Mechanical systems & lighting

Close the Windows! Changing Occupant behavior with Heat Pumps and Individual Metering

Advances in building envelopes and HVAC equipment enable widespread use of air source heat pumps by many in the "Net Zero Energy" and "Passive House" movements. Steve Bluestone will report on two related items: a three year performance study of an air source heat pump system using hourly measurements (done with Henry Gifford and built above his garage) and the design and construction of his new 101 unit high performance rental building in NYC utilizing the same technology.

How to Heat Water in All-Electric Homes and Apartments

With the drop in envelope loads and the rise in efficient heat pumps (even in cold climates), quite a few homes are moving away from fossil fuels towards electric HVAC. One recurring question is: what to do about water heating? This session covers various options - simple electric tanks, tankless electric heaters, solar thermal, heat pump water heaters, etc. - and presents real cost and energy data from several research & evaluation projects.

Minisplit Heat Pumps: Lessons from the Field

Minisplit heat pumps are now used in most high performance homes in New England. Kohta monitored eight homes built by Transformations and Marc has over sixty homes and non-residential buildings with minisplits. After a brief overview of system types, we’ll share energy use data as well as comfort and distribution studies, and cover issues with installation, sizing, setbacks, and some of the quirks of this nifty technology. Have fun with two MIT nerds!

Inside and Out: Integrated Building Facade and HVAC Design

This session provides an overview of the interactions between the building façade and HVAC systems. By distilling this subject into macro and micro level themes, we hope to broaden the understanding of what is needed to design and construct a high performing system. Integration is particularly critical when designing to the trend of highly glazed buildings required to meet increasingly stringent energy targets. While radiant HVAC strategies offer improved energy performance, they have limited peak capacities due to installation and cost restrictions. This places critical importance on measures to minimize peak envelope loads, ensuring that the more efficient radiant HVAC design strategy remains logistically viable. Using relevant project examples, we will break down building loads, explore different HVAC system strategies, and highlight the role of measurement and verification to ensure performance. Construction management and commissioning experience will inform recommendations to avoid common design and installation pitfalls.

Solar Air Heating 2.0

You think trombe walls are a relic of the 70s, right? Using extensive data from multiple case studies throughout Maine, New Hampshire & Massachusetts, including a high school, a fire station and a public works facility, this session will review the potential of modern commercial and industrial solar air heating in the Northeast. We will examine cost and performance viability with live and historical energy, temperature and air flow data as well as explore the impacts of design variations such as collector types, air flow rates, system sizes and HVAC design.

Megawatts To Go Before We Sleep

Learn the top mistakes that multifamily owners make when financing and designing renewable energy systems. Renewable energy technologies have been widely adopted in multifamily buildings, but many projects still run into common and avoidable pitfalls. For example, do you really know how to make the right decisions when it comes to financing and roof mounting? Come to this session and avoid the lore and misconceptions that decision makers often come across.

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