Thermally Decoupling Laboratory Ventilation Loads: Strategies to decrease Outside Air Consumed by Laboratories

Michael Luster, MEP Associates, LLC

Laboratories are large consumers of energy due to ventilation rates, high miscellaneous equipment loads and code requirements to exhaust all air that enters a laboratory. Still many opportunities are available to reduce the cooling and heating load for laboratory buildings. This presentation will identify strategies to drive ventilation loads entering the building to a bare minimum by thermally decoupling the ventilation loads from laboratory space loads. The following are some of the strategies that can be explored when considering decoupling the ventilation loads:

  • Fan coils
  • Chilled Beams
  • Slab Cooling
  • Heat pump chillers

Using the strategies listed above provides the opportunity to truly drive the ventilation loads down to the minimum air change rates enforced by the local authority having jurisdiction for any project.

Take Home (Learning Outcomes):

This presentation will provide attendees insight into identifying opportunities to reduce laboratory energy consumption by thermally decoupling ventilation loads. Also the attendees will be able to interpret code requirements for laboratory ventilation rates and perform simple energy calculations to identify rough energy savings for decoupling ventilation loads.

Learning Objectives:

1. Evaluate what the local codes require for ventilation loads.
2. Identify laboratories that can be thermally decoupled.
3. Identify mechanical systems that provide opportunities to thermally decouple the ventilation load.
4. Identify special opportunities to super-charge heat recovery systems with thermally decoupled ventilation systems.
5. Examine quick calculations to identify rough energy savings for thermally decoupled systems.

Learning Objectives

  • Evaluate what the local codes require for ventilation loads.
  • Identify laboratories that can be thermally decoupled and identify mechanical systems that provide opportunities to thermally decouple the ventilation load.
  • Learn to perform quick calculations to identify rough energy savings for thermally decoupled systems.

Biography:

Michael Luster, PE, LEED AP, is a Senior Mechanical Engineer at MEP Associates, Rochester, MN. He serves as a Lead Design Mechanical Engineer and Project Manager. Mike has worked on numerous laboratory facilities including the following:

  • University of Minnesota, Microbiology Facility
  • St. Olaf College, Regents Hall - LEED Platinum
  • Beloit College, Center for the Sciences - LEED Platinum

Mike earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering from Iowa State University.

 

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