nickj's profile - activity

Yes, this is generally the principal behind mud huts or adobe walls in hot dry climates. It's also the main principal b

COMNET has a lot of information on standardizing the building energy modelling process and might be helpful. https://co

Sounds like you are looking for the thermal inertia of a building? You can export all the constructions, their areas an

Anything labeled as exhaust implies that the air is going outside, whether its is going through some sort of heat recovery or something it would still not mix with other return air.

This sounds like a plenum return where multiple spaces return to a common plenum, however the AHU is not directly serving all spaces?

Morning warmup etc. can sometimes be where the peak loads occur so I would agree with ecoeficiente that being able to heat/cool from setback to occupancy temperature is important to include in the system loads calculation.

Yeah, that's interesting. I suppose you'll have to comply if that's what he's asking for. LEED can be frustrating with the lack of communication between the modeler and reviewer. I'm looking through CIRs and not finding anything specific to this.

Maybe they want the datacenter included in the outside air calculation and that's why they want it to be an active storage space? If I find anything I'll post back.

There are a couple of things to consider. The first is if the space is defined as an active storage space, because if it is, then yes it must adhere to the baseline values outlined in ASHRAE 90.1 2007 Table 9.6.1(for version 3). However, if your actual space usage is a data center then you should make those corrections in your space type (changing it to electrical/mechanical) and include the misunderstanding in your narrative accompanying the review comment.

Just make sure your space classification in baseline/proposed is consistent and include a narrative noting any changes.

Hope that helps,

Nick

Using system type 4, if the fan is constant volume with the control being on the coil then your fan is running at maximum the whole time while the coils are modulating. If your proposed design is a VAV system then you should expect a lot of fan energy savings. Depending on the reviewers preferences they may want the fans to modulate too rather than being on constantly during occupancy.

Please be more specific, because you mentioned the ASHRAE design standards, are you referring to benchmarking the EUI of a building? Or also talking about the thermal performance of a building?

After designing and working on several similar projects with clients whom have similar goals, it becomes easier to discern what the result will be. But as you already know its dependent on climate/building type/fuel type, etc.

Currently for benchmark analysis any information you can get from Energy Star portfolio manager would be good, also the numbers from CBECS. But it can be difficult to track down the exact information you are looking for and you generally run into problems of small sample size and just not enough information.

Nick

Hey,

I agree with your assumption that each building should be considered separately so if electricity is your baseline then system type 4 is accurate.

As for your fan loads, this could be due to excessive economizer usage if the setting is at 70-75F it really increases the fan power. What is your climate zone?

Nick