Mechanical systems & lighting

Fairfax Gardens was a 150 unit dilapidated public housing development in Taunton, MA. The THA selected Trinity Financial to be the developer, owner and operator of a 160 unit replacement program on two sites. The Hope VI Program requires a very competitive funding application that includes strong sustainability incentives measured using Leed and/or Enterprise Green community checklist criteria. The Fairfax Gardens funding application was successful in part because it committed to very aggressive energy conservation measures.

Significantly reducing energy use in commercial buildings is a challenge. Doing so in cold climates even more so. Getting to Net Zero Energy use in these climates, now that’s what we call a tough. But with good design and engaged tenants, the near impossible becomes entirely possible, practical, and fun. This panel will describe key strategies for greatly reducing energy consumption in commercial buildings in cold climates with a focus on smart choices for building design, high performance mechanical systems and the tenant’s role.

Session two will dig deeper into two solutions – both fresher paths forward than the expensive model of centralized-systems solutions. First is a look into cities such as Atlanta, where the cost of water and wastewater have soared but the system and the treatment technologies are working. Second is the promising practice of source-separating urine for fertilizer production—a pilot in Falmouth, MA is demonstrating cost-effective alternative to building a new treatment plant.

This session is in two parts.Water is scarcer. Systems for both fresh and waste water are vulnerable. Water standards are increasingly stringent to protect ecosystems and public health. Since water and energy are so inextricably intertwined, the term, “water grid" provides a unique frame for exploring how to operate a more closed-loop system of water production and use. As architects, engineers, builders and municipal planners, what will we have to rethink and re-do about processing fresh and waste water in developing the next generation of the built environment?

Low-load homes struggle with summertime humidity more than conventional homes, and the Northeast isn’t getting any less tropical.  Let’s get ready.  We will consider how latent and sensible loads differ for low-load homes, how to calculate required equipment performance, and what our equipment options are.  After reviewing the basics of the psychrometric chart, we’ll use it as our playbook, loading it with zippy-looking graphics galore.  We will also present monitoring from recently built low-load homes.

The use of utility bills to benchmark building performance is a critical first step in any approach to energy conservation. However, utility bills can only tell you so much about how to improve building performance. Five multifamily buildings received circuit level electricity, temperature, and CO2 monitoring equipment. The data identified inefficient mechanical designs, incorrect installations, poor maintenance and individual apartments with high energy use. We will review what we measured and what we learned, including energy savings as a result of this monitoring strategy.

Central ventilation systems in multifamily buildings are a vital building system that often compromises overall building performance (ie they don’t perform to code almost 100% of the time). Correcting ventilation problems can produce significant energy savings in multifamily buildings while also improving occupant comfort and health. Central ventilation system restoration is an emerging energy retrofit that has had its bumps along the way.

This session will explore the building science implications of achieving the Passive House metrics for larger buildings and will highlight the difference in design strategies compared to single family Passive House homes. Multifamily projects of all types, but especially affordable housing developers, appreciate the benefits of achieving Passive House, such as increased durability, low operating and maintenance costs, assured comfort, and superior indoor air quality.

Why do we need to ventilate homes? How much air do we need to do it? Once we’ve figured that out, what systems should we install? These are big questions, but this session will hopefully provide useful answers. We’ll begin with a discussion of health impacts of ventilation and different ventilation rates. The latter part will explore various ventilation systems: pros and cons, costs and benefits, and tips for installing the best systems for your project.