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» If You Can't Stand the Heat ... Manage the Humidity: ASHRAE Heads to Florida for 2010 Winter Conference
If You Can't Stand the Heat ... Manage the Humidity: ASHRAE Heads to Florida for 2010 Winter Conference

ASHRAE ?10

ATLANTA? ?It?s not the heat, it?s the humidity,? is often used to explain the less-than-comfortable temperatures in Florida. With that in mind, there seems to be no better place to discuss this winter?s conference theme: Building Sustainability from the Inside Out. Whenever the temperatures outside are too hot or humid to handle, ASHRAE ensures that indoor environments are comfortable and, most important, sustainable.

ASHRAE?s 2010 Winter Conference will be held in Orlando, Fla., from Jan. 23-27, at the Rosen Shingle Creek hotel. The International Air-Conditioning, Heating, Refrigerating Expo, held in conjunction with the Conference, will run Jan. 25-27 . The Expo will take place at the Orange County Convention Center, a short distance from the Conference headquarters hotel.

The technical program will feature more than 90 programs and 300 speakers addressing challenges and solutions to such industry issues as key ASHRAE standards? impact, humidity control applications, sustainable buildings? performance, energy conservation and alternative energy practices and professional skills improvement. The complete technical program will be posted online Sept. 30 at www.ashrae.org/orlando.

In keeping with ASHRAE?s goal of continuing education the Conference offers over 200 Professional Development Credits, as well as Continuing Education Units, which can be applied toward a Professional Engineering license.

Full-day Professional Development Seminars will include the new Energy Management in New and Existing Buildings: A Sustainable Activity, as well asComplying with Standard 62.1-2007, Complying with Standard 90.1-2007, The Commissioning Process in New and Existing Buildings and Data Center Energy Efficiency. An additional 17 Half-day Short Courses are also being offered, including the new District Heating & Cooling Systems and Basics of Cleanroom Design courses.

The Conference will also serve as the launch of ASHRAE?s newest certification program, the Building Energy Modeling Professional certification. For information on the four other certifications offered by ASHRAE visit www.ashrae.org/certification.

This winter?s technical tours will spotlight how technology developed by ASHRAE members is practically applied in buildings and includes Darden Restaurants? new headquarters, the University of Central Florida?s Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, the Climate Change Education Center at the Orange County Convention Center and the Florida Solar Energy Center.

When members are not attending courses at the Conference, observing the technological advancements featured at the AHR Expo or touring the local sustainable buildings, they are encouraged to explore popular Orlando destinations, such as the Kennedy Space Center, by taking a general tour or dominate the competition at the Wii Tourney being held as part of Members? Night Out.

Those who take advantage of the early-bird registration before Oct. 31 have the opportunity to save up to $180. Complete information is available at www.ashrae.org/orlando.

ASHRAE, founded in 1894, is an international organization of some 50,000 persons. ASHRAE fulfills its mission of advancing heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration to serve humanity and promote a sustainable world through research, standards writing, publishing and continuing education.

» ASHRAE Design Competition Gives Students Hands-On Experience in Practical Design
ASHRAE Design Competition Gives Students Hands-On Experience in Practical Design

ATLANTA?The 2009 ASHRAE Student Design Competition, which encourages students to become more involved with their chosen major through practical design, saw the largest number of entries to date.

This year?s Student Design Competition featured a 15,650-square-foot office building with first floor parking, second floor retail and office space and third floor offices. Among the 32 schools that submitted entries, three in particular stood out as first place winners in the three categories that the Competition offers.

First place in HVAC System Design is awarded to Craig Allen, BrianSybesma, Chan Kim, William Raschefsky and Elyse Widin, of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, Ca. Their faculty advisor is Jesse Maddren, Ph.D.

The students chose a ground-source heat pump with an energy recovery ventilation system for the building, citing the benefits of a GSHP?s minimal energy use and long life-span.

?The primary driving factors for the GSHP system were its low life cycle cost and minimal energy consumption,? the students wrote. ?Combining GSHPs with an energy recovery ventilator reduces the size of the equipment needed, thus lowering the strain on natural resources and keeping energy costs low,? they added.

First place in HVAC System Selection is awarded to Kelly Griffith, James Newman, Phillip Podlasek and Darren Rottinghaus, of Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kan. Their faculty advisors are Fred Hasler, P.E. and Julia Keen, P.E.

The students also selected a ground-source heat pump, with each heat pump piped in a direct return loop, rather than reverse return, in order to save on the amount of piping used. The GSHP also utilizes variable frequency drives to control the hydronic pump, which would decrease the energy consumption of said pumps.

?The option is the most efficient and has the lowest environmental impact throughout the life of the building,? the students wrote. ?The [building] owner will be very pleased because of the system?s highly green design and the number of LEED points that can be achieved through its design.?

Perhaps this year?s large number of entries was due in part to the new Integrated Sustainable Building Design (ISBD) category, which encouraged collaboration between engineering and architectural students. Students who chose to participate in the ISBD category were asked to redesign the office building to their own local climate, with the ultimate goal being a zero-energy building.

First place in ISBD is awarded to Troy White, Edward Wood, Jaime Gonsalves and Ivan Fernandes of Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Their advisor is Filimon Tsionas.

The students designed an office building that would be made up of 5 percent recycled materials collected from abandoned buildings on the construction site. A solar wall, curtain windows and chilled beams would be utilized for heating and cooling. The building would also feature an open concept atrium, acting as a solar chimney to reduce the number of ducts necessary, and in turn the number of fans and energy needed to power them. Grey water collected in a green roof would be used in sinks, toilets and irrigation of landscaping.

?The design group feels that the product of this design problem has been greatly influenced by the solution methodology and the end product exceeds that of a more conventional approach,? the students wrote of their collaborative experience.

A representative from each winning team will be presented with their awards at ASHRAE?s 2010 Winter Conference, to be held in Orlando, Fla.

ASHRAE, founded in 1894, is an international organization of some 50,000 persons. ASHRAE fulfills its mission of advancing heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration to serve humanity and promote a sustainable world through research, standards writing, publishing and continuing education.

» ASHRAE, UNEP Further Work in Protecting the Ozone
ASHRAE, UNEP Further Work in Protecting the Ozone

October 28, 2009, ATLANTA?ASHRAE and the United Nations Environment Programme have launched a joint program of work in order to reduce emissions and encourage energy-efficient refrigeration and air conditioning systems and building designs.

The First Annual Cooperation Work Plan between ASHRAE and UNEP, an organization that promotes the wise use and sustainable development of the global environment, was presented on October 5, 2009 at the Region-at-Large Chapter Regional Conference in Kuwait. The program of work sets goals and timelines for phasing out ozone-depleting refrigerants and the management of ozone-depleting substance refrigerant banks, to name just a few.

One of the ways ASHRAE will support the established goals is by providing Distinguished Lecturers to present the latest achievements in non-Ozone depleting refrigeration technology to both ASHRAE chapters and technical activities organized by UNEP. ASHRAE will also support an ozone literacy course developed by UNEP.

?By partnering with UNEP, ASHRAE can more efficiently respond to the growing demand for new technologies that do not contribute to ozone depletion and are energy efficient,? Gordon Holness, ASHRAE president, said. ?Through collaboration, continuing education and provision of experts on the topic, ASHRAE, UNEP and the global community can look forward a healthier environment.?

The program of work is the result of a memorandum of understanding signed between ASHRAE and UNEP in June of 2007.
UNEP was formed in 1972 and acts as ?the voice for the environment within the United Nations system.? The Programme works with a wide range of partners to asses global, national and regional environmental conditions and trends; strengthen institutions for the wise management of the environment; and facilitate the transfer of knowledge and technology for sustainable development.

ASHRAE, founded in 1894, is an international organization of some 50,000 persons. ASHRAE fulfills its mission of advancing heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration to serve humanity and promote a sustainable world through research, standards writing, publishing and continuing education.

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