A Comprehensive Review of the Indoor Environmental
Quality and Energy Impacts of Dynamically Varying Air Change Rates
at Multiple Laboratory Facilities
Gordon Sharp, Aircuity, Inc.
At the Labs21 2005
Annual Conference, a unique approach was presented to dynamically
vary the minimum air change (ACH) rates of a laboratory room based
on real time measurement of the laboratory’s indoor environmental
quality (IEQ). Per this concept, a laboratory room’s minimum
ACH rate is reduced to a low level such as two or four ACH when
the laboratory air is clean. When air contaminants or odors are
detected, the laboratory ACH rate is temporarily increased to a
higher level such as 15 ACH. A design analysis for a Seattle laboratory
showed this approach could reduce building energy costs by 20 percent
and cut the gross HVAC first cost by $1.05 million.
A year later at the Labs21
2006 Annual Conference, a case study was presented on the implementation
of this concept at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPS). Two
laboratory areas were heavily instrumented and actual data was presented
on the propagation time and spread of chemical vapors for different
simulated release conditions. Additionally, a month of operating
data was presented showing that over 99 percent of the time the
laboratory room air was clean, providing significant energy savings.
This year’s presentation will provide raw data and analysis
of indoor environmental conditions at over 100 different laboratory
areas in 10 facilities in the United States and Canada. These facilities,
including the rest of the laboratory rooms at the above referenced
HSPH facility, were retrofitted with dynamic ACH rate control. Additionally,
some of these facilities such as the HSPH will be analyzed in more
detail using airflow volume and energy data.
Over a quarter of a million hours of environmental and control
data will be analyzed by type of laboratory or animal facility to
draw conclusions about the IEQ and energy impact of the new laboratory
control approach. It should be the largest study of real-time laboratory
environmental conditions ever undertaken.
This new laboratory control approach represents a paradigm shift
that can have a significant impact on laboratory energy consumption
and safety. With minimum air change rates rather than hood makeup
air or thermal load requirements often being the dominant factor
determining today’s laboratory air flow volumes, this concept
should increase the energy efficiency of both new and existing facilities.
In keeping with the Labs21 Approach, which encourages a holistic
view, this concept can also decrease life cycle and HVAC system
first costs by reducing the average design air handler airflow and
main system airflow. Additionally, this approach can reduce a vivarium’s
minimum air change rates from 10 to 20 ACH down to four to eight
ACH, representing an even greater opportunity for energy and first
cost savings. In summary, a dynamic air change rate approach can
maintain occupant safety while furthering the goals of sustainable
laboratory design.
Biography:
Gordon Sharp has over
twenty five years of wide-ranging entrepreneurial experience and
more than 20 U.S. patents to his name. From 1979 to 1985, he was
vice president and co-founder of IMEC Corporation, a motor controls
technology company from which he created a spin-off company called
the Phoenix Controls Corporation. As president, CEO, and founder
of Phoenix Controls, Mr. Sharp led the development of a $25 million
venture capital backed world leader in laboratory airflow controls
that was honored for three consecutive years by INC magazine as
one of the 500 fastest growing private companies in America.
In early 1998 Phoenix Controls was acquired by Honeywell, Inc.
Thereafter, in addition to participating in restructuring the Honeywell
Home and Buildings Solutions business, Gordon led development of
a Honeywell business unit, now known as Aircuity. In January of
2000, Aircuity became an independent, venture capital-backed company
and today is the leading manufacturer of multiplexed sensing systems
to optimize building ventilation for energy-efficient performance
without sacrificing occupant comfort or health.
Mr. Sharp is the chairman and founder of Aircuity and a graduate
of Massachusetts Institute of Technology with Bachelor's and Master's
degrees in electrical engineering. He is a member of the American
National Standards Institute (ANSI) Z9.5 Laboratory Ventilation
Standard committee, and is a member of the board of directors of
the International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories, a nonprofit
foundation and official cosponsor of the Labs21 2007 Annual Conference.
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