ASHRAE Research Strategic Plan 2010-2015

Navigation for a
Sustainable Future

American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc.

TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE

Overview and Vision.........................................................................................................................3

1. Maximize the actual operational energy performance of buildings and facilities.........................5

2. Progress toward Advanced Energy Design Guide (AEDG) and cost-effective

net-zero-energy (NZE) buildings.....................................................................................................7

3. To reduce significantly the energy consumption for HVAC&R, water heating

and lighting in existing homes........................................................................................................9

4. Significantly advance our understanding of the impact of indoor environmental

quality (IEQ) on work performance, health symptoms and perceived
environmental quality in offices, providing a basis for improvements in ASHRAE
standards, guidelines, HVAC&R designs and operation practices................................................11

5. Support the development of ASHRAE energy standards and reduce effort

required to demonstrate compliance..........................................................................................13

6. Building Information Modeling (BIM) of energy efficient, high-performing buildings................15

7. Support development of tools, procedures and methods suitable for

designing low energy buildings....................................................................................................16

8. Facilitate use of natural and low global warming potential (GWP) synthetic
refrigerants and seek methods to reduce refrigerant charge......................................................18

9. Support the development of improved HVAC&R components ranging from

residential through commercial to provide improved system efficiency,
affordability, reliability and safety................................................................................................19

10. Significantly increase the understanding of energy efficiency, environmental

quality and the design of buildings in engineering and architectural education.......................21

11. Understand influences of HVAC&R on airborne pathogen transmission

in public spaces and develop effective control strategies..........................................................23
 Overview and Vision

The ASHRAE Research Strategic Plan for 2010-2015 consists of 11 strategic goals that were chosen to
address technical challenges that limit our ability to maximize building performance, energy efficiency
and indoor environmental quality while minimizing our impact on the environment. Meeting any of the
11 strategic goals will require coordinated effort among multiple technical committees.

Who is ASHRAE?
ASHRAE, founded in 1894, is an international organization of 55,000 members. It is the world’s foremost
technical society in the fields of HVAC&R. Through its meetings, research, standards writing, publishing
and continuing education, the Society helps keep indoor environments comfortable and productive,
deliver healthy food to consumers and preserve the outdoor environment.

ASHRAE’s Research Vision

ASHRAE conducts timely research to remain the foremost, authoritative and responsive international
source of technical and educational information, standards and guides on the interaction between
people and the indoor and outdoor environment through the operation of HVAC&R systems in buildings
and other applications.

Purpose of the Plan

The ASHRAE Board of Directors requires that a Strategic Plan for ASHRAE Research be prepared and
updated every five years. The plan identifies key HVAC&R research needs and provides that information
to ASHRAE members and technical committees as guidance while they develop research projects and to
the Research Administration Committee as it approves and funds research proposals. The Research Plan
is not meant to take the initiative for research design from the cognizant committees, but rather to use
input from ASHRAE members to identify strategic research needs that are appropriate for many commit-
tees to collaborate on, that may require larger budgets, and for which additional outside funding may be
available to supplement ASHRAE’s budget.

Navigating the Plan

For each goal, specific objectives are given and the current technical challenges to be addressed by the
research are explained. This is followed in each case by a discussion of the needed research. As the goals
vary significantly in their scope, current state-of-the-art and technical challenges, the needed research
also varies widely. Many of the goals are outcome-based, which means that rather than specifying the
type of research that should be conducted, the outcomes in terms of performance are specified. This
approach will provide flexibility and encourage innovation in research. Needed research for other goals
is specified in terms of specific projects that are needed. In all cases, though, specific projects will be
defined and scoped by one or more ASHRAE technical committees. The Research Administration Com-
mittee in turn will evaluate and prioritize these topics against the plan so the topics that best address
these goals are funded first. The plan will be updated every five years following the same broad input
collection process so that it remains pertinent in a rapidly changing HVAC&R research environment.

Development of the Plan

The plan was developed collaboratively over a three-year period by ASHRAE’s Research Advisory Panel.
Input was provided by ASHRAE chapter members, technical committee (TC) members, research fund
contributors and representatives from HVAC&R-related organizations throughout the process via surveys,
meetings, forums and e-mail. Once an initial list of goal topics was formed based on the input and
deliberations of the Research Advisory Panel, ad hoc committees, primarily made up of volunteers
from TCs, were formed to work on each of the goal topics. Goal topic descriptions developed by the
ad hoc committees underwent several review and editing cycles prior to final approval by ASHRAE
Technology Council.
 Research Advisory Panel Members
The Research Advisory Panel members are listed below. Research Advisory
Panel members that served over the duration of the panel’s existence each
championed one of the goals and, for those members, their goal number is
listed parenthetically.

Martha Hewett, Center For Energy and Environment, Minneapolis, MN (1)

Jim Brodrick, Ph.D., U.S. Department of Energy, Washington, D.C. (2)
Larry Markel, Sentech Inc, Knoxville, TN (3)
Steve Taylor, P.E., Taylor Engineering LLC, Alameda, CA (5)
Hywel Davies, Ph.D., CIBSE, London, United Kingdom (6)
Jeffrey Spitler, Ph.D., P.E., Chair, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK (7)
Zahid Ayub, Ph.D., P.E., Isotherm Inc, Arlington, TX (8)
Wayne Reedy, Retired, Monticello, IN (9)
Alison Kwok, Ph.D., University of Oregon, Eugene, OR (10)
Jim Braun, Ph.D., Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
Donald Colliver, Ph.D., P.E., University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY

In addition, the panel was augmented by two other

ASHRAE members who championed goals:
William Fisk, Lawrence Berkley National Laboratory, Berkley, CA (4)
Richard Fox, Honeywell (11).

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Goal 1:
Maximize the actual operational energy performance of buildings and facilities.

Objective: Sharpen the understanding of the technical, 4) Lack of sufficient feedback to design professionals on
economic, institutional and human factors that contribute to the effectiveness of their designs.
the gap between potential and actual energy performance.
5) Lack of sufficient site-specific documentation and
Develop additional tools and methods to maximize the
training to communicate the design intent to building
actual energy performance of buildings. Document the
operators. Difficulty for decision-makers to quantify
energy savings and improvements in performance that can
the value of such documentation and training.
be realized through use of these tools and methods.
6) Insufficient quality control (e.g., peer review,
Technical Challenges: Available data strongly suggest that commissioning) in design and construction; difficulty
the actual energy use of buildings is often higher than for decision-makers to reliably quantify the benefits
design energy use and/or higher than necessary to deliver of commissioning and reliably compare quality and
the required services. At the same time, indoor air quality, value of commissioning providers, leading to an
thermal comfort, noise and other performance attributes overemphasis on price in selection.
(e.g., infection control, food refrigeration temperatures)
may not meet target levels. Many factors contribute to this,
Operation and maintenance factors
including but not limited to:
1) Lack of meaningful feedback to owners, facility
managers and operators on energy use.
General industry and decision-making factors
2) Lack of sufficient feedback on other performance
1) Increasing complexity of building enclosure,
parameters to ensure that energy savings are not
mechanical, control and other systems without a
achieved at the expense of functionality.
corresponding increase in the sophistication and ease
of use of tools and building operator knowledge and 3) Inadequate benchmarks for energy use (e.g., not
training to manage this complexity. sufficiently matched to the target building in terms of
climate, size, age, space uses, processes or types of
2) Aggressive energy standards not coupled with standards
Heating, ventilating, air conditioning and refrigerating
for actual energy use and non-energy performance of
(HVAC&R) systems, nor disaggregated by end use).
the building as constructed and operated.
4) Inadequate benchmarks for non-energy performance
3) “One-off” building design and construction, which
parameters.
prevents optimization of design and execution in
prototypes followed by high levels of quality control 5) Prioritization of short-term Operation and maintenance
in production. (O&M) cost control over long-term management of
energy use and building performance. Complaint-driven
4) Focus on first costs and low bid in selection of design
Operation and maintenance (O&M) focused on quick
firms and contractors and in subsequent selection
fixes rather than resolution of underlying issues. Failure
of design features. Difficulty for decision-makers
to employ predictive and preventive maintenance
to evaluate quality, value (quality/price), and life
approaches. Difficulty for owner to determine whether
cycle costs in design and construction, leading to an
the maintenance contractor does the work that is
overemphasis on price in selection.
actually needed and does it correctly.
6) Lack of sufficient diagnostic tools and easy-to-use,
Design and construction factors
intuitive interfaces to facilitate evaluation of system
1) Failure to integrate design across disciplines, leading to operation by Operation and maintenance (O&M)
sub-optimal designs. staff. Lack of sufficient training of Operation and
maintenance (O&M) staff/contractors to enable them
2) Lack of optimization of control strategies.
to optimally operate and maintain buildings and
3) Focus on energy use without sufficient attention systems. Operation based on rules of thumb from prior
to building performance (comfortable, productive experience or previous operator. Insufficient number
working/learning environment, good Indoor air quality of Operation and maintenance (O&M) staff to allow
(IAQ), lack of mold problems, durability, etc.) proactive operation and maintenance.

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7) Difficulty for decision-makers to reliably evaluate 9) Expand the capabilities of dynamic simulation models
Operation and maintenance (O&M) staff/contractor to integrate modeling of building loads, mechanical
skills and knowledge or to quantify the value of these systems, electrical systems and controls. These models
skills/knowledge. could be used to develop improved control strategies
and fault detection and diagnostics algorithms, or as
8) Under-utilization of continual commissioning or
the basis for a building simulator used for Operation
periodic retro-commissioning to reduce energy use and
and maintenance (O&M) training or a building
improve building performance.
emulator used to test control systems.
9) Lack of ongoing systematic feedback from occupants
10) Identify optimum and practical near-optimum control
regarding building performance.
strategies for various systems (simulation followed by
field validation). Develop additional “best practice”
sequences of operation to improve the quality of
Needed Research: Sample research projects that address
control design and implementation.
these challenges include:
1) Accelerate application of building information modeling 11) Further quantify and optimize the energy savings
(BIM), and to ensure that BIM systems are designed and other benefits of commissioning and retro-
to meet information needs for commissioning and commissioning for HVAC&R, enclosures, lighting and
operations and maintenance. (Coordinate with building service water heating. Study persistence of savings.
SMART alliance, Construction Operations Building Develop effective commissioning procedures for newer
Information Exchange). and emerging technologies (e.g., integrated daylight-
dimming and automated window shading systems,
2) Education and outreach to understand decision-makers’
wireless controls, smart grid strategies, etc.).
perspectives on investments in energy efficiency and
in design features that enhance building performance. 12) Quantify and optimize the energy savings and other
(Coordinate with (U.S. Department of Energy) DOE benefits of pro-active maintenance approaches.
Energy Alliances). Develop automated diagnostics algorithms for more
types of systems and document the energy savings
3) Improve building energy labeling systems. Develop
and other benefits they provide. Develop successful
and validate practical methods to model and measure
processes for moving from reactive to proactive
building energy and non-energy performance. Metrics
maintenance.
must be relevant to building owners and would likely
vary by market segment (e.g., student performance 13) Develop automated (and semi-automated) tools to
for schools, control of airborne infections for hospitals, support commissioning (Cx) and retro-commissioning
worker productivity/absenteeism for owner-occupied (RCx). Development of tools to: Run continuous
office buildings, comfort for leased office buildings). diagnostics on overall system- and building-level
performance (not just Fault Detection & Diagnostics
4) Develop more accurate methods to relate building
(FDD) of components or equipment); run “pushbutton”
energy simulation models to actual building energy use.
performance checks to check key status points on-
5) Improve alignment between energy standards, energy demand; optimize setpoints and operating parameters;
models and utility bills. effectively manage the data generated during
commissioning. Standardization of Building Automation
6) Document actual energy savings and building performance
System (BAS) trend data file formats to facilitate
improvements realized through integrated design.
extraction and processing of trend data by Cx/RCx
7) Document actual energy savings and performance authorities, building operators and others. Research
impacts for selected energy measures, and identify to develop and demonstrate tools and processes that
key design, construction, installation and operational allow operators to conduct “commissioning” activities
factors that influence savings and performance. as part of routine operating activities.
8) Document the impact of design alternatives on building
performance metrics important to owners.

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Goal 2:
Progress toward Advanced Energy Design Guides (AEDG) and cost-effective net-zero-energy (NZE) buildings.

Objectives:  Developing net-zero-energy buildings can Technical Challenges:  Complexity and interaction among

produce technologies and designs for improving efficiency building subsystems represents an essential challenge to
of energy use in all buildings. In the United States, the NZE design solutions; detailed energy modeling is expensive
current installed base of about 5 million commercial and may still miss important matters. Design guides are
buildings and 120 million residential dwelling units convenient, but not optimal. Furthermore, energy reduction
consumes about 40 quads of energy every year. By 2030, methods, systems and operations are highly dependent on
floor space in commercial buildings is expected to grow by the climactic conditions in which the building is located; this
48 percent and residential units will grow by 27 percent.1 increases the complexity of developing energy design guides
Even limited deployment of NZE buildings in this timeframe that capture dependence on climate and weather variability.
will have a beneficial effect by reducing the pressure for
additional energy and power supply and the concomitant Specific shortcomings that need to be addressed include the
reduction of green-house gas emissions. A further need following:
related to advanced energy designs is development of 1) Variability in building loads is not well characterized,
energy efficiency retrofit systems for the current installed which leads to variability of performance for any
base. While NZE may not always be economically practical, one (fixed) design; passive or adaptive management
especially for retrofit, aspects of NZE designs will offer of building load variability is a challenge, but would
significant energy reduction opportunities. improve overall energy performance.
2) Current installed base of buildings will dominate
Objectives for the strategic research plan period of
energy use during the strategic plan period and
2010-2015 support developments and improvements
beyond; technical challenge is development of cost-
of Advanced Energy Design Guides (AEDG) for near-
effective retrofit approaches that combine technology,
term impact. The objectives also lay the groundwork for
operations, and maintenance.
achieving NZE buildings after 2015.
1) Provide AEDG on techniques to achieve by 2012 a 3) Diffuse community of relatively small design
50 percent reduction in annual energy consumption companies leads to long delays in bringing a large
relative to ANSI/ASHRAE/IES 90.1-2007 [or other community in alignment with new standards and
baseline] – all building types. practices.
2) Provide AEDG on techniques to achieve by 2015 a 4) Building technology combines the often conflicting
70 percent reduction in annual energy consumption characteristics of engineering and architecture to
relative to Standard 90.1-2007 [or other baseline] – produce a functional, high performance, aesthetically
four commercial building types. attractive system.
3) Coordinate with (Energy Information Administration)
EIA at DOE on enhancements to all buildings surveys Needed Research:  Meeting this goal requires both ASHRAE-
by 2015. funded research projects and research projects funded by
other entities such as the federal government.
4) Incorporate solar-thermal design principles into AEDG
for one building type by 2015.
ASHRAE funded projects (examples) to achieve objectives
5) Achieve use of Standard 90.1 by 75 percent of
practitioners by 2015.2 1) Develop design methodologies for the incorporation
of solar-thermal cooling, heating and dehumidification
6) Publish design approach for energy reduction by
technologies and their integration with other building
retrofitting buildings by 2015.
components including HVAC&R, water heating
7) Obtain energy use of “as-built” versus “as-designed” and envelope systems. Methodologies should be
for 12 operating commercial buildings by 2015. developed for new build and retrofit.
2) Identify and assess solar-thermal energy technologies
1 From National Science and Technology Council Subcommittee on Building Technology R&D at that can cost-effectively provide the energy required
http://www.bfrl.nist.gov/buildingtechnology/ or http://tinyurl.com/5eugok
2 Note, recently published Standard 189.1, Standard for Design of High-performance, Green Build-
to fill the gap between energy reduction measures
ings except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, should also be presented to practitioners and developed and remaining thermal energy demand to achieve
further for use in this strategic plan.

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 NZE building performance. For retrofit applications, sense (e.g., 1-σ or 2- σ) for different scenarios; the
the design guides should identify approaches to approach should be able to be used as a tool for
reduce energy use to the extent possible, even if NZE design trade-off studies and to evaluate what-if
performance is not achievable. scenarios.
3) Continue to support the AEDG series. 2) Develop envelope strategies for existing buildings
and simulate building performance; catalog strategies
4) While NZEB refers to net-zero annual energy use, it as design guidelines for different building types.
neglects the benefits of thermal or electrical storage For retrofit applications, parameterize performance
or of using energy during night or off-peak times metrics by region, climate, life cycle, etc.
to increase use of renewable or other clean energy
sources. Develop a metric other than annual NZEB that 3) Develop methodologies for new or existing buildings
takes such source energy characteristics into account. to measure critical parameters so that actual
building performance can be compared to predicted
performance. In the case of new buildings, sensors
Non-ASHRAE funded projects (examples) to achieve objectives for parameter measurement can be incorporated
into the building design. For retrofit applications,
1) Develop a design approach that incorporates statistical the sensor suite must be installed in a cost effective
characterization of variable building loads, e.g., manner without adversely causing degradation in
occupancy, lighting, plug loads, weather and climate. building performance. Minimization of purchase and
Design approach should be able to predict mean installation cost is important.
aggregate energy use and variability in a statistical

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Goal 3:
To reduce significantly the energy consumption for HVAC&R, water heating and lighting in existing homes.

Objectives: The U.S. housing sector consumes heat pump (COP, EER) with a split system (HSPF, SEER),
approximately 11 quads of energy annually (4.4 for much less a mini-split.
heating, 0.9 for air conditioning, 2.2 for water heating,
3) A major challenge to development and adoption of
2.8 for lights and appliances, 0.5 for refrigeration). The
improved materials or appliances is that there is no
objective is to reduce the energy for low-rise residential
clear business model for product vendors to invest in
space conditioning and water heating while maintaining
their development or foster their implementation.
or improving the homes’ comfort and indoor air quality.
The residential market is typically low-margin and
While current residential energy efficiency measures are
high-volume, so a markedly different product
well-understood by the industry, the average home is not
represents a risk in terms of retooling costs
energy efficient. In addition to developing improved energy
for manufacturers, possible erosion of existing
efficiency technologies, improvements are needed in
“conventional” product sales and having to compete
deployment of new and existing techniques. This includes
for space in retail stores.
educating and motivating homeowners, facilitating the
identification of appropriate measures and properly
training contractors to install them and financing retrofit
Deployment challenges
energy efficiency.
1) Homeowners are often unaware of energy
Technical Challenges: There are both technology and consumption and waste, and what improved-efficiency
deployment challenges. represents in terms of added comfort and potential
money savings. Some websites, especially utility-
sponsored ones, help homeowners go through a
Technology challenges
checklist of energy-related items in the home, provide
1) “Technology” includes materials, equipment, some energy audit diagnostics and list qualified
practices and systems, particularly for retrofits. contractors. These websites are usually not well-
“Materials” could include better ways to apply utilized, possibly because of lack of publicity, lack
insulation to an existing home. “Equipment” covers of interest by homeowners or the results not being
such items as improved air-conditioning efficiency particularly useful. The need to motivate homeowners
or perfecting new types of appliances, such as heat and to provide them with actionable information is
pump water heaters. “Systems” focuses on having not being met. ASHRAE should work closely to identify
appliances, controls and building structures work well research needs of those on the “front line” such as
together, a sort of residential integrated design and Air-Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA), Home
commissioning process. This goes beyond eliminating Energy Rating Systems (HERS), Building Performance
built-in bypasses and air leaks; there’s much more Institute (BPI), weatherization contractors, etc.
opportunity in improving the forced air distribution
2) Economics affects deployment. Residential retrofit jobs
than the forced air equipment. The interaction
are small, typically repair projects. The “transaction
between envelope, HVAC&R, lighting and appliances
cost” is high, so to be profitable to vendors and
should be better understood.
affordable to homeowners, neighborhood energy
2) A significant technology challenge is that most of our retrofit approaches would be more economic.
equipment rating methods are (at best) obsolete, and However, the energy efficiency market does not
ASHRAE must think about a collaborative role with “purchase” in this way, except for low-income
the federal government to get funding to remedy this. weatherization programs. A means of delivery that can
The rating methods and the federal standards derived reduce the homeowners’ costs – and inconvenience –
from them discourage innovation that would make could address this.
a difference. Standards aren’t really useful to figure
3) Additional field studies are needed of residential
out the energy budget of a house with a combination
occupant behavior, perceptions and actual use to
system or an integrated heat pump. Water heater
understand the most promising retrofit paths for each
standards systematically favor tank-less over tank
significant housing stock type, by climate. Slab-built
type, because of a test artifact. We are not able to
with equipment in the attic has different energy losses
meaningfully compare energy use of a ground source

9
 than basement houses with ducts below the living 10) Development of simple home energy management
space. No forced air house can maintain the same systems or home energy use tracking and report/
temperature upstairs as downstairs. We don’t even display (to the homeowner) systems.
have an adequate taxonomy of the housing stock
11) Metrics for home energy efficiency that recognize the
(types, and numbers per type). Ideally, a house doctor
time-value of energy use
(potentially a HERS rater), not a building scientist, could
be trained to identify and deal with the most common 12) Most home energy retrofits focus on low-cost
housing types in a particular metro area. New England weatherization or furnace tuning. Develop methods to
tenements are not the same as New York row houses. lower the cost of “deep retrofit” measures that reduce
energy use by over 40 percent.
Needed Research
Deployment improvements
Technology improvements
1) Energy efficiency guide for existing residential buildings.
1) Integrated space conditioning and water heating
2) Quality assurance checklist for energy-related projects.
appliances, following both electric and fossil paths.
3) Better (e.g., accurate but easily exercised) assessment
2) Improved insulation materials and systems for retrofit.
procedures – such as residential building energy
3) Tighter “box” HVAC&R equipment with improved efficiency rating systems.
gaskets and seals and improved “box” insulation,
4) Publicity and education campaigns (including K-12) to
especially when boxes are located in unconditioned
inform the public about energy efficiency and what
spaces.
they can do to implement energy saving measures in
4) Dispatchable appliances that can take advantage of the home.
utility price signals or other aspects of the “Smart Grid”
5) Programs for encouraging residential energy efficiency
in scheduling their operation.
retrofits, such as reporting requirements when selling a
5) Better control systems, including programmable house or mortgage qualification credits for lower utility
thermostats and remotely accessible thermostats (e.g., costs.
Smart Grid- or demand response-compatible).
6) Innovative policies, programs and training integrating
6) Improved humidity control efforts of U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD), DOE, U.S. Environmental
7) More efficient space heat, water heat, air-conditioning
Protection Agency (EPA), housing authorities and local
systems. The big savings may be from better energy
code bodies, etc.
distribution rather than marginal gains in SEER.
7) Contractor training.
8) Better building simulation ventilation models, to
specify the type and size of vents and fans for a specific 8) Development of mobile weatherization vans to
building perform minor insulation and weather stripping.
9) An improved understanding of the interaction between
envelope, HVAC&R, lighting and appliances can be
used to improve both standard installation procedures
and codes.

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Goal 4:  
Significantly advance our understanding of the impact of indoor environmental quality (IEQ) on work
performance, health symptoms and perceived environmental quality in offices, providing a basis for
improvements in ASHRAE standards, guidelines, HVAC&R designs and operation practices.

Objectives: The objectives for this goal are divided into The evidence of effects of indoor air temperatures and OA
two priority levels: ventilation rates on PIEQ, health and work performance is
most robust. However, there are many limitations to our
1) 1st priority – must address: Quantify the impact of related existing knowledge. Much of this knowledge is based
outdoor air (OA) ventilation rates and thermal com- on cross sectional studies of sets of buildings with variable
fort parameters (air temperature and velocity, radiant IEQ, work and psychosocial factors, making it difficult to
temperature, humidity) on the following outcomes: confidently determine the influence of any single factor.
• high level cognitive, e.g., decision making, Experiments, i.e., deliberate changes in specific IEQ param-
performance (highest priority); eters, within occupied buildings have provided findings with
• speed and accuracy of simulated office work less ambiguity, but these studies are expensive and rarely
tasks, e.g., proof reading, typing; performed and still suffer from less than ideal control of
• perceived indoor environmental quality (PIEQ); IEQ factors. Experimental research performed in environ-
and mental chambers that simulate typical occupied spaces has
• acute building-related health symptoms. enabled precise control of IEQ factors and precise control
of the occupants present and their activities. Environmental
2) 2nd priority – desirable to address: Quantify the im- chamber research has proven useful in assessing how IEQ
pact of particle and/or gas-phase air cleaning, noise affects PIEQ, acute health symptoms and work performance,
levels and other IEQ conditions or control measures although effects of IEQ on infrequent outcomes (e.g., ab-
on the same outcomes as listed above. sence rates) and the impacts of long-term indoor exposures
cannot practically be studied in environmental-chamber
The objectives stated above clearly imply several hypothe- studies. Also, the extent to which findings from environmen-
ses, for example that OA ventilation rates affect aspects of tal chamber studies apply to workers in real buildings, e.g.,
work performance, health and PIEQ. The research should where work motivation is different, is uncertain. Despite
test these hypotheses. Additionally, to the degree possible, these limitations, environmental chamber studies provide
the research should develop information to quantitatively opportunities for well-controlled reasonable-cost research
relate the selected IEQ parameters with the identified on how a range of IEQ factors affect people.
performance, health and perception outcomes.
Needed Research: In the development of a recommenda-
Technical Challenges: ASHRAE’s strategic research efforts tion of priority research pertaining to the effects of IEQ, the
must support ASHRAE’s mission, which is “To advance authors considered the relative importance of different IEQ
the arts and sciences of HVAC&R to serve humanity and factors and human outcomes to ASHRAE’s mission. Studies
promote a sustainable world.” In most buildings, the major of the effects of OA ventilation rates and thermal comfort
purpose of HVAC&R is to provide acceptable IEQ that conditions were considered the highest priority for ASHRAE
maintains the comfort, satisfaction, health, productivity because OA ventilation rates and thermal conditions are
and promotes the education of the building’s occupants. highly dependent on HVAC&R. Research on the effects of
The primary dimensions of IEQ are: thermal comfort gas- and particle-phase air cleaning were considered a high
conditions (temperature, air velocity, humidity); types and priority, despite the absence of clear evidence of effects
concentrations of indoor air pollutants; acoustic and vibra- on health and performance, because a survey of ASHRAE
tion conditions; and lighting conditions. Of these, ASHRAE members indicated a strong interest in the effects of air
has the greatest impact on thermal comfort conditions cleaning. Research on the effects of indoor sound levels
and indoor air pollutants, with a lesser but still significant was considered a slightly lower priority, but still significant
impact on acoustic and vibration conditions. given the high prevalence of acoustic-related complaints
by occupants of buildings. Among the range of possible hu-
Prior research has provided substantial evidence that man outcomes, work performance was the highest priority
changes in IEQ conditions and OA ventilation rates, within because of its clear economic implications likely to affect
the normally encountered ranges, can affect PIEQ (e.g., actual HVAC&R practice. Health outcomes were considered
thermal comfort sensation, satisfaction with indoor air only slightly lower in priority. Among various aspects of
quality), the risks of experiencing various adverse health work performance, high-level cognitive performance, e.g.,
effects and the speed and accuracy of work performance. complex decision making, was considered of higher priority

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than speed and accuracy of simulated work tasks (e.g., typ- The potential for confounding error should be reduced to
ing) or indirect indicators of performance such as reaction the degree possible via strong study designs. One approach
times. High-level cognitive performance was considered a is to base conclusions on changes in PIEQ, health, and
priority because most real work was judged to be complex performance outcomes within subjects, i.e., each subject
and because tests of high level cognitive performance are should experience multiple IEQ conditions with all other
available but have not been significantly applied in IEQ factors held constant. Other strong experimental designs to
research. The office work environment was selected as the achieve the same goal are acceptable.
most critical for research on how IEQ affects high-level cog-
nitive performance. The environmental-chamber research Decision making performance has been assessed through
approach was considered the highest priority because computer-based tests that present subjects with complex
the environmental-chamber approach enables relatively life-like scenarios and have them make decisions. The sce-
economical highly-controlled experimental research on narios may include some ambiguity or provide incomplete
the effects of the priority IEQ factors. The environmental information and involve mild stress, much like real work.
chamber(s) employed should be similar in appearance These tests have been employed over many years to study
and occupancy to a typical indoor office space(s) and have the impacts of licit and illicit drugs on decision making per-
typical indoor pollutant sources. Over the longer term, the formance. Other methods of evaluating high level cognitive
findings of the highly-controlled research in environmental performance may be available and should be considered.
chambers recommended here should be subject to confir-
mations via field studies in occupied buildings. If research is performed on the effects of particle air clean-
ing, it may be best to utilize air drawn from a real office as we
Given the prioritizations discussed above, the goal and lack a sufficient understanding of particle sources in offices
objectives in the first two sections of this document were to emulate them in an environmental chamber. Because the
developed. The following text elaborates further on the particle concentrations in the real office will vary over time,
recommendations. it may be desirable to employ two simultaneously-occupied
environmental chambers for the research. The two chambers
would utilize different particle air cleaning systems.

12
Goal 5:  
Support the development of ASHRAE energy standards and reduce effort required to demonstrate
compliance.

Objectives: The primary objective of this research is to percent). Appendix G was developed to address the
provide knowledge and tools to facilitate the continuing shortcomings, including loosening some modeling
development of ASHRAE energy standards (the 90 series rules and creating a baseline that was more typical of
for new buildings and 100 series for existing buildings) and standard practice rather than minimum code. Still, the
tools to assist designers in showing compliance. percent-savings metric has been applied inconsistently
(e.g., unregulated energy usage such as plug loads
Technical Challenges: ASHRAE energy standards continue may or may not be included) and has a constantly
to be developed by standing standards project committees changing baseline as the standard is updated. Results
(SSPCs) with ever increasing stringency. The increased of the simulations also cannot be compared to actual
stringency has placed pressures on both the developers of performance due to modeling rules that may not apply
the standards and designers who must comply with them. to the actual building. A new performance approach
For instance, earlier versions of the standards were, to a procedure should be developed.
large extent, based on the judgment of SSPC members,
2) The “low hanging fruit” have been plucked so any
but now that all the “low hanging fruit” have been
enhancements to energy standards must include more
incorporated into the standards, finding additional cost
complex measures that require detailed evaluation in
effective measures requires more detailed analysis which
order to verify their cost effectiveness. This can be a
presents a challenge to the volunteer committee members
burden on SSPC members, who are unpaid volunteers.
with limited time and budgets. The push toward net NZEB
The regression analyses and cost databases used in the
buildings and the use of the standards in utility rebate and
development of Standards 90.1 and 90.2 in the past
green building rating programs also presents challenges
are out of date, plus the form of the energy regressions
to the SSPCs since the standards were generally intended
did not allow them to be easily maintained. Computer
for building codes to establish minimum performance,
tools that can automate or semi-automate evaluation
not as performance metrics for high performing buildings.
of new measures should be developed, including
Users of the standard also are challenged by the increasing
calculation of both first costs and energy costs.
complexity of requirements and the lack of tools to help
them demonstrate compliance. 3) The complexity of ASHRAE energy standards, in
particular the performance approach, places a burden
Specific shortcomings that need to be addressed include on designers who must demonstrate compliance,
the following: and to enforcement agencies who must confirm
compliance. Tools that automate compliance
1) The Energy Cost Budget Method (Chapter 11 demonstration are needed. These tools can also assist
of Standard 90.1) was originally developed to designers evaluate energy conservation measures,
allow trade-offs to be made among prescriptive reducing the cost of engineering high performance
requirements, e.g., offsetting excess window area buildings.
with more efficient lighting. In 1989, the procedure
changed from fixed source energy area-based
Needed Research: Sample research projects that address the
budgets (Standard 90B-1980) to “custom budgets”
above technical challenges include the following:
developed from the proposed design but adjusted
to meet prescriptive requirements. The procedure
1) Develop a different approach to overall building energy
included strict modeling rules to prevent “gaming”
performance than the current Standard 90.1 and 90.2
and attempted to be neutral with respect to design
Energy Cost Budget methods, one that includes an
choices allowed by the prescriptive path. For instance,
absolute (rather than relative) scale and more realistic
if water-cooled equipment were proposed, the
results that can be compared to actual performance
baseline design also is water-cooled. The procedure
(e.g., ASHRAE’s Building Energy Quotient program),
works well for its intended purpose (to allow
while addressing the limitations of various computer
trade-offs among prescriptive requirements), but
simulation tools and the need for clear rules for
it did not work well as the basis of utility rebate
consistent application.
and green building rating programs that rewarded
exceeding the standard (e.g., exceeding 90.1 by x

13
2) Develop prototype energy models of the most implement Energy Cost Budget methods for software
common building types and batch processing tools developers to develop automated user interfaces to
that allow for very quick energy savings estimates of building energy analysis calculation engines.
proposed energy conservation measures over multiple
5) Continue to develop BIM to automate the creation
climate zones, occupancy types, etc. This tool also can
of energy models from architectural/mechanical/
be used to quickly evaluate the overall effectiveness of
electrical BIM data files.
new versions of the Standards.
6) Update existing energy analysis calculation engines to
3) Develop updated first cost databases of envelope,
model building components and systems that will be
lighting and mechanical systems and equipment for
needed to meet current and future energy standards,
use by SSPC 90.1 and 90.2 in life cycle cost analyses.
including the ultimate NZEB goals. Presumably co-
4) Create detailed descriptions of the rules and energy funding will be available from DOE.
model input parameters required to properly

14
Goal 6:
Building Information Modeling of energy efficient, high performing buildings. BIM is a rapidly developing
field of knowledge which stretches beyond the traditional boundaries of the HVAC&R industry to the
wider construction sector.

Objectives initiatives relating to buildings, many guided by ASHRAE

1) Embrace and embed interoperability in the research. BIM presents ASHRAE with two challenges. The
development and execution of ASHRAE Research and first is internal and cultural, and is the challenge of adopting
the standards, guidelines and technical publications an interoperable mindset to ASHRAE technical activity.
which are based on that research. This is a major task, because it will impact the activity of all
the Councils and cuts across all the technical work of the
2) Develop the information, guidance and examples
Society. The second challenge is to develop interoperable
needed to support the adoption of BIM in the wider
ASHRAE products through the technical programs of the
technical activities of the Society.
Society.

Technical Challenges: BIM seeks to integrate design, If ASHRAE is to meet the challenge of BIM in the future it must:  
construction, operation, maintenance and refurbishment
processes, making them interoperable. Although BIM uses 1) Ensure that research projects address the increasingly
IT to deliver interoperability and integration, BIM is not cross cutting requirements of BIM, interoperability
a software tool, nor is it an information technology (IT) and information exchange.
solution: It is far more pervasive than that.
2) Stimulate greater awareness of the implications of
BIM on Society technical activities.
BIM, interoperability and integration will impact on almost
everything ASHRAE and its members do, as a technical 3) Develop interoperable tools and products of its own
society or as practicing engineers, including the processes to support member adoption of BIM.
of developing, delivering and using ASHRAE standards and
4) Work effectively with external bodies such as the
guidelines.
buildingSMART alliance and Open Green Building XML
Schema, Inc. (gbXML).
BIM has the potential to reduce errors, improve the
quality of our products and services, enhance the built
environment in which we live and make it more sustainable. Needed Research
It will play a critical role in achieving our goals of reducing 1) Develop data exchange protocols for HVAC&R
energy use, minimizing waste and delivering better information within ASHRAE, consistent with the
buildings. It can also reduce costs and increase productivity standards and protocols being adopted by other BIM
through the life cycle of constructed assets. It is a valuable communities, in particular architectural and structural
tool in facilitating successful collaboration and coordination engineers.
during pre-design, design, construction, operation and
2) Develop reference use cases for HVAC&R applications
maintenance of both new and existing buildings.
in support of ASHRAE Guideline 20, Documenting
HVAC&R Work Processes and Data Exchange
The foundation of BIM, interoperability, integrated building
Requirements.
design and related initiatives is the exchange, application
and use of building data between software applications. 3) Produce guidance for ASHRAE TCs on the deployment
Studies have shown a significant waste of time and money of BIM processes and tools, and on the information
in the design, construction, commissioning and operation exchange requirements for HVAC&R related
of buildings due to a lack of interoperability. New IT information within a broader BIM environment.
applications are changing current processes and creating
4) Develop guidance and exemplars for use cases in a
new ones, address the whole building life cycle. BIM is likely
BIM environment.
to be a pervasive technology which impacts across much
of ASHRAE’s current activities. ASHRAE has many different

15
Goal 7:
Support development of tools, procedures and methods suitable for designing low-energy buildings.

Objectives: Fundamental changes have been made in that require analysis of thermal comfort, visual
the way we view our responsibility regarding energy comfort, indoor air quality, etc. Yet tools that handle
consumption. Over the last few years there has been an all of these aspects along with the relevant controls
increasing awareness of the large potential for energy and resulting building loads and energy are not
conservation in the building/HVAC&R sector. This awareness available.
and a fundamental shift in thinking about energy-related
and environment-related responsibility are evident in 3) Looking forward to the possibility of NZEB, the
the increasing number of building projects where an incorporation of renewable energy resources, whether
incremental effort is being made to achieve superior energy grid or point-of-use generated, will be essential to
efficiency. The success and prominence of the Leadership their eventual realization. Buildings that incorporate
in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification renewable energy sources without energy storage
program highlights the idea that there is change taking present a remarkably poor load factor to the utility,
place in this industry. Many practitioners are already further aggravating already serious generation/
involved in the effort to design energy efficient buildings. distribution inadequacies. Yet, the capability to analyze
Many struggle with some of the more innovative features the interaction between renewable energy sources and
necessary to push performance levels in the direction of the thermal energy storage in the building is lacking.
NZEB. Therefore, the primary objective is to improve the 4) Many innovative low-energy designs rely on unusual
capabilities of engineers to design low energy buildings, by system configurations and control strategies that
increasing the usability, capability and accuracy of existing cannot be modeled with existing whole building
tools and developing new tools where needed. simulation tools. Whole building simulation tool
developers cannot add new capabilities at a rate that
Technical Challenges: Design engineers use a variety of tools can keep up with the pace of the design process.
to design low-energy buildings, ranging from load calculation
programs to whole building simulation programs used to 5) Many low-energy strategies utilize natural sources
analyze the energy consumption of candidate designs. such as the sun, ambient air, ground or water to
Whole building simulation programs are not routinely used provide heating or cooling. Standard practice in
in practice because of their inherent complexity and the high HVAC&R design is to size the system to meet peak
cost to create building and system models. This is particularly loads. Due to the highly varying heating or cooling
true for a small projects; the cost to accurately model the capacity of these natural sources, the standard
building and various energy conservation alternatives approach is often not applicable.
can rival the cost to design the entire mechanical system. 6) The modeling tools that do exist are too complex to be
Furthermore, when it comes to low energy buildings, easily used, and hence they are not used for a majority
currently available tools often do not provide analysis for of buildings, particularly small buildings where design
the innovative features that are utilized, nor do they support fees are proportionally small. User interfaces need
design except in an inefficient trial-and-error fashion. to be developed to allow models to be created more
quickly and accurately, including the ability to import
Specific shortcomings that need to be addressed include the building information from design drawings (CAD and
following: BIM). The market for these interfaces is currently very
1) While some whole building simulation tools can be small, discouraging commercial development, which
used, in a trial-and-error fashion, to design natural and in turn discourages the use of these programs, which
hybrid ventilation systems, true design procedures then keeps the market small. Research is needed to
are not available, but are needed to support make product development less expensive to spur
implementation of these systems. Such procedures commercial development to break this cycle. Examples
could help determine the best configurations and are developing standards for conveying information from
strategies for natural and hybrid ventilation and, in Computer Aided Design CAD and BIM models to energy
many locations, the impacts of hybrid ventilation models and developing generic graphical interface
schemes on peak zone cooling loads and coil loads. engines that can be used at no charge as the basis of
2) With many innovative designs, there may be commercial products.
significant implications for the indoor environment

16
Needed Research: Sample research projects that address 6) Develop a rapid prototyping capability that will allow
the above technical challenges include the following: power-users of whole building simulation tools to add
1) Create templates for software developers to develop custom models quickly and easily.
simple user interfaces that sit on top of building
7) Investigate how innovations in the computational
energy analysis calculation engines.
science field might be used to develop significantly
2) Create guidelines that specify the minimum number of improved building simulation programs.
building inputs that are most critical for determining
8) Develop a procedure for making a decision on
accurate building energy usage for specific types of
whether it is feasible to forego perimeter heating with
buildings.
a thermally improved envelope.
3) Develop models and design procedures for natural and
9) Develop models for dynamically operated shading
hybrid ventilation systems.
devices in whole building simulation tools that
4) Improve whole building simulation tools to quantify thermal comfort, visual comfort and energy
simultaneously analyze energy consumption, thermal consumption, including the impact of internal shading
comfort, visual comfort, indoor air quality and other devices on coupling of solar heat gains with thermal
performance metrics. mass.
5) Develop whole building simulation tools and 10) Develop of a simple rating tool that will allow a
design procedures that can evaluate the time designer to examine and/or compare the effect of
dependent value of renewable energy sources and shading attachments in combination with specific
the effectiveness of energy storage technologies in glazing systems and solar/weather conditions.
resolving the conflicts of availability and use.

17
 Goal 8:  
Facilitate the use of natural and low global warming potential (GWP) synthetic refrigerants and seek
methods to reduce their charge.

ASHRAE has a strong interest in promoting the use of safe, refrigerants. What changes in equipment will need to
environmentally friendly, naturally occurring refrigerants be made? What changes will need to be made in codes
and synthetic low GWP refrigerants. Because of its alignment and standards to allow safe usage of these refrigerants?
with sustainability initiatives, ASHRAE will support research,
assessment and strategic growth in the use of such refrigerants in
Needed Research
refrigeration systems and related technologies with emphasis on
1) Conduct experimental system performance tests on practical
efficiency, safety and economic viability. ASHRAE and its members
equipment designs to assess “real” system performance
will contribute to improved sustainability of refrigeration and air
of various natural and low GWP synthetic refrigerants, and
conditioning technology by conducting research and disseminating
identify design optimizations based on results.
knowledge in order to promote the responsible use of sustainable
refrigerants. ASHRAE will continue research in developing methods 2) Develop and study technologies to improve the total life cycle
to reduce the refrigerant charge per unit ton of refrigeration. This is cost and reduce the total direct and indirect environmental
in line with the ASHRAE’s overall environmental sustainability goal. effects of naturally occurring and low GWP synthetic
Reducing charge will reduce the risks associated with refrigerants refrigerants viz., mini-channel, micro-channel, plate and
that are toxic or flammable but have low environmental impact. other compact heat exchangers and explore methods for
Low charge also has an economic impact especially with systems developing compact heat exchangers around the properties
that use high cost synthetic refrigerants. of these refrigerants and to achieve a minimal charge, e.g.,
less than 20 grams/Ton of Refrigeration (TR).
Objectives
3) Develop new materials and study existing materials with
1) Effectively incorporate natural and low GWP synthetic
enhanced heat transfer characteristics that are compatible
refrigerants in Air Conditioning & Refrigeration (AC&R)
with naturally occurring and low GWP synthetic
equipment.
refrigerants. Compatibility needs to be determined
2) Seek optimized equipment to minimize refrigerant for metals, polymers, seal materials, hoses and other
charge per unit ton of refrigeration. materials in direct contact with the working refrigerant.
3) Study the overall economics of these optimized 4) Research in state-of-the-art nano-technology and
equipment designs. development of smart exchangers.
4) Study the impacts of different natural and low GWP 5) Study the heat transfer and pressure drop performance
synthetic refrigerant choices on overall system efficiency. of compact heat exchangers with naturally occurring
and low GWP synthetic refrigerants.
5) Study safety and health issues related to these
equipment/systems. 6) Identify work already done on heat and fluid flow
characteristics for low GWP refrigerants and support work
to fill in the blanks, viz., with and without lubricants.
Technical Challenges
1) Use of natural refrigerants that are identified as toxic or 7) Support research in reduced charge air-cooled natural
flammable by regulatory authorities. and low GWP synthetic refrigerant systems through
various methods including improved low-charge
2) Definition of “low” GWP. The automotive industry has
condensers and controls for critical charge operation.
adopted a GWP of 150 and lower; would this be an
industry norm for AC&R? 8) Explore low-leak system designs – identify sources
and causes of leak and design better components,
3) Identifying appropriate measures of “total environmental
better fittings, better connections and better system
impact” for refrigerants.
configurations to provide more effective means of
4) Identifying the total potential for reducing refrigerant containment. This research will support
environmental impact through utilization of natural and ASHRAE Standard 147.
low GWP synthetic working fluids.
9) Develop basic data to support industry risk assessments
5) Determination of risks associated with naturally to determine what types of applications can use
occurring and low GWP synthetic refrigerants that have flammable or toxic refrigerants safely and what system
properties that make them “less safe” than the current modifications could be made to improve safety.

18
 Goal 9:  
Support the development of improved HVAC&R components ranging from residential through
commercial to provide improved system efficiency, affordability, reliability and safety.

Objectives: The improvement of HVAC&R components This would include different heat exchanger materials,
is a continuous, never ending process, with the current configurations and working fluids.
state-of-the-art being the collective result of much work
7) Heat exchanger fouling is a problem that affects
by numerous organizations and companies over the last
the real world efficiency in almost every HVAC&R
several years. There will continue to be opportunities
application. Standards defining fouling and
for component improvements, and the projects below
recommended test procedures for comparing heat
have been identified as current opportunities for focused
exchangers in fouling conditions are lacking.
ASHRAE effort.
8) Standardized residential communication protocols to
Technical Challenges:  Equipment and system designers, permit the interface and coordination of appliances
installers and maintenance personnel face numerous with the electric grid to minimize power demand and
tradeoffs and challenges in their efforts to provide efficient energy cost do not currently exist.
and long term cost effective solutions for HVAC&R.
9) Potential system contaminates in new refrigerants and
their effects on system performance and reliability
Specific shortcomings that need to be addressed include
have not been fully investigated.
the following:
1) There is a general lack of knowledge when it comes 10) Applications where commercial size heat pumps could
to seismic and wind restraints for HVAC&R equipment provide efficient and economical advantages have not
and some gaps related to piping and duct. been fully investigated.
2) Duct leakage in unconditioned spaces is a major 11) The impact of low GWP refrigerants on heat exchanger
energy loss. Standard methods to test air leakage for design/performance, especially with the enhanced
HVAC&R accessories and equipment are inadequate surfaces used in current equipment have not been
or difficult to measure in the field. Allowable leakage adequately identified and quantified.
levels for accessories and equipment that are
12) Means to improve refrigerant compressor
reasonable, obtainable in the field and testable in the
performance at off-design and part load performance
field have not been established.
conditions have not been fully investigated.
3) Data is lacking to determine optimal duct insulation
13) Ways to improve the efficiency of fans and blowers used
and static pressure levels in terms of life cycle costs
in HVAC&R systems have not been fully investigated.
for residential HVAC&R systems with the ductwork
located in unconditioned and conditioned spaces.
Needed Research:  Sample research projects that address
4) Several common rules of thumb in cabinet design
the above technical challenges include the following:
restrict thinking and hinder progress. New approaches
1) Develop a summary of the need and code
(think “outside of the box/cabinet”) to identify ways
requirements for seismic and wind restraints, along
to add additional heat exchanger area apart from
with prescriptive methods for providing the required
traditional designs needs to be investigated.
restraints for equipment.
5) The seal effectiveness of thermal breaks and gaskets
2) Conduct experimental measurements and modeling
for the doors of refrigerated cabinets degrade over
on the effects of wind on exposed equipment to
time, resulting in increased air infiltration that
develop analytical algorithms for determining restraint
reduces efficiency. In addition, improved thermal
requirements.
break and gaskets may be applied usefully to any
other cooled space having an access panel (like 3) Conduct experimental measurements and modeling
a maintenance access panel to the evaporator or to establish practical, achievable and quantifiable
chilled water coil and indoor air blower space in an equipment and accessory air leakage levels as a
AHU or a packaged system). percent of system design or other parameter. Create
a measure for leakage of accessories and equipment
6) Improving the heat transfer of heat exchangers,
which will provide designers with information that is
and making heat exchangers more compact could
comparable and useful.
provide great overall increases in system efficiency.

19
4) Conduct field measurements and analyses to quantify 10) Conduct studies and experiments to support
the annual heating & cooling energy use in residences development of maximum allowable levels for
for typical size homes as a function of various levels of individual or combinations of contaminates in
duct insulation and static pressures. refrigerant systems that use newly developed
refrigerants. These studies should include the impact
5) Conduct studies and experimentation to identify ways
of the contaminants on system performance and
to push the heat exchanger efficiency envelope in a
durability.
number of different applications using various next
generation heat exchanger technologies, as well as 11) Conduct studies and analyses to support the
identifying novel ways to increase the efficiency of development of an application guide for commercial
existing heat exchanger technology. size heat pumps identifying instances where they are
a good economic choice as well as identifying any
6) Conduct studies and measurements to develop and
operational issues/technical constraints, etc.
verify thermal models of heat flow past thermal
breaker strips and door gaskets that take material 12) Conduct studies and experiments to support the
properties and geometry into account, to support proper evaluation of low GWP refrigerants, including
development of test methods for measuring the heat exploration of methods for developing compact heat
flow past the door perimeter, both in total and for exchangers around the properties of these refrigerants
separately measuring the gasket contribution. and the impact of low GWP refrigerant heat exchangers
on equipment sizing.
7) Conduct studies and experiments to investigate novel
heat exchanger material, heat exchanger configuration 13) Conduct studies and experiments to examine the
and fin designs that reduce airside pressure drop while possibilities for cost effective improvements in
maintaining heat transfer. Coil configuration within the compressor performance related to refrigeration and
cabinet should also be evaluated. air conditioning.
8) Conduct studies and measurements to identify fouling 14) Conduct studies and experiments to support
particles and develop test methods in a systematic way improvement of fan efficiency by identifying and
to quantify the effects of heat exchanger fouling. eliminating adverse system effects which directly
impact their performance.
9) Conduct studies and analyses to support design
of an affordable, reliable and secure residential 15) Conduct studies and experiments to fully optimize
communications protocol to provide a comprehensive system performance.
set of messages for conveying binary, analog and
alphanumeric data between devices and the electric grid.

20
Goal 10:  
Significantly increase the understanding of energy efficiency, environmental quality and the design of
buildings in engineering and architectural education.

Objectives: It is widely understood that engineering and in practice can afford to have detailed analysis completed.
architectural education is where concepts and principles of Consequently, with such a large gap between education
building systems and design are taught with the intention and practice, teaching and topical offerings potentially
of fostering successful generations of engineers and lack needed tools, software expertise, trained faculty and
architects. However, the two disciplines seldom reach across systems integration.
departments, interact within the curriculum or collaborate
on research projects. Yet, in practice, the collaboration Needed Research: ASHRAE funded projects to achieve the
between design team members is essential to the design above objectives include the following:
and delivery process of high-performance buildings. This gap 1) Development of case studies of successful
reveals a need to develop information about both disciplines collaborations between architects and engineers
in order to define resources, tools and opportunities for on commissioning and integrated building design
collaboration. The objectives for the education goal of the (see AIA Upjohn Research Project Case Studies of
strategic research plan period will support the development Carbon Neutrality – narratives of the design and
of research activities and training to lay the groundwork for delivery process for six firms/buildings; potential co-
achieving net zero energy buildings: sponsorship with the USGBC to develop narratives of
1) Foster research interactions (e.g., design processes) LEED certified projects). Develop prototypical case
between engineers and architects studies to “prime the pump” for the development of a
larger case study database.
2) Increase ASHRAE involvement amongst architecture
students 2) Development of case studies of building performance,
net zero energy buildings (see AIA Upjohn Research
3) Build collaboration between future engineers and
Project Case Studies of Carbon Neutrality; co-
architects within the existing curriculum
sponsorship with the USGBC). Develop prototypical
4) Train engineering and architecture faculty with the case studies to “prime the pump” for the development
latest knowledge, resources and tools of a larger case study database.
3) Survey and white paper of current state of engineering
Technical Challenges: One difficulty in incorporating new and architectural education, in terms of tools,
ideas into engineering/architecture programs is lack of equipment, textbooks, resources, faculty training and
time. Faculty say there is not enough time to get through preparation, principles, concepts and topics taught
the basics. Students consider the capstone design project related to building systems. Are there commonalities?
– where they put all the process steps together – as the How can resources be shared? What kind of training
most valuable lesson in how it all comes together. But the is needed for faculty, practitioners and graduate
number of requirements and credits are at an upper limit in students? What kind of common goals can engineers
most programs and any new activities, courses or ideas must and architects share?
replace existing material or be integrated within the fabric of
4) Design competition on technology innovation to
current offerings.
foster collaboration between architecture/engineering
student partnerships. Competitions can be run at
Another obstacle to change is the “disconnect” between
several different scales:  design competition (existing
higher education and professional practice. In academia,
with Student Activities); as regional design-build
each decision is analyzed ad nauseam, whereas in practice,
competition events (e.g., Decathlon, “shipping
design proposals must be completed in a short time
container,” housing) events that align with ASHRAE
frame. Simulation tools can predict very detailed building
regions; as Internet-based, weekend design charrettes
performance measures but in practice, we rarely examine
for architecture/engineering student partnerships.
the performance of buildings. To address this barrier,
Each competition would require design proposals,
activities are needed that foster “closing the loop” between
research and innovation for new methods, materials
education and practice.
and measurement.
Designers lack clear guidance on the direction of design 5) Curriculum resource materials development for
decisions. With so many variables in play, only large projects engineering programs on net-zero design. This

21
 includes energy simulation tools (EnergyPlus, IES, would employ the latest software tools (research
computational fluid dynamics (CFD), Radiance, Revit, topic 5) and include several case studies identified
DesignBuilder, and TRNSYS, etc.), training and case under research topics 1 and 2.
studies. (See http://www.architecture.uwaterloo.ca/
7) National training sessions for engineering and
faculty_projects/terri/carbon-aia/)
architecture faculty and graduate teaching
6) Short courses for the ASHRAE Learning Institute assistants to conduct case studies in building system
that focus on integrated design of high-performance performance and discuss potential collaborations with
buildings. This course or series of courses would be the professions.
developed for both architects and engineers and

22
 Goal 11:  
Understand influences of HVAC&R on airborne pathogen transmission in public spaces and develop
effective control strategies.

Objectives: Multiple mechanisms of infectious disease 5) Recommend HVAC&R equipment and building science
transmission involving transport in air include a) droplet systems that reduce energy consumption while
transmission (close range) – when the momentum of reducing APT for each setting.
expelled particles influences exposure; b) medium- to
Technical Challenges: Changes in building characteristics and
long-range transport and subsequent inhalation of
HVAC&R system operation could likely reduce incidences of
droplet nuclei; c) airborne transport of pathogens to
respiratory illness by at least 5-10 percent, which, utilizing
surfaces, or contamination of surfaces by physical contact,
1996 data, would result in the avoidance of millions of
followed by resuspension and inhalation, or contact with
cases of common cold or influenza, resulting in annual
surfaces. The second mechanism is of primary interest to
societal cost savings of several billion dollars. Modifying
ASHRAE. Airborne pathogens consist of airborne particles
ventilation, humidity and filtration to meet infectious
(bioaerosols) generated by persons with infectious disease
disease control criteria could result in significant energy
coughing, sneezing, breathing and talking, that remain
and equipment savings as well. Occupancy densities (OD),
airborne for a period of hours to days. Infectious airborne
as well as ventilation rate per person (V), are important
particles range from 1 to 8 µm in diameter, and may contain
factors affecting AP exposure with a higher OD increasing
viable fungi, bacteria or virus suspended in respiratory
exposure for the same V in both intermodal transportation
secretions. Improved HVAC&R system design, maintenance
and building environments. In this regard transportation
and operation will reduce the incidence of human-generated
systems such as trains, buses and passenger aircraft ODs
APT in public spaces such as hospitals, schools, shopping
are uniquely high in comparison with OD in public buildings
malls, offices and intermodal transportation. It is not clear
such as theatres and classrooms. The diversity of sources and
how these bioaerosols affect disease transmission and how
lack of immunity to the various AP exposures encountered
HVAC&R systems and structures/vehicles should optimally
in passenger aircraft with the intermixing of persons from
be designed and operated to practically reduce the risk of
different population centers and continents is unique in
Airborne Pathogen Transmission (APT). Accordingly, specific
comparison with other transportation systems with the
objectives are:
exception of cruise ships, or with other high OD venues
1) Develop a multi-disciplinary approach and establish
such as subway cars, theatres and classrooms where the
collaborations to address the APT problems which
occupants tend to be from one geographic region.
impact many TCs within ASHRAE and also are being
studied by other professions and organizations such as
The relationship between HVAC&R and structure conditions
universities, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
and APT rate is largely unknown. A large scale epidemiology
(CDC), National Institute for Occupational Safety and
study is needed to develop the methods and tools needed
Health (NIOSH), National Institutes of Health (NIH)
to answer the question:  Is there an association between
and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Such an
HVAC&R design and operation and the transmission of
approach will obtain maximum utilization of research
airborne pathogens? For example, the relationship between
dollars, and allow each profession to focus on its
APT and respirable aerosols that contain pathogens has
expertise while benefitting from the guidance from
not been evaluated. Airborne particle sampling studies
others in related issues.
in hospitals have focused on obtaining colony forming
2) Improve understanding of droplet nuclei short and units (CFU) counts from impaction plates for pathogen
long range transport characteristics, APT in buildings measurements. This method has been used to determine
and transportation vehicles, and the role HVAC&R airborne pathogen concentrations, but is limited in many
or environmental control systems (ECS) might play regards, including the specificity of the substrate on which
through both field and laboratory studies. the collected fluid is plated, and the fact that the sample is
integrated over a period of minutes to hours. In some cases
3) Promote the development of protocols and methods for
independent measurements of the particle characteristics
characterizing HVAC&R systems and building science factors
in the test environment have been made, but these
that impact APT in a simple and cost effective manner.
measurements, although conducted for shorter time periods
4) Develop differential pressure controls and space (on the order of seconds) have determined the pathogen
isolation methods and air cleaning and disinfection carrier size distribution but also other non-pathogenic
methods for reducing APT in spaces of interest to materials found in the air. Methods to be explored for
ASHRAE membership. HVAC&R application include quantitative polymerase chain

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reaction (PCR) assays and other molecular techniques, to partner on projects with other researchers specializing
as well as qualitative techniques such as the Wisconsin in building sciences and infectious disease control to
Upper Respiratory Symptom Survey of subjects. Higher cost ensure that building science/systems issues and human
biological and chemical detection methods are in use by factor issues are appropriately reflected. Researchers need
the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). DHS sensors to consider methods for sampling in HVAC&R systems,
need to be evaluated for applicability to AP detection in including isokinetic sampling in moving airstreams; and
commercial HVAC&R systems. Low cost, long life biological evaluation or development of test protocol and modelling
sensors are needed to provide building ventilation control, tools. Researchers will apply and validate models and
pressure control or rapid response filter or air purification methods in field measurements and assessments of
control to reduce transmission of infectious materials. the role of HVAC&R operation in APT. ASHRAE needs to
Multiple TCs will be involved and research projects will participate in the transmission group studies to ensure
build upon previous ASHRAE research. Significant research that system performance and engineering controls are
progress will require outside funding and collaboration to appropriately monitored and controlled. One outcome
accomplishing the diverse research objectives. would be the development of a “standard” system
performance documentation spreadsheet to ensure
Needed Research: Engineering data is needed to specify that design and operation conditions are fully assessed
minimum ventilation rates, humidity limits, air purification during an epidemiology study. ASHRAE needs to develop
and other HVAC&R/ECS parameters to prevent APT in effective means of characterizing system performance
high risk building and transportation environments. This and effectiveness in removing APT risks. Researchers
research will require strong partnerships and collaboration will incorporate mitigation method modelling from early
and will include an environmental “sampling” group research activities into future technology demonstration
(ASHRAE, universities, NIH, American Industrial Hygiene designs and evaluate the models and measurement methods
Association (AIHA), others), an infectious disease/ of individual, hybrid or system integrated APT mitigation
epidemiology group (Universities, NIH, CDC, Association methods. Research projects should target air and surface
for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology sampling and analysis protocols for pathogens of interest in
(APIC), others), and a building science/HVAC&R systems different environments. Research should correlate infectious
group (ASHRAE and others). The development of effective disease epidemiology with HVAC&R parameters. Research
sampling methodologies for quantifying APs or at least will demonstrate utilization of technology that will receive
APT is critical to the other proposed research. Researchers input from biological sensors to control HVAC&R, provide
must evaluate available models and measurement methods real time protection and optimize energy consumption.
that quantify the relationships between ventilation, air The product of this research will be field tested, ASHRAE
movement, humidity, moisture and occupancy density recommended system engineering approaches.
conditions and APT. ASHRAE technical committees will need

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To download the plan or for more information about ASHRAE’s research program click www.ashrae.org/research

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