Unregulated loads in production plant

asked Jan 20

jferamo89's avatar

updated Jan 20

Hi to all, I’m currently working on an energy model for a production plant, and I’ve encountered a scenario that I’m hoping to clarify. This facility includes clean rooms with strict temperature (20–24°C) and humidity (45–55%) requirements. Additionally, the clean rooms require high air renovation rates (45 ACH) with air filtration and cleaning before being reintroduced.

Complicating matters, some spaces are designated as ATEX (potentially explosive atmospheres), which means they require 100% fresh air (no recirculation) at the same 45 ACH rate. To meet these conditions, the air needs to be cooled and heated before entering the spaces.

Here’s where I’m struggling:

Is the energy consumption for cooling and heating the air to maintain these stringent conditions considered a regulated load or an unregulated load? My understanding is that the purpose of this heating and cooling is primarily for process requirements, not occupant comfort or air quality, which would classify it as unregulated. However, since it involves typical HVAC systems performing heating and cooling functions, it feels like it could also be considered regulated.

If these loads are confirmed as unregulated, should they be calculated based on the proposed model HVAC systems or the baseline HVAC systems? I’m unsure which approach aligns best with LEED modeling requirements for these types of loads.

I reached out to GBCI for guidance, and they confirmed that the energy associated with air recirculation is unregulated, as it serves the process (e.g., air cleanliness for production) rather than occupants. However, I’d love to hear your insights or experiences with similar projects. How do you handle energy loads in these scenarios for LEED models?

Any advice on correctly categorizing and modeling these loads, as well as how to handle HVAC systems for the unregulated loads, would be greatly appreciated!

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