AVERIA EN PLATO DE VALVULAS DE COMPRESOR FRIGORIFICO SEMIHERMETICO BITZER

la cumbre del clima de boo 2017

La cumbre del clima (COP23) concluyó esta madrugada con la aprobación de un documento en el que empiezan a concretarse las reglas del Acuerdo de París contra el cambio climático, con el que cerca de 200 países reafirmaron su compromiso en Bonn a pesar de la salida de Estados Unidos.
El primer ministro de Fiji, Frank Bainimarama, presidente de la COP23, consideró que el texto aprobado en la cumbre es "un paso adelante para avanzar en la puesta en marcha del pacto alcanzado en 2015, si bien hay que ir más rápido en su implementación".
No obstante, negociadores de un buen número de países, entre ellos el comisario Europeo de Acción por el Clima, Miguel Arias Cañete, reconocieron a Efe que tras la COP23 se abre un año intenso de reuniones para la diplomacia climática porque "queda mucho trabajo por delante para concluir el texto de reglas en la fecha fijada", diciembre de 2018.
Sus dos principales capítulos, del total de 6, salen más avanzados de Bonn pero no cerrados. Se trata del mecanismo de revisión de los compromisos nacionales de reducción de emisiones del Acuerdo de París, y la financiación que los países ricos van a destinar a los en desarrollo en mitigación y adaptación al calentamiento.
La cuestión de la financiación, concretamente, ha retrasado hasta las 5.00 horas de las madrugada (4.00 GMT) la adopción de un acuerdo, en tanto que los países en desarrollo exigían a los ricos que reportasen con dos años de antelación cuánto dinero iban a aportar y en qué plazos, con el objetivo de que pudieran saber con qué fondos contaban.
Fuentes de la delegación europea aseguraron a Efe que con los márgenes presupuestarios que manejan los países no es factible decir, aquí y ahora -como les estaban exigiendo- cuánto dinero van a aportar en un horizonte de diez años, si bien no ha sido la UE quien se ha opuesto a avanzar en este exhaustivo reporte sino Estados Unidos, Australia y Japón.
Aunque la salida de Estados Unidos del Acuerdo de París no se materializará hasta 2020, su anuncio y el hecho de que sea uno de los grandes donantes ha creado un clima de desconfianza general en los países en desarrollo que, de manera casi unánime, han presionado al resto de países ricos que permanecen comprometidos para que les aseguren la financiación.
Los países en desarrollo lograron que el Fondo de la Adaptación del Protocolo de Kioto se mantenga en el Acuerdo de París.
Además de otras concesiones como que las naciones ricas presenten un informe transparente y detallado de cuánto dinero van a aportar hasta 2020, y lo que están haciendo a nivel doméstico antes de esa fecha, que es cuando entra en funcionamiento el pacto de París, que por primera vez tiene obligaciones para todos.
Los países en desarrollo querían asegurarse de que los principales responsables del cambio climático cumplen sus compromisos en la segunda fase del Protocolo de Kioto, hasta 2020, para ellos empezar a hacer los suyos a partir de esa fecha y mediante el Acuerdo de París.
De la COP23 salió también el diseño del llamado Diálogo de Talanoa, mediante el cual los países deberán rendir cuentas en la próxima cumbre de cómo van a incrementar la ambición de sus compromisos de reducción de emisiones nacionales para lograr el objetivo al que se han comprometido: mantener el aumento de temperatura del planeta por debajo de los 2 grados, y, si es posible, en 1,5.
Según los científicos, que aportarán un informe previo a ese diálogo sobre los impactos de 1,5 grados de aumento de temperatura, los objetivos de reducción de emisiones actuales de los países no van por buen camino para ese objetivo sino que conducen a entre 3 y 4 grados más a finales de siglo.
La COP23 sirvió también para demostrar que la Administración Trump "vive en un universo paralelo con su obsesión trasnochada por promover los combustibles fósiles", dijo a Efe Paula Caballero, portavoz de cambio climático del World Resources Institute (WRI).
Con la Adhesión de Siria al Acuerdo de París durante la COP23, Estados Unidos queda "aislado" como único país fuera del pacto, si bien su sociedad ha demostrado que "sigue dentro", atendiendo al nombre del inmenso pabellón alternativo que han tenido en la COP23 y por el que han pasado incontables gobernadores, alcaldes, empresarios, científicos y activistas estadounidenses.
Entre otros, la COP23 se cierra con un Plan de Acción de Genero en materia climática, y con una plataforma que permitirá a las comunidades indígenas -370 millones de personas- tener voz en las negociaciones, además de con innumerables compromisos de la sociedad civil.
El primer ministro de Fiyi concluyó recordando a los países que "todos estamos en la misma canoa. Los impactos pueden variar, pero ningún país puede escapar del daño del cambio climático".
Esa "canoa" queda, desde este momento, en manos de Polonia, que debe conducirla con mucha diplomacia para alcanzar el éxito en su próximo destino, la cumbre del clima de Katowice (COP24), en diciembre de 2018.EFE

Forging Ahead into the Uncertain Future of Commercial Refrigeration

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a subject area where so many of the strategic questions are being sorted out in the field,” said Robert Cavey, a partner with Praxis Inc., in kicking off Danfoss’ 30th EnVisioneering Symposium, Refrigerants2Sustainability, which was held Sept. 27 in Orlando, Florida.
The symposium, convened to explore the forces and ideas driving commercial refrigeration strategy, brought together  leaders from across stakeholder communities to discuss the probabilities, possibilities, timelines, and new lights by which market players can gain greater clarity, build effective collaborations, and learn which paths will help them best meet their business and societal goals.
Cavey said the event was designed as a conversation around a dinner table in which the knowledge and expertise of the faculty and the student body were equal, and he urged the attendees to take advantage of the opportunity.
“We have a very diverse group of people here today who don’t typically have a chance to sit together and have a dialogue; that dialogue and discussion among the participants is really the heart of this program,” added Lisa Tryson, director, corporate communications and public relations, Danfoss.
Tryson pointed out that refrigerant regulations and the recent District of Columbia District Court ruling on the fate of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program are creating disruption and uncertainty in the industry.
“I think most of us in the room still see the end game as low-global warming potential [GWP] technologies, and equipment manufacturers and end users are going to continue to look over the horizon at how we achieve low-global warming potential and energy efficiency in our systems,” Tryson said. “These changes are going to impact supermarkets and commercial refrigeration equipment — how it’s designed, installed, and maintained.”
The event covered regulations, safety, climate, and consumer expectations in presentations by Mark Menzer, director of public affairs, Danfoss; Glenn Gallagher, senior air quality scientist, research division, California Air Resources Board (CARB);  Xudong Wang, director of research, Air-Conditioning, Heating, & Refrigeration Institute (AHRI); Peter Dee, sales director, Danfoss; KC Kolstad, lead mechanical engineer, refrigeration, Target Properties Management; Brad Morris, senior manager of engineering and energy, Giant Eagle Inc.; Aaron Daly, global director for energy management, Whole Foods; and Dr. Marcel Christians, chief technology officer, Ice Energy.
Among the topics of conversation:
The future of SNAP — Menzer discussed how a recent lawsuit, Mexichem Fluor and Arkema v. U.S. EPA, raised the issue of whether the EPA has the authority to make manufacturers move away from non-ozone depleting potential (non-ODP) chemicals such as HFCs based on their GWP.
A district court determined that the EPA lacked the statutory authority to mandate the phasedown of non-ODP substances, placing a cloud over the future of SNAP HFC regulation. The ruling sent the 2015 SNAP rule back to the EPA for a rewrite. What exactly the EPA will do and whether the decision will be appealed to the Supreme Court remains to be seen. For now, the court’s decision raised the specter of stranded investments and fueled a good deal of confusion in the marketplace.
The power of states — Individual states are not pre-empted by federal authority in the regulation of the relevant chemicals for GWP purposes. So, the possibility emerges of states moving ahead with delisting HFCs while the federal government either sorts out the next steps or backs away from regulation of non-ODP refrigerants.
For example, Gallagher explained that California is moving forcefully to develop regulations to phase out the use of high-GWP chemicals. California Senate Bill 1383 (2016) requires a 40 percent reduction in HFC emissions below 2013 levels by 2030. State officials emphasize that despite the court ruling sending the rule back for recrafting, EPA SNAP rules remain in effect for now.
Gallagher noted that CARB’s Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Strategy puts sales restrictions on very high-GWP refrigerants with 100-year GWPs of 2,500 or greater, prohibits high-GWP refrigerants in new stationary refrigeration and stationary air conditioning equipment, and provides financial incentives for new low-GWP systems.
In addition, the state is continuing work on codes and standards updates, exploring ways to continue HFC reductions based on the EPA’s SNAP rules, and developing requirements and timelines for phaseouts.
Flammable refrigerants — If global trends are an indicator of the direction the U.S. will take, flammable refrigerants are poised to play a larger role in the overall refrigerant regime. However, the approval process can be laborious. 
According to Wang, today’s projected path for employing flammable refrigerants has refrigeration systems and equipment meeting ASHRAE, UL, and ISO safety standards by 2018, creating model building codes by 2021, and crafting state and local codes in 2022 and beyond. AHRI and ASHRAE are conducting research programs to help make that timeline work, Wang said. Several studies are complete, including benchmarking risks of A2L (mildly flammable) refrigerants and HVACR equipment leak detection of A2L refrigerants. Others are expected to be finished by the end of 2017, including hot surface ignition testing; flammable refrigerant handling guidelines; and an effort to explore the grounds for setting charge limits of A2L, A2, and A3 refrigerants (flammable including hydrocarbons and HFOs) for various types of products. Other research projects are slated for 2018 completion.
End users moving beyond HFCs — Kolstad said Target has set the goal of being HFC-free in food distribution centers and stand-alone refrigerated display cases by 2020 and is requiring all new purchases of stand-alone units less than 2,200 Btuh cooling capacity to use HFC-free refrigerants. Starting in 2016, Target told its suppliers that it is moving to hydrocarbon R-290 for units less than 2,200 Btuh.
Morris said Giant Eagle is putting the emphasis on general maintenance, floating head pressure and suction pressure, anti-sweat control, and the like — where he said a good deal of low-hanging fruit is available. For new technology, Morris explained how Giant Eagle is looking to distributed refrigeration controls rather than a centralized approach. Distributed controls, he noted, can offer 30 percent estimated energy savings, which justifies the first cost of the controls investment.
Thermal energy storage — Christians explained how ice batteries can enable a supermarket or grocery store owner to decide when to use electricity from the grid to create cooling, offering the ability to use stored cooling to provide three to 20 tons of cooling for up to six hours. The basic formula is simple: Use lower cost, off-peak energy, and tap storage during high-cost peak hours. The time of use energy cost differential and lower demand charges cover the cost of the investment within a few years, and improved grid stability justifies utility incentives.
Financing the paradigm shift — Population growth, the growth in retail food outlets, an aging grid, and less appetite for building new generation capacity all point to energy use containment. Generally speaking, utilities are capitalized to finance the shift.
“Many utilities are sitting on large sums of capital, and they’re very interested in finding ways to get that capital employed to their advantage,” Daly said. “In my view, they increasingly need our assistance in understanding how to do that.”
To that end, he added, understanding each utility that you’re dealing with and why they want to engage with you is absolutely critical to success when it comes to leveraging incentives or rate structures and determining which steps and technologies to employ.
In summary, court-imposed ambiguity, uncertain standards and codes, and a diversity of technological options and risks complicate the relevant refrigerant questions.
Recent U.S. regulatory strategy has focused on transforming the refrigerant sector based on GWP impact, and industry stakeholders have, therefore, been exploring appropriate new directions and solutions. But, when the courts recently placed a question mark over EPA’s SNAP regulations, the issue shifted — this time to questions such as how far the country would move, what new investments would be genuinely necessary, and whether the basic strategic issues for refrigerants had again been put on ice. The resulting uncertainty is causing states, refrigeration equipment manufacturers, and end users to take individual actions to move toward low-GWP, energy-efficient technologies that stand to future-proof business and benefit the bottom line today.
Amidst the uncertainty, however, the overarching facts are clear enough: there is ample convergence of interest to support a strategic, industry-wide dialogue, and global refrigerant trends suggest it should begin sooner rather than later.

HVAC Industry Offers Tips for Selling Commercial IAQ Products

Indoor air quality (IAQ) is a tricky thing. Numerous studies and papers on the topic have been published over the years, so benefits of good IAQ in buildings are well known — healthier, more productive workers. However, the symptoms related to poor IAQ can be mistaken for symptoms of other illnesses, such as allergies, stress, colds, and the flu. Even after installing IAQ products, it may take time before there is a noticeable difference inside the building. Because of this, building owners can be hesitant to purchase IAQ products. But, there are several factors HVAC contractors can present to increase their chances of making the sale.

THE FIGHT AGAINST HUMIDITY

According to Rick Tullis, president of Capstone Mechanical in Waco, Texas, the biggest IAQ problem or challenge his clients face is humidity.

“We’re in the hot, humid climate zone, so, ironically, humidity is our biggest IAQ problem that leads to other issues,” he explained. “A lot of that is driven by how much outside air we’re required to bring in by code, which, in turn, multiplies the humidity challenges we have. So, sometimes the code does make some allowances for using different UV [ultraviolet] air cleaner products in commercial systems as a way to decrease the amount of outside air you have to bring in, because you’re treating recirculated air as it goes through the unit — I’m seeing more and more of this.”

But, as far as Capstone Mechanical is concerned, air filters are still its No. 1 selling IAQ product.

Basic filtration is the biggest seller, according to Tullis, simply because every unit has a filter.

“When we sell commercial PMAs [preventive maintenance agreements] or when we’re doing design build work, it’s pretty easy to upsell someone to higher filtration because people get it,” he said. “It’s not difficult to understand that an air filter will keep the air cleaner.”

As for UV lights and air cleaners, Tullis sees them as a trend that is becoming more popular on the design build side.

“Whether it’s a job where we’re just doing the contracting, or if it’s a new job where we are the engineer and the contractor, we’re using UV as a strategy to minimize the amount of outside air we’re bringing in to get a more optimal equipment selection for the project,” he said. “With the case of UV, by decreasing the amount of outside air humidity, the economics make it a better option because in a hot, humid climate like ours, the additional cost to handle increased outside air is way more than the cost of the UV air cleaners.”

It’s not hard to convince building owners to make the purchase as it saves money.

“In the right situation, it’s not a huge upfront cost to the customer because you’re solving a problem and saving them money — they don’t have to buy as costly a system, and all the outdoor air humidity will be treated,” he said. “The air treatment price ends up decreasing the size of the equipment you have to put on the building. It ends up being a net gain for the owner.”

Killing TWO BIRDS with ONE STONE

According to Phil London, vice president of residential services, Thermal Concepts Inc., Davie, Florida, the main IAQ product his company recommends is UV lights or something similar.

“When the subject comes up, we’re generally dealing with two aspects — they’re either looking to make the air cleaner, or they’re looking to protect the equipment,” he said. “Our clients are a mixed bag. When it comes to air quality, we typically use a product on a UV light that we tie into the ductwork called Reme Halo. We’ve had some excellent results. And that’s designed more for air quality. Our focus on the commercial side has been very successful in using that product.”

Commercial building owners tend to appreciate how the product will impact their service requirements, London said. In other words, if the UV light is installed within close proximity to the evaporator coil, it keeps the coil clean, so it reduces their overall cost — they don’t have to shut down the system to have the coils cleaned, which, in turn, keeps the air cleaner.

But, no matter the circumstance, residential or commercial, London said the team at Thermal Concepts only upsells these products based on the needs of the customers.

“We talk to our customers and ask them what their challenges are,” he said. “Is there a problem with humidity, air quality, or dirty coils all the time? We have some medical facility clients that use UV lights to keep their system coils clean, which results in cleaner air quality than it would normally be without it. In that case, it addresses two challenges they have to deal with.”

Communication is key in these situations — the sales approach has to prove two things: No. 1, you were listening, and No. 2, this product will actually solve their problem.

“We try to give customers a reference and tell them to contact this particular client because they’ve had some success with these products,” London said. “Also, lately, there are quite a few articles in trade magazines, especially since the hurricanes, that highlight UV lights and air quality components, and that’s a helpful resource for us. The overall challenge for the most part is, if you’re cleaning coils, they see immediate results. If you’re putting in UV lights to address air quality, it takes them time to recognize there is an improvement.”

London said that by taking the time to talk with customers to identify their issues and educate them on the solutions, it’s usually not hard to convince them to purchase IAQ products.

“The last thing we want to do is take advantage of our customers,” he said. “The fact is that hurricane seasons is still here for another couple weeks, and people are very aware of indoor air quality. They’re starting to ask the question: ‘what do we do?’ It’s a situation that is more timely during this time of year because of the recent hurricane and because it’s the rainy season down here in south Florida. So people tend to notice the air quality this time of year more than any other.”  

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QUICK TIPS FOR SELLING IAQ

When it comes to selling IAQ products, there are several benefits contractors can address when talking to customers. Chief among them are energy efficiency and a healthier environment. However; there are several other topics to touch on, according to Daniel Jones, president, UV Resources.

“When selling commercial IAQ products, it’s important to acknowledge the current ‘healthy living’ trend sweeping society, a natural part of which is high indoor air quality,” he said. “Building owners should, therefore, come to understand that in addition to helping maintain HVAC efficiency and infection control, commercial IAQ products may help attract tenants.”

Jones offers four quick tips on selling commercial IAQ products:

• Emphasize energy efficiency: Historically, energy-efficient HVAC systems might have meant a trade off in indoor air quality. However, with the application of ultraviolet-C light (UV-C) in HVAC systems, this is no longer the case. Building managers’ and owners’ interest in energy efficiency can be satisfied by applying UV-C to the air handler’s cooling coils, thus improving heat transfer efficiency and lowering pressure drop by stopping mold and bacteria buildup. Naturally, removing this buildup will also help to foster a healthier indoor environment.
• Discuss infection control: Infection control, as one would imagine, is high on the radar of medical facilities and medical office buildings. However, having the ability to bring infection control to a commercial building is of growing interest to building tenants interested in providing a healthy environment for their employees and bolstering their bottom line. Providing an IAQ technology option that can deliver the ability to reduce infection control at a reasonable price is a winning proposition. 
• Address the tightening building envelope phenomenon: Indoor environments are sealed tighter and tighter, especially during extremely hot and cold weather, to help maintain temperatures and reduce energy use. The result is less fresh air for dilution and poor IAQ. Builders are seeking ways to preserve IAQ without sacrificing the efficiency benefits gained by tightening the building envelope.
• Tie in the importance of a clean work environment: Many new companies are creating a nontraditional work environment to attract a new generation of workers who place a premium on healthy indoor air. Building owners will, therefore, desire products that allow them to promote the fact that they are boosting IAQ for their tenants and the tenants’ employees.

Projects Highlight Air Quality, Energy Efficiency, and Comfort Goals

On average, Americans spend over 90 percent of their time indoors where concentrations of some pollutants can be two to five times higher than typical outdoor concentrations, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In fact, the EPA ranks indoor air quality (IAQ) as a top-five environmental risk to public health while the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports that approximately 1.4 million buildings in the U.S. have indoor air problems. There is also a growing awareness of the importance of IAQ among both HVAC industry and non-industry professionals. The following case studies highlight several ways in which IAQ products have been implemented to help various commercial buildings meet air quality, energy-efficiency, and comfort goals.

ARCBEST HEADQUARTERS

Originally designed to support an occupancy level of 850 people, the ArcBestSM corporate headquarters, located in Fort Smith, Arkansas, grew to 1,085 employees plus visitors. Ten percent of the people work at night, requiring 24/7 air conditioning. The increase in occupancy drove a need to introduce more outside air to maintain air quality. The outside air had to be conditioned, which increased electrical energy costs. In addition, the extra outside air caused draftiness on cold winter days, and, during the summer, the extra air flow through the air handlers resulted in some parts of the building getting too cool.

The 190,000-square-foot building has five floors of office space separated into two wings with two staircases connecting all building floors. The solution was to install 10 enVerid Systems HLR® (HVAC Load Reduction) 1000E modules — two installed on each of the five floors, one per wing — to scrub air of contaminants and reduce the amount of outside air ventilation required.

“I previously got calls from people that were cold during the summer, which was a direct result of having to introduce so much chilled air into the building to meet the appropriate CO2 levels,” said Richard Rieske, director of corporate facilities, ArcBest. “Likewise, they felt drafts during the winter due to all the outside air that was being used to ventilate the building. When the HLR modules are running, our people are more comfortable.”

An enVerid team surveyed the building’s mechanical layout, conducted an IAQ assessment, and identified potential locations for integrating the HLR systems. The number of HLR modules needed, and the resulting outside air reduction, were calculated according to ASHRAE Standard 62.1 Indoor Air Quality Procedure (IAQP) for a typical office building.

The site survey assessed the spaces that are cooled and heated, including stairways and closeted spaces, and documented the existing hydronic systems; power meters; and all demand controlled ventilation (DCV), variable air volume (VAV), and air handling unit (AHU) interactions in the building, including dampers, sensors, and exhaust systems. The survey measured and planned for the installation of the HLR modules, ensuring they would fit and could be easily moved into position. In this phase, the team also checked for wireless connectivity options and suggested connection points to the building management system (BMS).

Lastly, the team took snapshot baseline measurements of CO2, energy use, and other air quality indicators. This information was shared with the facilities management team.

Each wing is served by a dedicated AHU. Building return air is an open-plenum, suspended-ceiling type, and air is ducted to line diffusers. Building pressurization is regulated on each floor by return air mounted exhaust fans.

At the start of the project, the building’s central plant on the ground floor had two 375-ton packaged, hermetic, centrifugal, liquid, single-speed chillers. On warm days, the second chiller was required. Now, with the enVerid HLR modules, they typically only need a single chiller as the peak HVAC cooling capacity has been reduced by about 273 ton, which corresponds to a 36 percent decrease in total HVAC load. All outside air intake for the HVAC system is DCV-dependent, controlled by space CO2 sensors. The outside air damper is actuated based on an averaged CO2 value on a per floor section basis. Each floor has about 10 CO2 sensors strategically distributed. CO2 sensors residing in the eastern section on each floor were averaged separately from those in the western section. The CO2 set point is observed by the BMS to actuate outside air damper position. The building also features a Carrier iVu®  Building Automation System (BAS) running BACnet over master slave token passing (MSTP), which can optionally be integrated with enVerid’s HLR BACnet to control the outside air damper.

“Running a second chiller significantly increased our energy utility costs,” noted Tom Daigle, manager of building systems, ArcBest. “By using the enVerid HLR modules, we are not conditioning as much outside air, and we are projected to save $63,709 annually.”

Based on sensible and latent energy calculations, the energy savings for reducing outside air by 26,640 cfm equates to $63,709 annually using a standard energy model as applied to temperature and relative humidity data downloaded hourly from 2009 to 2013 in Fort Smith, Arkansas. ArcBest was also able to conserve on cooling tower water, but a separate water meter wasn’t available, so this information was not included in the overall project savings. However, based on standard calculations, ArcBest reduced water usage by 2.175 million gallons, saving approximately $11,535.

Additionally, the HLR modules allow ArcBest to maintain IAQ. CO2 levels vary throughout the day but are maintained at levels below 1,000 ppm. Volatile organic compound (VOC) measurements included total VOC (TVOC) and a full scan of speciated (separated by species) VOCs identified by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) as contaminants of concern (COC). The results demonstrate the air scrubbing effectiveness of the HLR technology.

By incorporating HLR modules and using IAQP to manage how much outside air is used for ventilation, ArcBest no longer needs to rely on its DCV system. Using IAQP, HLR modules enable reduction in outside air because it provides IAQ management for all contaminants, not just people-related contaminants. Consequently, ArcBest is using the HLR modules to control outside air dampers, thereby bypassing the DCV system. Additionally, by using the HLR and IAQP, ArcBest is now managing ventilation based on all COC, instead of just CO2.

The enVerid project team continues to work with ArcBest’s facilities management team to optimize energy, IAQ, and environmental comfort. ArcBest data is captured for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) to provide documented consumption information to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

FLORIDA’S BAYVIEW CORPORATE TOWER

When competing for premier office tenants in a high-rent market like south Florida, your building better have the best finishes and systems to stand out from the competition. That’s an ongoing challenge that motivates Bunnie Willis in her role as vice president and senior property manager for the 12-story BayView Corporate Tower in Fort Lauderdale. Built in 1973, the 412,000-square-foot Class A building houses 13 corporate tenants, including AT&T, Whole Foods, and Landmark Worldwide. 

Willis routinely looks for ways to enhance the value of BayView and other Florida commercial properties she manages on behalf of New Boston Fund Inc., a multibillion-dollar private real estate investment management firm. In July 2011, during a routine evaluation of BayView Tower’s mechanical systems, Willis learned that she could provide her tenants with cleaner, healthier air by making modest upgrades to the building’s HVAC systems. One such upgrade also held the promise of saving energy, reducing maintenance costs, and extending equipment life.

A key component in the HVAC system upgrades was the addition of ultraviolet-C (UV-C) lamps. Used extensively since the 1990s to improve IAQ, and later to improve heat exchange efficiency, boost airflow, and reduce maintenance, the UV-C wavelength eliminates and further prevents microbial and organic materials buildup on HVAC cooling coils, air filters, and duct surfaces and in drain pans. 

However, it is the technology’s ability to potentially slash between 10-25 percent of HVAC energy use that drives nine out of 10 UV-C installations, according to Bruce Fontaine, vice president of business development and operations, Sustainable Management Solutions. Fontaine’s team recommended the sustainable UV-C solution, product selection, and installation at BayView. 

Following the recommendation to add UV-C technology to BayView’s air handling units (AHUs) Willis met with Miki Minic, the building’s chief engineer, who had successfully used UV-C lamp systems in several other buildings.

“There are many benefits of UV-C,” said Minic, who enthusiastically supported the addition of a UV-C energy install. “Most important is the improvement to indoor air quality levels, so tenants enjoy cleaner, healthier air. Absenteeism due to the spread of unsafe microorganisms via HVAC systems is almost eliminated. Moreover, equipment life is improved, downtime and preventive maintenance expenses like cleaning the coils, drain pans, and the purchase of coil and drain treatments, etc., is significantly reduced.”

Willis also visited similar properties in the area with HVAC UV lighting installations and looked to her peers for their input and experience with the technology.

“Following my research and meeting with other commercial property managers who had UV lighting installed, I was sold on the technology’s benefits,” she said. 

With two cooling towers, three chillers, and 24 AHUs, the UV installation at the BayView Corporate Tower presented some challenges, noted Darren Ambrosi, a project manager with Sustainable Management Solutions.

“The existing AHUs were 25 years old and offered limited access to the evaporators,” said Ambrosi. “Because of the tight access, we recommended the RLM Xtreme high-output, fixtureless UV-C lamp system from UV Resources.”

Minic had experience with the RLM Xtreme system and approved the product selection. As a result of the installation flexibility of the fixtureless UV-C lamp system, the retrofits were completed in just four days with only two installers.

An independent audit documented a 47 percent increase in the building’s airflow levels following the UV-C installation. This reduced enough energy use to result in a 90-day return on investment.

“Within one month, we saw an immediate reduction in our energy costs, which has remained consistent since the installation,” Willis said. “I believe so strongly in this improvement that we are getting ready to do it at one of our other properties in Doral, Florida. We are very satisfied with the decision to install the UV lighting.”

2.0 UNIVERSITY PLACE

Philadelphia’s 98,000-square-foot 2.0 University Place is proof that office buildings featuring high-efficiency HVAC systems, superior IAQ, and other sustainable features reap higher lease premiums, 100 percent occupancies, and ultimately attract real estate investment buyers. 

The heart of the facility’s sustainability is its HVAC system, which features active chilled beams, dedicated outdoor air systems (DOAS), and high-efficiency boilers and chillers.

Daily energy tracking reveals the building ranks in the upper 22nd percentile of Energy Star Program facilities nationwide. Energy modeling has demonstrated the building also surpasses requirements of ASHRAE Standard 90.1 (2004), Energy Standard for Buildings, Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings, by 44 percent.

The combination of technologies results in energy savings and environmental stewardship that attracts green-minded tenants and buyers. Furthermore, occupants feel a noticeable air comfort difference mainly due to tightly controlled temperature tolerances and relative humidity (RH) levels that chilled beams and DOAS offer. 

“Many of our tenants say they’ve never felt this type of air comfort or atmosphere in an office building,” said Scott Mazo, principal, University Partnership Associates (UPA), Philadelphia, which developed the property as Philadelphia’s first multiple-certified Leadership in Energy and Environmental Leadership (LEED®) Platinum buildings and one of few nationwide.

Real estate investors have also taken notice. UPA recently sold the five-story property to Swiss-based Zurich Insurance Group (ZIG) last April.

“As a buyer, they recognized not just the energy efficiency and technology features but also the commitment to sustainability, which is important to them [ZIG],” said Mazo.

Mazo led a team of designers that included the late Shraga Berenfeld, principal of the now defunct Shraga Studios Architecture, Ardmore, Pennsylvania; SPG3 Architects, Philadelphia; McHugh Engineering Associates, Ambler, Pennsylvania; Mark Ulrick Engineers Inc., Camden, New Jersey; Accord Mechanical, Norristown, Pennsylvania; and The Sheward Partnership LLC, Philadelphia.

The bulk of the HVAC system’s LEED credits and air comfort were achieved with 500 active chilled beams and their induction principle operation. Air around ceiling-mounted chilled-beam water coils continually cools and falls while warmer air rises in a continual convection of air comfort benefits with no drafts, no noise, and stable temperature tolerances of ±1°F. Chilled beams also reduce fan energy by up to 50 percent versus the large fan horsepower required in the conventional rooftop DX, ductwork, and variable air volume system the design team considered.

“The chilled beam system is a major contributor to the building’s sustainability story and ongoing energy efficiency,” said Michael Pavelsky, sustainability director, at The Sheward Partnership, which tracks and records the facility’s energy performance.

Supplying the chilled beams is a four-pipe system for heating and cooling consisting of pre-insulated polypropylene (PP-R) pipe by Aquatherm, which is used in pressurized plumbing and HVAC applications. Aquatherm’s highly-efficient piping helped accumulate LEED HVAC credits as well as other pipe loop components, such as Lochinvar LLC’s 98-percent-efficient 2,000 MBH condensing boiler; Daikin Applied’s  200-ton air-cooled chiller; and four 25 hp pumps by Bell & Gossett. The four-pipe system allows simultaneous heating and cooling options during fall and spring seasonal changes, and it helps offset perimeter heat loss and solar gain.

While some chilled beam brands use factory-set airflow nozzles that require replacement or complicated pressure balance calibrations for cfm rate changes, the IQHC model features a proprietary 12-slot nozzle that’s field-adjustable with two easily-accessed, hand-operated levers for providing a unilateral, disproportional, or equal air volume from each side. Accord Mechanical and its testing and air balancing (TAB) contractor, Independent Balancing Co., Philadelphia, both received factory-assisted chilled beam training.

“The chilled beams in the external zones definitely needed different nozzle adjustments than internal zones,” said Ulrick Joseph, principal, Mark Ulrick Engineers, which specializes in mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire/safety building systems.

Outdoor air requirements and condensation prevention is achieved with one 20,000-cfm rooftop PVS-24 Pinnacle DOAS unit manufactured by Semco LLC. The DOAS uses its own DX condenser, so the chiller is dedicated to just the chilled beams. The DOAS controls its operation independent of the BAS by Delta Controls Inc. Each active chilled beam’s 6-inch diameter outdoor air takeoff is supplied with conditioned outdoor air to avoid condensation from the chilled water loop’s 48°F discharge. Ventilation air depends on the chilled beam’s size and ranges from 25-85 cfm, which satisfies the building’s outdoor air requirements and surpasses ASHRAE 62.1 standards for commercial buildings, according to Joseph.

“Most chilled beam manufacturers don’t make DOAS units,” said Mazo.  “A manufacturer making both the active chilled beams and the outdoor air unit to supply them dehumidified air was integral for synergy and purposes of single-source responsibility.”

THE ATLANTIC CLUB

The Atlantic Club, one of the nation’s top health clubs, was faced with the decision of paying ongoing maintenance costs for an aging 15-year-old indoor pool dehumidifier at its Red Bank, New Jersey, location, or replacing it with modern HVAC technology.

The same decision confronts hundreds of health club facility managers today as new technology presents unprecedented energy savings that can offset enough equipment replacement costs to deliver a quick payback. Furthermore, new equipment provides health and environmental advantages that enhance membership.

The original dehumidifier’s maintenance was surpassing $1,000 annually, mostly from small refrigerant leak repairs. A future catastrophic leak event of losing the entire 60-pound R-22 refrigerant charge could have potentially cost more than $10,000 in refrigerant replacement and repair labor costs. More recently, the facility faced replacing the perpetually leaking remote condenser component of the rooftop split-system at an estimated cost of $10,000.

Acting on the advice from its preferred HVAC service contractor, Redbird Refrigeration LLC, Neptune, New Jersey, the 33,000-square-foot Atlantic Club chose new energy-saving technology with heat recovery and enhanced IAQ.

“The pool odors we sometimes noticed are no longer a factor, and the pool area’s air comfort is significantly improved,” said Kathy Guibord, a senior director at the Atlantic Club.

IAQ and air comfort have improved because of Redbird’s reconfiguration of the natatorium’s 6,900-cfm ventilation ductwork and installation of a new Seresco USA 14-ton NE-Series heat recovery, split-system rooftop dehumidifier and condenser. The indoor pool environment is now maintained at a 50 percent relative humidity and an energy-efficient 2° differential of 82° and 80° between space and water temperatures, respectively. Humidity and space/pool water temperature set points are maintained at a very strict ±1° tolerance.

The retrofit’s fast payback derives from today’s heat recovery technology, according to Ed Sneed, sales engineer, Stillwell-Hansen Inc., an Edison, New Jersey-based HVAC manufacturer’s representative, who contributed to the retrofit’s engineering. Unlike the older technology, the NE-Series recovers heat from the exhaust air to efficiently preheat the outdoor air, which amounts to an energy savings of tens of thousands of dollars annually.

The original dehumidifier began showing corrosion problems after 10 years because its piping and components were positioned in the airstream, exposed to pool chemicals and humidity 24/7. Consequently, it suffered ongoing leaks of R-22 refrigerant, which has since skyrocketed in price, increasing 400 percent since its recent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-mandated phase out. The new R-410A dehumidifier’s components/piping are positioned in a sealed vestibule separated from the airstream. Furthermore, its coils and inner liners are fully anti-corrosion coated and protected by the rooftop unit’s double-insulated walls that prevent outdoor temperature expansion/contraction extremes. 

Redbird Refrigeration also improved the ventilation system by relocating the natatorium’s return ductwork inlet down to deck level from its former ceiling position. The lower positioning helps draw dry, conditioned supply air toward pool occupants for air comfort and prevents air stratification.

Innovative unit replacement planning by Frank Chinnici, president, Redbird Refrigeration, saved nearly $10,000. Rather than replace the original unit’s roof curb, Chinnici ordered a custom-designed curb adaptor configured to the new dehumidifier’s ductwork configuration, which was vastly different than its predecessor. This circumvented the cost of roofing in a new curb, eliminated reconfiguring the existing downflow ductwork to fit the new dehumidifier, and minimized natatorium downtime.

Earlier in the dehumidifier’s life cycle, Redbird Refrigeration had already replaced the pool space’s two corroded in-duct electric heaters with more efficient in-duct anti-corrosion coated hot water coils, custom-manufactured by MultiTherm LLC and supplied by an existing facility boiler for space heating. The heating coil retrofit also included a 12 V modulating valve by Honeywell that steadily ramps up and eliminates overheating the pool space on start up. 

The dehumidifier also provides 200 MBtuh capacity of heat recovery to efficiently heat the pool space. When the dehumidifier can’t reach set point levels, such as on extremely cold winter days, the facility’s Carrier Corp. BAS triggers the three-way modulating valve to send hot water to the pool area’s in-duct heating coil. The BAS also monitors/controls the facility’s rooftop units manufactured by Carrier.

Another Redbird Refrigeration design feature is the dehumidifier’s accompanying condenser. Chinnici chose a low-noise unit with a short profile and small footprint to comply with local zoning. The Seresco outdoor A/C heat exchanger’s quiet operation is accomplished through fan blades fashioned after the aerodynamics and contours of owl wings.

“You can’t hear the condenser operate — even when you’re standing next to it,” noted Chinnici.

The dehumidifier has an onboard CommandCenter microprocessor that reports over 60 operational parameters from dozens of factory-installed transducers to WebSentry, a proprietary browser-based software program that sends real-time data and alarms to Chinnici’s smartphone and factory servers for historical recording. Thus, any malfunction or operational inefficiency alarm is reported the day it occurs. Previously, an energy inefficiency experienced by the old dehumidifier could go unnoticed for months until semi-annual service calls.

WebSentry’s historical data recording already helped Chinnici solve a perplexing alarm. Typically, heating coils are factory installed inside the dehumidifier and a strategically-positioned supply air sensor monitors temperature. WebSentry’s recording of an intermittent space overheating suggested that repositioning the sensor downstream could better monitor temperature and, therfore, prevent overheating.

With minimal maintenance costs and thousands of dollars in annual energy savings, the retrofit payback is expected in just a few years. Meanwhile, club members have experienced an immediate improvement in the indoor comfort.

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