How many energy-efficient or certified buildings are not living up to the label? Very, very many, if this Ohio commissioning/auditing firm’s experience is close to typical. They report on common weaknesses in efficiency strategies and on real-life patterns of upgrades gone wrong across an array of equipment types. While flaws in well-intentioned processes remain, a more careful investment of human energy can still yield the desired reduction in building energy.
Data center HVAC has come a long way since ’80s-era strategies and even since turn-of-the-century room parameters. Consider that evolution, and how options like economizers and evaporative cooling may be more appealing in light of wider environmental envelopes.
The building industry now has greater flexibility in the design of high-performance buildings through a change impacting application of the green building standard from ASHRAE, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), and the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES) included in the International Green Construction Code (IgCC).
Design and construction of a “shack” to demonstrate renewable and HVAC technologies, including solar thermal heating, photovoltaic power generation, high efficiency and green insulation options and wood pellet stoves, is being developed by undergraduate students in an ASHRAE Undergraduate Senior Project Grant.
ASHRAE will convene in San Antonio, Texas, to not only “remember the Alamo,” but look toward a greener future. The 2012 ASHRAE Annual Conference, taking place June 23-27, focuses on everything from the basics of HVAC maintenance to integrated building design.
Registration for ASHRAE’s upcoming webcast, “Dedicated Outdoor Air Systems – A Path to Balancing Energy and IEQ,” opened March 19. The webcast focuses on the departure from conventional HVAC systems and takes place April 19, 2012, from 1 to 4 p.m. EDT.
Changes to help make buildings and systems more sustainable are part of the newly published version of the high-performance green building standard from ASHRAE, the USGBC, and the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES).