Laboratory HVAC Efficiency Upgrades
Peter Rumsey, P.E., FASHRAE, Integral Group
Eric Soladay, P.E., LEED AP®, Integral Group
Similar to all other building types, the vast majority of the energy use in laboratories over the next 20 years is in laboratories that are already built. If laboratory energy use is to be lowered, a concerted effort to improve the efficiency of existing laboratories should be undertaken. Older laboratories do use significantly more energy than new state-of-the-art laboratory buildings. Therefore, the energy saving opportunities are significant and, in many cases, simple. The vast majority of the energy-saving opportunity lies in HVAC system improvements; however, energy managers and energy supply companies (ESCOs) often see laboratory HVAC systems as too hard to improve and potentially dangerous.
During this presentation, the speakers will show examples of laboratory efficiency upgrade projects that revolve around HVAC improvements and are both simple and cost effective. These examples will include recent projects for University of California laboratories, as well as multiple projects sponsored by utility rebates. The examples will show such upgrades as exhaust fan improvements, VAV conversion, demand controlled ventilation, air change validation, and reheat reduction. The presentation will end with a top ten list of laboratory efficiency upgrades. The speakers will also address the health and safety issues in HVAC system upgrades and show how to implement these improvements in ways that are safe, efficient, and affordable.
Biographies:
A national leader in the design of low-energy buildings, Peter Rumsey has designed mechanical systems for data centers, cleanrooms, and laboratories that are among the most energy efficient in the United States. Mr. Rumsey is a registered professional engineer in 10 states, a certified energy manager, and a senior fellow of the Rocky Mountain Institute. Mr. Rumsey is a graduate of the University of California (UC), Berkeley's, mechanical engineering program and is a frequent lecturer at industry events, conferences, colleges and universities, including UC Berkeley and Stanford University. Throughout his career, Mr. Rumsey has focused on transforming the building industry by designing affordable and dramatically energy-efficient buildings.
Eric Soladay is an innovative, goal-oriented mechanical engineer responsible for the procurement, management, and design of building engineering system projects with architectural and social significance, sustainable and efficient systems, and cost- and maintenance-conscious designs. As high technology team manager, Mr. Soladay is responsible for the design of all high technology projects, and commissioning for all projects. As project manager and mechanical engineer of record at Integral Group, he has lead several significant projects, including a planned LEED® Platinum retrofit of a historical laboratory building; a 180,000-square-foot data center with groundbreaking energy-efficient design; a 190,000-square-foot mixed-use retail/commercial development in Palo Alto, California; and the Packard Foundation Headquarters, a 30,000-square-foot commercial/institutional zero-energy building.