at the
Equipment
DOAS unit due to the reduced volume of relief
air available for energy recovery. The reverse will automation
occur for buildings without significant mechanical
pressurization. An understanding of this relation- Efficiency, Reduce
ship is necessary for the optimal sizing of air han- Downtime for Chemical
Plant
dling systems.
How Cottonwood
The latent infiltration design day procedure was Operational Efficiency on
applied to the building. The analysis assumed an average Table 3: Outside airflow Condenser Coils Systems
required per floor is shown.
mechanical pressurization of -0.025 inches w.c. (I.e., the Note that upper floors How Prefabrication and
effect of the indoor pressure port location was omitted) and experience larger peak Modular Construction
latent infiltration loads due Are Changing HVAC
average envelope construction. The resulting peak outdoor Systems in Buildings
to the higher wind velocities
airflow rates are shown in Table 3 without any diversity ap- at upper levels. Courtesy: HVAC energy-saving
plied. SmithGroup strategies

The upper floors experience significantly higher latent infiltration rates and as a surgical suite HVAC
system
result, require significantly more outside air than lower floors even though they have
the same internal occupancy and layout. The higher infiltration rates are driven by
summer stack effect and the higher wind speeds experienced by upper floors. 17
Best practices for
pressurization
The LIDD approach differs from the standard industry practice of computerized load
calculations. Computerized load calculation tools typically require the user to en-  Case study:
Office building
ter/guess an infiltration airflow rate in the unit of their choosing (I.e., cubic feet per
pressurization
minute per square feet of wall, air changes per hour, etc.). The simulation then uses
the entered rate and whatever the outdoor air conditions happen to be at the room Air Solution Company
Cottonwood Filter
sensible or total peak load condition to determine latent infiltration load. Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
Equipment
In a typical computerized load simulation, the impact of stack effect and mechanical
pressurization cannot be automatically accounted for. If the room peaks occur during automation
a shoulder season, the load calculation tool may even report the peak latent infiltra-
tion loads as a negative value. For the design of air handling systems in which hu- Efficiency, Reduce
midity control is important, the LIDD approach can provide potentially more accurate Downtime for Chemical
Plant
latent infiltration load estimates than computerized load calculation tools or can be
used to inform the inputs to computerized load calculation tools. How Cottonwood
Kevin Ricart, PE; Rosemary Hwang, LEED AP; and Connor Harrigan Condenser Coils Systems
Kevin Ricart is a mechanical engineer with SmithGroup, specializing in the design How Prefabrication and
and analysis of HVAC systems for commercial buildings, health care facilities, muse- Modular Construction
Are Changing HVAC
ums, laboratories and government facilities. Rosemary Hwang is a mechanical en- Systems in Buildings
gineer with SmithGroup, where she has gained valuable HVAC design experience in
HVAC energy-saving
various market sectors. Connor Harrigan is a mechanical engineer with SmithGroup, strategies
working primarily on workplace and government projects in the design and analysis
of HVAC systems. surgical suite HVAC
system
18
Air Solution Company Cottonwood Filter Screens For HVAC
Best practices for
pressurization
Case study: Office

 Air Solution
Company
Cottonwood Filter
Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
Equipment
automation
 CR 95 Pumps Increase
Efficiency, Reduce
Plant
How Cottonwood

Air Solution Company Cottonwood Filter Screens Modular Construction
For HVAC and Cooling Tower Equipment Are Changing HVAC
Air Intake Filter Screens For HVAC Equipment (commonly
HVAC energy-saving
called Cottonwood Filter Screens). Stops airborne debris from strategies
entering air intake openings on rooftop units, condensers,
chillers, dry coolers, air handling units, intake louvers and Case study: Hospital
surgical suite HVAC
cooling towers. system
19
Advances in building automation Best practices for
Building automation has seen a tremendous amount of advancement and is pressurization
changing not only how buildings are managed and operated, but also how Case study: Office
they interact with the grid
T
Cottonwood Filter
he original functionality of a building automation system was to keep a building Screens For HVAC
climate within a specified range. With advances in technology, the BAS can now and Cooling Tower
Equipment
control temperature, control building pressurization, regulate humidity, optimize light-
ing, monitor performance, indicate device failures, provide access control, control shad-  Advances in
ing devices and provide alarms in the event of malfunction. As technology advances, the building automation
BAS of old is now more agile and intelligent and capable of managing business success CR 95 Pumps Increase
factors beyond energy consumption and comfort. Efficiency, Reduce
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Buildings built in 2020 and beyond will be built to building codes that are up to 50%
How Cottonwood
more efficient than when ASHRAE 90.1: Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low- Filter Screens Increase
Rise Residential Buildings was first issued in 1975; they will operate with computing Condenser Coils Systems
performance that has increased 1 trillionfold since 1956[1] and they will have tech-
nology that can virtually ensure the No. 1 complaint of building occupants (comfort) Modular Construction
will be nonexistent. New buildings will be smart, connected, healthy and secure. Are Changing HVAC
Smart buildings are the way of the future and without modern BAS, this would not
be feasible. HVAC energy-saving
strategies
Modern advances in building automation, digital technology and the “internet of things” Case study: Hospital
surgical suite HVAC
have made it easy for new and remodeled buildings to be smart, energy efficient and system
healthy. It can be difficult for new and existing buildings to capitalize on these opportuni-
ties as BAS technology is changing rapidly and requires today’s engineers to understand
the basic capabilities and functions of a BAS, become technically savvy and incorporate 20
Advances in building automation
Best practices for
pressurization
data analytics into BAS designs and think beyond
buildings to harness possibilities from utility providers. Case study: Office

Functionality upgrades Cottonwood Filter
In the early 1900s, a BAS was simple. If you scour the Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
internet looking for the beginning of BAS, you’ll find Equipment
some great stories of the potential first BAS installa-
tions. All in all, the basics are as simple as a lightbulb  Advances in
building automation
connected to a thermostat. The lightbulb would turn
on when the temperature registered below a set-
Efficiency, Reduce
point, signaling workers to shovel more coal into a Downtime for Chemical
Plant
boiler. The original intent was to make life easier for
the person operating the building. How Cottonwood
Around the 1960s, engineers progressed to pneu- Condenser Coils Systems
matic controls and in the 21st century to direct digital Figure 1: Froedtert & Medical How Prefabrication and
and wireless controls. Energy codes, sustainability rating College of Wisconsin Center Modular Construction
for Advanced Care maximizes Are Changing HVAC
systems and sustainability commitments have increased the Systems in Buildings
efficiency and expandability
demand for better BAS. while simultaneously supporting HVAC energy-saving
cutting-edge medicine. Having strategies
Even with need for better systems, the items a BAS con- integrated and energy-efficient
buildings are a priority. Building Case study: Hospital
trols have largely remained unchanged. The core function automation advancements and surgical suite HVAC
of the BAS has typically been to control heating, ventilation integrations were extensively system
studied and incorporated within
and air conditioning equipment to maintain temperature
the facilities to provide healthy
control in buildings. These traditional systems control and energy efficient spaces.
Courtesy: Steinkamp Photography 21
Best practices for
pressurization
heating and cooling plants, air side systems for fresh air delivery and space temperature
and humidity. Many BAS also can integrate with lighting controls, security and fire alarm Case study: Office
systems, but many times these systems remain separate. What is controlled and how it is
controlled can largely depend on when the systems were installed.
Cottonwood Filter
Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
Older buildings are limited by the technology and design drivers of the age they were Equipment
built. Depending on when they were built, the building may have had control only at the
equipment level. In these buildings, there are controls available that only control individ-  Advances in
building automation
ual pieces of equipment and they may not be able to be seen by a centralized control
system or BAS. Additionally, these buildings may have pneumatic or analog controls, CR 95 Pumps Increase
Efficiency, Reduce
which lack the ability to provide tight control of comfort conditions. Downtime for Chemical
Plant
As older buildings continue to age, their functionality may be unable to meet the needs How Cottonwood
of a tenant and they can develop problems that are difficult to solve due to difficulty in Filter Screens Increase
acquiring parts. If an older building does have some level of automation, it may still have Condenser Coils Systems
a significant problem in the fact that an older BAS operates off proprietary protocols
making modifications, expansion or integration into a newer system difficult. Modular Construction
Are Changing HVAC
In buildings built during the late 1980s and beyond, the improvements in central com-
HVAC energy-saving
puting gave way to distributed digital computers (essentially process controllers) located strategies
on equipment (equipment controllers), allowing communication back to a central system.
By 1995, the central controller began to communicate with the internet, allowing for re- surgical suite HVAC
mote or web-based control of systems. system
Also during this period, proprietary protocols evolved to open protocols such as BAC-
net. The incorporation of BACnet into BAS allows for the open communication between 22
Best practices for
pressurization
multiple pieces of
equipment on a cen- Case study: Office
tralized or head end
system. By allowing all
Cottonwood Filter
the communication be- Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
tween individual pieces Equipment
of equipment, temperature control is improved, energy Figure 2: This shows the
efficiency is increased, operating and maintenance costs are business case for integrated,  Advances in
smart solutions. Smart grids building automation
lowered and indoor air quality is improved. At a minimum, connected to smart buildings
the controls are web-based, have graphics that are easy for to increase sales, reduce costs CR 95 Pumps Increase
and meet sustainability goals. Efficiency, Reduce
the user to understand and allow for data analytics and fault Downtime for Chemical
Courtesy: Mortenson
detection. Plant
How Cottonwood
Current BAS options Operational Efficiency on
With the increase in computing performance, advancements in technology and in- Condenser Coils Systems
creased demand for energy-efficient and healthy buildings, most new buildings now em- How Prefabrication and
ploy state-of-the-art BAS technologies and leverage analytics platforms that ride on top Modular Construction
Are Changing HVAC
of the equipment and BAS. These systems can perform complex analytics by integrating Systems in Buildings
multiple automation systems, metering systems, lighting controls, process controls, secu-
HVAC energy-saving
rity, access control and other app-based smart devices. strategies

The biggest challenge in designing new buildings is being educated about new ad- surgical suite HVAC
vancements and being able to scrutinize the different systems available for clients. New system
buildings should be designed as future thinking, with flexibility built in. This allows for
future adoption of new technology and expandability of systems.
23
Best practices for
pressurization
Energy/cost conservation along with oc-
cupant comfort and productivity are two Case study: Office
of the largest drivers of advancement
in modern BAS. By providing improved
Cottonwood Filter
equipment control, real-time monitoring, Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
trend logging and fault detection building Equipment
operators are better equipped to control
how the buildings are operated, which decreases energy use
Figure 3: Expectations
of building performance  Advances in
for the future of buildings
building automation
and increases occupant satisfaction. These systems, coupled
includes the integration of CR 95 Pumps Increase
with strategic metering and data analytics, can further generate smart building automation Efficiency, Reduce
success stories around energy, carbon or climate goals, as well system technologies Downtime for Chemical
as wellness goals (such as air quality or quality of daylighting) and internet of things Plant
integrators. Courtesy:
that a company may have. Mortenson How Cottonwood
Climate and comfort Condenser Coils Systems
Reducing cost or saving money via energy conservation is a benefit of an optimized BAS. How Prefabrication and
It is typically used to help justify the increased costs associated with a more complex sys- Modular Construction
Are Changing HVAC
tem. However, there are other reasons for a company to track energy usage and reduce Systems in Buildings
consumption. Many companies have strategic goals around energy conservation, carbon
HVAC energy-saving
reduction and/or climate impacts. strategies

To track and validate consumption and conservation it is helpful to have automated surgical suite HVAC
systems to perform and track complex calculations. Further, the analytics provided by an system
analytics platform can identify potential areas for improvement that otherwise may not
have been found.
24
Best practices for
pressurization
While wellness and human comfort can be difficult to
track and monetize, standards like ASHRAE 55: Ther- Case study: Office
mal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy
and ASHRAE 62.1: Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor
Cottonwood Filter
Air Quality set a baseline. With the increase in wellness Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
standards that companies use to attract and retain em- Equipment
ployees, it is increasingly important to be able to verify
that occupied buildings are healthy buildings.  Advances in
building automation
Using a BAS to maintain a healthy building and trend CR 95 Pumps Increase

Efficiency, Reduce
and verify wellness metrics is common for new build- Downtime for Chemical
ings. This is most important in hospital designs. In an Plant
article on BAS in hospitals, Neil Lorenzi writes “With How Cottonwood

patient satisfaction and healthy outcomes more close- Filter Screens Increase
ly tied to reimbursement, hospitals are seeking ways Condenser Coils Systems
Figure 4: There are
to improve the overall patient experience and building per- limitations of pneumatic How Prefabrication and
formance is critical to that mission.” High patient satisfaction control systems. On this Modular Construction
1980s thermostat, the Are Changing HVAC
doesn’t happen without a state-of-the-art BAS. Systems in Buildings
setpoint temperature is
80°F. The actual room
HVAC energy-saving
Equipment control temperature is 70°F. The
strategies
current systems cannot
By integrating equipment controllers into a centralized BAS meet the desired setpoints. Case study: Hospital
building, operators can optimize HVAC efficiency and improve Courtesy: Mortenson surgical suite HVAC
control. Examples of this include using economizers for free system
cooling, resetting boiler temperature setpoints based on outdoor air temperature and
optimizing building start/stop times, which allows for night and weekend setbacks. Oc-
25
Best practices for
pressurization
cupancy sensors can be
integrated into venti- Case study: Office
lation systems to opti-
mized ventilation rates,
Cottonwood Filter
further reducing energy Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
and improving IAQ, as Equipment
well as control lighting.
Carbon dioxide and vol-  Advances in
building automation
atile organic compound
sensors can further op- CR 95 Pumps Increase
Figure 5: This shows the various Efficiency, Reduce
timize ventilation rates building automation control Downtime for Chemical
and occupant health. levels. At the base are individual Plant
equipment controllers. These
How Cottonwood
can be stand alone, smart or
By providing improved equipment control and visualization Filter Screens Increase
may need to be connected Operational Efficiency on
into system operations, facilities can see lower maintenance and controlled by a building Condenser Coils Systems
automation system. The
costs and potentially lengthen equipment life. Alarms and
equipment controllers can be How Prefabrication and
trend logs can signal facility operators before they cause integrated into a functional head Modular Construction
end or BAS for building level Are Changing HVAC
discomfort to building occupants and escalate into bigger, Systems in Buildings
control. With strong equipment
more costly problems that could result in equipment failure.
controls and BAS, an analytics
HVAC energy-saving
platform can be used to perform strategies
Metering and submetering complex data analytics to further
optimize building performance. Case study: Hospital
Metering and submetering equipment that uses energy Courtesy: Mortenson surgical suite HVAC
and integrating the data into a BAS can provide additional system
insight into optimizing a building. To really get into energy conservation, the old saying
“you can’t manage what you don’t measure” applies. Typically, metering is done in two
26
Best practices for
pressurization
ways — whole building and/or end use. Whole building metering is helpful when utilities
haven’t provided smart meters. They can measure whole building use in real-time and Case study: Office
in user specified intervals (each second, minute, 15 minutes, etc.). End-use meters get
into real-time use of energy on a break-out level such as lighting, fans, water heaters and
Cottonwood Filter
plug loads. Many buildings that have employed end-use meters have used the data to Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
impact tenant behavior through energy conservation competitions. Equipment
At Mortenson, the competition was on a floor-by-floor level in the headquarters campus.  Advances in
building automation
Every electrical panel on every floor was analyzed and submetered to most accurate-
ly calculate the energy consumption on each floor of the building. Each floor was then CR 95 Pumps Increase
Efficiency, Reduce
provided with educational materials similar to the Energy Star Bring Your Green to Work Downtime for Chemical
program. Plant
How Cottonwood
The end result was a 12.9% reduction in energy use over a three-month period. All sav- Filter Screens Increase
ings were attributed to the behavioral changed made by the occupants. An important Condenser Coils Systems
part of metering and submetering is to understand the purpose of the data collection
before you start to collect it. This avoids installing equipment and gathering data that Modular Construction
Are Changing HVAC
you can’t or won’t use. Information that is accurate and useful will improve operations, Systems in Buildings
cut costs and provide the best experience for occupants.
HVAC energy-saving
strategies
One of the things that happens when data are gathered and analyzed is that additional
data are generated and one can end up with “paralysis by analysis.” Harnessing data surgical suite HVAC
and generating meaningful analytics is complicated. Data can be expensive to acquire system
and use, and data have little value on their own. It is only as good as the insight it deliv-
ers.
27
Best practices for
pressurization
There are companies
that specialize in pro- Case study: Office
viding data analytics
platforms for buildings.
Cottonwood Filter
These companies design Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
easy-to-use automation Equipment
software that can visual-
ize and analyze real-time  Advances in
building automation
information for multiple
applications and can CR 95 Pumps Increase
Efficiency, Reduce
provide metrics on ener- Downtime for Chemical
gy, maintenance, produc- Plant
tivity and even product How Cottonwood

quality. These systems Filter Screens Increase
are intended to integrate beyond the BAS and can tie into Figure 6: The example data Condenser Coils Systems
provided by an analytics platform
manufacturing, product quality, financial tracking, etc. Suc-
indicates the baseline load of How Prefabrication and
cessful analytics uncover new business insights capable of the building as well as how Modular Construction
the building is performing on Are Changing HVAC
driving real value and greater business performance. Equip- Systems in Buildings
weekends versus weekdays.
ment controls and a BAS are just two things that an analyt-
Courtesy: Mortenson
HVAC energy-saving
ics platform can use. strategies

Smart buildings surgical suite HVAC
Smart buildings are those buildings that have leveraged data and real-time information system
to optimize energy consumption. They have leveraged IoT connectivity, sensors and the
cloud to monitor and control multiple building systems (HVAC, lights, plug loads, eleva-
28
Best practices for
pressurization
tors, etc.). They use that connectivity to communicate and automate to generate greater
efficiency, security and comfort while saving money. Smart buildings have a modern BAS. Case study: Office
Many smart buildings are designed around the phenomena of “electrification of every-
thing” and transition to 100% renewable energy. These buildings are better positioned
Cottonwood Filter
for the future of the electrical grid. Incorporation of technologies such as heat pumps, Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
electric vehicles and other electric technologies are on the rise and their increased in- Equipment
corporation could increase U.S. electricity consumption by nearly 40% by midcentury,
according to a National Renewable Energy Laboratory report.  Advances in
building automation
This need to electrify everything has complications for the electric grid and creates an CR 95 Pumps Increase
Efficiency, Reduce
increased demand for a smart grid. In a traditional grid scenario energy flows from the Downtime for Chemical
utility to the end user. It is a one-way transmission. A smart grid allows for many great Plant
improvements, but at a baseline one of those things is the ability to have two-way trans- How Cottonwood
mission. Filter Screens Increase
A smart grid is on the utility side of the meter. It involves the transmission lines, substa-
tions and transformers required to deliver power from the plant to the users. Smart grids Modular Construction
Are Changing HVAC
allow for real-time energy usage and real-time energy pricing and can help building op- Systems in Buildings
erators further manage usage cost, and manage when to use energy and when to gen-
HVAC energy-saving
erate on their own through renewable energy. Smart grids are continually evolving and strategies
smart buildings and BAS need to evolve with it to optimize performance on both sides of
the meter. surgical suite HVAC
system
The smart grid will need smart buildings to talk to for ultimate success. Utilities have
committed to being more connected to their customers, but to be truly successful, they
need their customers to connect to them in a different way. Most of today’s smart grid 29
Best practices for
pressurization
integrations end with
the utility providing Case study: Office
a smart meter. It is a
start, but only a start
Cottonwood Filter
and it needs building Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
designs to advance. Equipment
When a smart build-
ing is connected to  Advances in
building automation
a smart grid, there is
mutual benefit for both CR 95 Pumps Increase
Efficiency, Reduce
the building owner and Downtime for Chemical
power provider. Plant
Figure 7: The use of submetered
data can influence human How Cottonwood
WHAT’S NEXT behavior to reduce energy
consumption, as shown in
The Jetsons — the 1960s TV cartoon — family lived in the Condenser Coils Systems
this example of the company
future and they had amazing contraptions (smartwatches, headquarters floor-by-floor How Prefabrication and
video phones, drones, robots, autonomous vehicles) that competition. Courtesy: Modular Construction
Mortenson Are Changing HVAC
aided in everyday living. They lived in perfectly climate con- Systems in Buildings
trolled, healthy buildings in the sky. We are on the cusp of
HVAC energy-saving
being in “the future” portrayed in that cartoon, but The Jetsons had robots and artificial strategies
intelligence. The automation systems used today continue to rely on human interaction
and interpretation. surgical suite HVAC
system
As an example, fault detections and alarms still rely on humans to take action and much
of our data still needs human interpretation. The technology that limits or eliminates the
30
Best practices for
pressurization
need for human interpretation
is machine learning and artificial Case study: Office
intelligence. These technologies
are rapidly evolving and some
Cottonwood Filter
aspects are being integrated in Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
BAS algorithms, but it is hap- Equipment
pening gradually.
 Advances in
building automation
In today’s increasingly connect-
ed world, the IoT communicates CR 95 Pumps Increase
Efficiency, Reduce
but is not independently intelli- Downtime for Chemical
COTTONWOOD FILTER SCREENS
gent. Current systems typically Plant
rely on “after the fact” report- How Cottonwood

ing: analyze the past, make a Filter Screens Increase
change and hope the test works Condenser Coils Systems
in the future. If the results of the
change don’t meet expectations Modular Construction
Are Changing HVAC
a different change is made and Systems in Buildings
the process is repeated.
HVAC energy-saving
strategies
In ML and AI, a machine col-
lects the building management surgical suite HVAC
system and analytics platform system
data and combines them into

increasingly robust data sets.
These data sets are large and 31
Best practices for
pressurization
contain more information than a human brain can process. Current ML protocols for BMS
use the robust data sets and combine them in a way that allows operators to schedule Case study: Office
equipment based on better data. This is what is known as a supervised ML system, and
while it is not a fully automated system, it is more vigorous than the current “after the
Cottonwood Filter
fact” reporting. Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
Equipment
Additional benefits of the ML/AI integration include: the ability to use multiple data sets
to forecast and operate the building off weather predictions, establishing better coordi-  Advances in
building automation
nation of complex systems (combining HVAC, lighting, ventilation and occupancy) and
improved fault detection (optimized continuous commissioning). CR 95 Pumps Increase
Efficiency, Reduce
In the most succinct terms, the core function and intent for BAS is to keep humans Plant
comfortable, healthy and safe. The business purpose of the BAS is to save money and How Cottonwood
improve productivity. Using advancements at an equipment level, an automation lev- Filter Screens Increase
el and at an integration level, the BAS is a business tool in addition to an energy and Condenser Coils Systems
comfort tool.
Are Changing HVAC
When smart technology is applied to BAS and those advancements are in sync with Systems in Buildings
smart technology from power providers, new business insights can be uncovered. These
HVAC energy-saving
insights can drive real business and environmental value and greater business perfor- strategies
mance.
surgical suite HVAC
Julianne Laue, PE, LEED AP BD+C, BEMP, BEAP, Mortenson, Minneapolis system
Julianne Laue is the director of building performance at Mortenson. She is a 40 Under

40 award winner, and a member of the Consulting-Specifying Engineer editorial advi-
sory board. 32
CR 95 Pumps Increase Efficiency, Reduce Downtime for Chemical Plant
Best practices for
pressurization
Case study: Office


Cottonwood Filter
Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
Equipment
automation
 CR 95 Pumps

Increase Efficiency,
Reduce Downtime
for Chemical Plant
How Cottonwood

CR 95 Pumps Increase Efficiency, Reduce Are Changing HVAC
Downtime for Chemical Plant
HVAC energy-saving
For a growing chemical processing and distribution company strategies
that was experiencing downtime and costly repairs, Grundfos’
Hydro MPC BoosterpaQ — featuring the new CR 95 — offered Case study: Hospital
surgical suite HVAC
the perfect solution. system
33
How Cottonwood Filter Screens Best practices for
Increase Operational Efficiency on

pressurization

Case study: Office

There Is More to The Story Than Meets the Eye Cottonwood Filter
Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
T o the casual observer, Cottonwood Filter Screens look like a common mesh screen Equipment
that simply stops airborne debris at it’s point of entry into mechanical systems – Advances in building
This is the “intuitive aspect” of the product however, the benefits of their construction automation
and use go well beyond keeping debris out of condenser coils. What isn’t as intuitive is CR 95 Pumps Increase
Efficiency, Reduce
how they contribute to increasing cooling efficiency,
driving down energy cost and simplifying the mainte- Plant
nance process.
 How Cottonwood
Filter Screens
To understand how they work to optimize efficiency Increase Operational
it first requires an understanding of how condenser Efficiency on
Condenser Coils
coils become fouled – there’s an intuitive aspect to
Systems
condenser coil fouling but it’s not necessarily what
you think; they don’t usually foul due to small par- Modular Construction
ticulate such as dust, dirt, sand and pollen because Are Changing HVAC
this type of debris is small enough to flow through
the coils under flow of air and out the exhaust – rath- HVAC energy-saving
strategies
er, coil fouling is typically caused by larger debris
(cottonwood seed, leaves, insects, grass clippings, Case study: Hospital
surgical suite HVAC
mulch, etc.) which gets wedged or snagged be- system
tween the coils such that all debris no matter the size
34
How Cottonwood Filter Screens Increase Operational Efficiency
Best practices for
pressurization
coming in behind it, builds up on top of it,
eventually leading to a fouled coil condition. Case study: Office
With this in mind, now let’s look at the differ-
ence between Standard Efficiency and High
Cottonwood Filter
Efficiency Micro-channel coils and the im- Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
pact of fouling. With the market demanding Equipment
high efficiency cooling equipment, OEM’s
have increasingly been shipping micro-chan- automation
nel equipment vs. the Standard efficiency coils – Why? because users understand that
the energy savings will more than offset the higher initial investment price over the Efficiency, Reduce
service life of the equipment. Downtime for Chemical
Plant
Are You Really Capturing the Energy –  How Cottonwood

Filter Screens
It’s Not as Easy as You Think Increase Operational
Keeping any condenser coil clean is the single most important thing one can do to Efficiency on
ensure optimal cooling performance – a fouled condenser coil no matter its efficien- Condenser Coils
cy design, simply won’t work well and will eventually fail, so keeping condenser coils Systems
clean is crucial. Now let’s look at the fouling impact on Standard Efficiency vs. High How Prefabrication and
efficiency condenser coils - Standard Effi- Are Changing HVAC
ciency Coils with 12 – 15 fins per inch will Systems in Buildings
have more space between each fin, while HVAC energy-saving
the High Efficiency coils with 15 – 20+ fins strategies
per inch will have less space between them Case study: Hospital
– so if you stop and think for a moment of surgical suite HVAC
system
the condenser coils being a filter – which
35
Best practices for
pressurization
coil would be a better filter – the Standard
Efficiency or the High Efficiency coil? If you Case study: Office
said the High Efficiency or, Micro-channel
coil you would be correct; because the high
Cottonwood Filter
efficiency coil will trap more debris than Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
the standard efficiency, it tends to foul-out Equipment
sooner between maintenance cycles and run
longer in a fouled condition; The irony of automation
this is that the very equipment that has the
ability to deliver an energy savings can actu- Efficiency, Reduce
ally become an energy hog. Downtime for Chemical
Plant
To capture the savings promised of high efficiency coil systems - there are only two  How Cottonwood
things that users can do – either increase the cleaning cycles (which carries an increase Filter Screens
Increase Operational
in maintenance cost and also increases the chances for irreversible coil / fin damage) Efficiency on
or, protect them from airborne debris. Using Cottonwood Filter Screens will largely Condenser Coils
eliminate conventional coil cleaning by relocating the fouling away from the coil to the Systems
outside of the unit where it can be quickly and easily cleaned and where rain and wind How Prefabrication and
can aid in keeping them clean. Modular Construction
Are Changing HVAC
Whether one elects to increase the cleaning cycle or use Cottonwood Filter Screens
HVAC energy-saving
to protect the condenser coils, one thing is clear, quarterly maintenance cycles don’t strategies
usually provide adequate attention to unprotected high efficiency coils if expecting to
realize the full energy saving benefit, especially during the spring summer and fall. If surgical suite HVAC
system
operational efficiency and energy savings is truly important to an operation and you
or a customer is currently using or considering purchase of high efficiency condenser 36
Best practices for
pressurization
coils, then Cottonwood Filter Screens are the
safest and most efficient approach for pro- Case study: Office
tecting the coils and should be an integral
part of the equipment maintenance strategy.
Cottonwood Filter
Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
About Cottonwood Filter Equipment
Screens Advances in building
Available in various filter grades and mount- automation
ing options for all makes and models of
equipment, Cottonwood filter screens are Efficiency, Reduce
made from a specially engineered mesh Plant
which is designed for high volume, high
velocity air movement systems with extraor-  How Cottonwood
Filter Screens
dinary low impact on static pressure. They Increase Operational
feature UV & Flame Resistance, have a “rip Efficiency on
stop” characteristic and include a non-stick Condenser Coils
surface for quick and easy cleaning using a Systems
broom, brush, leaf blower or garden hose – even rain will rinse them clean. How Prefabrication and
Are Changing HVAC
Randy Simmons, President of Air Solution Company – the leading manufacturer of Systems in Buildings
Cottonwood Filter Screens, Hail Guards and Weather Guards for the HVAC Industry. HVAC energy-saving
strategies
Air Solution Co. Case study: Hospital
www.airsolutioncompany.com surgical suite HVAC
system
(800) 819-2869
37
How Prefabrication and Modular Best practices for
Construction Are Changing HVAC

pressurization
Case study: Office

The positive impact on HVAC design, installation and overall efficiency Cottonwood Filter
Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
P refabrication and modular construction have grown over the last few years as a Equipment
solution to the problem of trade workforce shortages. These building methods are Advances in building
almost universally agreed to be advantageous because they improve: automation
• Productivity Efficiency, Reduce
• Quality Plant
• Schedule certainty
How Cottonwood
• Cost predictability Filter Screens Increase
Operational Efficiency
• Waste reduction
on Condenser Coils
• Client satisfaction Systems
• Safety performance
 How Prefabrication
and Modular
As a result, the use of these methods in all aspects of construction is only expected to Construction Are
increase. According to the Prefabrication and Modular Construction 2020 SmartMar- Changing HVAC
ket Report from Dodge Data & Analytics, contractors are looking for both architects
and engineers to leverage prefabrication and modular construction in more of their HVAC energy-saving
strategies
designs, but most of them only have experience with traditional, on-site construction
practices. Regarding projects with Electrical, Mechanical and Plumbing (EMP)-oriented Case study: Hospital
surgical suite HVAC
trade assemblies for HVAC, plumbing and electrical racks, risers and other assemblies, system
64 percent of general contractors/construction managers (GCs/CMs) and 77 percent of
38
How Prefabrication and Modular Construction Are Changing
Best practices for
pressurization
trade contractors have used prefabricated systems — in stark contrast to just 39 per-
cent of architects and engineers.1 Case study: Office

In other words, prefabricated systems are well positioned to become the new industry
Cottonwood Filter
standard, with demand driven by contractors and trades, but there is a lag in adopting Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
these methods during project design. GCs/CMs forecast that 23 percent of projects Equipment
over the next three years will include prefabricated systems for multi-trade assembly
products — a 10-point increase from where we are today. Architects and engineers automation
forecast prefabrication in only 19 percent of these upcoming projects — a 12-point
increase from today’s adoption.2 Efficiency, Reduce
Plant
Prefabrication and Modular Construction Trends
How Cottonwood
Prefabrication and modular construction are two ways of approaching off-site construc-
tion. The difference is what is built off-site. Operational Efficiency
on Condenser Coils
Systems
What Is Prefabrication?
“Construction World” magazine defines prefabrication as “the practice of assembling  How Prefabrication
and Modular
a variety of components of a structure at a manufacturing site and transporting those Construction Are
sub-assemblies to the location of the construction jobsite.” 2 Prefabricated units range Changing HVAC
from wall and floor panels to stairwells and more. Projects that are considered “on-site Systems in Buildings
construction” often utilize prefabrication. HVAC energy-saving
strategies
What Is Modular Construction? Case study: Hospital

surgical suite HVAC
In modular construction, the entire building is prefabricated. According to the Modular system
Building Institute:
39
Best practices for
pressurization
Modular construction is a process in which a building is constructed off-site, under
controlled plant conditions, using the same materials and designing to the same Case study: Office
codes and standards as conventionally built facilities — but in about half the time.
Buildings are produced in “modules” that when put together on site, reflect the
Cottonwood Filter
identical design intent and specifications of the most sophisticated site-built facility Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
— without compromise. 4 Equipment
There are two types of modular construction: permanent modular construction and automation
relocatable buildings.
Efficiency, Reduce
Permanent modular construction (PMC) involves modules, or pods, that take the Downtime for Chemical
Plant
form of completed rooms or even complete hotel rooms with all the finishes. These
modules are delivered to the job site and pieced together like building blocks. How Cottonwood
Relocatable buildings (RBs) are what comes to mind for most people when they think on Condenser Coils
Systems
of modular construction because examples are often seen traveling down the highway,
bearing “wide load” signs. An RB is a partially or completely assembled building that  How Prefabrication
and Modular
complies with any applicable codes and/or regulations and is designed to be reused
Construction Are
or repurposed multiple times. RBs are commonly seen at schools, medical clinics and Changing HVAC
construction sites. Systems in Buildings
HVAC energy-saving
Market Adoption and Forecast strategies
The survey on which the SmartMarket Report is based shows that the various forms of Case study: Hospital
prefabrication and modular construction have reached different levels of adoption in surgical suite HVAC
system
the United States. Among the survey respondents: 1
40
Best practices for
pressurization
• 94% have used prefabrication in the last three years
• 38% have used permanent modular construction Case study: Office
• 28% have used relocatable modular construction
Cottonwood Filter
GCs/CMs agreed that the top obstacle to using prefabrication in more projects is its Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
lack of inclusion in designs. Equipment
Survey respondents said that over the next three years, they expect to see more pre- automation
fabrication and modular construction used in these building types:
Efficiency, Reduce
• Health care facilities Downtime for Chemical
Plant
• Hotels and motels
• Multifamily How Cottonwood
• College buildings and dormitories Operational Efficiency
• Low-rise offices (1–4 stories) on Condenser Coils
Systems
• K–12 schools
and Modular
Prefabrication in HVAC Systems Construction Are
HVAC systems are vital for buildings. They must be reliable, efficient and designed to Changing HVAC
help the facility team optimize system performance, because HVAC impacts far more Systems in Buildings
than human comfort. The optimal indoor climate raises people’s productivity by up HVAC energy-saving
to 10 percent. A five- to eight-degree variance from the optimal temperature can de- strategies
crease productivity by five to 10 percent. Case study: Hospital

surgical suite HVAC
system
A building’s HVAC system is made up of many components. The most important pieces
41
Best practices for
pressurization
are the chiller and the air handling unit (AHU), which circulates air throughout a build-
ing to provide heating and cooling — both of which comprise many parts. Case study: Office

The HVAC industry has used prefabrication to overcome installation and commission-
Cottonwood Filter
ing challenges for many years. For example, when chillers were first introduced to Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
the market, all the components were supplied individually: compressors, condensers, Equipment
evaporators, expansion valves, power and controls units and other ancillary items. But
now, chillers are sold as complete packaged systems. Likewise, AHUs are now sold automation
as packaged systems made of many integrated components: filters, heating and/or
cooling coils, humidifier, mixing chamber, blower/fan, balancing, heat recovery device, Efficiency, Reduce
controls, vibration isolators, sound attenuators and more. The industry depends on Downtime for Chemical
Plant
chiller and AHU manufacturers to apply their expertise and design skills to build these
important systems in factories for optimal efficiency and performance, rather than ex- How Cottonwood
pecting contractors to do this work on-site. If the assemblies aren’t sized, selected and Operational Efficiency
built correctly, the building has problems. on Condenser Coils
Systems
But, for some reason, this logic doesn’t extend to most HVAC pumping systems. The  How Prefabrication
and Modular
pump is the heart of the HVAC system, moving valuable and expensive chilled water
Construction Are
throughout a building to maintain comfort for all. It serves as a water handling unit Changing HVAC
(WHU) for the entire building. Yet most pumping systems are still stick-built, requiring Systems in Buildings
contractors to source and assemble multiple parts at the construction site. As an indus- HVAC energy-saving
try, it’s time to recognize the value of prefabricated HVAC pumping systems. strategies

The Value of Prefabricated Pumping Systems surgical suite HVAC
system
Prefabrication offers the HVAC industry some of the same benefits of modular con-
42
Best practices for
pressurization
struction overall: the quality of a factory-controlled construction environment, and
faster project completion. Case study: Office

The Quality of the Factory-controlled Environment Cottonwood Filter
In the modular construction industry, factory-controlled builds allow for tighter con- Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
struction, due to fewer site disturbances and less waste generation. Prefabrication and Equipment
modular construction are considered green building approaches because materials
can easily be recycled within the factory. In addition, manufacturers are able to control automation
inventory and protect materials. An added safety benefit for the workers is improved
air quality, and materials stay dry — nearly eliminating the chance of moisture being Efficiency, Reduce
trapped inside the new building. Downtime for Chemical
Plant
How Cottonwood
The same benefits can be achieved in the HVAC industry by using prefabricated pump-
ing systems. The pumps, motors, drives and controls can be installed on a base frame, Operational Efficiency
on Condenser Coils
along with all the isolation valves, check valves, gauges and sensors. Everything can be
Systems
pre-wired, -programmed and -commissioned to job-site requirements within the facto-
ry. This approach saves many hours of job-site labor, both mechanically and electrically,  How Prefabrication
and Modular
allowing for repeatability and ensuring the highest quality of work.
Construction Are
Changing HVAC
When assembling systems on-site with pumps, drives and controls from different man- Systems in Buildings
ufacturers, it’s not always easy to achieve optimum controls curves. And connecting HVAC energy-saving
two or more pumps in parallel, which is often required to maximize efficiency in the strategies
building, adds another level of difficulty, as the controls need to be set up for redun- Case study: Hospital
dancy and/or cascade operation. But with an experienced single-source pumping sys- surgical suite HVAC
system
tem manufacturer, the assembly and design are optimized, and control programming
maximizes operation efficiency. 43
Best practices for
pressurization
Additionally, packaged pumping systems can come with sensors on the inlet and outlet
manifolds (or differential pressure sensors) and can be programmed to provide either Case study: Office
proportional or quadratic pressure control. Any setpoint changes can be made on a
single pump controller either at the control panel or through the building management
Cottonwood Filter
system (BMS) for easy use. Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
Equipment
Faster Project Completion
In modular construction, module assembly and site foundation work happen simulta- automation
neously, allowing projects to be completed 30 to 50 percent faster than with traditional
construction methods. Since 60 to 90 percent of the construction is completed inside a Efficiency, Reduce
factory, weather does not impact the construction timeline. Buildings can be occupied Downtime for Chemical
Plant
sooner, creating a faster return on investment.
How Cottonwood
The Modular Building Institute shared an example timeline illustrating these potential Operational Efficiency
on Condenser Coils
savings: 5
Systems
and Modular
Construction Are
Changing HVAC
HVAC energy-saving
strategies

surgical suite HVAC
system
Using prefabricated equipment helps drive efficiencies in the permits & approvals
stage by simplifying design and streamlining the submittal process between the MEP 44
Best practices for
pressurization
and mechanical contractors. Figure 1
Additionally, in the install & Case study: Office

site restoration stage, time is
saved because the systems
Cottonwood Filter
can be sourced more easily Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
and simply dropped in at the Equipment
site, ready to go with a flip of
the switch. automation
In the HVAC industry, when Efficiency, Reduce
using off-the-shelf or con- Downtime for Chemical
Plant
figured prefabricated pumping systems, the manufacturer can source, build, pre-wire,
pre-test and pre-commission the system while other building construction tasks hap- How Cottonwood
pen. Once the system is delivered, contractors just have to make the piping connec- Operational Efficiency
tions and plug it in. The pre-testing and pre-commissioning ensure there are no sur- on Condenser Coils
Systems
prises or delays.
and Modular
Additionally, built-in, pre-programmed sensors and control equipment allow for data-
Construction Are
and performance-driven system control. Changing HVAC
Sensors for More Accurate Pump Control HVAC energy-saving
The most common best practice in HVAC pump control is also the most intrusive and strategies
expensive: remote-mounted differential pressure sensors. Sensors allow the pumping Case study: Hospital
system to react efficiently to changes in system flow requirements. Illustrated in Figure surgical suite HVAC
system
1 is a remote-mounted, differential pressure sensor system that measures the pressure
45
Best practices for
pressurization
loss through the coil, control valve and bal- Figure 2
ancing valve. Case study: Office


But the difficulty in locating and installing
Cottonwood Filter
this sensor (or sensors) leads to question- Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
able decisions when the system is com- Equipment
missioned. This difficulty has led to many
systems operating far below their intend- automation
ed efficiency. When there is indecision
around correct sensor placement, sensors Efficiency, Reduce
get mounted improperly in the system, in Downtime for Chemical
Plant
the mechanical room or across from the
pump system itself. Utilizing normal control How Cottonwood
methodologies, none of these alternate locations are ideal, and they will not deliver Operational Efficiency
the pumping efficiency that was intended when the system was designed. Some have on Condenser Coils
Systems
suggested removing the sensor altogether and letting the pump, motor and drive
figure out where to run. This type of power-based pump control can work for a system  How Prefabrication
and Modular
with a constant load, but it struggles to perform when system conditions aren’t actually
Construction Are
as designed or there is a dynamic variable load. Advancements in pump system control Changing HVAC
allow for a pump system–mounted sensor, but this must be planned for. Let’s evaluate Systems in Buildings
the effect of each control strategy on overall system efficiency. HVAC energy-saving
strategies
Control Strategies: With & Without Sensors Case study: Hospital

surgical suite HVAC
Power-based Pump Control: No Sensor Used system
Power-based pump control, in which controls operate without sensors or any direct
46
Best practices for
pressurization
feedback (data) from the system, has Figure 3
gained in popularity over the last 10 years. Case study: Office

In this method, pump performance curves
are loaded into the pump control, and both
Cottonwood Filter
pressure and flow are estimated using the Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
power consumed by the motor and drive. Equipment
Caution must be taken when using pow-
er-based control, as this method does not automation
work for all pump types. Since the only
thing being measured is motor input power Efficiency, Reduce
(via the variable frequency drive), there may Downtime for Chemical
Plant
be two points on the pump curve that re-
quire the same power. An example is shown How Cottonwood
below in Figure 2. Operational Efficiency
on Condenser Coils
Systems
Proportional Pressure: Pump-mounted Sensors
There’s a common misconception that if a pump-mounted sensor is used, the pump  How Prefabrication
and Modular
can only operate in constant pressure mode. This is incorrect, as current pump tech-
Construction Are
nology allows proportional and/or quadratic pressure control, even in systems with Changing HVAC
pump-mounted sensors. Systems in Buildings
HVAC energy-saving
When pump-mounted sensors or power-based control are used (see Figure 3), there strategies
must be two setpoints: head/pressure at design (or maximum) flow (A), and head/ Case study: Hospital
pressure at zero flow (B). These two settings define the control curve characteristics. To surgical suite HVAC
system
properly set these parameters during commissioning, the head at zero flow (i.e., fixed
47
Best practices for
pressurization
head or control head) needs to be determined. For a hydronic circulation system, like
the example illustrated in Figure 1, the fixed head would also represent the control Case study: Office
head required if a remote-mounted differential pressure sensor were used.
Cottonwood Filter
Conclusion Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
Prefabrication and modular construction are growing trends with staying power, Equipment
well-positioned to transform the building industry. These methods can be implement-
ed for nearly any aspect of construction, based on the needs of the building. Prefab- automation
ricated HVAC pumping systems offer benefits not only for the HVAC system itself, but
also for the overall building, depending on the application and building needs. Efficiency, Reduce
Plant
References
How Cottonwood
1. Jones, S. A., & D.A. Laquidara-Carr, eds. “SmartMarket Report: Prefabrication and Filter Screens Increase
Modular Constriction 2020.” Dodge & Data Analytics, 2020. https://www.construc- Operational Efficiency
on Condenser Coils
tion.com/toolkit/reports/prefabrication-modular-construction-2020 Systems
2. Construction World. “7 Benefits of Prefabricated Construction.” http://www.con-  How Prefabrication

and Modular
structionworld.org/7-benefits-prefabricated-construction/ Construction Are
Changing HVAC
3. Modular Building Institute, “What is Modular Construction?” https://www.modular. Systems in Buildings
org/HtmlPage.aspx?name=why_modular HVAC energy-saving
strategies
4. Jones and Laquidara-Carr. Case study: Hospital

surgical suite HVAC
system
5. Modular Building Institute.
48
HVAC energy-saving strategies Best practices for
pressurization
Learn about multiple energy-saving strategies — such as temperature and
pressure reset and valve strategies — achievable through the use of a Case study: Office
building automation system
Cottonwood Filter
M any energy–saving strategies are available to building owners by employing a

building automation system. These BAS are constantly increasing in capabilities
and complexity. This is frequently driven by codes and standards, such as ASHRAE
Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
Equipment
Standard 90.1: Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings Advances in building
automation
and the International Energy Conservation Code.
Efficiency, Reduce
Five common heating, ventilation and air conditioning energy–saving strategies are: Downtime for Chemical
Plant
• Chilled water supply temperature reset. How Cottonwood

• Chilled water pumping differential pressure reset. Operational Efficiency
• Air handling unit supply air temperature reset. on Condenser Coils
Systems
• AHU static pressure reset.
• Unoccupied HVAC setback. How Prefabrication and
Are Changing HVAC
CHWST reset control strategy Systems in Buildings
One control strategy for reducing chiller power consumption is to increase the  HVAC energy-saving
CHWST based on cooling load. The input to the BAS is polling of the AHU chilled strategies
water valve positions. Case study: Hospital
surgical suite HVAC
system
Increasing the CHWST has a significant impact on chiller compressor power con-
sumption. This reduction is consistent for water-cooled chillers independent of
chiller size and configuration. With the major chiller manufacturers implementing 49
HVAC energy-saving strategies
Best practices for
pressurization
the latest chiller technology, including falling film evaporators, CHWST reset can
result in 2% to 2.5% reduction in compressor kilowatt input per degree Fahrenheit Case study: Office
of increased CHWST. Table 1 uses data from actual manufacturer’s chiller selections
to illustrate this.
Cottonwood Filter
Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
This strategy requires that all of the chilled water valves be assigned a priority (low, Equipment
medium or high) and that every chilled-water valve position be polled at regular
intervals, typically 30 minutes, via valve position feedback. If all of the high priority automation
valves are open 70% or less and the average open position of all of the medium pri-
ority valves is 50% or less, the CHWST setpoint will be adjusted up by an adjustable Efficiency, Reduce
value of 0.5°F. Downtime for Chemical
Plant
Conversely, if all the high priority valves are open 90% or greater or if the average How Cottonwood
open position of all of the medium priority valves is 75% or greater, the setpoint will Operational Efficiency
be adjusted down by an adjustable value of 0.5°F. on Condenser Coils
Systems
A chilled water system may be designed to meet the full (peak) cooling load with How Prefabrication and
42°F chilled water and could be reset between 42°F and 48°F to optimize chiller en- Are Changing HVAC
ergy savings.
 HVAC energy-saving
Pumping differential pressure reset strategies
A control strategy for reducing chilled water plant pump power consumption for vari- Case study: Hospital
able flow systems is to reset the chilled water system DP setpoint that controls the surgical suite HVAC
system
chilled water pump speeds. This reduction in DP setpoint is based on cooling load
(chilled water valve positions).
50
Best practices for
pressurization
The effect of chilled water DP reset on plant pump power consumption varies based
on cooling load profile and diversity, plant pump configuration, size and efficiency of Case study: Office
the selected pumps. Power consumption of a typical variable flow pumping system at
various DP setpoints will approach the ideal pump curve (at zero head).
Cottonwood Filter
Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
This strategy requires that all of the chilled water valves be assigned a priority (low, Equipment
medium or high) and that every five minutes the chilled-water valves’ position be
polled via valve position feedback. If all of the high–priority valves are open 70% or automation
less and the average open position of all of the medium–priority valves is 50% or
less, the DP setpoint will be adjusted down by an adjustable value of 0.5 pounds per Efficiency, Reduce
square inch. Conversely, if all the high priority valves are open 90% or greater or if Downtime for Chemical
Plant
the average open position of all of the medium–priority valves is 75% or greater, the
DP setpoint will be adjusted up by an adjustable value of 0.5 psi. How Cottonwood
Both strategies (CHWST reset and pump DP reset) use cooling load (chilled water on Condenser Coils
Systems
valve position) to reset their respective parameters. As a result, they should not be
used simultaneously to independently reset both parameters. How Prefabrication and
Are Changing HVAC
AHU reset control strategies
A control strategy for reducing terminal reheat, pumping energy, chiller power con-  HVAC energy-saving
sumption and the number of hours an AHU can operate in economizer mode (where strategies
applicable) is to increase the AHU supply air temperature setpoint. This logic to Case study: Hospital
increase supply air temperature should be based on the zone cooling demand of the surgical suite HVAC
system
area served by an AHU, as determined by the cooling loop output of the terminal
boxes fed by the AHU.
51
Best practices for
pressurization
Increasing the AHU supply air temperature can have a significant impact on airside
and waterside energy consumption. Case study: Office

This strategy requires that all of the terminal boxes served by an AHU have their
Cottonwood Filter
respective cooling loop outputs polled to determine the terminal box with the high- Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
est loop output. If the cooling loop output of the terminal box with the highest loop Equipment
output is less than 80%, the discharge air temperature setpoint is increased by 0.5°F.
Conversely, if the terminal box with the highest cooling loop output is higher than automation
95%, the discharge air temperature setpoint is decreased by 0.5°F.
Efficiency, Reduce
A typical AHU may be designed to deliver air temperatures of 55°F for commercial Downtime for Chemical
Plant
applications and 52°F supply air temperatures for health care applications where
maximum room relative humidity ranges are to be maintained. How Cottonwood
One common strategy for reducing supply fan energy is to reset the AHU duct SP on Condenser Coils
Systems
setpoint. This decrease in AHU duct SP is based on the zone cooling demand of the
of the area served by an AHU. The cooling demand is determined based on damper How Prefabrication and
position of the terminal boxes fed by the AHU. Are Changing HVAC
Decreasing the AHU duct SP setpoint can have a significant impact on airside fan en-  HVAC energy-saving
ergy consumption and can be as high as 5% to 7% of the HVAC power consumption strategies
of a building depending on building geometry, load profile and diversity, duct con- Case study: Hospital
figuration and fan efficiencies. surgical suite HVAC
system
This strategy requires that all of the terminal boxes served by an AHU have their
respective damper positions polled on an adjustable time basis to determine the 52
Best practices for
pressurization
Case study: Office


Cottonwood Filter
Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
Equipment
automation
terminal box with the highest damper position. During test Table 1: Shown is the chiller CR 95 Pumps Increase
percentage of kilowatts Efficiency, Reduce
and balance of the air handling system, the minimum and Downtime for Chemical
reduced for various chiller
maximum duct SP setpoints are determined by setting all Plant
capacities and chilled water
of the terminal boxes fed by the AHU to minimum cooling supply temperature. Courtesy: How Cottonwood
Certus Consulting Engineers Filter Screens Increase
cubic feet per minute and determining the SP at the trans-
mitter location that results in a terminal box with a damper on Condenser Coils
Systems
position of 95% open and setting all terminal boxes to full cooling cubic feet per
minute and determining the SP setpoint that results in the terminal box with a damp- How Prefabrication and
er position of 95% open. If the damper position of the polled terminal boxes is less Are Changing HVAC
than 90% open, the SP setpoint is decreased by 0.1 inch water gauge. Conversely, if Systems in Buildings
the damper position of the polled terminal boxes is greater than 95% open, the SP
setpoint is increased by 0.1 inch WG.
strategies
Unoccupied HVAC setback surgical suite HVAC
system
One common and relatively straightforward strategy is to change HVAC setpoints
when the building or spaces are unoccupied. Parameters that are typically reset
include: 53
Best practices for
pressurization
• Space temperature.
Case study: Office
• Minimum zone airflow.
Cottonwood Filter
• Outside air quantity. Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
Equipment
Maximum savings is achieved when these three strategies are implemented simulta-
neously to reduce both fan energy and cooling/heating energy. When total and out- automation
side air quantities are setback, care should be taken to ensure that the overall build-
ing pressurization is not compromised, assuming that exhaust fan systems continue Efficiency, Reduce
to operate during unoccupied periods. Downtime for Chemical
Plant
Such systems are normally initiated by a time of day schedule and include a means to How Cottonwood
override via a manual push-button or occupancy sensors. Operational Efficiency
on Condenser Coils
Systems
Control strategy relationships
It is imperative that the relationships of the presented strategies to each other be Modular Construction
understood when applying multiple strategies to a cooling system. The relationships Are Changing HVAC
can be presented between them most easily when they are broken down between
waterside and airside. The waterside strategies include CHWST reset and chilled  HVAC energy-saving
water pumping differential pressure reset, while the airside strategies include AHU strategies
supply air temperature reset and AHU SP reset. Case study: Hospital
surgical suite HVAC
system
The relationship between the waterside strategies is important because both use
cooling load (chilled water valve position). If implemented simultaneously, the
54
Best practices for
pressurization
two strategies would compete with one another and create a condition where the
CHWST increase also would result in an increase in differential pressure setpoint. As Case study: Office
the chilled water temperature is increased, the AHU coils will need a higher flow rate
to maintain their respective discharge air temperature setpoints and the differential
Cottonwood Filter
pressure setpoint will inherently be increased to deliver it. This is because both strat- Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
egies require the chilled water valve positions to be monitored. As a result, the two Equipment
strategies should not be used at the same time but rather in succession.
automation
The energy reduction (in kilowatts) associated with the chiller at increasing supply
temperature setpoints including the increase in pump kilowatts due to higher flow Efficiency, Reduce
rate requirements is greater than energy reduction associated with chilled water Downtime for Chemical
Plant
pump DP reset and constant chiller discharge water temperature. As a result, the
CHWST reset should occur first. Once the CHWST is at its maximum setpoint, the How Cottonwood
chilled water differential pressure can be reset to allow the additional energy savings Operational Efficiency
associated with lower pump horsepower to be realized. on Condenser Coils
Systems
The relationship between supply air temperature reset and SP reset can be easily un- How Prefabrication and
derstood when the parameter used to adjust it is reviewed. While both strategies use Are Changing HVAC
zone cooling demand to determine the appropriate setpoint value, they each use a
different control output to determine the required response. In the case of supply air  HVAC energy-saving
temperature, zone cooling demand is determined based on the cooling loop output strategies
of the terminal box. Case study: Hospital
surgical suite HVAC
system
In the case of AHU SP reset, zone cooling demand is determined based on the
damper position of the terminal box. The fact that both strategies use different pa-
rameters to determine the response allows both to be used simultaneously. This is 55
Best practices for
pressurization
made even more important be-
cause a larger energy saving will Case study: Office
THINK
be achieved on the airside strate-
DIFFERENTLY
gies than the waterside strategies.
Cottonwood Filter
This is because, as a percentage Screens For HVAC
ABOUT HVAC of the total energy used by a fa-
and Cooling Tower
PUMPING SOLUTIONS Equipment
cility, a larger percentage can be
attributed to the airside systems automation
than the waterside systems.
Efficiency, Reduce
Health care energy Downtime for Chemical
Plant
savings
How Cottonwood
With the control strategies at Filter Screens Increase
hand, there are unique aspects Operational Efficiency
on Condenser Coils
related to health care that must be Systems
evaluated.
Many health care applications Are Changing HVAC
When it comes to selecting a pump for your must-haves in one fully integrated system; Systems in Buildings
hydronic heating and cooling applications, making design, installation and ROI easier and require that specific room tem-
you’ve got a list of must-haves: savings,
efficiency, performance and ease of use. If
you thought building your pumping system
faster than ever. It’s a system that’s challenging
the industry to…THINK DIFFERENTLY. perature and humidity ranges  HVAC energy-saving
piece-by-piece was the best way to achieve THINK HYDRO MPC FOR HVAC.
be maintained. For example, the strategies
all that…THINK AGAIN.
Learn more at grundfos.us/hydrompcHVAC
The Grundfos Hydro MPC HVAC is a
plug-and-pump solution that delivers all
Texas Health and Human Services Case study: Hospital
surgical suite HVAC
Commission hospital licensing system
rules include a table outlining the
temperature and humidity require-
56
Best practices for
pressurization
ments for various hospital spaces. Where spaces exist that are not specifically iden-
tified in the licensing rules, the state defers to the requirements listed in ASHRAE Case study: Office
Standard 170: Ventilation of Health Care Facilities. Table 2 indicates a representative
list of spaces that require specific temperature and humidity ranges.
Cottonwood Filter
Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
The relationship between the code requirements (Texas HHSC and ASHRAE Standard Equipment
170) and control strategies dictate that specific temperature and humidity thresholds
be used. The maximum supply air condition that can be delivered to a space while automation
maintaining the maximum RH values listed cannot exceed a dewpoint temperature of
53.6°F, which corresponds to a humidity ratio of 61.4 grains of moisture per pound of Efficiency, Reduce
dry air. Downtime for Chemical
Plant
While the CHWST affects the leaving coil air condition, as long as the discharge air How Cottonwood
temperature setpoint can be maintained and is not above the maximum humidity Operational Efficiency
ratio, the chilled water temperature can be increased according to the chilled water on Condenser Coils
Systems
temperature reset sequence.
This example allows the spaces to be maintained at the lowest temperature allowed Are Changing HVAC
by code while maintaining the highest corresponding RH allowed and is not sug-
gested as the recommended design practice. In determining the design setpoints,  HVAC energy-saving
allowances should be made for some safety and to allow for the RH to drift within a strategies
range, since the system will be dynamic and also relies on sensor calibration, network Case study: Hospital
speed, etc. surgical suite HVAC
system
In addition, spaces such as operating rooms, pharmacy compounding and sterile

processing decontamination are commonly required by the owner to be designed to 57
Best practices for
pressurization
lower space temperatures
than that listed in Table 2. Case study: Office
In these cases, the maxi-
mum supply air tempera-
Cottonwood Filter
ture would be much lower, Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
at a dewpoint to maintain Equipment
a RH within the allowable
range at a lower space automation
temperature.
Efficiency, Reduce
For example, to maintain Downtime for Chemical
Plant
an OR at 62°F and 50% RH,
the maximum supply air How Cottonwood
temperature using a con- Operational Efficiency
ventional mixed air AHU on Condenser Coils
Systems
would be 43.6°F. This is
not practical, would greatly How Prefabrication and
increase reheat require- Are Changing HVAC
ments and would limit the
ability to integrate chilled  HVAC energy-saving
water reset into the plant strategies
strategy. Therefore, alternate technologies and design Table 2: Based on various
hospital guidelines, this shows
strategies (e.g., desiccant dehumidification or glycol sub- surgical suite HVAC
the typical relative humidity
system
cooling) should be considered for these spaces to allow the and temperature requirements
for hospitals. Courtesy: Certus
remainder of the system to maximize the benefits of reset
strategies.
Consulting Engineers
58
Best practices for
pressurization
Operating room setback
Case study: Office
Most areas in a hospital are occupied 24/7, limiting the opportunities for unoccu- building pressurization
pied setback. However, ORs are seldom used 24/7 in most hospitals. Due to the high
airflow requirements when occupied, airflow setback of ORs when unoccupied can Cottonwood Filter
result in significant savings in fan, cooling and reheat energy (see Table 3). Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
Facility Guidelines Institute 2018 Guidelines for Design and Construction of Hospitals Equipment
does not list a minimum to which the airflow can be lowered in unoccupied periods.
Some states, however, do dictate a minimum airflow at all times. The design mini- automation
mum air changes per hour should be determined by the engineer together with the
hospital facilities and environment of care groups. Efficiency, Reduce
Plant
Regardless of the setback ACH, the positive pressure (0.01 inch water column) rel-
How Cottonwood
ative to adjacent spaces must be maintained at all times. Room pressure monitors Filter Screens Increase
must be provided for each OR and strategies such as pressure independent air valves Operational Efficiency
on Condenser Coils
on the supply and return should be considered. Systems

Many facilities hesitate to incorporate OR setback due a concern of the room being Modular Construction
ready for emergency cases. Most often, it is not recommended to change the room Are Changing HVAC
temperature setpoint during unoccupied mode, since a rapid change in room tem-
perature can cause the humidity to fall outside of the allowable range before the  HVAC energy-saving
systems can stabilize. If only airflow is setback, the room can recover after manual strategies
override and will stabilize before the surgical team completes prepping for surgery. Case study: Hospital
surgical suite HVAC
system
The sophistication of modern building automation presents opportunities for signifi-
cant energy savings. While multiple strategies make sense on most projects, there is
59
Best practices for
pressurization
not a “one size fits all” method to implementing these strategies. Maximizing sav-
ings while maintaining the operational requirements of the facility requires detailed Case study: Office
analyses and engineered solutions for each specific case. When properly designed,
programmed and maintained, the optimum savings and return on investment of BAS
Cottonwood Filter
energy strategies will be realized. Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
Equipment
Roger Koppenheffer, LEED AP, and Kevin Miller, PE, LEED AP, Certus Consult-
ing Engineers, Carrollton, Texas automation
Roger Koppenheffer is a founding principal of Certus Consulting Engineers and
brings 24 years of experience in the consulting field to manage and engineer a mul- Efficiency, Reduce
titude of projects specializing in health care. Kevin Miller has 21 years of experience, Downtime for Chemical
Plant
specializing in health care. He is a founding principal of Certus Consulting Engineers
and continues to bring technical expertise and provide creative solutions to the in- How Cottonwood
dustry. Operational Efficiency
on Condenser Coils
Systems

Are Changing HVAC
strategies
surgical suite HVAC
system
60
Case study: Hospital surgical Best practices for
suite HVAC system

pressurization
Case study: Office

The following case study examines unoccupied setback of an air handling
unit dedicated to a surgery suite Air Solution Company
Cottonwood Filter
Screens For HVAC
U noccupied setback of an air handling unit dedicated to a surgery suite was exam-
ined in a hospital. In this particular case, the hospital wanted the entire surgery
suite system to be in the same mode (occupied or unoccupied) at once, with a single
and Cooling Tower
Equipment
automation
override switch located at the control desk. Such a system can easily be set up to al-
low only a portion of the rooms to be overridden, provided that override buttons are CR 95 Pumps Increase
Efficiency, Reduce
installed for each room. Downtime for Chemical
Plant
The local authority, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, would not How Cottonwood
permit the outside air quantity to be reduced during unoccupied modes. The addi- Filter Screens Increase
tional preheat required during unoccupied mode in the winter months to maintain an on Condenser Coils
acceptable mixed air temperature, is included in the overall energy numbers. Systems

The system consists of a single 20,000 cubic feet per minute AHU dedicated to serv- Modular Construction
Are Changing HVAC
ing eight operating rooms and the sterile core. Outside air is constant at 4,000 cfm Systems in Buildings
(20%). During unoccupied mode, the airflow to the ORs is reduced from 20 to 5 air
HVAC energy-saving
changes per hour. Pressure-independent air valves on the supply and return are set strategies
for a constant offset to help ensure positive room pressure is always maintained.
 Case study: Hospital
surgical suite HVAC
The ORs are generally unoccupied 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. Room temperature setpoint was system
maintained at 62°F at all times.
61
Case study: Hospital surgical suite HVAC system
Best practices for
pressurization
Case study: Office


Cottonwood Filter
Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
Equipment
The energy consumption specific to the OR heating, Table 3: This shows the
automation
difference between occupied and
ventilation and air conditioning can be broken down
unoccupied airflow setback energy CR 95 Pumps Increase
into five main components: and cost savings in an operating Efficiency, Reduce
room. Note: Gas cost is $6.13 per Downtime for Chemical
therm. Electric cost is $0.0653 per Plant
• Supply fan energy kilowatt.
kilowatt-hour. Courtesy: Certus
Consulting Engineers How Cottonwood
• Return fan energy kilowatt. Operational Efficiency
on Condenser Coils
Systems
• Cooling plant energy kilowatt.
• Preheat energy 1,000 Btu/hour (aka MBH). Are Changing HVAC
• Terminal reheat energy 1,000 Btu/hour. HVAC energy-saving

strategies
Note that there is also energy consumed for humidification. However, the difference  Case study: Hospital
between occupied and unoccupied modes is negligible because outside air is con- surgical suite HVAC
stant and is not included in this analysis. system
The analysis included a heating and cooling load analysis on an hourly basis for an 62
Case study: Hospital surgical suite HVAC system
Best practices for
pressurization
entire year (“8,760 hourly analysis”). Table 3 illustrates the annual sum of energy
consumption of each of these components, with the base assuming 24/7 operation Case study: Office
with no airflow setback, as well as the energy savings associated with the setback
sequence.
Cottonwood Filter
Screens For HVAC
and Cooling Tower
Roger Koppenheffer, LEED AP, and Kevin Miller, PE, LEED AP, Certus Consult- Equipment
ing Engineers, Carrollton, Texas
Roger Koppenheffer is a founding principal of Certus Consulting Engineers and automation
brings 24 years of experience in the consulting field to manage and engineer a multi-
tude of projects specializing in health care. Kevin Miller has 21 years of experience, Efficiency, Reduce
specializing in health care. He is a founding principal of Certus Consulting Engineers Downtime for Chemical
Plant
and continues to bring technical expertise and provide creative solutions to the in-
dustry. How Cottonwood
on Condenser Coils
Systems

Are Changing HVAC
HVAC energy-saving
strategies
 Case study: Hospital

surgical suite HVAC
system
63
HVAC
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Best Practices For Infiltration and Building Presurization

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FA L L E D I T I O N

and building pressurization for infiltration

in air handling system design Air Solution Company

D esign assumptions regarding infiltration and mechanical building pressurization

Case study: Hospital

• Pressure within a building is nonuniform Air Solution Company

This density differential creates an up- Case study: Office

The magnitude of stack effect is positively How Cottonwood

Case study: Hospital

air system on each floor (see Figure 2).

Mechanical pressurization Case study: Hospital

• Manually balanced — no dynamic control.

Air Solution Company

Air Solution Company

How Prefabrication and

How Prefabrication and

How Prefabrication and

Case study: Hospital

Case study: Office

How Prefabrication and

Air Solution Company

Case study: Hospital

Case study: Hospital

Using a BAS to maintain a healthy building and trend CR 95 Pumps Increase

article on BAS in hospitals, Neil Lorenzi writes “With How Cottonwood

tivity and even product How Cottonwood

Case study: Hospital

rely on “after the fact” report- How Cottonwood

data and combines them into

Julianne Laue is the director of building performance at Mortenson. She is a 40 Under

Case study: Office

Air Solution Company

How Prefabrication and

Increase Operational Efficiency on

Condenser Coils Systems

Air Solution Company

Are You Really Capturing the Energy –  How Cottonwood

Construction Are Changing HVAC

Air Solution Company

Air Solution Company

What Is Modular Construction? Case study: Hospital

crease productivity by five to 10 percent. Case study: Hospital

Air Solution Company

Case study: Hospital

Air Solution Company

Case study: Hospital

Additionally, in the install & Case study: Office

ancing valve. Case study: Office

Air Solution Company

Control Strategies: With & Without Sensors Case study: Hospital

gained in popularity over the last 10 years. Case study: Office

2. Construction World. “7 Benefits of Prefabricated Construction.” http://www.con-  How Prefabrication

4. Jones and Laquidara-Carr. Case study: Hospital

M any energy–saving strategies are available to building owners by employing a

• Chilled water supply temperature reset. How Cottonwood

Air Solution Company

Case study: Office

Air Solution Company