» Energy Efficiency Today Ensures Prosperous Economic Future, Declares President Obama
Energy Efficiency Today Ensures Prosperous Economic Future, Declares President Obama

October 19, 2009, ATLANTA?President Obama has declared October National Energy Awareness Month, claiming that ?a more prosperous future for our Nation's economy means making investments in energy efficiency and clean energy today.?

In his official proclamation, the President emphasized the importance of focusing on energy efficiency, promoting sustainable industries and setting effective and achievable standards for the generation and use of clean energy in order to advance energy and climate security.

?The declaration as an opportunity for Americans to become more aware of how their everyday choices and actions impact energy use?particularly in their homes and the buildings where they work and play,? Gordon Holness, ASHRAE president, said. ?Most Americans do not cite buildings as the sector responsible for the greatest energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. Hopefully by becoming more aware, Americans will demand greater efficiency.?

Obama has also issued an executive order focused on Federal leadership in environmental,energy and economic performance.

?As the largest consumer of energy in the U.S. economy, the Federal Government can and should lead by example when it comes to creating innovative ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase energy efficiency, conserve water, reduce waste and use environmentally-responsible products and technologies,? the President said.

ASHRAE responded to the executive order by commending Obama?s leadership to establish the Federal Government as a leader in increasing the energy efficiency of buildings, as well as to offer ASHRAE?s standards and new labeling program as resources for achieving the President?s goal of energy efficiency.

ASHRAE has long been doing its part to promote energy efficiency and sustainability through research, standards writing and education. For example, Standard 189.1P, Standard for the Design of High Performance, Green Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings?which is currently up for its fourth public review?addresses sustainable sites, water use efficiency, energy efficiency, a building?s impact on the atmosphere, materials and resources and indoor environmental quality.

Additionally, ASHRAE?s building energy labeling program, the Building Energy Quotient, provides building owners and the public with valuable information on the energy use of buildings by measuring both the energy the building is designed to use and the energy actually being consumed, thereby helping to close the gaps between intention and operation. The label is currently in its pilot stage and will be available in 2010.

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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» 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.

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