HVAC 360 - Episode 013 - ASHRAE 90.1 with Steve Skalko

In this episode of HVAC 360 I talk with the current chair of the ASHRAE 90.1 committee Steve Skalko.  He not only gives us a little bit of his background but also the history of Standard 90.1.  This is a great episode to listen to if you have no experience with this standard and even if you do.  Feel free to share this episode with younger engineers or others.

Here's a link to the ASHRAE 90.1-2010 standard at the ASHRAE Bookstore.

Here's a link to the ASHRAE 90.1-2010 User's Manual at the ASHRAE Bookstore.

Finally, here's a link to ASHRAE's eLearning Course for 90.1-2004 this is for a previous version of ASHRAE 90.1 but it is available on-demand and doesn't require any travel. If you want to get in on a course for the current version of 90.1, I would suggest contacting ASHRAE for the next available training session.

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Until next time know what you build, and share what you know.

The new Green Standard - ASHRAE 189.1

Dusting off my notes from my January trip to Las Vegas for the ASHRAE Winter Meeting I came across a session with Past ASHRAE President Kent Peterson talking about Standard 189.1.  This is ASHRAE's Green Standard which has recently published it's user manual.

The big news about this standard is that it's written in a codified language, which means that it is enforceable by code officials, and it is meant for high performance buildings.  

Now before I go any futher let's back up two steps so that I can paint a broader picture.  ASHRAE's superstar standard has long been 90.1, which governs the minimum energy code compliance. It too is also written in codified language and has been updated on a three-year cycle (2001, 2004, 2007, 2010).  It wouldn't be stretch to say that this code is the least that an engineer could design to without breaking the law (a little food for thought). But ASHRAE has also been raising the bar on standard 90.1 with each new version.  

Now that we have talked about the minimum bar for all buildings let's move on to the minimum bar set for High Performance Buildings, Standard 189.1.

Today when people think about high performance buildings, they think green, they think LEED.  But the LEED process is no more than a guideline, a "paint-by-numbers" points system that doesn't always get you a high performance building. Enter Standard 189.1.  Those familiar with the LEED guidelines will look at this standard and do a double-take.  They look the same.  But be careful, they may have the same structure and some of the same goals, but the ASHRAE committee that developed this has taken a lot of care in structuring it into an enforceable language. One of the real keys that is in the standard is the requirement for high performance building operation.  Time and time again the operation of a building is reduced to the level of understanding of the building operators, but this standard has taken steps that this cycle is broken.  Specifically the steps include commissioning throughout the design and construction process, owner training that focuses on system operation not just equipment operation, and plans for operation that incorporate benchmarking, useage, and maintenance.

Putting 90.1 and 189.1 together you will see that they are not independent.  As standard 90.1 becomes more stringent so to will 189.1.  With the ultimate goal for standard 189.1 to become the net-zero standard for buildings.

Other tidbits from the session:

- Standard 189.1 now adopted as an optional path of compliance for the new Internation Green Construction Code

- Water comsumption is quickly becoming more of an issue than energy consumption for most buildings.

- Studies of existing buildings showing that US power consumption is leveling off, despite improvements in efficiencies.  This is primarily due to the fact that we are plugging more stuff in.

- Newest version of standard 62.1 (the ventilation standard) is coming out requiring less ventilation.

ASHRAE Winter Meeting 2010 - Day 2

Today was spent attending educational sessions are here some of the nuggets of knowledge that I will pass on to you:

• ASHRAE 90.1 - 2010 is being reviewed and is slated to exceed the 2004 version in energy savings by 30 percent.  However, preliminary data is coming in that in its current form the standard is saving only 11.4%.  The standards committee is confident that the goal will be reached and that they have a couple of large addenda that may make that possible.
• On the commissioning front, common places to look for improper operation include economizer operation, hot and chilled water resets, static pressure control, equipment scheduling, and lighting scheduling.  Despite how basic these may sound they are often not set and end up just falling through the cracks.
• Also on commissioning, when you start your project, and hopefully that's during the design, you might first read through the sequence of operations, then draw a system schematic, and finally graph equipment function interaction.  If you didn't follow me just then let me explain.  First the sequence should make sense, be completely testable, and have the proper set points identified. Next draw the system to help make sure that you understand the system, this will also help with the documentation for your LEED System Manual. Lastly create a graph with the Y-axis labeled 0-100% and the X-axis labeled with operating temperature range.  Now if you graph the sequence of the, say, HW Valve, CW Valve, and OA damper for air-handling units all in different colors you have just made a graphical representation of the sequence that may show scenarios that the written sequences just don't.
• Here was the thought question of the day: If you are restricted by the architect for mechanical room space because extra square footage is expensive, do you not run the risk of forever increasing the energy inefficiency of the system because of the severe duct and piping transitions?

Now its time to get some sleep and rest my puppies before I go to the AHR Expo tomorrow.