HVAC Engineering Sectors

RSS

So you’ve decided on your sample size. What next? What happens when a system failure is found?

After 40 years and other engineering studies, a large university building still suffered from humidity problems. Our intrepid author dug into the data and the dark corners of the building in pursuit of the culprit — or culprits?

Sure, it was an award-winning first biomass design for the VA. And yes, it’s a big efficiency improvement.

An air handling unit that hasn’t worked since, well, ever. Chillers that have to work more often as a result — and an extra chiller just to attack the affected zone. These were the obvious symptoms, but what was the cause?

The available LEED credits and most obvious energy-saving possibilities are one thing. The potential for a ripple effect of system-wide savings by deploying VFDs as part of better overall monitoring are another.

Combustion air, ventilation, piping, expansion tanks … with these and other factors affecting performance and safety, the boiler swap is not exactly a plug-and-play situation.

Testing it all typically isn’t an option. How to determine what (and how many) to check?