Journal of Indoor Environmental Quality

Manitoba Hydro Place - A New Benchmark for Cold Climate Buildings

I’ve had the opportunity to tour a number of great projects already this year and the latest is Winnipeg’s own - Manitoba Hydro Place.

After three days of presenting the HRAI of Canada’s Indoor Air Quality Awareness program I'd have to say it is by far one of the most comfortable buildings I’ve had the pleasure of teaching in…in fact one of the most striking difference was experienced during our tour of the mechanical rooms which were extremely clean, quiet and cool – a stark contrast to the loud, dirty and hot rooms typically found in buildings across America.

I took numerous photo’s while there and have shared a few here in the blog. (t) Solar chimney, (m) Geothermal manifold, (b) Solar chimney against the smoke stack from the old power plant – my how times have changed!

A big thanks to industry colleague Rob Andrushuk, C.Tech., Mechanical Systems Specialist with Manitoba Hydro for hosting the IAQ course and for arranging the top to bottom tour and to Mark Pauls, B.Sc., EIT, Building Energy Engineer for the pre-tour presentation and walk around…outstanding!

Suggested links:
Project description and history: GreenSource, March Issue
Technical paper: Manitoba Hydro Place, Integrated Design Process Exemplar (PLEA2009 - 26th Conference on Passive and Low Energy Architecture, Quebec City, Canada, 22-24 June 2009)  

To learn more the concepts used in this project visit these links:

Radiant Cooling

Dedicated Outdoor Air Systems

Indoor Environmental Quality with Radiant Based HVAC System

Thermally Active Surfaces in Architecture

Excerpt: “Departing from the simple question Why do we heat and cool buildings with air?, this book focuses on the technique of thermally active surfaces. This technique uses water in building surfaces to heat and cool bodies - a method that is at once more efficient, comfortable, and healthy. This technique thus imbues the fabric of the building with a more poignant role: its structure is also its primary heating and cooling system. In doing so, this approach triggers a cascading set of possibilities for how well buildings are built, how well they perform, and how long they will last: pointing the way toward multiple forms of sustainability.” Source: Princeton Architectural Press

Learn more here: http://www.papress.com/html/book.details.page.tpl?isbn=9781568988801

RBc: I’ve just reviewed this new addition to our library of recommended reading for design professionals. Author Kiel Moe is an Assistant Professor of Architecture at the Northeastern University School of Architecture and has done an outstanding job illustrating the benefits of thermally active surfaces. We have been preaching thermally activated building systems (TABS) for many years and we’re pleased to see a section in this new resource from www.healthyheating.com contributor Geoff McDonell, B.Sc., P.Eng., LEED™ Ap. For more articles from Geoff use the search feature above.

The quality of this book is equal to any higher education text book on architecture, structural design, interior design and HVAC engineering with outstanding easy to understand graphics. We especially appreciate the inclusion of design details from numerous TABS projects from around the world.

A must have for the student or design professional.

ASHRAE Technology Awards Highlight Outstanding Building Projects

ORLANDO, Fla.–Designers of systems for two office buildings, a warehouse and college library are recognized by ASHRAE for incorporating elements of innovative building design.

First place recipients of the ASHRAE Technology Awards were recognized at the Society’s 2010 Winter Conference, held this week in Orlando, Fla. The recipients have applied ASHRAE standards for effective energy management.

The first place winners in their respective categories are:

1.    The Terry Thomas (Michael Hedrick, Thomas Marseille, P.E. and Long Lam; Stantec Consulting; Seattle, Wash)

2.    Sobey’s Warehouse (Martin Roy, P.Eng.; Martin Roy et Associés, Inc.; Deux-Montagnes, Québec, Canada)

3.    IDeAs Design Facility (Peter Rumsey, P.E., Fellow ASHRAE; Rumsey Engineers; Oakland, Calif)

4.    The Richard J. Klarcheck Information Commons Building (Donald McLauchlan, P.E., Steven Maze and David Lavan; Elara Energy Services, Inc.; Hillside, Ill.)

For further information on these projects contact:

Amanda Dean
Public Relations
678-539-1216
adean (at) ashrae.org

RBc: Congratulations to the winners and of special note is the use of hydronics and floor heating in all the outstanding building projects.

 

Supportive Living Environments For Those Living With Dementia

Very little research exists on creating thermal comfort for seniors or those with physical and/or mental disabilities.

“Supportive living environments: A first concept of a dwelling designed for older adults with dementia” by J.V. Hoof and H.S.M. Kort in the August issue of Dementia is an excellent overview of challenges facing both the occupant living with dementia and designer responsible for these spaces. 

Excerpt: “People with dementia may have special needs regarding thermal comfort and the design and implementation of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems, since older adults with dementia have a different perception of their thermal environment due to the atrophy of parts of the brain that are responsible for the perception of thermal sensation (van Hoof, 2008; van Hoof et al., 2008a). To provide occupants with a sense of comfort with the thermal environment, temperature differences within the home should not be too large. Floor heating systems are very suitable, since one does not get hurt by wall panels in case of falls.”

Original source: Dementia, published by SAGE Publications 

See also: In Search of a Common European Approach to a Healthy Indoor Environment and The Health, Safety and Comfort Advantages of Low Temperature Heating Systems - A Literature Review

The effects of heating systems on (wood) floor performance in cool temperate climates

Excerpt: "Timber floors with under floor heating (UFH) systems represent a new and growing trend for the hardwood flooring market in Australia’s southern states. These systems are common in North America and Europe, but experience in Australia is limited with much debate concerning the suitability and performance of Australian flooring material in this application. Installing a wooden floor over a heated surface will lower the expected in-service Equilibrium Moisture Content (EMC), thus floors with UFH should be installed at a lower Moisture Content (MC) than floors with no such heating system."

RBc: There are few better documents adressing the use of radiant floors with hardwood than R. Farrell and S. Gadient's research report for the Centre for Sustainable Architecture with Wood.

If you don't want to read the entire 88 page report, the last words in the conclusion reads, "Wooden floors over UFH can perform well, and could even be argued that a wooden floor installed and operated correctly will out-perform those with conventional heating systems that cause hot-spots in the floor with extreme localised dimensional change. A wooden floor with UFH operated with moderate and gradual temperature changes will apply constant and even heat to the floor avoiding problems associated with localised heating."

Source and credit:hardwood with radiant heated wood floors.

Suggested study: Heat Loss to Head Loss - The Radiant Design Guide

Fundamentals of Thermal Comfort and Indoor Air Quality

 

We’ve just uploaded our signature presentation which we do as part of our volunteer activities for the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). This material focuses on the fundamentals of thermal comfort and indoor air quality.

Be sure to sign up for our feed link to stay abreast of new content.

2009 Foothills Conference & Trade Show.

 

Welcome to the 2009 Foothills Conference and Trade Show. This is the seventh time that The Alberta Hydronics Advisory Council has hosted the hydronics community and this event promises to be even bigger and better than in previous years. Three full days of Hydronics information combined with two days of industry tradeshow.  This is the only hydronics conference and trade show in Canada in 2009! This year the Wet Head Gang challenges you to raise the standard of quality, educationand professionalism.

We are delighted to have great Wet Head Gang speakers including John Barba, John Siegenthaler, Robert Bean and Bob “Hot Rod” Rohr. Our industry Trade Show features 80 booths which will give delegates, industry representatives, and sponsors an opportunity to meet and network in a Trade Show environment. You will see the very latest products and talk directly to the people responsible for boilers, controls, radiant tubing, pumps, and anything else to do with hot water heating systems.

Again this year - manufacturers’ technical showcases

Manufacturers’ Technical Showcases will give you an opportunity to “get up close and personal” with products and services provided by our Exhibitors in a seminar setting.

More opportunities for education

The three-day format will provide you with exceptional learning and networking opportunities and is an excellent value. You will leave with the latest and greatest tips and information on the hydronics industry and we hope that you will also be inspired to continue to raise the level of professionalism within our industry. And knowing the people involved in hydronics, we also know you will be entertained throughout your time at Foothills.

On behalf of the FHC Steering Committee and the Alberta Hydronics Advisory Council, thank you for joining us. Have a great Conference and Show!

Dave Hughes and Sean Leonard

Co-Chairs, 2009 Foothills Conference and Trade Show
____________________________________

RBc: This show is dear to my heart as I was the chair for the very first one. Be sure to come on out for a really good time and a superb educational program.

Blue Ridge Parkway Destination Center Earns a Rare 11 of 10 Points for Optimized Energy Performance

Building design utilizes high-tech computational fluid dynamics analysis of low-tech passive solar Trombe walls

ASHEVILLE, N.C., Jan. 12, 2009 – Lord, Aeck & Sargent announced today that in awarding LEED®1 (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold certification to the Blue Ridge Parkway Destination Center in the category of new construction, the U.S. Green Building Council gave the project the maximum 10 points in the category of optimized energy performance, plus an additional point for exceeding the maximum (60 percent) energy savings tracked for this credit.

The project tracked a 75 percent improvement in energy performance over a code-compliant base building.

RBc: We featured this project prior to it receiving this achievement. A great application of design principles resulting in outstanding performance.

Read more about this outstanding project.

Building knowledge for a sustainable tomorrow - Construct Canada

Uponor Seminar Series Building knowledge for a sustainable tomorrow.

Date: December 4, 2008 Time: 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Location: Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Room 802 T, in conjunction with Construct Canada.

RSVP, visit www.uponorrsvp.ca and sign up.

The deadline to RSVP is November 28, 2008.

Are you interested in hearing from Canada’s foremost leaders in sustainability, hydronics and fire safety? Uponor is bringing these experts together under one roof in the inaugural Uponor Seminar Series. This must-attend industry event will feature discussions on:

• Some of the emerging trends in sustainable construction presented by John Godden:

John Godden brings more than 20 years of experience to the table as a designer/hands-on builder, working on projects that include the "Clearsphere" CHBC EnviroHome. A graduate of the Bachelor of Environmental Studies program at the University of Waterloo, he is heavily involved in the R2000, ENERGY STAR, EnerGuide and CMHC Healthy Home programs. John dedicates his time and experience to improving the quality of energy efficiency, air quality and building practices throughout the home building industry. John is currently working with twenty Greater Toronto Area builders who are constructing LEED model homes.

• The impacts of radiant-based HVAC systems on sustainability presented by Robert Bean.

Robert Bean is a registered engineering technologist in the field of building construction engineering. He is an avid student of industrial design (the way things look) and indoor environmental ergonomics (the way things feel). In 2007, Robert was selected as a distinguished lecturer for the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers speaking on the Human Factor in HVAC, Radiant-based HVAC Systems and Snow Melting Systems. He is the editor for The Journal of Indoor Environmental Quality, and www.healthyheating.com, a not-for-profit website on anthropology, architecture and indoor environmental ergonomics.

• How an effective residential fire safety system can provide homeowners with a safe and sustainable home presented by John Caruso.

John Caruso is the Chief Fire Prevention Officer for the City of Vaughan. John has been involved in fire service for 23 years, spending 21 of those years in fire suppression. He is also the Community Emergency Management Coordinator for the City of Vaughan.

Uponor Westcoast AIA ConEd slides now available

John Siegenthaler and I had the opportunity to work with Uponor, an AIA registered provider in delivering a continuing education program in Seattle, Portland, Oakland and Los Angeles. You can view the slides on indoor environmental quality and radiant cooling and heating at this link:

Thanks to Team Uponor for hosting a great event!
RB