HPAC - 201302

FEBRUARY 2013 | www.hpac.com A Penton Publication
REDUCING
Hospital-Acquired Infections
MANAGING YOUR FACILITIES:
Design Solutions:
Variable-Refrigerant-Flow
Zoning System Helps Protect
Museum’s ‘Nerve Centers’
Taking Building Automation
Back to the Basics
Geothermal Systems for
Commercial Facilities
Digital Edition Copyright Notice
The content contained in this digital edition (“Digital Material”), as well as its
selection and arrangement, is owned by Penton Media, Inc. and its affiliated
companies, licensors, and suppliers, and is protected by their respective copyright,
trademark and other proprietary rights.
Upon payment of the subscription price, if applicable, you are hereby authorized
to view, download, copy, and print Digital Material solely for your own personal,
non-commercial use, provided that by doing any of the foregoing, you
acknowledge that (i) you do not and will not acquire any ownership rights of any
kind in the Digital Material or any portion thereof, (ii) you must preserve all copyright
and other proprietary notices included in any downloaded Digital Material, and (iii)
you must comply in all respects with the use restrictions set forth below and in the
Penton Privacy Policy and the Penton Terms of Use (the “Use Restrictions”), each
of which is hereby incorporated by reference. Any use not in accordance with, and
any failure to comply fully with, the Use Restrictions is expressly prohibited by law,
and may result in severe civil and criminal penalties. Violators will be prosecuted
to the maximum possible extent.
You may not modify, publish, license, transmit (including by way of email, facsimile
or other electronic means), transfer, sell, reproduce (including by copying or
posting on any network computer), create derivative works from, display, store, or
in any way exploit, broadcast, disseminate or distribute, in any format or media of
any kind, any of the Digital Material, in whole or in part, without the express prior
written consent of Penton Media, Inc. To request content for commercial use or
Penton’s approval of any other restricted activity described above, please contact
the Reprints Department at (888) 858-8851. Without in any way limiting the
foregoing, you may not use spiders, robots, data mining techniques or other
automated techniques to catalog, download or otherwise reproduce, store or
distribute any Digital Material.
NEITHER PENTON NOR ANY THIRD PARTY CONTENT PROVIDER OR
THEIR AGENTS SHALL BE LIABLE FOR ANY ACT, DIRECT OR INDIRECT,
INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT
OF THE USE OF OR ACCESS TO ANY DIGITAL MATERIAL, AND/OR ANY
INFORMATION CONTAINED THEREIN.
®
I or encook. com
Introducing our newest direct drive Laboratory Exhaust Fans.
Additional Laboratory Exhaust Products
Gets Direct.
QMXD-VP is a perfect
example of thoughtful design
and execution.
Our new direct-drive model comes
standard with dual access doors
that allow access to the motor for
inspection and maintenance.
Our optional bifurcated
design exposes the motor
for even easier access.
We also ofer this version
with our “Easy-Out” motor
option. This allows the
motor to be removed
without disassembly
of the fan.
For more information please call
your local Cook representative
or visit our website.
Optional Bifurcated Design with
Easy-Out Motor (US Patent Pending)
l Bif d D i i h
U
S

P
a
t
e
n
t

N
o
.

7
,
4
8
4
,
9
2
9
COOK TCN-LE COOK CA-VP COOK CPS-LE
Circle 150
Listen to the difference.
Our fans for cooling and refrigeration technology are already among the quietest and most efficient in the world. How can we
top that? Easily: with the new AxiTop diffuser. It optimizes air flow at the impeller exhaust, significantly increasing efficiency.
This means up to 7.2 dB(A) of noise reduction and up to 27% lower energy consumption at the same flow rate for your
refrigeration application. Or up to 9 % more air performance with comparable energy consumption!
If this sounds like music to your ears, visit info.ebmpapst.us/AxiTop for more information.
The engineer’s choice
Circle 151
5.
Circle 152
FEBRUARY 2013 HPAC ENGINEERING 3
FEATURES:
SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES/MANUFACTURING AND INDUSTRIAL/HOSPITALS AND HEALTH CARE/
COMMERCIAL OFFICE BUILDINGS/GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS
20 Taking Building Automation Back to the Basics
Designing a properly function-
ing building-control system
can be a complex and chal-
lenging task, but even the most
complex system will benefit
from a good dose of the basics.
Creating a successful system
also is a task that takes more
than just a controls engineer. It
must be a team effort between
designers and engineers, proj-
ect managers, facility managers, building owners, and tenants. This article
contains a cross-disciplinary list of system-design “must-dos.”
By J. Christopher Larry, PE, CXA, CEM, CEP, CIPE, LEED AP
COMMERCIAL OFFICE BUILDINGS
24 Geothermal Systems for Commercial Facilities
When the author started his career 17 years ago, only
a few geothermal-unit configurations were available,
and those met most industry needs. With the
inception of the LEED (Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design) green-building rating
program and stricter ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard
90.1, Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise
Residential Buildings, and ANSI/ASHRAE Standard
62.1, Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality,
requirements, the geothermal industry has evolved.
This article provides an overview of the wide array of
geothermal options available to design engineers and
commercial-building owners seeking to sharply re-
duce operating costs.
By Christopher Qualls, PE, CEM
HPAC Heating/Piping/Air Conditioning Engineering (ISSN 1527-4055) is published monthly by Penton Media, Inc., 9800 Metcalf
Ave., Overland Park, KS 66212-2216. Periodicals Postage Paid at Shawnee Mission, KS and at additional mailing offices. Canadian
Post Publications Mail agreement No. 40612608. Canada return address: Pitney Bowes, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Customer Service, HPAC Engineering, P.O. Box 2100, Skokie, IL 60076-7800. Member of
American Business Press Inc. and Business Publications Audit of Circulation, Inc.
ARTICLE REPRINTS and E-PRINTS: Increase exposure by including article reprints and e-prints in your next promotional
project. High-quality article reprints and e-prints are available by contacting Wright’s Media at 877-652-5295, e-mail:
[email protected], website: www.wrightsmedia.com.
Guest Editorial .............................. 5
Managing Your Facilities ............... 6
News & Notes ............................. 10
Design Solutions ......................... 16
INSIDE HPAC ENGINEERING
FEBRUARY 2013 • VOL. 85, NO. 2
PUBLISHING OFFICES:
The Penton Media Building
1300 E. Ninth St.
Cleveland, OH 44114-1503
216-696-7000
Fax: 216-696-3432
www.hpac.com
e-mail: [email protected]
DAVID MILLER
Vice President,
Electrical & Mechanical Systems,
Energy & Construction
DAN ASHENDEN
Group Publisher,
Mechanical Systems/Construction
MICHAEL WEIL
Editorial Director
SCOTT ARNOLD
Executive Editor
RON RAJECKI
Senior Editor
CONNIE CONKLIN
Art Director
KATHRYN FINCH
Production Coordinator
SONJA CHEADLE
Audience Development Manager
ANGIE GATES
Online Sales Director
SALES OFFICES:
CALIFORNIA/TEXAS
RANDY JETER
908 Electra
Austin, TX 78734
512-263-7280
Fax: 913-514-6628
e-mail: [email protected]
NORTH CENTRAL/NEW ENGLAND/SOUTHEAST
JOE DAHLHEIMER
745 Damon Drive
Medina, OH 44256
330-289-0269
Fax: 913-514-6481
e-mail: [email protected]
MID-ATLANTIC
BILL BOYADJIS
P.O. Box 762
Morris Plains, NJ 07950
973-829-0648
Fax: 973-514-6380
e-mail: [email protected]
WEST/SOUTHWEST
JOHN EHLEN
17340 46th Avenue N.
Plymouth, MN 55446
763-550-2971
Fax: 763-550-2977
e-mail: [email protected]
CLASSIFIEDS/ANCILLARY
DAVID G. KENNEY
1300 E. Ninth St.
Cleveland, OH 44114-1503
216-931-9725
Fax: 913-514-6663
e-mail: [email protected]
DAVID KIESELSTEIN
Chief Executive Officer
ON THE COVER:
Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) are a leading cause of death in the United States. In
2010 alone, HAIs contributed to more than 99,000 deaths—one death every 6 min. To
learn how ultraviolet-C can be used to control and prevent airborne infections, read this
month’s Managing Your Facilities column, beginning on Page 6.
New Products ............................. 18
Classifieds ................................. 30
Ad Index ..................................... 32
Start
t FoweS suµµly to the motoS, coloS sensoS, Sobot and inteSlacinq ciScuits
t ínitiali/e node
t ínitiali/e Sobot
t Stoµ the motoS
t Betect the motoS
t Send the coloS code to the Sobot
t Run the motoS
Run the motoS
ís Cv value oS the
temµeSatuSe sensoS > 75%?
Yes
Yes
Yes
ho
ho
Fick the object and µlace it
at the aµµSoµSiate µlace
accoSdinq to the coloS code
Stoµ
the
motoS
Job done?
ís Switch 1 tSue?
Faster and easier: Flexible, quick, and cost-
effective deployment since unit used zero white
space with the data center.
Right-sized: The preengineered 50kW modules that
fit into two frame sizes can be scaled to 200 kw - 400
kw increments of capacity and redundancy requirements
as needed, lowering both CapEx and OpEx.
Energy-efficient: Automatically switches between
air-to -air and indirect evaporative heat exchange for
the most efficient cooling. A supplemental DX circuit
on board gives additional peace-of-mind reliability.
Two economizer modes: Indirect evaporative
cooling and air-to-air heat exchange in the same
module enable more economization opportunities.
Business-wise, Future-driven.
Make the most of your energy
SM
Only Schneider Electric EcoBreeze
maximizes year-round economization.
Data center cooling just got simpler,
faster, and more efficient.
Flexible
Flexible, fast, and cost-
effective deployment
to meet cooling needs
today and tomorrow.
Scalable
The preengineered
modules can be scaled to
capacity and redundancy
requirements as needed.
Adaptable
Ability to address any cooling
requirement worldwide via
multiple modules and frame
voltages/frequencies.
Easy
Faster and easier installation
because of a single point of
connection for power.
i
> Executive summary
Economizer Modes of Data
Center coolingSystems
White Paper 132
©2013 Schneider Electric. All Rights Reserved. Schneider Electric, APC, InfraStruxure, EcoBreeze, Make the most of your energy, and Business-wise, Future-driven are trademarks
owned by Schneider Electric Industries SAS or its affiliated companies. • www.schneider-electric.com • 998-4895_GMA-US_Nexus
Economize with economizer modes!
Maximize savings after reading “Economizer Modes
of Data Center Cooling Systems” and enter to win a
Google Nexus 10 tablet!
Visit www.SEreply.com Key Code x454v Call 888-289-2722 x7335
Data centers face unprecedented cooling challenges brought on by high-
density computing, dynamic temperature profiles, regulatory requirements
related to efficiency, and uncertain long-term plans for capacity or density.
Today, Schneider Electric™ has the innovative answer to meeting these and
other cooling challenges.
Introducing Schneider Electric EcoBreeze
EcoBreeze™ is the industry’s only economizer with two economization
modes in one footprint. Specifically, it automatically can switch back and forth
between air-to-air heat exchange and indirect evaporative cooling to maximize
local climate conditions at all times. As a result, it uniquely ensures the most
efficient and effective form of cooling year round.
In addition, the innovative cooling solution boasts a modular design for
capacity, redundancy, and service flexibility. What’s more, scalable 50 kW
modules make right-sized cooling possible, allowing data center operators to
match cooling capacity to actual cooling needs. And EcoBreeze is much faster
and easier to deploy than traditional data center cooling infrastructure.
Efficient, scalable, and flexible, EcoBreeze enables Business-wise, Future-driven™
data centers.
>>>>>>>Exec xecutive xecutive utive s e summa Exe x mma ma EEEEx xx mmmmaaaary y
Circle 153
FEBRUARY 2013 HPAC ENGINEERING 5
Editor’s note: The following originally
appeared in HPAC Engineering’s monthly
Networked Controls Plus electronic news-
letter. To subscribe, go to http://hpac.com/
newsletters/signup.
I
often envision the 21st-century building-
controls designer acting like the con-
ductor of an orchestra. A conductor
needs extensive experience
as a musician and a member of an
orchestra to develop a good sense
of what is required to have an or-
chestra perform well. Similarly,
consulting engineering firms need
to recruit controls designers who
have extensive backgrounds of
hands-on controls experience and
understand what is required for a
controls system to perform well.
But the transition to designer—
like that to a conductor—requires a huge
change in one’s perceived role. The famous
conductor Andre Previn used to lament hu-
morously that he had to give up music to be-
come a conductor. In that same context, an
effective control designer must understand
that developing effective controls systems
requires him or her to “conduct” the process
from start to finish, rather than participate
directly in it.
Here are the crucial steps in the process of
achieving high-performance building controls:
Step 1: Develop specific design and
performance goals. Controls designers
must start by authoring a detailed descrip-
tion of the proposed system and opera-
tion (design intent) and conduct a rigorous
analysis to determine specific comfort and
energy-performance goals. The design and
performance intent should specifically detail
how the goals will be achieved.
Step 2: Assemble the right players who
will achieve the performance goals. Dif-
ferent control systems and contractors have
widely varied capabilities, and it is essential
that bid or request-for-proposal documents
limit products and services to those the de-
signer knows can achieve what is required
for the project. The specifications must en-
sure unqualified firms or products are not
allowed to undermine the integrity of the
design.
Step 3: Establish accountability paths
to ensure performance goals are met and
maintained over time. Engineers need to
develop standards to ensure controls con-
tractors, commissioning agents,
and operators or operations-sup-
port (OS) firms are aligned and
accountable to meet performance
goals. Engineers need to integrate
performance criteria into their
contract documents, along with
flexibility to add accountability for
their performance goals.
Step 4: Stay with the pro-
cess to ensure it succeeds. Per-
formance goals often are com-
promised in the processes of resolving the
myriad details of construction. But if the en-
gineer has developed and maintains a strong
focus on performance accountability among
those on the contracting side, it is far less
likely that performance will be compromised
because those resolving the details come to
understand that allowing such compromise
will adversely affect their contract.
If engineering firms commit to gaining
the experience and skills necessary to de-
sign high-performance systems and set up
intelligent comfort and energy-performance
goals (Step 1), ensure bids or proposals come
from those who can succeed (Step 2), and do
a sound job of incorporating accountability
for attaining the goals within contract docu-
ments (Step 3), then the oversight required to
meet this final step need be no more than that
usually provided by the engineer for typical
construction projects. And in accomplishing
these steps, they are certain to succeed with
high-performing building projects.
Thomas Hartman, PE, is principal of The Hart-
man Co. He can be reached at 254-793-0120 or by
e-mail at [email protected].
EDITORIAL
ADVISORY BOARD:
William G. Acker
Acker & Associates
William P. Bahnfleth, PhD, PE
The Pennsylvania State University
Don Beaty, PE, FASHRAE
DLB Associates Consulting Engineers
Edward H. Brzezowski, PE, LEED AP
Noveda Technologies Inc.
Lawrence (Larry) Clark, LEED AP O+M
Sustainable Performance Solutions LLC
William J. Coad, PE, FASHRAE
Coad Engineering Enterprises
Peter C. D’Antonio, PE, CEM, LEED AP
PCD Engineering Services Inc.
Kenneth M. Elovitz, PE, Esq.
Energy Economics Inc.
Ben Erpelding, PE, CEM
Optimum Energy LLC
Kenneth E. Gill, PE
Integrated Design Group Inc.
Alfred E. Guntermann, PE, FASHRAE
Guntermann Engineering LLC
Thomas Hartman, PE
The Hartman Co.
Asif Kadiani, PE, CEM
Hanson Professional Services Inc.
John H. Klote, PE, DSc
Valentine A. Lehr, PE, FASHRAE
Lehr Consultants International
John J. Lembo, LEED AP
The Ferreira Group
Mark S. Lentz, PE
Lentz Engineering Associates Inc.
Dave Moser, PE, CPMP
PECI
Joel N. Orr, PhD
Orr Associates International
J. Jay Santos, PE
Facility Dynamics Engineering
Glenn M. Showers, PE
BBS Engineering, a GAI company
Andrew J. Streifel, MPH
University of Minnesota
Robert W. Tinsley, PE, CFPS, CIAQP
P2RS Group
James P. Waltz, PE, CEM, ACFE
Energy Resource Associates Inc.
Gary W. Wamsley, PE, CEM
JoGar Energy Services
Dennis J. Wessel, PE, LEED AP
Karpinski Engineering
Michael K. West, PhD, PE
Advantek Consulting
Ron Wilkinson, PE, LEED AP
e4 inc.
Gerald J. Williams, PE, LEED AP
8760 Engineering LLC
James A. Wise, PhD
Eco-Integrations Inc.
Building-Controls Designers:
Conducting the Orchestra
GUEST EDITORIAL
BY THOMAS HARTMAN, PE; THE HARTMAN CO., GEORGETOWN, TEXAS
H
ospital-acquired infections (HAIs) are a leading
cause of death in the United States, killing more
people than AIDS, breast cancer, and automo-
bile accidents. In 2010 alone, HAIs contributed
to more than 99,000 deaths—one death every 6 min—and
costs of up to $57,000 per patient, with an increase in length
of hospital stay of about 10 to 15 days.
1
The financial consequences of HAIs
never has been higher. Reduced reimburse-
ments, low patient-satisfaction scores, neg-
ative branding, and litigation impact the
bottom line.
The Link Between HAIs and HVAC
Numerous studies have demonstrated
HVAC systems are a viable reservoir for
pathogenic and opportunistic bacteria and
mold. Below is a partial list of microorgan-
isms typically found on hospital evaporator
coils and drain pans:
• Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
• Staphylococcus aureus.
• Acinetobacter sp.
• E. coli.
• Aspergillus sp.
• Klebsiella sp.
These microorganisms have been linked
to HAIs, especially in critical-care units. Airborne trans-
mission is a proven route of infection for diseases such
as tuberculosis, aspergillosis, and methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Pseudomonas aeruginosa
commonly is found growing in wet drain pans and on
coils and is known to be a cause of upper-respiratory
infection and ventilator-associated pneumonia.
Ultraviolet-C (UVC) and Infection Control
The importance of good air quality in controlling and
preventing airborne infections in health-care facilities
cannot be overemphasized. Because the HVAC system is
the largest reservoir of pathogens in a hospital, control at
the source—coils and drain pans—is an effective means of
reducing HAIs.
Ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) targets the
DNA of microorganisms, destroying their cells or mak-
ing replication impossible. UVGI is a proven method of
inactivating mold, bacteria, and viruses, reducing many
airborne microorganisms.
Tips for Designing an Effective UVC System
Following are six tips for designing and delivering a
UVC system to reduce HAIs in your facility:
• Talk it up. Your hospital-infection-prevention per-
sonnel most likely are focused on hand hygiene and sur-
face decontamination to reduce infection. Sharing your
knowledge of the role of HVAC and the efficacy of UVC
in reducing HAIs with these professionals can be the key
to implementing UVC as an effective infection-control
strategy.
• Location, location, location. The best
location for installed UVC is on the supply
side of a HVAC system, downstream from
the cooling coil and above the drain pan.
This location provides more effective con-
trol than in-duct installation because the
UVC attacks contaminants at the source to
ensure simultaneous cleaning of surfaces
and airborne microbes. The germicidal
effect is immediate and continuous, as long
as the lamps are kept on 24/7 with the fan
running.
• Lamp performance. For optimum per-
formance, a UVC device should be manu-
factured to deliver output of at least 9 micro-
watts per linear inch of glass measured from
a distance of 1 m, tested at an air velocity of
400 fpm and a temperature of 50°F. This is
critical to performance because UVC out-
put declines over time, reaching a half-life
after 9,000 hours of around-the-clock operation. Starting
with the highest output ensures adequate performance
throughout the service life of a device.
• The real story on watts. Sometimes, UVC lamps are
marked with a label displaying input wattage. Judging
the performance of a UVC device based on lamp input
wattage is incorrect. UVC intensity or output—the
important measure of performance—varies with not only
input power, but a variety of other factors, such as lamp
6 HPAC ENGINEERING FEBRUARY 2013
MANAGING YOUR FACILITIES
BY ROBERT SCHEIR, PHD; STERIL-AIRE INC.; BURBANK, CALIF.
Reducing Hospital-Acquired Infections With UVC
Collaboration between facilities engineers and infection-prevention personnel is key
The financial
consequences
of hospital-
acquired
infections
never has been
higher. Reduced
reimbursements,
low patient-
satisfaction
scores, negative
branding, and
litigation impact
the bottom line.
The president of Steril-Aire Inc., specialist in high-output
ultraviolet-germicidal solutions for improved indoor-air
qual i ty and energy effi ci ency, Robert
Scheir, PhD, has more than 25 years of
experience in the field of infectious-disease
detection and control in hospitals, medical
laboratories, and industry. He was a senior
scientist for McDonald-Douglas Corp.,
specializing in biological-warfare-detection
instrumentation and has extensive experi-
ence in microbial-air-pollution detection and remediation.
He has a bachelor’s degree in bacteriology from the University
of Maryland and a doctorate in medical microbiology from
the University of California, Los Angeles.
Find out more
about one of the
fastest growing
HVAC brands in
North America.
You know Daikin as the #1 HVAC sales leader
worldwide. Now it’s time to discover what
many other successful HVAC professionals
already know… how working with Daikin
can quickly accelerate your business.
Daikin is revolutionizing how people and
businesses think about heating and air
conditioning. With Daikin, you’ll be able
to provide your customers with the most
technologically and aesthetically
advanced products; products that are
consistently top-rated for reliability
and efficiency, and backed by the
best warranty in the business. The
Daikin Rewards and Daikin 3D Dealer
Programs provide access to world-class
training and business-building tools
to secure your success.
Bringing it all Together – to Accelerate your Business.
LIKIN’ DAIKIN
INDUSTRY-LEADING
HVAC PRODUCTS,
WARRANTY AND TRAINING
VISIT WWW.LIKIN-DAIKIN.COM
Circle 154
touch for fresh air
Touch IAQPoint2 to cut energy costs and help building
occupants stay alert, refreshed and do more.
The touchscreen IAQPoint2 pours fresh air comfort into your building and
puts money into your pocket by using demand-controlled ventilation and
triple monitoring (CO
2
or VOC, Temperature and Humidity). Everyone who
touches IAQPoint2 benefits from the simple and secure, easy to navigate
touchscreen interface.
To cut your bu||d|ng's energy costs, get |n touch.
Scan here with a code reader
on your smartphone to view the
video “As Easy as Breathing:
Wall-Mounting the IAQPoint2”
Visit www.IAQPoint2.com to view the IAQPoint2 IAQ Monitor in action.
© 2013 Honeywell International Inc. All rights reserved.
Circle 155
©2013 Daikin McQuay
Horizontal
Vertical
The new leader in energy efficient
water source heat pumps!
SmartSource
™
Daikin McQuay SmartSource water source heat pumps are the perfect solution for
schools, clinics, office buildings, and care facilities; both new or retrofit construction,
where high efficiency is a key specification.
s High IEER - up to 29.8 (part-load)
s High EER - up to 22.2 (full-load)
s ECM fan motor
s Far exceeds ASHRAE 90.1
s Ideal for LEED
®
projects
s Utility rebate opportunities
s ½ to 6 ton single-stage
s 2 to 6 ton two-stage
For more information visit
http://www.go.mcquay.com/ads/SmartSource25
FEBRUARY 2013 HPAC ENGINEERING 9
operating conditions, distance from
the UVC source, power-supply type
and design, and lamp design. Lamp
input wattage is not a relevant factor
in selecting UVC devices or predict-
ing their performance.
• Evidence-based design. When
deci di ng whi ch UVC devi ce t o
install, seek independent data to
determine the efficacy of various
systems for the application at hand.
A series of test reports commis-
sioned by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency in conjunction
with the National Homeland Se-
curity Research Center provides a
benchmark for comparing the per-
formance of various UVC devices.
Peer-reviewed abstracts also can be
a good source of validation of the
impact on clinical and patient out-
comes and the financial bottom line.
• Show me the money. When
seeking funding for a UVC project,
compare the expense of an effective
infection-prevention-and-control
program with the savings associated
with shorter patient stays, a reduc-
tion in lost bed days, avoidance of
readmission costs, and improved
reimbursements. Well-designed
systems have a reported payback of
less than a year in terms of medical
savings alone. Additional savings
are achieved with reduced energy
and labor, as well as improved op-
erational efficiency. Look for vendors
willing to work with you to validate
the efficacy of UVC in your facility.
The Facility Manager’s Role
It is important for health-care
facilities engineers to meet with
i nfecti on-preventi on personnel
to not only raise awareness of the
serious problem of HAIs, but do
something about it.
If the goal is to reduce HAI rates,
i mprove pati ent outcomes wi th
shorter stays, and significantly re-
duce direct and indirect medical
costs, facilities engineers and infec-
tion-prevention personnel need to
work together to install UVC in their
HVAC systems. It is a simple and
cost-effective solution to a growing
problem.
Reference
1) Cocanour, C.S., et al. (2005,
Spring). Cost of a ventilator-associ-
ated pneumonia in a shock trauma
intensive care unit. Surgical Infec-
tions, pp. 65-72.
Did you find this article useful? Send
comments and suggestions to Executive
Editor Scott Arnold at scott.arnold@
penton.com.
Circle 156
MANAGING YOUR FACILITIES
Evonik Foams, Inc.
800 N. Watters Road, Suite 190
Allen, TX 75013
phone
fax +1 972 516-0624
+1 972 516-0702
SOLCOUSTIC® coated polyimide foam duct liner is a low VOC product that
resists microbial growth. It exhibits excellent acoustical performance,
reducing mechanical noise transmitted through air handling systems. For a
quieter, healthier work environment, specify GREENGUARD® certified
SOLCOUSTIC Duct Liner. For more information visit www.solcoustic.com
When the air has to be
clean and fiber-free
Count on SOLCOUSTIC Duct Liner
FROM THE FIELD NEWS & NOTES
EDITED BY SCOTT ARNOLD, EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Danfoss Now Full Owner
of Danfoss Turbocor
Danfoss, manufacturer of
high-efficiency electronic and
mechanical components and
controls for air-conditioning,
heating, refrigeration, and motion
systems, recently announced it
had acquired full ownership of
Danfoss Turbocor Inc., in which
it had had a 50-percent owner’s
share since 2004.
Danfoss Turbocor develops,
produces, and markets high-
efficiency variable-speed com-
pressors used primarily in large
commercial air-conditioning ap-
plications. It will become part of
Danfoss’ Commercial Compressor
division, but continue to operate
IN BRIEF
2
013 should be a good year for
the green-building industry,
green-building and sustain-
ability consultant Jerry Yudelson said
in releasing his annual list of top 10
“megatrends” for the green-building
industry.
“It seems clear that
green building will
conti nue i ts rapi d
expansion globally in
2013, in spite of the
ongoing economic
slowdown in most
countries of Europe
and North America,”
Yudelson, founder
of and lead consultant for Tucson,
Ariz.-based Yudelson Associates,
said. “More people are building
green each year, with 50,000 LEED
(Leadership in Energy and Environ-
mental Design) projects under way.
... There is nothing on the horizon
that will stop this megatrend or its
constituent elements.”
The top 10 green-building mega-
trends for 2013 identified by Yudel-
son are:
1. Green building in North Amer-
ica will rebound strongly in terms of
LEED-project registrations. “Even
with commercial and governmental
projects proceeding at a lower level,
there should be faster growth in
green retrofits, with surging college
and university projects, along with
10 HPAC ENGINEERING FEBRUARY 2013
Circle 157
Green-Building Consultant
Makes Predictions for 2013
Yudelson
Continued on Page 14
Continued on Page 15
PEX-a PLUMBING
FIRE SAFETY SYSTEMS
RADIANT
HEATING & COOLING
PRE-INSULATED PIPE
Connect with Uponor.
Connect with a higher level of confidence.
Since 1972, Uponor has been providing quality PEX-a pipe and reliable ProPEX® expansion fittings
for hydronic radiant applications — from radiant floor heating to radiant cooling to hydronic distribution
piping. With more than 15 billion feet of pipe and over 500 million fittings in service, Uponor has
more than proven its powerful properties.
Uponor Advantages
· Most tested, trusted, listed and code-approved PEX-a for commercial
· Cost-effective solution providing faster installs and stable material costs
· Comprehensive product offering
· Full-service design and technical support
· Uponorengineering.com — resource portal for CAD, Specs, Submittals, BIM and LEED®
In fact, the only connection tighter than our ProPEX fitting is the one between Uponor and our partners.
Uponor provides the expertise, products and partnership to help you differentiate and build your business.
Uponorpro.com/radiant2013
Scan to see a case study
video and to order your
free design assistance manual.
Circle 158
WE DELIVER COILS!
3, 5, & 10 Day
Shipments Available
Custom and Heavy Duty Coils available for
High Temperature, High Pressure and Corrosive Applications
www.MultiThermCoils.com 1-800-339-7991
• Expedited Shipments in 5 or 10 working days
• Emergency Shipments in 3 working days
• Standard Delivery in 4-5 weeks
FROM THE FIELD NEWS & NOTES
T
urner Construction Co., the
New York-based building-
services provider, recently
announced the results of Green
Building Market Barometer 2012, its
biennial survey of industry execu-
tives on green-building issues.
Brightening Outlook
Sixty-four percent of real-estate
owners, developers, and corporate
owner occupants said they expect
to undertake new construction proj-
ects over the next 12 months (up from
46 percent in 2010), while 71 percent
said they expect to undertake reno-
vation projects over the same period
(up from 58 percent in 2010).
Widespread Commitment to
Sustainable Practices
Ninety percent of respondents said
their companies are committed to
environmentally sustainable prac-
ti ces. Of those respondents, 56
percent said their companies are
extremely or very committed, while
34 percent said their companies are
somewhat committed. In explaining
their companies’ commitment to
following sustainable practices,
respondents cited as extremely or
very important the belief “it’s the
‘right thing to do’” (68 percent),
impact on brand/reputation (67 per-
cent), cost savings (66 percent), and
customer requirements (61 percent).
Key Drivers of Green Construction
Respondents said energy effi-
ciency (84 percent) and ongoing
operation and maintenance costs
(84 percent) are extremely or very
important to their decisions to incor-
porate green features into construc-
tion projects.
More than two-thirds of respon-
dents said non-financial factors,
such as indoor-air quality (74 per-
cent) , heal th and wel l -bei ng of
occupants (74 percent), satisfaction
of employees/occupants (69 percent),
and employee productivity (67 per-
cent), are extremely or very impor-
tant. However, only 37 percent said
minimizing the carbon footprint of
their buildings is extremely or very
important to their companies.
More than half of the respon-
dents said their companies would
be extremely or very likely to invest
in improved indoor environmental
qual i t y ( 63 percent ) , i mproved
water efficiency (57 percent), and
green materials (53 percent), if they
12 HPAC ENGINEERING FEBRUARY 2013
Circle 159
Survey: Execs Committed to Sustainability, Less so to LEED
Continued on Page 14
Husky high-performance heavy duty couplings have been engineered to provide superior performance.
The Freedom Tower project demands the most durable, long-lasting heavy duty couplings, able to
withstand extreme conditions for the lifetime of the building.
Husky was the only choice.
Trust the proven leader.
1|0äI HUSKY, I0ë 00Iy I|0ë 0I¶0~pë|I0|0ö0të 0ëö0y 00Iy t00pII0¶
[ w w w . t 0 0 0 ä ë 0 0 ä k y . t 0 0 ]
...I0ë|ë Iä 00Iy 00ë t00Itë
hijljerlermerte leet¡ it|¡ tetjlirj: |¡ /rete
Project Profile
FREEDOM TOWER, NYC
N0ë0 y00|
p|0jëtI
0ë0ö00ä
|ëIIö0IIIIy
ö00
äI|ë0¶I0...
9i:teter Ile hU'KI 9illererte eri
er|er |e wir ere el eijl| |K||
i|ei:
®
|e |e jiter ewe¡ itrirj |li:
irtreii|le eter|. ûre
er|r¡ jer jer:er. 'ter
|le ûK teie, er je |e
www.tlee:elt:l¡.tem
|e je| :|er|ei!!
t0Ië| I0 NI0 ö Ihtt IIö0Ì
O
|
6$0(48$/,7</(66&267
ZZZked|Contro|sFRP
800.ó2ó.8ó40 3K 317.4º4.óó00
6$0(48$/,7</(66&267
kEDI CONIkOIS F||ter Dr|er kep|oces
IkANE's
"
DHY00337
kEDI CONIkOIS Now O||ers
o Drop-In
kep|ocement
|or IkANE's
IM
FbkIFIEk
®
FbkGEk

EAkIHWISE
IM

FbkGEk
*
:KHQXVHGZLWK5HGL&RQWUROV·(PLVVLRQ
&ROOHFWLRQ&DUERQ&DQLVWHU
&
FROM THE FIELD NEWS & NOTES
14 HPAC ENGINEERING FEBRUARY 2013
were undertaking a construction
project.
Fewer Companies Plan to Seek
LEED Certification
The percentage of respondents
who said it is extremely or very likely
their company would seek LEED
(Leadership in Energy and Environ-
mental Design) certification if they
constructed a green building was
48 percent, down from 53 percent
in 2010 and 61 percent in 2008. The
leading reasons for not seeking
LEED certification were the cost of
the certification process (82 percent),
the amount of staff time required (79
percent), the time required for the
process (75 percent), and perceived
difficulty of the process (74 percent).
Forty-one percent of respondents
said it is at least somewhat likely their
companies would consider seeking
certification under a rating system
other than LEED, if they constructed
a green building. Of those, 63 percent
said they would be extremely or very
likely to consider seeking certifica-
tion under ENERGY STAR.
Concerns Persist
When asked what length of pay-
back period would be acceptable
when considering green features,
44 percent of respondents said five
years, while nearly 80 percent said
five years or longer. Still, 61 percent
of respondents said length of pay-
back period is an extremely or very
significant obstacle to the construc-
tion of green buildings, while 62 per-
cent cited higher construction costs.
To download an executive sum-
mary of the report, go to http://bit.ly/
Exec_summary. For the full report,
write to [email protected].
Circle 160
as an independent business.
The Danfoss Turbocor centrifu-
gal compressor uses permanent
magnetic bearings in place of oil.
This reduces frictional losses,
increases efficiency, decreases
complexity, and cuts costs.
Headquartered in Tallahassee,
Fla., Danfoss Turbocor has
approximately 200 employees. It
has received a number of awards,
including the International Air-Con-
ditioning, Heating, Refrigerating
Exposition (AHR Expo) Innovation
Award and the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency’s Climate
Protection Award.
ONICON Acquired
by Harbour Group
ONICON Inc., the Clearwater,
Fla.-based designer and manu-
facturer of energy-measurement
systems and flow-metering
devices, recently was acquired by
Harbour Group, a privately owned
operating company based in St.
Louis. Terms of the transaction
were not disclosed.
Harbour Group and its
companies are engaged in
manufacturing, distribution, and
specialty services in dozens of
industries.
“I am extremely confident that
partnering with Harbour Group
and benefitting from their global
resources will enable us to fortify
our leading position in the HVAC
market and enhance our position
in additional markets,” Marvin
Feldman, ONICON’s president,
said.
Jeff Fox, Harbour Group’s
chairman and chief executive
officer, said, “We look forward
to working with the ONICON
team and will be supporting their
organic and acquisition-related
growth efforts with all of Harbour
Group’s resources.”
IN BRIEF
Continued from Page 10
Continued from Page 12
2013
INDIANAPOLIS • IN
APRIL 02 - 05
The Water Opportunity Show
™
Residential • Commercial • Industrial
R
E
G
I
S
T
E
R

T
O
D
A
Y
!
Organized by
aquatechtrade.com wqa.org
MUST ATTEND!
Commercial/Industrial
Education
Facility Tours
Exhibits & Networking
Roundtable Discussions
wqa-aquatech.com
or phone 630 505 0160
Premier Sponsors
pentair.com resintech.com 3mpurification.com
FROM THE FIELD NEWS & NOTES
NGO (non-governmental organiza-
tion) activity,” Yudelson, the author
of 13 books on green building, said.
2. The focus of the green-building
industry will continue to shift from
new buildings to existing buildings.
The fastest-growing LEED rating
system the last three years is LEED
for Existing Buildings: Operations &
Maintenance.
3. Green buildings increasingly will
be managed in the “cloud.” Judging
by the large number of new entrants
and products in the fields of build-
ing automation, facility management,
wireless controls, and building-
services-information management
in 2011 and 2012, “2013 could well
become ‘The Year of the Cloud,’”
Yudelson said.
4. Awareness of the coming crisis
in fresh-water supply will increase.
Building designers, owners, and
managers will be moved to take fur-
ther steps to reduce water consump-
tion in buildings using conserving
fixtures, rainwater-recovery systems,
and new on-site water technologies.
5. The global green-building move-
ment will accelerate. Nearly 90 coun-
tries on all continents have green-
building organizations. Forty percent
of all LEED-registered projects are
located outside of the United States.
LEED projects are being pursued in
more than 130 countries.
6. Zero-net-energy buildings will
become increasingly common in
the commercial sector. LEED and
ENERGY STAR certifications and
labels have become too common-
place to confer competitive advan-
tage among building owners.
7. Green-building-performance
disclosure will be the fastest-emerg-
i ng trend. Commercial -buil ding
owners will have to disclose actual
performance to new tenants and
buyers and, in some places, to the
public at large.
8. Transparency and Red Li st
chemi cal s i ncreasi ngl y wi l l be a
subject of contention. Environmental
and health declarations will become
more prevalent over the next two
to three years, as building-product
manufacturers try to gain or main-
tain market share.
9. Local and state governments will
step up mandates for green buildings
for both themselves and the private
sector. At least 20 new cities of signif-
icant size—mostly in “blue” states—
will have commercial-sector green-
building mandates.
10. Solar-power use will continue
to grow. Third-party financing part-
nerships will become increasingly
common, providing capital for large
rooftop systems on warehouses and
retail stores.
FEBRUARY 2013 HPAC ENGINEERING 15
Circle 161
Continued from Page 10
I
n 2008, History Colorado, for-
merly the Colorado Historical
Society, began planning a new
headquarters and history museum in
Denver’s Golden Triangle Museum
District. Designer MKK Consulting
Engineers Inc. of Greenwood Vil-
lage, Colo., was seeking a reliable,
high-performance HVAC system to
protect the museum’s eight “nerve
centers”: four electrical rooms con-
taining large transformers, switch-
gear, network equipment, and light-
ing and breaker panels and four
data closets loaded with database
servers, IP-phone connectivity, fiber-
optic equipment, an analog phone
network, security equipment, and
point-of-sale equipment. As required
by the Governor’s Office of Informa-
tion Technology, the rooms needed
to be maintained at 76°F. What’s
more, with historical data, commu-
nications, and security, as well as the
function of sophisticated museum
exhibits, at stake, the cooling system
could not fail.
MKK specified the cooling system
for these eight vital stations be
separate from the large variable-
ai r- vol ume ( VAV) mechani cal
systems that would cool and heat
the museum’s offices, conference
rooms, and exhibit, presentation,
and common areas.
“It is critical to have the controls
for these nerve-center systems be
entirely separate from the control
systems of the rest of the building,”
Chi ef Bui l di ng Engi neer Doug
Crowell said. “If the main VAV sys-
tem fails, the IT (information technol-
ogy), electrical, and AV (audiovisual)
rooms will not be impacted. In fact,
to be really secure, we maintain a
constant temperature of 67°F in all
these eight centers.”
Mission-Critical Cooling
Rel i abl e temperature control
is needed when Rocky Mountain
temperatures dip below 0°F, as they
often do. Charles Landherr, com-
merci al area sal es manager for
Mi t subi shi El ect ri c Cool i ng &
Heating, urged MKK to consider
specifying a variable-refrigerant-
flow (VRF) zoning system equipped
with a Low Ambient Cooling Kit,
which guarantees cooling operation
down to −10°F.
VRF zoning systems are well-
suited to applications requiring pre-
cise temperature control. Mitsubishi
Electric compressors use inverter-
driven technology that responds
instantl y to minute indoor- and
outdoor-temperature changes. These
systems vary compressor speed
to meet l oad requi rements and
maintain setpoint temperature.
Project Manager Chris Zalinger
of Denver-based RK Mechanical Inc.
said a challenge in cooling server
rooms and electrical closets is that,
often, they are spread throughout
a building, as was the case with the
History Colorado Center.
“Because of Mitsubishi Electric
VRF systems’ flexibility and ex-
tremely long line lengths, design-
ers can now combine these rooms
on one system,” Zalinger said. “This
approach helps save on installa-
tion costs by reducing the amount
of equipment, electrical wiring, and
piping on a project.”
MKK agreed: “It made better sense
to specify Mitsubishi Electric’s VRF
zoning system because it can serve
up to 50 indoor units with one out-
16 HPAC ENGINEERING FEBRUARY 2013
FROM THE FIELD DESIGN SOLUTIONS
EDITED BY SCOTT ARNOLD, EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Variable-Refrigerant-Flow Zoning System
Helps Protect Museum’s ‘Nerve Centers’
Temperature control guaranteed down to −10°F
F
R
A
N
K

O
O
M
S

P
H
O
T
O
History Colorado Center.
The History Colorado Center’s VRF zoning system with Low Ambient Cooling Kit.
F
R
A
N
K

O
O
M
S

P
H
O
T
O
312-738-3800
Cablesphere
Rubber
Expansion
Joint
Metraloop
®

Thermal/Seismic
Expansion Joint
Vaneflex
®

Flow
Straightening
Connector
Metraflex knows piping systems.
And how to make them stress
free and efficient. Tap into our
50 years of experience, exper-
tise and innovation
Learn more at
www.Metraflex.com
Metal
Expansion
Joint
Where to ñnd
innovative
soIutions for
pipes in
motion
Revit
®
...Revit
®
CAD drawings
online
©2012 The Metrafex Company
FROM THE FIELD DESIGN SOLUTIONS
FEBRUARY 2013 HPAC ENGINEERING 17
door unit, greatly reducing the num-
ber of condensing units on the roof.
This leads to a reduction of electrical
connections and roof penetrations.”
Year-Round Cooling
Operating an air-cooled air-con-
ditioning system in cold weather—
when the condensing unit is installed
outdoors—presents a unique set of
problems that must be overcome for
the system to operate reliably over
a wide range of weather conditions.
One of the more significant problems
is maintaining adequate system head
pressure with wind blowing on the
outdoor compressor.
The Low Ambient Cooling Kit
includes rear and side wind deflec-
tors and a hood with damper con-
trols. An outside-air sensor con-
trols damper position. When the
outside-air temperature drops be-
low 23°F, the dampers close in pre-
programmed increments, lowering
airflow through the outdoor unit. The
lower the temperature, the more the
dampers close.
“I knew the Low Ambient Cool-
ing Kit was vital to the success of the
data-protection installation,” Craig
Watts, PE, LEED AP, principal of
MKK Consulting Engineers, said. “It
also became clear that a competi-
tor’s system did not have the tech-
nology to meet this need. Having the
kit made my choice simple.”
Best System for the Job
Zalinger added: “Mitsubishi Elec-
tric’s unique two-pipe heat-recov-
ery and heat-pump systems provide
unmatched flexibility to meet any
building needs. With the introduc-
tion of the Low Ambient Cooling
Kit, Mitsubishi Electric extended the
cooling operation down to −10°F.
This is unquestionably a beneficial
technology for use with small data
centers and electrical closets that
generate a constant heat load.”
Crowell added: “In my past work,
our IT (and) server rooms were
water-cooled using cooling towers,
which are costly, very high mainte-
nance, and take up a lot of real estate
on the roof. Even though we have
had record heat this summer (2012)
in Denver, we have not had a single
issue related to the units themselves.
I am pleased and impressed with
the excellent performance of our
Mitsubishi Electric VRF zoning sys-
tems.”
Information courtesy of Mitsubishi
Electric Cooling & Heating.
Circle 100
Circle 162
The electrical rooms and data closets in the History Colorado Center are spread throughout
the building and across multiple floors. The extremely long line lengths of the VRF zoning
systems allowed these rooms to be served by a single system.
F
R
A
N
K

O
O
M
S

P
H
O
T
O
S
18 HPAC ENGINEERING FEBRUARY 2013
FROM THE FIELD NEW PRODUCTS
EDITED BY RON RAJECKI, SENIOR EDITOR
Air cleaner for VRF systems
The Dynamic V8 VL Series air cleaner for variable-re-
frigerant-flow systems substantively reduces a wide range
of particulate and gas-phase contaminants, including ultrafine
particulates, volatile organic compounds, odors, and biological contaminants. It
does not emit ion or ozone. With a much greater dust-holding capacity than typi-
cal 2-in. MERV 13 filters, the Dynamic V8 VL Series air cleaner was designed to
prevent degradation of airflow as the filter ages, creating a minimal air-pressure
drop throughout the filter life. This also minimizes the unit’s maintenance needs
and reduces its life-cycle cost. — LG Electronics USA Circle 1
Closed-circuit cooling tower
The PF2 closed-circuit cooling tower
is an induced-draft, counterflow unit
designed for systems that benefit
from dry operation in severe cold
weather. The PF2 offers users the
flexibility to operate in evaporative-
cooling mode to minimize energy
usage, or in dry mode for extreme
winter conditions. Patented Smart-
Spray technology optimizes spray
coverage to fully wet the coil.
—Baltimore Aircoil Circle 6
Water-cooled condensing unit
The VRV-WIII water-cooled-condens-
ing-unit line has been expanded with
a 460V model. The VRV-WIII line fea-
tures a modular design and lightweight
structure, with a weight of 330 to 343
lb and a height of less than 40 in.
The units can control up to 32 zones,
with system capacities ranging from 6
to 21 tons. Equivalent to a four-pipe
chilled-water system, each VRV unit
can provide heating and cooling with in-
tegrated energy-efficiency-ratio values
of up to 24.1 and full-load coefficients
of performance of up to 4.97. —Daikin
AC (Americas) Circle 5
Geothermal heat pumps
SB Series vertical self-contained wa-
ter-source geothermal heat pumps
are available in capacities from 3
to 18 tons. They are designed for
energy-efficient full and part-load op-
eration. Standard features include
a variable-capacity scroll compres-
sor, variable-speed
el ectroni cal l y- com-
mutated-motor-driven
direct-drive backward-
curved plenum fans,
sound- at t enuat i ng
doubl e- wal l r i gi d
polyurethane foam-
insulated cabinet, and coaxial re-
frigerant-to-water heat exchanger.
—AAON Circle 2
Differential-pressure sensors
The DPS629 differential-pressure sensor monitors differential pressures of
air and compatible gasses and liquids. The design uses dual sensors that con-
vert pressure changes into a standard 4-20 mA output signal for two-wire circuits.
Its small size and few moving parts make for exceptional response time and reliability. Terminal
block, zero, and span adjustments are easily accessed under the top cover. The sensor is
applicable for flow elements, heat exchangers, filters, pumps and coils. — Taco Circle 8
Radiant heating and
cooling mat
The Radiant Rollout Mat is designed
to provide exceptional installation
efficiencies in large, open-area com-
mercial hydronic radiant-heating and
cooling applications. The mat consists
of a custom-designed, prefabricated,
pre-pressurized network of crosslinked
polyethylene tubing connected with
ProPEX cold-expansion engineered
pl ast i c f i t -
tings, which
a r e s a f e
for burial in
sl abs. The
mats cover
almost eight
times more square feet in the same
amount of time it takes using tradi-
tional installation methods, offering up
to an 85-percent reduction in installa-
tion time. —Uponor Circle 7
Telescoping
boiler light
The Magnal i ght
WALBL-1000WMH boiler
light with right-angle telescoping
extension arm features a high-out-
put metal-halide lamp paired with a
wheeled tower assembly that can be
adjusted for angle and arm length.
Its 110,000 lumens of flood lighting
allow effective illumination for large-
scale boiler maintenance and ser-
vice. —Larson Electronics Circle 3
Wind-driven-rain louver
The 4-in model ECD-445 horizontal-
blade wind-driven-rain louver is de-
signed for high-wind areas
or appl i cati ons that are
sensitive to wind- driven-
rain penetration. At the 29-
mph-wind-velocity and 3-in.-
per-hour simulated-rainfall
AMCA point, the ECD-445
provides an A wind-class rating
with a 99 percent effectiveness ratio.
The louver’s water-penetration point
exceeds the 1,250-fpm maximum
measured by AMCA, and its 43-percent
free area produces 0.15-in.-pressure
drop for efficient ventilation. —Pottorff
Circle 4
Circle 163
D
By J. CHRISTOPHER LARRY, PE, CXA, CEM, CEP, CIPE, LEED AP
exp
Richmond, Va.
Designing a properly functioning building-control sys-
tem can be a complex and challenging task, but even the
most complex system will benefit from a good dose of
the basics. Creating a successful system also is a task that
takes more than just a controls engineer. It must be a team
effort between designers and engineers, project manag-
ers, facility managers, building owners, and tenants. Here
is a cross-disciplinary list of system-design “must-dos.”
Understand What You Want to Control
As obvious as this may seem, our industry often works
against conventional wisdom. Many engineering firms
have dedicated control-system engi-
neers and dedicated mechanical and
electrical engineers. Therefore, the per-
son writing control specifications may
not understand how building equip-
ment actually operates. If you want to
control something, you must know:
• Its purpose.
• What it was designed to do.
• How it operates. What is its operational sequence?
How does it start? How does it stop?
• What device or sensor controls it. Usually, there is at
least one major control device (e.g., thermostat, pressure
sensor, humidistat) for each piece of equipment.
Understand the Building and its Equipment
Again, it might sound like common sense, but many
projects start out with only a portion of the equipment
defined or included. Understand why the building was
designed, what its purpose is, and who is going to occupy
it. Is it a school, an office, a hospital, or a laboratory? Is
it industrial? Are you seeking to provide a process solu-
tion or a comfort-control solution? The equipment should
complement the building and support the occupants.
Define the Big Picture, but Focus on the Details
Some designers consider the major equipment, but for-
get to outline the smaller equipment. The large equipment
necessary to cool, heat, or ventilate a large building is
critical and must be designed well. However, the ultimate
success of a control system depends on the smaller sys-
tems. For example, you can design the best central-plant
control system, but if the terminal unit control feeding the
CEO’s office does not work well, the project will not be
viewed as successful.
While the big equipment serves the building as a whole,
the smaller equipment focuses on the comfort of individ-
ual occupants. If you forget about that once, I guarantee
you never will again; the occupant will not let you. You will
be called back and have to make it right.
Safety elements of a system’s operation need to be ad-
dressed as well. Ideally, a building’s
systems may never need to operate in
safety mode, but the reality is that it is
bound to happen. Therefore, designers
need to anticipate this aspect of their
systems. An engineer tries to anticipate
all of the modes of operation and design
the way a system transitions into safety
modes. Forgetting about these safety
elements can be disastrous. For example, what happens in
the event of a fire? What happens if the design pressure is
exceeded? What happens when a system fails? In a build-
ing fire, most people die from smoke inhalation before the
fire even gets to them, so your job is to control the smoke.
In a large building, the smoke-control system can be com-
plex, with multiple smoke zones. Matching the number of
units to the zones is the key to minimizing complexity.
The KISS Principle
Do not forget the KISS (“Keep it Simple, Stupid”) princi-
ple. A complex control sequence is the kiss of death. Often,
this is a result of poor system design. The system design
should work to support simple operational sequences. If
you start outlining a control sequence and find it becoming
20 HPAC ENGINEERING FEBRUARY 2013
Taking Building Automation
Back to the Basics
J. Christopher Larry, PE, CXA, CEM, CEP, CIPE, LEED AP, is director of energy engineering for exp (formerly Teng Solutions). He
has spent more than 25 years working to minimize the energy and environmental footprint of buildings through design, modeling,
performance optimization, and intelligent controls. He has held numerous positions within ASHRAE, including chairman of the
Chapter Technology Transfer Committee and chairman of Technical, Energy and Governmental Activities. He is past president of
the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) and has instructed the certified-energy-manager training course for AEE. Currently, he
is chairman of the Building Intelligent Quotient within the Continental Automated Buildings Association and a member of the Zero
Energy Consortium.
Building-automation
systems can be very
complex, which makes
it important they’re built
on a sturdy foundation
Hard to say. Easy to specify.
5101 Blue Mound Road
Fort Worth, Texas 76106
817.509.2300
www.pottorff.com
The Best Warranty In The Industry.
Pottorff is a leading manufacturer of air control and back-draft dampers, UL
rated fire, smoke and ceiling radiation dampers, steel and extruded aluminum
louvers and penthouses, access doors and panels, as well as actuators and
accessories. We have more than 80 years of world-wide HVAC experience, and
we lead the industry with our 5-year warranty covering our entire product line.
“By backing every product we ship with a 5-year warranty, we reinforce the
depth of our commitment to providing customers quality products the first
time and every time,” says Pat Cockrum, president of Pottorff. “Our reputation
demands it and our customers deserve nothing less.”
Circle 164
very complex, go back to the engineer
and discuss how the design can be
revised to simplify the control.
Some projects push the control
system to solve a design problem.
This is an indication that the KISS
principle has been ignored. This hap-
pens because the equipment already
has been installed, and targeting the
controls that are operating the equip-
ment is seen as the cheapest way to
“solve” a problem—even if the prob-
lem lies in the system design. Con-
trol systems can do many things, but
asking them to solve system-design
issues often creates other problems
and confuses the operator. Simple
override actions can cause unwanted
reactions. Just keep it simple.
Define the following:
• How is the equipment started?
What needs to happen before the
unit is started? Is there a startup (i.e.,
morning warmup) mode?
• Once started, how does each part
operate, and what sets the standard
operating mode?
• What changes the system from
one mode to another, such as from
heating to cooling?
• How is the equipment stopped?
What needs to happen before a unit
can be stopped? Is there a time de-
lay? Is there a shutdown (i.e., evening
cooldown) mode?
• Define the emergency sequences:
over pressure, smoke, fire, equip-
ment failure, alarms, etc.
Know What is Needed to Define
and Design a Control System
The first thing you will need is a
control diagram. Start by drawing
the system. What major equipment
makes up the system? What are the
pieces of equipment? Remember to
include the major and minor control
devices. Include the safety devices.
Include the monitoring and alarm
sensors (Figure 1).
Next, you will need a points list.
Looking at your control diagram, de-
fine each device, and evaluate how it
will operate. Is it an input device? Is it
looking for a signal for it to do some-
thing? Is it an output device? If it does
not need a signal from something else,
it most likely provides information to
something else. Is it for control, moni-
toring, or alarming? Is it hard-wired,
or is it integrated into the controller?
This points list can be expanded into
a point-list matrix or chart. This chart
can provide a simple definition (name,
type, and function) of each piece of
equipment. The “type” of equipment
should include whether it is analog in-
put, analog output, digital input, digi-
tal output, etc. (Figure 2).
The final element is a sequence-
of-control narrative (Figure 3). Write
out how the systems and equipment
will operate. It is best to think of this
like writing a computer program. Se-
quences are best if they have defi-
nite modes or actions, (on/off, open/
closed, modulate open/closed, etc.).
These used to be done with ladder
diagrams, but now a graphical flow
diagram illustrates it well. Spell out
the sequences (“If X happens, then
Y will result.”). Do not generalize; be
specific. Refer to the control diagram
and the points list. Was each item in-
cluded in the narrative? If not, then
you may have missed something. If
you cannot figure out how a piece of
equipment operates or cannot define
its control, maybe that piece no lon-
ger is necessary.
Make Controls Efficient
Most control specifications call for
energy-efficient or special control al-
gorithms, such as optimized start/
stop, economizer, temperature re-
22 HPAC ENGINEERING FEBRUARY 2013
TAKING BUILDING AUTOMATION BACK TO THE BASICS
FIGURE 2. Typical points list.
Exhaust
air
Return/exhaust
lan
Return·air
temµerature
sensor
Smoke
detector
Smoke
detector
Low
static
sensor
Hiqh
static
sensor
Coil
booster
µumµ
Suµµµly·air
temµerature
sensor
Static·
µressure
sensor
Return air
lrom sµace
Suµµly
lan
H
.

C
.
C
.

C
.
3
5
%

P
r
e
·
fi
l
t
e
r
8
5
%

B
a
q

fi
l
t
e
r
Byµass
HTWR
HTWS
CTWR
CTWS
Free/e
stat
Mixed·air
temµerature
sensor
Outside
air
Note: The terminal unit lor AHU·A·1 east also has a hot·water reheat coil
Pneumatic
2·way valve
M
M
M
Points List - Incoming UtiIities
Unit AIarm Data Trend data
Graphic
DispIay EEMS
Point lD
?= State, .Facility lD
AB.CCCCCCCC Description
Control
SP
Hi
Alrm SP
Low
Alarm SP
Status
Alarm
See
Note Type Freq.
Min.
Storage
Note 3
Totalize
Note 2
System
Diagram
Trend
Graph
Server
Points
Trend
Archive
EIectric Mains
?.UTL.ELE.M1.PHA.V M1.PHA.V X X TlME 5 2300 1 X X
?.UTL.ELE.M1.PHA.A M1.PHA.A X TlME 5 2300 1 X X
?.UTL.ELE.M1.PHA.KW M1.PHA.KW X TlME 5 2300 kWh 2 X X
?.UTL.ELE.M1.PHB.V M1.PHB.V X X TlME 5 2300 1 X X
?.UTL.ELE.M1.PHB.A M1.PHB.A X TlME 5 2300 1 X X
?.UTL.ELE.M1.PHB.KW M1.PHB.KW X TlME 5 2300 kWh 2 X X
?.UTL.ELE.M1.PHC.V M1.PHC.V X X TlME 5 2300 1 X X
?.UTL.ELE.M1.PHC.A M1.PHC.A X TlME 5 2300 1 X X
?.UTL.ELE.M1.PHC.KW M1.PHC.KW X TlME 5 2300 kWh 2 X X
?.UTL.ELE.M1.TOT.KW M1.TOT.KW X TlME 5 2300 kWh 3 X X
?.UTL.ELE.M1.TOT.KWH M1.TOT.KWH TlME 15 1000 X X
?.UTL.ELE.M1.TOT.KVAR M1.TOT.KVAR TlME 5 2300 3 X X
?.UTL.ELE.M1.TOT.KVARH M1.TOT.KVARH TlME 15 1000 kVARH X X
?.UTL.ELE.M1.TOT.KVA M1.TOT.KVA TlME 5 2300 3 X X
?.UTL.ELE.M1.TOT.KVAH M1.TOT.KVAH TlME 15 1000 X X
?.UTL.ELE.M1.TOT.PF M1.TOT.PF X TlME 5 2300 3 X X
Gas Mains
?.UTL.GAS.M1.USE CONSUMPTlON TlME 15 1000 CCF X X
(Accumulate gas
meter pulses)
?.UTL.GAS.M1.DMD 15 MlN USE X TlME 15 1000 CCF 4 X X
Water Mains
FEBRUARY 2013 HPAC ENGINEERING 23
Circle 165
TAKING BUILDING AUTOMATION BACK TO THE BASICS
do not know what these parameters
are, the control-system contractors
most likely will not either.
Conclusion
These “must-dos” provide a great
starting point for the beginner and
everyday professional. Obviously,
these are just starting points, and
building-automation systems can
include numerous additional items,
such as trending definitions, open/
closed controls, proportional-inte-
gral-derivative controls, direct-digi-
tal-control systems, and fuzzy logic,
but sometimes it is best to KISS and
step back to remember the basics
that are the foundation of any suc-
cessful building-control project.
Did you find this article useful? Send
comments and suggestions to Senior
Editor Ron Rajecki at ron.rajecki@
penton.com.
clearly. Define specific space temper-
atures (occupied and unoccupied).
Define the reset ranges and what
specific states outline the range.
Define start and stop times (include
weekday and weekends and specific
holiday operation). Remember, if you
set, and after-hours operation. Algo-
rithms are great, but certain param-
eters still need to be provided. Even
when control systems are provided,
buildings can operate inefficiently,
if the specifics, such as setpoints or
start and stop times, are not defined
FIGURE 3. Typical sequence-of-control narrative.
Start
t FoweS suµµly to the motoS, coloS sensoS, Sobot and inteSlacinq ciScuits
t ínitiali/e node
t ínitiali/e Sobot
t Stoµ the motoS
t Betect the motoS
t Send the coloS code to the Sobot
t Run the motoS
Run the motoS
ís Cv value oS the
temµeSatuSe sensoS > 75%?
Yes
Yes
Yes
ho
ho
Fick the object and µlace it
at the aµµSoµSiate µlace
accoSdinq to the coloS code
Stoµ
the
motoS
Job done?
ís Switch 1 tSue?
W
By CHRISTOPHER QUALLS, PE, CEM
Smith Seckman Reid Inc.
Houston, Texas
When I started my career 17 years ago, only a few
geothermal-unit configurations were available, and
those met most industry needs. With the inception of
the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design) green-building rating program and stricter
ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1, Energy Standard for
Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, and
ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62.1, Ventilation for Acceptable
Indoor Air Quality, requirements, the geothermal industry
has evolved. This article provides an overview of the
wide array of geothermal options available to design
engineers and commercial-building owners seeking to
sharply reduce operating costs.
Geothermal Refrigeration Cycle
A geothermal system is very similar to a traditional
HVAC system. The key difference is that a geothermal
system transfers heat via the ground, which stays at a
constant temperature year-round, while a traditional
HVAC system transfers heat via the air, the temperature
and humidity of which vary greatly, according to the
weather.
The refrigeration cycle of a geothermal system involves
five basic components:
• Compressor.
• Water coil.
• Air coil.
• Thermostatic expansion valve.
• Reversing valve.
A system operates in cooling or heating mode, depend-
ing on the position of the reversing valve. In cooling mode,
the compressor pumps refrigerant to a high temperature
and pressure. The refrigerant then is sent through the
reversing valve (set in cooling mode), from which it travels
to the water coil. The water coil acts as the condenser in
a traditional heat pump. The water coil cools the refrig-
erant and brings it to a saturated state. The refrigerant
then enters the thermostatic expansion valve, where it
is flashed, producing a combination of liquid and vapor.
The refrigerant mixture then enters the air coil, where it
is taken to its lowest state of pressure and temperature. At
this point, the refrigerant enters the compressor, where
the cycle starts over. In heating mode, the reversing valve
is switched, effectively reversing the refrigeration cycle.
Benefits of Geothermal Systems
Unlike most conventional equipment, geothermal
equipment is rated based on energy-efficiency ratio
(EER), the ratio of cooling capacity in British thermal
units per hour to total electrical input in watts under
Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute-
specified test conditions. Smaller refrigerant-based
equipment is rated based on seasonal energy-efficiency
ratio (SEER). An article
1
in Outside the Loop, a newslet-
ter for geothermal-heat-pump designers and installers,
makes a compelling argument for comparing these
values, a task made difficult by the fact the ratio between
EER and SEER varies by location in the United States.
Standard 90.1 establishes baselines for different types
of systems. The 2010 version has a couple of different
methods of computing energy savings above the base-
lines. Standard 90.1 acknowledges energy efficiency and
savings are greater with geothermal systems because
the baseline system has a higher—in most cases, by 25
percent—efficiency rating than other types of systems.
Geothermal meets all LEED requirements for refrigerant
use, including zero ozone depletion, but really shines in
energy savings.
Geothermal Offerings
There are many geothermal-system types, each with
multiple options. The intent of this article is not to point
out every type and option available, but to review the
highlights of both traditional and non-traditional
configurations.
Unit tonnage. Standard geothermal-heat-pump capac-
ity is in the 1-to-6-ton range. A few manufacturers have
expanded their product offerings to the 6-to-25-ton range
24 HPAC ENGINEERING FEBRUARY 2013
Geothermal Systems
for Commercial Facilities
A senior mechanical engineer with Smith Seckman Reid Inc., Christopher Qualls, PE, CEM, has nearly two decades of experience
with geothermal heating and cooling systems.
Options available to design engineers and building owners looking to reduce costs
With an international standing that has attracted more then 4,500 members
and 65 chapters around the world, the Society of Fire Protection Engineers
(SFPE) advances the science and practice of fire protection engineering world-
wide. Our strength and the future of the industry rely on the innovative think-
ing and active participation of professional fire protection engineers just like
you. And, our members realize benefits they can’t get anywhere else…
Gain the credibility you need to advance your career.
Build life-long alliances and share ideas and solutions with more than
4,500 industry peers and 65 local chapters through SFPE’s many
networking opportunities throughout the year.
Stay up to date on new developments (and new opportunities) through
SFPE’s monthly e-newsletter, web site postings, blog, and job board.
Sharpen your expertise on technical topics through the quarterly peer re-
viewed Journal of Fire Protection Engineering, Fire Protection Engineering
Magazine, design guides, and other publications—as well as continuing
education programs, symposia, and distance learning.
Access smart opportunities and enjoy discounts on publications, educa-
tional events, and professional liability and group insurance programs.
Shape the future of fire protection engineering by contributing
your time and expertise as a volunteer.
TYes! I would like to advance my career and help shape the future of fire protection engineering. Sign me up for a year of SFPE member benefits. I
understand that the $215 annual membership fee entitles me to all of the benefits described above.
TI am not an engineer, but I would like to build alliances with the industry. Enroll me in the SFPE Allied Professional Group. Annual dues are $107.50.
Complimentary memberships are available to engineering students and recent graduates. Visit www.sfpe.org/membership/join for application details.
Method of Payment
TEnclosed is my check made payable to SFPE.
Please charge my TAmerican Express TMasterCard TVisa
Credit card number: Expiration Date:
Signature:
Print Full Name:
Address:
City/Town:
State/Province:
Postal Code:
Country:
Referred by:
Invest in your career…
Join the Society of Fire Protection Engineers
Company:
Phone Number:
E-mail:
SFPE Membership Application
Enjoy full benefits as an Affiliate Member just as soon as we receive
your payment. Your welcome packet will include a detailed ap-
plication for upgraded membership as an Associate or Professional
Member, which is based on educational and practice accomplish-
ments and entitles you to a certificate and special recognition.






MAIL to SFPE at 7315 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 620E, Bethesda, MD 20814 or FAX to (301) 718-2242
or email Sean Kelleher at [email protected]
www.sfpe.org
Circle 166
26 HPAC ENGINEERING FEBRUARY 2013
and beyond. For small spaces, some
of these same companies offer units
in fractional tonnages below 1 ton.
Orientation. The most common ori-
entations of geothermal systems are
horizontal and vertical. With a hori-
zontal unit, fan discharge out of the
top, sides, or end is possible. Return
air and outside air are adjustable as
well. Unit size is dictated by tonnage
because the unit housing encloses
not only the cooling/heating coil and
fan, but the water coil, compressors,
valves, and more.
Some manufacturers are willing to
rearrange the components in a sys-
tem to accommodate height, length,
or width requirements. This custom-
ization may come at a premium and
should be considered only when all
other options fail. The fan and air
coil could be separated from the
compressor and placed in separate
boxes, which would allow the com-
pressor to be located in a different
room, with refrigerant lines routed
back to the air coil. This would re-
quire the manufacturing engineer to
calculate how far away the sections
could be placed and would slightly
diminish the performance of the unit.
Applications. Extensive geother-
mal system and option configura-
tions are available to commercial-
facility owners. The systems most
commonly in use today are:
• Horizontal and vertical. The main
advantage of horizontal and vertical
units—and the likely reason they are
the most preferred—is their location
inside of a building, which greatly
slows the degradation of the hous-
ing and components, as they are not
exposed to extreme weather.
• Rooftop. Rooftop systems come
in many varieties. Without the limi-
tation of walls, they typically are a
little longer than most horizontal
units. The unit housing is made of
a heavier-gauge sheet metal to help
it withstand the weather. Typically,
rooftop equipment is used only when
interior floor space is at a premium.
The main difference between geo-
thermal rooftop equipment and
standard commercial rooftop equip-
ment is the presence of a water coil,
rather than a condensing coil with
fans drawing air across it, inside. A
benefit of rooftop equipment is that
some manufacturers offer additional
configurations, such as the ability to
temper outside air before it mixes
with return air.
• Vertical stacked. Vertical stacked
equipment is used in facilities in
which similar rooms are stacked
on top of each other, such as hotels
and hospitals. The configuration of
the equipment usually dictates the
units span from floor to ceiling (with
blank-off panels) and contain all
Circle 167 Circle 168
GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS FOR COMMERCIAL FACILITIES
NewFiltration Technology Keeps Cooling Tower Water Clean
ORIVAL
Cooling
Tower
Cooling
Tower
ORIVAL
Cooling
Tower
O
R
I
V
A
L
Cooling
Tower
O
R
I
V
A
L
Typical
FuII
FIow
filtration
using
existing
pump.
Typical
Side
Stream
filtration
using a
booster
pump.
Typical Side
Stream
filtration
of basin
using a
recirculating
pump.
Typical
Side
Stream
filtration
using
existing
pump.
E
very cooling tower has its unique dirt
conditions, space constraints and
other special characteristics. Filtration
systems must take these into account in
order to maintain particle free water.
Orival filters are versatile enough to
meet these criteria. They remove a wide
range of dirt down to micron size, of any
specific gravity, even lighter than water.
Typical examples include: airborne par-
ticles, microbiological growth, bugs,
sand, scale, algae, rust, etc.
Line pressure powered, they permit use
of the existing cooling tower pump,
lowering initial system cost. The fully
automatic self cleaning cycle takes
seconds and does not interrupt flow.
Reclaim units recirculate rinse water
making filtration a zero discharge opera-
tion. For more information and system design
assistance, contact: Orival, Automatic Self-
Cleaning Filters, 213 S. Van Brunt St.,
Englewood, NJ 07631. (201) 568-3311,
(800) 567-9767, Fax: (201) 568-1916.
FI LTRATI ON TRENDS
www.orival.com
necessary geothermal components in
a confined, efficient space. Usually,
an outside-air duct is mounted to the
equipment, and pipes that can pen-
etrate from floor to floor in a vertical
orientation run behind the unit.
• Water to water. Water-to-water
systems have many practical uses,
including radiant floor heating, pool
heating, and even chiller retrofitting.
Rather than have an air coil and fan,
these systems have another heat
exchanger in the refrigeration loop;
heat is transferred from one water
stream to another. A secondary set of
pumps is required on the load side of
the unit to circulate water according
to demand. Because water is a great
medium for heat transfer, this type
of system has excellent efficiency
ratings on the scale of 4 COP.
• Corner units. Corners often are
dead space in a room, which makes
them ideal locations for heating and
cooling equipment. With a corner
unit, piping usually is routed over-
head and dropped inside. If the unit
sits on an outside wall, a duct for
outside air can be attached easily.
• Dedicated outdoor-air system
(DOAS). Some manufacturers’ stan-
dard DOAS equipment has a water
coil for heat exchange, while oth-
ers’ is fully customizable. Usually, a
dedicated-outdoor-air geothermal
system includes supply-, exhaust-,
return-, and outside-air openings
with either a plate-and-frame heat
exchanger between airflow paths
or a desi ccant wheel bui l t i nto
the system. Such a system can be
configured to have single or multiple
supply and exhaust fans.
System options. For each system,
there are options, including:
• Electric strip heat. Also known as
electric resistance heat, this option
involves the addition of an electric
FEBRUARY 2013 HPAC ENGINEERING 27
Circle 169
GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS FOR COMMERCIAL FACILITIES
Corner geothermal units can be a smart use
of otherwise wasted space.
P
H
O
T
O

C
O
U
R
T
E
S
Y

O
F

H
Y
D
R
O
-
T
E
M
P

C
O
R
P
.
RAM-5DC
The #1 choice among HVAC
engineers and contractors.
www.goodway.com/
tubecleaning
BRUSH
WITH GREATNESS.
Clean tubes faster with the
Goodway RAM-5DC Tube Cleaner
• Clean large chiller tube
bundles up to 4X faster!
• Innovative bi-directional
variable feed technology
• Simultaneous water flush
• Perfect for straight or
enhanced tubes
Get the right answer, right now!
888 364-3445
®
THE BEST WAY IS
28 HPAC ENGINEERING FEBRUARY 2013
resistance coil inside of a unit. Con-
trary to popular belief, adding strip
heat does not increase air tempera-
ture while a unit is running. There
was a time when geothermal systems
needed this type of heating to pro-
duce enough heat for a given space,
but not anymore. As a general prac-
tice, it should be added only in the
case of system failure.
• Ultraviolet (UV) lighting. UV
lights clean air streams by killing
certain organic particulates as they
pass by. UV lights can be field- or
factory-mounted.
• Desuperheater. Many manufac-
turers have an option for heating
potable water involving the factory
installation of a heat exchanger
inside of a unit. This allows the unit
to transfer heat to water during
summer and allows a small amount
of heat from the compressor to be
transferred during winter. During
summer especially, water is able to
be heated at little or no cost, depend-
ing on the domestic-water-heating
load. Some manufacturers claim
their systems can run in desuper-
heater mode only, which essentially
bypasses the air stream and allows
water-to-water operati on. Thi s
allows hot water to be produced
very efficiently, with an equivalent
rating of approximately 3.5 COP.
• Two stage. In most parts of the
country, part-load conditions occur
for the vast majority of equipment
runtime. Two-stage (usually, full load
and half-load) compressors allow
optimum performance at part load.
To put the energy efficiency between
full-load and part-load conditions
into perspective, a geothermal sys-
tem might have an EER of 14 at full
load and upward of 26 at part load.
In other words, it is almost twice as
efficient at part-load conditions,
which represent the majority of its
operating life.
• Permanent-split-capacitor (PSC)
or electronically commutated motors
(ECMs). Several years ago, when fan
technology was in its infancy, most
geothermal units were equipped with
PSC motors. Some manufacturers
still equip systems with these types
of motors, but most have changed to
variable-speed ECMs. ECMs provide
better efficiency than other types of
motors and can be programmed with
set speeds so that, under part-load
conditions, the speed of a fan will
be varied simply by different con-
ductors to the fan being energized.
This avoids the need for a variable-
frequency drive.
• Control s. When i t comes to
geot hermal syst ems, di f f erent
levels of control are available, from
a barebones system that controls
only the unit to damper control to
Circle 170 Circle 171
GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS FOR COMMERCIAL FACILITIES
1 888-570-DUCT
[email protected]
© 2013 Armacell LLC. Made in USA. MICROBAN is a registered trademark of Microban Products Company. The GREENGUARD
Indoor Air Quality Certified Mark is a registered certification mark used under license through the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute.
AP Armaflex duct liners and wraps provide the all-in-one solution
for ducts. The closed-cell structure of AP Armaflex
®
flexible elastomeric
foam makes it an efficient thermal insulation with excellent sound absorption
at critical low frequencies. The fiber-free construction and built-in Microban
®

antimicrobial protection ensure high indoor air quality. AP Armaflex is the
standard in performance and efficiency. Specify it. Trust it.
www.armacell.us
SPECIFY
PROTECTION
FIBER-FREE FOR IMPROVED IAQ
add-ons, such as the desuperheater,
to the ability to connect to a building
automation system.
Common Concerns and Myths
The cost of geothermal. Most own-
ers installing geothermal systems
are concerned less with upfront costs
than they are with energy savings
and simple payback period. Payback
on a typical geothermal system can
be as low as two years, depending
on the upfront costs and the systems
being compared. Other consider-
ations affecting savings and payback
include:
• Air handlers in the building.
Should they be combined into a cen-
tral unit or split into smaller units?
• Ductwork and piping lengths.
More localized air handlers will re-
duce ductwork costs and fan energy,
but may increase piping costs.
• Associated equipment costs.
Multiple geothermal units may in-
crease upfront cost because of more
equipment. They also may increase
the costs of localized pumping, fans,
maintenance, and more.
• Rebates. Creativity hel ps to
reduce initial costs of a geothermal
system and realize savings much
sooner. For example, some utility
companies offer rebate programs,
and some will finance a portion of
upfront costs, allowing payments
to be made over time. Visit www
.Dsireusa.org for available rebates
and savings by state. For a database
of state incentives, visit http://bit.ly/
DSIRE_incentives.
Maintenance and configuration.
Some engineers resist learning how
to design and implement geothermal
systems, claiming the equipment is
maintenance prone or will not work
in certain applications. Maintenance
is no more of an issue with a geother-
mal system than it is with a chiller/
boiler system (excluding cooling-
tower servicing) or with a common
split system. Typically, the only items
in a geothermal system requiring
routine maintenance are pumps.
Some are concerned with the
stability and proneness to failure of
in-ground pipes. If fused together
properl y and i nst al l ed per t he
manufacturer’s recommendations,
in-ground geothermal-system pipes
are warranted for at least 50 years.
Reference
1) The SEER of ground source
heat pumps. (1999, Summer). Outside
the Loop, p. 6. Retrieved from http://
geoheat.oit.edu/otl/otl02-03.pdf
Did you find this article useful? Send
comments and suggestions to Executive
Editor Scott Arnold at scott.arnold@
penton.com.
FEBRUARY 2013 HPAC ENGINEERING 29
Circle 172
GEOTHERMAL SYSTEMS FOR COMMERCIAL FACILITIES
CLASSIFIED ADS
30 HPAC ENGINEERING FEBRUARY 2013
MARKE T P L ACE
888.245.5587 | aggreko.com/northamerica
24/7/365 SERVICE ACROSS
NORTH AMERICA
Power Generation
Project Management
Temporary HVAC
100% Oil-free Compressed Air
We’re on
TOP OF IT.
Whenever and wherever you need us,
Aggreko has the rental temperature
control solutions to help keep operations
going strong—24/7/365.
When it’s your job to keep operations moving,
it’s our job to deliver the equipment and expertise
to help make it happen. From temporary HVAC to
rental generators, chillers and more, our utilities are
designed to keep you on track, every time.
For long-term projects, one-time uses or even
for optimizing facility processes, we’re standing by
to keep operations up and running, no matter what.
Circle 62
+/0+ L' E Z <b ^g^`Z ;e o]' E hl :g`^e ^l % <: 2)),- NL:
! 1))" ,,/& *2-+ ! ,*)" 1,2& +1+1 ?Zq3 ! ,*)" 1,2& /101
ppp' m ^de ^^g' \hf b g_ h9m ^de ^^g' \hf
Scale formation reduces the heat transfer rate and
increases the water pressure drop through the heat
exchanger and pipes. ln fact, one study has shown
that .002" fouling will increase pumping needs by 20%.
The Best Engineered Water Filtering
Solution Always Costs Less
Why Should You
Filter Your Water?
BALL-IN-THE-WALL
ROOM PRESSURE
MONITOR
® Airflow Direction, Inc.
Toll Free:
888-334-4545
www.airflowdirection.com
HPAC@airflowdirection.com
®
Circle 61
Circle 63
CLASSIFIED ADS
FEBRUARY 2013 HPAC ENGINEERING 31
MARKE T P L ACE
Circle 65
Circle 66
PORTABLE AIR CONDITIONING AND HEATING
800.367.8675 www.spot-coolers.com
RENTALS and SALES
36 Locations Nationwide
During cold weather, when you need
supplemental heat, we’ve got the
perfect answer to keeping you warm!
The ConvertibleAire heat pumps deliver
three times more heat than ordinary
plug-in heaters and are available 24/7!
We deliver the heat!
Call for a warm-up today!
Circle 64
info-dex
Get a 12-month
Premium Online
Info-dex
listing for $960!
contact:
Dave Kenney
216-931-9725
[email protected]
Your listing
is available
24/7/365!
H.V.A.C. WATER FILTER
• Automatic, Self-Cleaning
• Line Pressure Powered
• Screens down to 10 microns
• 1” to 20” line sizes
• Single unit flow rates to 8,100 gpm
conserves rinse water
Orival Inc.
800.567.9767 fax: 201.568.1916
[email protected]
www.orival.com
Circle 64
www.hpac.com
32 HPAC ENGINEERING FEBRUARY 2013
AD INDEX
HPAC Heating/Piping/Air Conditioning Engineering
(ISSN 1527-4055) is indexed by Engineering Index, Inc.,
Applied Science & Technology Index, and ISMEC and is micro-filmed
by National Archive Publishing Company (NAPC), 300 N. Zeeb Road
P.O. Box 998, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-0998, 734-302-6500 or
800-420-NAPC (6272) x 6578
COPYING: Permission is granted to users registered with the
Copyright Clearance Center Inc. (CCC) to photocopy any article,
with the exception of those for which separate copyright ownership is
indicated on the first page of the article, provided that a base fee of
$1.25 per copy of the article plus $0.60 per page is paid directly to
the CCC, 222 Rosewood Dr., Danvers, MA 01923. (Code No. 1527-
4055/98 $1.25 + .60)
SUBSCRIPTIONS: Yearly subscription price: U.S.A. and possessions,
$84.00; 2 yr., $126.00; Canada, $110.00; 2 yr., $157.00;
International, $116.00; 2 yr., $184.00. Single copy price: U.S.A.
and possessions, $12.00; Canada, $11.00; International, $12.00;
except HPAC Engineering Info-dex: U.S.A and possessions, $30.00;
Canada, $35.00; International, $40.00.
Send payment and order to Penton Media, P.O. Box 2100, Skokie,
IL 60076-7800. (Canadian Distribution Sales Agreement Number
40026880.) Canadian GST #R124631964.
CUSTOMER SERVICE INQUIRIES Send to: Penton Media, Inc.,
P.O. Box 2100, Skokie, Ill 60076-7800 Phone: 866-505-7173
Fax: 847-763-9673; email: [email protected]
When filing a change of address, include former as well as new
address, ZIP codes, and recent address label if possible.
Allow two months for changes.
LIST RENTALS are managed by MeritDirect
The contact name for 2013 is: Marie Briganti, (877) 796-6947,
[email protected]
Member of American Business Press Inc. and Business Publications
Audit of Circulation, Inc.
Printed in U.S.A. Copyright © 2013 Penton Media. All rights reserved.
CIRCLE NO. PAGE NO.
1RZ$YDLODEOHRQ'HPDQG
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can take the form of odors,
fammable gas vapors and particulates, and other respiratory
hazards that can undermine the health of a building and its
occupants. Viewers of this insightful Webinar will learn how
to monitor and combat VOCs using the latest touchscreen
technology, multisensing instrumentation (including tempera-
ture and humidity), and more. Benefts to be gained include
practical guidance through best-case examples and the latest
information on VOC monitoring to:
• Avoid sick building syndrome
• Cut ventilation costs
• Meet new and impending regulations
• Achieve LEED accreditation
• Simplify maintenance tasks
Monitoring VOCs for Improved IAQ and
Energy Efciency in Commercial Buildings
To view the Webinar, visit
http://bit.ly/Honeywell_VOC
PRESENTERS:
Don Olson, senior product
manager, Honeywell Analytics
Thomas Aiken, head of
marketing and business
development,
AppliedSensor Inc.
Circle 173
Anaco Husky ..................................................................................... 13
172 Armacell LLC ..................................................................................... 29
175 Baldor Electric Co. ............................................................................. BC
168 BITZER US Inc. .................................................................................. 26
154 Daikin ................................................................................................. 7
151 ebm-papst Inc. .................................................................................... 1
157 Evonik Foams .................................................................................... 10
170 Flaretite Inc. . ..................................................................................... 28
171 Goodway Technologies Corp. .............................................................. 28
155 Honeywell Analytics ............................................................................. 8
150 Loren Cook Co. ..................................................................................IFC
156 McQuay International ........................................................................... 9
162 Metraflex .......................................................................................... 17
152 Mitsubishi Electric Cooling & Heating .................................................... 2
159 MultiTherm LLC ................................................................................. 12
163 ONICON Inc. ...................................................................................... 19
169 Orival Inc. ......................................................................................... 27
164 Pottorff ............................................................................................. 21
160 Redi Controls Inc. .............................................................................. 14
153 Schneider Electric ................................................................................ 4
167 Shortridge Instruments Inc. ................................................................ 26
166 Society of Fire Protection Engineering .................................................. 25
158 Uponor ............................................................................................. 11
165 Vaisala ............................................................................................. 23
161 Water Quality Association ................................................................... 15
174 Weil-McLain ..................................................................................... IBC
Circle 174
©2011 Baldor Electric Company
Ý Energy Efficient
Ý Unmatched 0uality
Ý Superior Reliability
Ý Low Maintenance
Ý 0uiet 0peration
Ý Made in the US^
The new Baldor RPM ^0
®
0ooling Tower 0irect
0rive Motor sets a new standard in cooling
tower motors. 0esigned exclusively for cooling
tower applications, the RPM ^0 motor mounts
directly to the cooling tower fan, eliminating
high-maintenance gearboxes, drive shafts and
couplings. 0ombined with Baldor's \S10T0
proprietary adjustable frequency drive, this slow
speed, high torque combination operates at
variable speeds to maximize system efficiency
and minimize noise. Perfect for new installations
or for retrofitting older, less efficient cooling tower
systems, the RPM ^0 0ooling Tower motor and
\S10T0 0ooling Tower drive offers improved
reliability while greatly reducing maintenance
costs and energy consumption.
0heck out our website for case studies,
installation photos and additional information
about the revolutionary new RPM ^0 0ooling
Tower technology from Baldor. We are truly
changing the future of cooling tower technologyl
ba|dcr.ccm 479-646-4711
Circle 175