Consulting and Specifying Engineers Magazine Jan Feb 2016

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Discover new fire and life-safety technology and solutions at the

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JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016
COVER STORY
32 | Designs for pumping technologies
By making correct pump and piping selections, systems
can operate at or near peak efficiency, avoid cavitation,
and maintain a long service life. With each system type a
multitude of options are available to a designer or engineer; but within these, the best option must be selected
for a given application.
MATT DOLAN, PE, LEED AP BD+C
FEATURES
40 | Updates to ASHRAE 90.1
ON THE COVER: This shows chilled-water heat exchangers (green pipe) on the left-hand side, which connects to a
condenser-water circuit (blue/red pipe) for waterside economizer. At the back right are the associated floor-mounted
chilled-water pumps and insulated piping.
Courtesy: JBA Consulting Engineers
DEPARTMENTS
07 | Viewpoint
27 | Codes & Standards
Resolve to be successful
Designing with NFPA

101-2015
09 | Research
Specifying electrical, power
systems for office buildings
77 | Digital Edition
Exclusive
11 | Career Smart
Connecting renewable
energy systems
Begin as you mean

to carry on
79 | Advertiser Index
12 | MEP Roundtable
80 | Future of
Engineering
Class A office building

system design
BAS, controls are at a

crossroads
An update of ASHRAE Standard 90.1 looks at building

envelope, HVAC, plumbing, lighting, and elevators and
escalators. The bulk of the article focuses on the 2013
edition, with a look at 2016 addenda that are already
approved.
JEFF BOLDT, PE, HBDP, LEED AP, FP; LEONARD SCIARRA,
AIA, LEED AP BD+C; MICHAEL ROSENBERG, LEED AP, CEM;
and ERIC RICHMAN, LC, FIES
50 | Motors, drives, and HVAC efficiency

Engineers must understand how the components in the
HVAC systems they design use power and how they can
be optimized without compromising traditional design values. Motors and drives are shown in relation to the design
of HVAC systems.
JOHN YOON, PE, LEED AP
ENGINEERING DISCIPLINES
Use the icons to identify topics of interest.
AUTOMATION & CONTROLS
HVAC
COMMUNICATIONS
LIGHTING
ELECTRICAL
PLUMBING
FIRE, SECURITY & LIFE SAFETY
CONSULTING-SPECIFYING ENGINEER (ISSN 0892-5046, Vol. 53, No. 1, GST #123397457) is published 11x per year, monthly except in February, by CFE Media, LLC, 1111 W. 22nd Street, Suite
#250, Oak Brook, IL 60523. Jim Langhenry, Group Publisher /Co-Founder; Steve Rourke CEO/COO/Co-Founder. CONSULTING-SPECIFYING ENGINEER copyright 2016 by CFE Media, LLC. All rights reserved. CONSULTINGSPECIFYING ENGINEER is a registered trademark of CFE Media, LLC used under license. Periodicals postage paid at Oak Brook, IL 60523 and additional mailing offices. Circulation records are maintained at CFE Media, LLC, 1111
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negligence, accident or any other cause whatsoever.
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Consulting-Specifying Engineer JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016
Continuing education
online now csemag.com

Exclusive Web content
Read this exclusive content online at
www.csemag.com/archives:
What engineering firms can
expect in 2016
Consulting-Specifying Engineer
announces Rodney V. Oathout has
joined editorial advisory board
Consulting-Specifying Engineer announces Gregory Quinn has joined editorial advisory board
Consulting-Specifying Engineer welcomes John Yoon to editorial advisory
board
Accelerating innovation in the pharmaceutical industry
HVAC and plumbing apps

Download these Apps for Engineers and many more for your mobile
device at www.csemag.com/appsforengineers:
Bell & Gossett System Syzer
System Syzer is an HVAC tool that helps with piping system design. The application
is based on the original plastic wheel calculator by designed by Gil Carlson of Bell &
Gossett. Free download, iOS9
Ascend Integrated Media Copper Tube Handbook

The Copper Tube Handbook is a valuable resource for anyone working with copper
pipe and tubing, or looking for technical data or information about different joining
methods. The app from the Copper Development Association (CDA) is designed for
anyone working with copper systems in the field. Free download, iOS 6+, Android
2.3.3+
Greenheck Fan Law Calculator

Greenheck Fan Law Calculator provides the capability to quickly determine new flow
rates when performance changes need to be done to an existing unit. Simply input
the existing specifications for rpm, cfm, static pressure, and horse power. Next input
the desired performance (cfm or rpm) and the remaining values will automatically calculate using standard fan laws. Free download, iOS 6+ Android 2.1+
40 Under 40 nominations open

Consulting-Specifying Engineer magazine is dedicated to
encouraging and recognizing the most talented young
individuals in the engineering community supporting the
building industry. We want to shape the future of young
engineers, and will do so by recognizing and encouraging them through mentoring articles in the magazine, young engineer networking
events, and the 40 Under 40 program.
Nominate a young professional by Jan. 29 at www.csemag.com/40under40.
4
Register for continuing

education on a variety
education
of topics, including
critical power, smart buildings, HVAC
systems, fire and life safety, lighting
design, and many more. Classes range
from 1-hour webcasts to intermediatelevel interactive courses.
Upcoming
webcasts
webcasts
Register for upcoming

and on-demand webcasts at
www.csemag.com/webcast.
Optimizing Variable Flow Pumping
Control Modes for Energy Savings
Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2016, at 11 a.m.
PT/1 p.m. CT/2 p.m. ET
Learn about control modes in variable
speed pumps to maximize energy savings in hydronic systems. This will help to
ensure understanding of the many control modes maximizing energy savings.
Critical Power: Electrical systems
and data center efficiency
Thursday, Feb. 18, 2016, at 11 a.m.
PT /1 p.m. CT/2 p.m. ET
Whether producing, consuming, or
measuring and verifying (M&V), electrical systems play an important role in
data center energy efficiency. Electrical engineers may consider electrical
meters, automatic and static transfer
switches.
Consulting-Specifying Engineer is on
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Editors Viewpoint
1111 W. 22nd St. Suite 250, Oak Brook, IL 60523
630-571-4070 Fax 630-214-4504
CONTENT SPECIALISTS/EDITORIAL
AMARA ROZGUS, Editor-in-Chief/Content Manager
630-571-4070 x2211, ARozgus@CFEMedia.com
AMANDA PELLICCIONE, Director of Research
APelliccione@CFEMedia.com
MICHAEL SMITH, Creative Director
630-779-8910, MSmith@CFEmedia.com
Amara Rozgus,
Editor-in-Chief
ELISA GEISHEIMER, Production Coordinator

630-571-4070 x2213, EGeisheimer@CFEMedia.com
ANIL AHUJA, PE, LEED AP, RCDD,

President, CCJM Engineers, Chicago
PETER ALSPACH, PE, LEED AP BD+C,
Principal, Mechanical Engineer, Arup, Seattle
JERRY BAUERS, PE,
National Program Executive,
Outcome Construction Services LLC, Kansas City, Mo.
MICHAEL CHOW, PE, LEED AP BD+C,
Principal, Metro CD Engineering LLC, Columbus, Ohio
TOM DIVINE, PE,
Senior Electrical Engineer,
Smith Seckman Reid Inc., Houston
ROBERT J. GARRA JR., PE, CDT,
Vice President, Electrical Engineer,
CannonDesign, Grand Island, N.Y.
JASON GERKE, PE, LEED AP BD+C, C X A,
Mechanical Engineer, GRAEF, Milwaukee
JOSHUA D. GREENE, PE,
Vice President, Jensen Hughes, Framingham, Mass.
RAYMOND GRILL, PE, FSFPE,
Principal, Arup, Washington, D.C.
DANNA JENSEN, PE, LEED AP BD+C,
Vice President, ccrd, a WSP Co., Dallas
WILLIAM KOFFEL, PE, FSFPE,
President, Koffel Associates Inc., Columbia, Md.
WILLIAM KOSIK, PE, CEM, LEED AP BD+C, BEMP,
Independent Consultant, Oak Park, Ill.
KENNETH KUTSMEDA, PE, LEED AP,
Engineering Design Principal, Jacobs, Philadelphia
KEITH LANE, PE, RCDD, LC, LEED AP,
President, Lane Coburn & Associates, Seattle
JULIANNE LAUE, PE, LEED AP BD+C, BEMP,
Senior MEP Engineer, Center for Sustainable Energy,
Mortenson Construction, Minneapolis
KENNETH L. LOVORN, PE,
President, Lovorn Engineering Associates, Pittsburgh
DAVID LOWREY,
Chief Fire Marshal, Boulder (Colo.) Fire Rescue
MICHAEL MAR, PE, LEED AP,
Vice President, Environmental Systems Design Inc., Chicago
BRIAN MARTIN, PE,
Electrical Engineer, CH2M, Portland, Ore.
DWAYNE G. MILLER, PE, RCDD, AEE CPQ,
Chief Executive Officer, JBA Consulting Engineers, Las Vegas
RODNEY V. OATHOUT, PE, CEM, LEED AP,
Principal, Regional Engineering Leader,
DLR Group, Overland Park, Kan.
SYED PEERAN, PE, Ph.D.,
Senior Engineer, CDM Smith Inc., Boston
GREGORY QUINN, PE, NCEES, LEED AP,
Principal, Health Care Market Leader,
Affiliated Engineers Inc., Madison, Wis.
BRIAN A. RENER, PE, LEED AP,
Associate, SmithGroupJJR, Chicago
RANDY SCHRECENGOST, PE, CEM,
Austin Operations Group Manager and
Senior Mechanical Engineer,
Stanley Consultants, Austin, Texas
Resolve to be successful
am frequently chastised at work for

my messy desk and office. As Ive
pointed out to my co-workers several times, messy desks are a sign of
creativity according to several reports,
including one recently published by
Fast Company. Clutter promotes creativity, confirmed varying research
studies and highly qualified psychological journals.
Several people would beg to differ. In another office environment
I worked at many years ago, one
employee was reprimanded for stacking papers, magazines, folders, books,
and who-knows-what several feet high
on his desk, floor, and any other horizontal surface he could find. While
his workspace was technically a safety
and fire hazard, itand helooked
absolutely forlorn once he cleaned it
up. It was like hed lost his identity and
mojo along with all of the treasures
(or junk, if you like).
Even in todays nearly all-digital
world, paper still seems to creep into
our everyday work lives. Invoices,
CAD drawings, event invitations, publications, building code books, notes
scribbled from a meeting, product
catalogs, and a host of other printed
items keep adding to the pile to sift
through.
The start of the new year is a good
excuse to clean upclear off a desk,
clean the cobwebs out of ones head,
Courtesy: CFE Media
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD
or simply start fresh with new ideas.

Its also a good time to consider new
business opportunities, engage with
new partners, or begin a new venture
like exploring new revenue options or
even a different job.
My resolution this year is to declutter my professional life. That includes
staying on top of e-mail, reviewing
written correspondence more quickly,
and keeping track of deadlines more
efficiently.
The majority of New Years resolutions are broken after the first month.
But this one is easy: I challenge you
to resolve to do something new or
different professionally at least once
a month, and send me a photo or a
short description of it. So clean off
that desk, or go to an educational
seminar, or partner with a different company, and share your success
story. The best stories and photos will
be shared on a regular basis at
www.csemag.com/blogs.
GERALD VERSLUYS, PE, LEED AP,

Health Care Operations Manager,
TLC Engineering for Architecture, Brentwood, Tenn.
MIKE WALTERS, PE, LEED AP,
Principal, Fovea LLC, Madison, Wis.
JOHN YOON, PE, LEED AP ID+C,
Lead Electrical Engineer, McGuire Engineers Inc., Chicago
www.csemag.com
Top three lighting

design challenges
Inadequatee
budget for
good designn
Controlss
sequence off
operationss
y,
Interoperability,
complementingg
systemss
74%
research
61%
57%
Figure 1: Three-quarters of lighting

engineers struggle with projects
that have an inadequate budget for
good design. Courtesy: ConsultingSpecifying Engineer 2015 Lighting
and Lighting Controls Study
>70%
of mechanical
engineers write performance or
prescriptive HVAC and controls
specifications. Source: ConsultingSpecifying Engineer 2015 HVAC and
Building Automation Systems Study
4 in 5
fire and life safety

engineers consider a manufacturers
reputation and previous experience
with a manufacturer when selecting
products. Source: ConsultingSpecifying Engineer 2015 Fire and
Life Safety Study
26%
of firms specifying electrical and power systems earn more

than $10 million annually in mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire
protection design revenue. Source:
Consulting-Specifying Engineer 2015
Electrical and Power Study
More research
Consulting-Specifying Engineer covers several research topics each year.
All reports are available at
www.csemag.com/research.
www.csemag.com
2015 ELECTRICAL AND POWER STUDY:
Specifying electrical, power

systems for office buildings
he Consulting-Specifying Engineer 2015 Electrical and Power

Study indicates that 63% of
respondents specify, design, or make
product selections for office buildings. Below are five high-level findings impacting the electrical and
power industries today as they relate
to office building projects:
1. Value of products specified
annually: The average firm specifies
$3.98 million in total electrical or
power systems for new and existing
office buildings on a yearly basis.
2. Systems, equipment specified:
Eighty-four percent of engineers
specify electrical distribution equipment and circuit breakers, fuses, and
related products for office buildings.
Other top systems or equipment specified include emergency and standby
power (82%); transfer switches and
automatic transfer switches (79%);
transformers (76%); and cable, wire,
etc. (76%).
3. Challenges: Top challenges engineers are currently facing in electrical or

power systems design for office buildings are inadequate budget for good
design (87%), frequent changes to codes
and standards (78%), and interoperability and complementing systems (67%).
4. Important design factors: When
specifying an electrical or power system for an office building, engineers
compare product quality (72%), manufacturers reputation (52%), service
support (51%), and previous experience with a manufacturer (45%)
among the top deciding factors.
5. Vendor involvement: When
completing specifications, 52% of
respondents said equipment vendors
are frequently involved, compared to
38% occasionally, 8% always, and 2%
never.
View more information at
www.csemag.com/2015ElectricalPower.
Amanda Pelliccione is the research
director at CFE Media.
Critical challenges affecting the future of electrical/power

system design in office buildings
Other
Integration
Budget, cost
17%
27%
9%
10%
11%
12%
New
technologies
14%
Lack of
skilled workforce
Energy efficiency
Codes, standards
Figure 2: The most critical issue affecting the future of electrical and power systems in
office buildings is budget/cost, followed by the lack of a skilled workforce and keeping
up with changing codes and standards. Courtesy: Consulting-Specifying Engineer
www.csemag.com/research FOR MORE RESEARCH INFORMATION
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Career Smart
BY JANE SIDEBOTTOM
AMK LLC, Louisville, Ky.
Begin as you mean to carry on

Seven ways the first day on the job can set the tone for success.
egin as you mean to carry

on. My father would say this
Northern England phrase
to me each time I started a new job.
The meaning is simplehow you start
your new job will set the tone for your
overall success. Often, people make
the mistake of trying to establish credibility too early and contribute too
much too soon, which results in alienating their new team members and
colleagues. Then they spend months
and sometimes years trying to recover
enough to build their careeror worse,
they get fired.
These first few weeks are critical to
your long-term success at the company.
Your new colleagues are watching you
closely to determine your personality,
style, and trust factor just as much as
you are observing them. Start off right
with these tips:
1. Begin building strong relationshipsthey are the cornerstone of
professional success. Whether your
new employer has a formal onboarding
process, work with your new manager
and team to identify the key people in
the organization with whom you will
be working, and schedule time to get to
know them personally. Show genuine
interest by focusing on what motivates
them and how they define success.
Learn their communication style (electronic, face-to-face, telephone) and
their work styledo they prefer lots
of discussion and interaction, or do
they like to prepare their thoughts and
review them one-on-one? Absorb as
much tribal knowledge as you can, as
www.csemag.com
fast as you can. Having this background

will help you contribute faster in your
new role.
2. Relate to your colleagues by
sharing your own motivations and
stylebut resist the urge to over-relate.
It is critical that, in the beginning, you
do more listening and learning than
sharing. You will have the opportunity
to bring your experiences to the table
and contribute once you have built
your relationships and shown that your
knowledge and expertise can help the
team be more successful.
3. Build a 3-month action plan and
review that plan with your manager.
This will help you determine very early
what his/her expectations are for you
and how you will be measured against
those expectations. Once the plan has
been developed, review it monthly.
4. Be prepared to be nimble and
flex into new roles. Organizations are
smaller and require more nimble team
members; demonstrating flexibility in
your responsibilities and the ability
to deliver will help you be viewed as
a high performer. The Rise of Micro
Careers author Peter Weddle points
out that jobs that were more permanent in the past are now shifting into
roles that instead have a fixed duration
and specific objective. It will be up to
you to demonstrate your ability to flex
between these types of assignments and
remain relevant to your employer.
5. Dont grandstand. While you may
have been hired as a change agent or to
lend your expertise to fill team or project gaps, be humble in your approach
and quick to recognize the help of others. Remember, no one really succeeds
on their own.
6. Be gracious and take the time to
thank those around you for their help.
7. Exercise some emotional intelligence. Whether it is a misunderstanding about a deadline, a thoughtless
comment directed to a colleague in an
inopportune moment, or a poor reaction to something said or done to you,
demonstrate your emotional intelligence by taking the lead to diffuse the
situation. Seek to understand the situation, acknowledge the issue, apologize if
necessary, and dont become defensive.
Then begin the process of moving past
the incident.
Ultimately, it is up to you to establish
that strong first impression and put in
place the building blocks for strong relationships and a strong foundation for
your career success. There will be some
trials along the way. But, if you go into
day one of your job thoughtful about
how you can start a new chapter in your
career rightright from the startthen
you have just increased the odds of
making this new move a success.
Jane Sidebottom is the owner of AMK
LLC, a management and marketing
consulting firm that provides market
development and growth expertise to
small and medium-size firms. She has
more than 20 years of management and
leadership experience in both consulting
engineering and Fortune 100 organizations. Sidebottom is a graduate of the
University of Maryland.
11
MEP Roundtable
Daniel G. Dowell,
VP Energy Performance
Contracting Sales
ABM
Raleigh-Durham, N.C.
Kurt Karnatz,
PE, CEM, HBDP, HFDP,
LEED AP
President
ESD
Chicago
Lance Kempf, PE
Director of Mechanical and
Electrical Engineering
LEO A DALY
Minneapolis
Brian Michelson, PE
MEP Design
Phase Manager
Mortenson Construction
Minneapolis
Joseph H. Talbert,
PE, ARM
Project Manager
Aon Fire Protection
Engineering
Lincolnshire, Ill.
12
Class A office building

system design
Class A office buildings are among the toughest projects an
engineer can work oncomplex structures, demanding clients,
and advanced technology.
CSE: Please describe a recent Class
A office building project youve worked
onshare details about the project
including building location, building type,
team involved, etc.
Lance Kempf: LEO A DALY was commissioned by the SAC Federal Credit Union,
Nebraskas largest credit union, to assist with
site selection and provide master planning,
programming, complete architecture and engineering services, and contract administration
services for its new corporate headquarters
campus in Papillion, Neb. The design for the
headquarters reflects SACs close culture, collaborative work environment, and commitment to the community. The headquarters
rests on a strong brick foundation, a metaphorical representation of SACs memberowner base. We were tasked with creating a
collaborative, energetic, and forward-thinking headquarters that accommodates SACs
growth and also reflects its unique standing as
a leader in the business community.
The new 94,000-sq-ft, four-story headquarters houses as many as 250 employees,
enabling the consolidation of all corporate
departments including operations, human
resources, marketing, lending, finance, quality assurance/compliance, and information
technology. The facility includes a branch
credit union with both drive-up and external
ATM options, and staff amenities consisting
of a lounge with food service, a health and
fitness center, and a community room. The
ground-breaking was in 2012, and the facility
opened in May 2014.
Kurt Karnatz: We recently completed a

25-story, 950,000-sq-ft multitenant office
tower for Al Hilal Bank in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The all-glass building
envelope with high floor-to-floor heights
presented a unique challenge in developing effective and sustainable engineered
solutions while meeting energy code and
Estidama requirements (a building performance rating system). Functionally, the
goal was to create highly flexible lighting,
power, fire protection, and cooling systems
that could support multiple tenant configurations and loads. To achieve this, we created a modular ceiling and floor grid that
does not require modification to support
multiple configurations.
Brian Michelson: This project was
designed and constructed before I started
working at Mortenson. Located in downtown Minneapolis, it involved turning a
vacated 90,000-sq-ft, four-story department store into offices for Centerpoint
Energy. The building is located at a light
rail stop at the intersection with Nicollett
Avenue. RJM Construction was the general
contractor and HGA was the architectural
firm. The HVAC was design-build by Egan
Co. The electrical design-build portion
was by Muska Electric. The project was
designed and constructed with the goal
of achieving U.S. Green Building Council
LEED Silver CI.
CSE: What business development
techniques are you using to gain Class A
office building clients and/or projects?
www.csemag.com
Karnatz: We channel our business

development activities around our
ability to demonstrate empirical proof
that our approach to analytics, development of solutions, integrated design,
and implementation creates measurable
competitive advantage for our clients.
We demonstrate this through understanding our clients enterprise goals
and business drivers and then developing solutions that achieve their desired
economic, environmental, and experiential outcome targets.
Joseph H. Talbert: Over the years,
Aon Fire Protection Engineering (Aon
FPE, and its predecessor organization Schirmer Engineering) developed
long-term relationships with architects
such as Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, Gensler, smdp, and Smith+Gill,
to name a few. By establishing these
relationships, Aon FPE has become the
firm that these architects turn to when
they have a need for fire and life safety
expertise for high-rise and supertall
high-rise buildings.
CSE: How have the characteristics
of Class A office building projects
changed in recent years, and what
should engineers expect to see in
the near future (1 to 3 years)?
Talbert: The characteristics of Class
A office buildings have changed significantly over the past 4 decades. Forty
years ago, the Willis Tower (then the
Sears Tower) was an anomaly because
it was a fully sprinklered building. Now,
a Class A office building without sprinklers would be an anomaly. In addition,
the electrical communications capabilities of Class A offices from as little as 20
years ago would be undesirable in new
Class A office buildings now.
Michelson: Projects are trending to
more mixed-use with retail space, restaurant, and residential occupancies
included in the total project. The future
www.csemag.com
Figure 1: Willis Tower, located in Chicago, was originally known as the Sears Tower when
construction was completed in 1973. The property consists of a 108-story tower. It is one
of the tallest office buildings in the world at more than 1,400 ft tall with more than 4 million gross sq ft of area. The building is classified as a mixed-occupancy, primarily Class A
office space with meeting, banquet, restaurant, retail, and conference areas as well as an
observatory on the 103rd floor. The Sears Tower was one of the first fully sprinklered highrise office buildings in the world. Courtesy: Aon Fire Protection Engineering
will probably see more building owners

looking for exit strategies that would
allow for resale within 5 years of construction completion. Building owners
also are looking for ways to have tenants
pay for improvements and utilities consumed. This moves HVAC system selection toward components that make that
easier. Central chiller and boiler plants
are the backbone of a water source heat
pump system and are used when most
of the building will be leased to multiple
tenants. BIM has now reached the point
where it is required by owners and general contractors, and not just because
that is what the architect is using.
Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing
(MEP) design/build contractors are
embracing BIM and are investing the
time and resources to make it work.
Karnatz: The general notion or definition of a Class A office building has
both subjective and continuously evolving components. There are basic givens
or prerequisite requirements for power,
cooling, flexibility, amenities, etc., that
are necessary to satisfy both the current
and future needs of the occupants. We
are focused on creating highly integrated
and symbiotic buildings that are authentic and empower and facilitate the occupant through awareness and control.
As engineers, we need to understand
how to leverage rapidly developing and
maturing technologies, edge-device
logic, the so-called Internet of Things,
and analytics to create buildings that are
predictive, responsive, adaptive, diagnostic, and self-healing. Advances in the
application of technology in building
systems along with increasing expectations and demands of building occupants make the coming years incredibly
exciting for engineers in building design.
13
MEP Roundtable
CSE: Describe a recent retrofit
of a Class A office building (or the
updates to make the building into a
Class A facility). What were the challenges and solutions?
Karnatz: We recently finished a complete HVAC, lighting, and plumbing
retrofit of a 1.4-million-sq-ft office
building in Chicago. Throughout the
construction process, the 30-story
building remained fully occupied with
the exception of three swing floors.
Working in an occupied building added
considerable cost to the project, but was
necessary to maintain the desired tenants. Using a highly integrated BIM
process, and integrated project delivery approach, we worked closely with
the owner and contractors to establish
existing-condition baseline models that
were then used to model retrofit options
and analyze options costs, savings, constructability, logistics, schedule, and
return on investment. Creating detailed
models allowed us to accurately analyze
the implications and advantages of all
options in making the best systems
selections. This provided us the ability to focus on the greatest engineering
challenge of the projectengineering
the process of complete system replacement while maintaining occupancy and
business continuity over the 4-year
design/construction duration.
Talbert: If an existing building does
not have sprinklers, smoke detectors,
and smoke-control systems and is being
retrofitted, it will probably require
updated fire pumps and HVAC system
modifications. If it was built before the
Americans With Disabilities Act was
adopted, substantial modifications to
the fire alarm system will be required.
These modifications may require total
replacement of the fire alarm system.
Michelson: The challenges at the
90,000-sq-ft, four-story department
store included re-use of existing air
handling systems that also served as
atrium smoke-exhaust systems; using
14
chilled water and steam from a district energy plant, but the lines passed
through an existing high-rise building; a small data center to be located
on the first floor; an existing control
system that was pneumatic and needed
to be replaced by direct digital control
(DDC) where practical; and the fact
that the original department store
had very few window openings on its
two exposed exteriors and part of the
project involved a three-fold increase

in the number of exterior windows.
Our solutions: New exhaust fans
were installed for the atrium and the
air handling unit (AHU) controls were
revised so they could provide makeup air when the atrium smoke-exhaust
system was activated. The only concern for the chilled water and steam
was that the owner of the connected
high-rise submetered the steam to the
new office space and would shut off
the steam too early in the spring. The
data center solution involved two AHUs
served by chilled water that was available year-round from the district energy plant. Space was tight and the units
were stacked one above the other. Most
of the pneumatic control system was
replaced by a DDC system. Some actuators and the steam-to-hot-water heat
exchanger were left alone and are still
pneumatically controlled. The original
AHUs were sized for high-density people loads and high lighting loads. The
current energy code requirements for
lighting resulted in systems that were
oversized, so the increase in windows
did not require an increase in system
capacity.
CSE: Energy efficiency and
sustainability are often a request
from building owners. What net
zero energy (NZE) and/or highperformance systems have you
recently specified on a Class A
office building?
Figure 2: The refuge floors on the Kingdom Tower project in Saudi Arabia have
fire command centers with the capabilities of the main fire command center at
the ground level so that all conditions
and communications can be managed
from any of the refuge floors. All refuge
floors are staffed and able to notify
occupants via a public address system
on any floor of the building. Courtesy:
ESD Global
Daniel G. Dowell: Several systems are

available to assist in this area. Solar will
continue to grow in popularity as new
incentives are created to reduce our
dependence on coal as a fuel source. In
addition, any system (controls, power
monitoring, energy dashboards) that
creates awareness on energy consumption by the building occupants tends to
change behaviors in a positive manner.
Power monitoring and energy dashboards are great investments as they
tend to be less costly to implement.
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MEP Roundtable
Karnatz: In a recent NZE office building we designed, we
used underfloor air distribution (UFAD) as the primary airdistribution method, ground-source heat rejection, a photovoltaic farm on the roof/surface decks to generate power,
and solar concentrators for hot water. It is important to first
explore and apply all possible passive strategies including
situational, geometric, and shading opportunities. Another important component is educating the client on how to
reduce operational loads.
CSE: Many aspects of sustainability (power, HVAC,
maintenance, etc.) require building personnel to follow
certain practices to be effective. What, if anything, can
an engineer do to help increase chances of success in
this area?
Karnatz: Because of all the technology that now comes with a
building, the engineer must be able to guide the client and operating personnel on how to best run the building. Getting these
stakeholders to the table as early in the design process as possible
is the best way to begin on the path to successful operation.
Dowell: Numerous national organizations point to maintenance and constant commissioning as a very effective
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way of meeting occupant-comfort requirements at the lowest
energy-consumption rate. It ensures that service providers,
technicians, and executives are all focused on keeping energy
consumption to a minimum.
CSE: What types of cutting-edge sensors, biometrics,
or other controls are you specifying in Class A office
building projects?
Kempf: We are specifying heat-recovery systems and controls (air, water, refrigeration), occupancy sensors integrated
into the control of lighting and HVAC systems, demandbased ventilation systems, and controls that optimize outsideair-ventilation distribution from core building systems. We
also are looking at real-time and historical trending of data
generated by building automation systems (BAS) and controls
to measure system parameters and create dynamic plans to
reduce energy usage, minimize waste, and optimize tenant
comfort. This is intended to reduce operating costs for building owners and tenants as well as create environments that
can be modified or adjusted continuously to increase worker
comfort and productivity.
Michelson: Carbon dioxide (CO2) sensors, airflow-measuring stations, and utility submeters are the most common. CO2
sensors and airflow-measuring stations are vital to ensure
compliance with ASHRAE Standard 62.1: Ventilation for
Acceptable Indoor Air Quality and still allow for reducing
system energy consumption. Building owners who are leasing space to tenants are requesting the submeters to monitor
energy use and apportion the base building-system operating
costs to the tenant.
CSE: What are some common problems you encounter with building automation systems (BAS) in Class A
office building projects?
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Michelson: Incomplete or incorrect programming that

doesnt show up until extreme seasonal conditions are
encountered. Control systems that respond too fast or too
slow that end up reducing comfort or increase wear on equipment. Another issue that shows up during design and sometimes post-construction is the demand from clients that the
BAS be able to control the internal workings of equipment
such as boilers and chillers.
Kempf: We have encountered central building controls and
control systems that focus inward on core building systems
and do not include scalable provisions for monitoring, tracking, and trending the usage patterns or needs of the tenants.
We also have seen buildings that are 15 or more years old that
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MEP Roundtable
retain systems, system components,
system controls, and operating procedures that are outdated, inefficient, or
inflexible. This is a challenge to engineers and designers who are asked to
provide design solutions for tenants or
building owners and operators with a

new focus on sustainability, flexibility,
and efficiency.
CSE: How do you meter or submeter the various portions of the build-
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area, different office suites, etc.?
Kempf: All core building systems (air,
water, heating, cooling, power, etc.) can
be isolated, metered, tracked, and trended through the thoughtful application of
current sensor and system technology.
This is often made difficult due to both
outdated approaches to distribution of
core building services in existing office
buildings and the ongoing changes associated with tenants and occupancies.
Michelson: Ideally, system selections
for those locations should be set up
to operate independently of the base
building system so that only the utility
connections need to be submetered. Btu
meters may be called for in cases where
chilled water and heating water are supplied from a central location. However,
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CSE: Please explain some of the
codes, standards, and guidelines
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Talbert: The International Building

Code (IBC) is the most commonly
used code for designing Class A offices
in the U.S. In many other countries, the
IBC may be used to provide guidance
for code issues that are not defined by
local country codes or where, in the
judgment of the design professional,
the local country code is not considered
to provide a high enough level of life
safety. Similarly, NFPA 101: Life Safety
Code may be used to supplement local
code requirements for means of egress.
Kempf: Although the specific codes
affecting building system engineering
change from city to city, state to state,
and country to country, each project
requires research and a working understanding of all applicable building codes
and system/construction standards.
Michelson: Im constantly referencing ASHRAE 62.1 during the design
process. I typically review the local
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MEP Roundtable
and state plumbing, mechanical, energy, fire, and building codes to make
sure Im not making assumptions. Its
always a challenge when working in
different jurisdictions because they all
have their own approach to the codes.
Plumbing codes seem to vary the most
around the country.
CSE: How have International
Building Code, NFPA, ASHRAE, and
other codes affected your work on

Class A office building projects?
What are some positive/negative
aspects of these guides?
Michelson: The codes havent had a
major impact on work effort unless the
project is a high-rise or a mixed-use
development. High-rises are a challenge
to implement smoke-management systems that have to interface with HVAC
equipment operation during emergencies. As the codes have changed over
the years, they have forced construction
costs to increase to meet the new standards. It is frustrating when the code
changes result in greater expenditures
for marginal improvements in energy
savings or safety.
Talbert: The IBC, local building codes,
and NFPA standards are positive in that
they provide a baseline of standards
that are widely adopted and accepted.
In addition, the IBC and NFPA have
provisions that allow the use of PBD,
which can be used to demonstrate that
an acceptable level of life safety has been
achieved for conditions that may not be
code-compliant. This allows greater flexibility for the designer.
CSE: What unique fire suppression systems have you specified in
Class A office buildings?
Talbert: Recently, the use of water-
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20
mist fire suppression systems has

become popular in Europe. These systems require less water to extinguish
a fire, but may require extremely high
pressures (up to 2,500 psi). These systems require special piping systems,
usually made of stainless steel.
Karnatz: In addition to the coderequired sprinkler systems, there are
several special fire suppression systems
that are often specified for rooms with
sensitive equipment in Class A office
buildings. We often use a double-interlock pre-action sprinkler system in lieu
of wet-pipe sprinkler systems for computer rooms, data centers, medium-
density fiberboard rooms, and similar

rooms where there is a concern for
water-filled pipes above critical equipment. A double-interlock system is an
empty-pipe system that requires both
smoke/heat detection and a loss of gas
pressure in the pipe to occur prior to
system activation and discharge. The
two events must occur prior to releasing of water into the pipe and out of the
sprinkler system.
We use clean-agent suppression systems as a supplemental special suppression system in high-value content
area. Generally, clean-agent systems are
not recognized as substitution for the
sprinkler system but rather an augmentation. A less commonly seen specialsuppression system that may be used
in a Class A office building is a foamwater pre-action or deluge system
suitable for flammable and combustible liquid fires, such as those associated with a diesel emergency-generator
room. We typically use foam-water systems on our Middle East projects as a
common code-required local practice.
CSE: Describe any unusual detection, suppression, and notification
systems youve specified in Class A
office building projects. What drove
the design?
Karnatz: We have designed many systems incorporating very early smokedetection apparatus (VESDA) as part
of the releasing of both pre-action and
clean-agent systems. A unique twist
is an application where a client, for
budget reasons, needed a more costeffective solution than a pre-action or
clean-agent system for a small computer
room. A VESDA was installed with the
capability of notifying the clients inhouse engineer via text or e-mail when
an early-warning smoke-detection
event occurred. The lower thresholds
of these systems can detect fires in the
incipient stage sometimes hours before
visible smoke and fire occurs, allowing
early intervention and remediation.
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MEP Roundtable
Talbert: In the case of the use of a
water-mist system in Europe, the owner
of the building specified that this type
of system was required. The concern
was that the water damage that could
occur if a traditional sprinkler system
inadvertently operated was considered
to be too great, so a water-mist system
was considered to create less of a risk of
water damage.
CSE: What types of fire/life safety
systems have you designed for
high-rise Class A office building
structures? Discuss elevator evacuation, refuge floors, etc.
Talbert: Class A offices in Europe,
the Middle East, and Asia have some
unique requirements for areas of refuge in the building as compared to
U.S. codes. It is common in supertall
Class A office buildings in some coun-
tries outside the U.S. to require portions

of a floor, or even entire floors, to be
dedicated areas of refuge at intervals of
20 to 30 floors. These areas of refuge
are often complemented by evacuation
elevators (often referred to as lifeboat
elevators), which can be used to shuttle
occupants from the refuge-area floors
to the ground level. Egress simulations
using these elevators are often required
to determine the overall egress times
from the building.
Karnatz: In our very tall building
designs, we typically use fire water-storage tanks that feed gravity-supplied systems. This approach increases system
reliability while simultaneously reducing cost. Fire alarm systems for highrise buildings include two-way voice
communication systems, notification
appliances, detection devices, elevatorrecall systems, and a fire command center. Both elevator evacuation and refuge
floors impact the fire and life safety features of the building when implemented
as part of the overall safety strategy.
The use of occupant-evacuation elevators is an optional evacuation method
that is applicable to supertall buildings.
Unlike standard elevators, which are
typically recalled to the ground floor
upon fire detection, the evacuation
elevators enter an evacuation mode
and are available for evacuation shuttle.
The fire alarm system determines the
evacuation zone (floors) and the pickup priority based on where the fire was
detected, and the elevators are then dispatched to those floors and drop occupants off on a safe discharge level.
The refuge floors on the Kingdom
Tower project in Saudi Arabia have fire
command centers with the capabilities
of the main fire command center at
the ground level so that all conditions
and communications can be managed
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way, elevator-hoistway, and elevatorlobby pressurization. The solutions may

include natural ventilation, forced-air
ventilation, and air injection into shafts.
Karnatz: The typical, code-driven,
smoke-control systems include shaft/
floor pressurization, smoke exhaust,
and controlling smoke/fire damper
operation. The approach to smoke
control in case of fire on a floor in an
office building is either by exhaust only
or a sandwich where the fire floor
is exhausted and the floor below and
above is pressurized. This is often dictated by the client standard or local code
authorities. In the case of the Al-Hilal
project in Saudi Arabia, the sandwich
approach was used. Because the building had a stair-pressurization system
and was split into two vertical smokecontrol zones, it became problematic to
provide the sandwich at the interface of
the two smoke-control zones. We used
from any of the refuge floors. All refuge

floors are staffed and able to address,
via a public address system, any floor
of the building.
CSE: What unique smoke-control
systems have you designed in a
Class A office building? Outline the
building structure and the smokecontrol solutions.
Talbert: Smoke control can be far
more stringent in areas outside the U.S.

than U.S. codes require. The IBC, which
is widely adopted in the U.S., typically
requires only smoke control in atria
more than 2 stories in height; however,
it is not uncommon for codes outside
the U.S. to require smoke exhaust from
corridors over a certain length, from
large, open offices and from rooms
containing high-hazard operations. In
addition, these codes may require stair-
special shaft and damper arrangements

to accomplish the correct pressurization/exhaust effect necessary to provide
a safe and code-compliant system.
CSE: What unique HVAC requirements do Class A office building
projects have that you wouldnt
encounter in other buildings?
Michaelson: Class A office space by
itself is not unique. Its when the client
has space needs that fall outside of this.
A cafeteria and conference center in an
office building, 7 floors of office above
a parking ramp, or a basement-level
data center tend to make these buildings unique.
K a r n a t z : Office buildings are
increasingly being expected to provide
higher degrees of flexibility, controllability, measurability, and feedback.
For example, more office tenants are
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MEP Roundtable
operating during hours outside of the
typical workday. Systems must be able
to efficiently turn down to support
both localized and after-hours loads.
Office occupants also expect more
control and autonomy in determining
when systems run and what temperature their space is. Measurement, verification, recording of, and feedback
from building HVAC systems also
CSE: When retrofitting an existing

Class A office building, what challenges have you faced and how have
you overcome them?
Michaelson: The toughest challenge I
have seen is installing new air handlers
that will be used while the existing airdistribution ducts remain. Careful plan-
The greatest challenge typically in a retrofit is maintaining

business continuity in an occupied building during the construction.
Very often, systems need to be paralleled and cut over from old
to new many times through the process.
Kurt Karnatz
has become a common expectation
of tenants. Verification of air quantities, ventilation rates, air quality, and
energy consumption are typical data
that office tenants are increasingly
requesting.
ning was required to make certain the

new equipment would fit and that there
was a way to bring it into the building.
We couldnt rely on the record drawings
and had to survey the space ourselves.
It is even more challenging when the
client only has a small window of time

during which this can be done. In this
case, the air handling systems had to be
disassembled outside, moved inside in
sections, and then reassembled in the
final location.
Karnatz: The greatest challenge typically in a retrofit is maintaining business continuity in an occupied building during the construction. Very often,
systems need to be paralleled and cut
over from old to new many times
through the process. Engineering the
process, the logistics, and schedule
requires careful and thorough planning
including contingency planning for
recovery from disaster or unintended
consequences.
CSE: Have you recently specified
more alternative HVAC systems on
Class A office building projects?
This may include displacement ven-
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tilation, underfloor air distribution

(UFAD), variable refrigerant flow
(VRF) systems, chilled beams, etc.
Karnatz: As engineers and good consultants, it is important that we serve
our clients well by carefully analyzing
system options and guiding them to
make the most appropriate solution
to satisfy their business case. What is
right for one building is usually not
so for the building next door. We have
designed more than 20 million sq ft of
UFAD systems and think very highly
of the approach, but it is simply not
right for certain climates. Similarly,
chilled beams are a great solution for
specific applications, such as high sensible cooling environments and low
floor-to-floor heights and retrofits, but
not for a building that demands a high
degree of flexibility. VRF is also a firstchoice solution for certain applications,
but also has regional code-compliance

complications.
Kempf: Cooling for the majority of
the new SAC Federal Credit Union
headquarters is provided by an active
chilled-beam system. The new system
will provide more comfort and operate more efficiently, and will be easier
to operate than a standard mechanical
configuration. LEO A DALY estimates
the chilled-beam system to be 41.8%
more efficient (than a conventional
mechanical system), lowering SACs
future utility costs by almost 30%.
The heart of the system is a large
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rejects heat to water when cooling
and absorbs heat from water when
heating. This water is pumped to a
geothermal well field comprised of
218 300-ft-deep wells. The well field is
on the south side of the property. Hot
and cold water is pumped in and out

of the heater/cooler at levels regulated
by the heating and cooling needs of
the building.
To cool the building, water travels from the heater/cooler to chilled
beams that are integrated into the ceiling tiles. Dehumidified and cooled air
is then distributed at a high velocity
in the chilled beams, inducing room
air across cooling coils, thereby cooling it before quiet recirculation back
into the space. To heat the building,
water is pumped through the heater/
cooler to perimeter radiators. Again,
the amount of heat in the water is
regulated by the heater/cooler.
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Codes & Standards

Designing with NFPA 101-2015
NFPA 101: Life Safety Code dictates a great deal for all building types,
including egress, features of fire protection, sprinkler systems, alarms,
emergency lighting, smoke barriers, and special hazard protection.
BY WILLIAM E. KOFFEL, PE, FSFPE, Koffel Associates Inc., Columbia, Md.
he 2012 edition of NFPA 101: Life Safety

Code has received considerable attention
due to the fact that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has published
a notice of proposed rulemaking to adopt the
2012 edition. However, the most current edition
of NFPA 101 is the 2015 edition, which has been
adopted by some states. Furthermore, newer editions of the code are considered refinements of
previous editions and, as such, may be used as
part of the justification for an equivalency to
previous editions of the code (see 1.4 and A.1.4).
Horizontal exits
Horizontal exits are not required by the

code. Rather, they are a design alternative that
allows one to reduce the number of exit stairs
and doors to the exterior. This is often done in
areas where meeting the required travel distance
or exit capacity presents challenges due to the
area of the floor (or building) or the occupant
load to be served. By reducing the number of
openings required in exterior walls due to fewer
traditional exits being required, horizontal exits
can assist in addressing security considerations.
In addition, horizontal exits often are used in
health care occupancies, especially when multiple occupancies are involved, to allow patients
to be moved horizontally to an area of refuge.
Likewise, horizontal exits can be used in correctional occupancies to allow occupants to be
moved horizontally to a secure area of refuge.
Most of the changes in the 2015 edition offer
clarity to existing code requirements, some of
which were often overlooked or misunderstood.
NFPA 101 does not normally regulate the fireresistance rating of exterior walls, but certain
horizontal exits represent an application in which
www.csemag.com
the rating may be regulated. To reduce

the likelihood that a fire can spread
beyond the fire barrier constituting
the horizontal exit,
the exterior wall at
Learning
the intersection with
objectives
the fire barrier serv Examine some of the
ing as the horizontal
more significant changes
exit may be required
between the 2015 and
t o h av e a f i re 2012 editions of NFPA 101.
resistance rating.
Recall that revisions are
Where the horizonongoing, and the 2018 edition is in progress.
tal exit intersects with
exterior walls at an
angle of less than 180 deg, the exterior
wall shall have a fire-resistance rating
within 10 ft of the horizontal exit. Previous editions of the code required the
exterior wall on each side of the horizontal exit to have a fire-resistance rating of at least 1 hour. New to the 2015
edition: An option has been added to
permit the exterior wall on one side
of the horizontal exit to have a fireresistance rating of at least 2 hours
for a distance of at least 10 ft from the
intersection (Section 7.2.4.3.4).
A provision has been added by
which the fire barrier serving as
a horizontal exit does not need to
continue beyond the lowest level to
provide discharge to the exterior
(Section 7.2.4.3.2). The fire barrier is permitted to terminate at the lowest level providing
discharge to the exterior when the levels below
are separated by construction with a fireresistance rating of at least 2 hours and the
levels below do not have a horizontal exit.
Figure 1: This shows a protected vertical opening as an

alternative to an atrium at the
Dundalk/Sollers Point High
School in Maryland. All graphics
courtesy: Koffel Associates Inc.
27
Codes & Standards
Figure 2: An atrium separates multiple occupancies at the Cleveland Clinic, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
From an engineering perspective, items

that are often overlooked regarding horizontal exits include the need for manual
fire alarm boxes and standpipe hose connections on both sides of the horizontalexit fire barrier. In addition, where two
opposite swinging doors are provided at
horizontal exits, exit signs shall be provided on both sides of the horizontal exit
and the signs shall indicate the door that
swings in the direction of egress travel.
This is often accomplished by not locating the signs in the center of the corridor.
Note that these provisions are not new to
the 2015 edition but must be considered
when evaluating if horizontal exits are
part of a viable egress strategy.
Elevators for occupant-controlled
evacuation
Provisions have been deleted that

address status indicators displayed in the
lobbies for occupant evacuation elevators. However, it should be noted that
many of the requirements regarding status indicators are covered by American
28
Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)

A17.1. These particular provisions in
ASME A17.1 are specifically referenced
in paragraph 7.14.1.3 of the 2015 edition
of NFPA 101.
Occupancy separations and atria
In the past, where the separatedoccupancy concept was used, the occupancies needed to be separated by fire barriers.
The 2015 edition allows an atrium to serve
as an occupancy separation on a storyby-story basis, provided the atrium is separated from other areas by construction
equivalent to the requirements for smoke
partitions and the use of the provision is
permitted by the applicable occupancy
chapter (Section 6.1.14.4.6). The doors
in the smoke partitions are required to be
provided with positive-latching hardware.
Lastly, the provisions require that all other
requirements for new atria are met.
Video monitoring of stairs
New high-rise buildings with an

occupant load of 4,000 or more are
required to be provided with real-time

video monitoring of the stairs (Section
11.8.8). Under this new requirement,
video monitoring is to be provided at a
level at which the stair doors discharge
and shall be arranged to capture people
discharging from, entering, or passing
through the discharge level.
Additional video monitoring equipment is required at intervals not exceeding five stories so that the descent, ascent,
and entry landings can be monitored
remotely. The video cameras also may
be used for video-image smoke detection
provided the requirements of NFPA 72:
National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code
are met. Where the video cameras are
integrated with the security system, the
security system shall comply with NFPA
730: Guide for Premises Security.
It is recognized that installing the
video monitoring equipment in the stairs
may result in additional penetrations
in the exit enclosure. Although related
changes were not made to the requirements addressing penetrations of exit
www.csemag.com
enclosures, an existing annex note indicates that penetrations involving wiring

serving electrical equipment in the stairways, such as security systems, should be
permitted if properly protected (Section
A.7.1.3.2.1 (10)(b)).
has been added that the smoke alarms

required when kitchens are open to the
corridor may be located outside of the
kitchen area to meet the 20-ft separation
from cooking equipment requirement.
Ambulatory health care occupancies
Health care occupancies
Numerous changes were made to the

occupancy chapters in the 2015 edition,
but several significant changes were made
that specifically impact health care occupancies. Several changes were made to the
suite provisions, many of which were primarily clarifications of the changes made
over the past few revision cycles.
However, the maximum size of a
patient-care, nonsleeping suite was
increased from 10,000 sq ft to 12,500
sq ft if the suite is protected with fastresponse sprinklers or complete smoke
detection. Note that for new construction, fast-response sprinklers are already
required. If the suite is protected by both
fast-response sprinklers and complete
smoke detection, the maximum suite size
is increased to 15,000 sq ft. The increase
is consistent with the increases permitted for patient-care sleeping suites in the
2012 edition and is based, at least in part,
on the increased area required by newer
editions of the Facility Guidelines Institute (Section 18/19.2.5.7.3.2).
In addition to suite size, revisions
were made as to when smoke barriers
are required on stories below stories
containing a health care occupancy (Section 18.3.7.2). The 2015 edition eliminates the requirement for smoke barriers on any story that does not contain
a health care occupancy and is located
beneath a health care occupancy. This
is a relaxation from the 2012 edition,
which required smoke barriers on the
level below the health care occupancy
unless the story below only contained
mechanical equipment. This change is
especially helpful as more health care
facilities include underground parking.
With respect to long-term care facilities, additional changes have been
made to permit the facility to have a
more home-like appearance. Language
In the past, the two chapters that

addressed new and existing ambulatory health care occupancies (Chapters
20 and 21, respectively) were written in
a form that used business occupancy
requirements as the base requirements,
which were then modified by Chapters
20 and 21. As such, the user of the code
needed to consult both the business
occupancy chapters and the ambulatory health care chapters to find the
requirements.
In the 2015 edition, the two chapters
have been written in a more standalone
format and no longer require the user
of the code to refer to the chapters
addressing business occupancies. It
should also be noted that the occupant

load factor for ambulatory health care
occupancies was revised from 100 sq
ft/person to 150 sq ft/person. While
this was initially done in expectation
of a change in the occupant load factor
for business uses, subsequent research
conducted by the Fire Protection
Research Foundation has supported
this increase.
Life safety evaluation
When a life safety evaluation is required

by the code, such as for festival seating, the
provisions for the evaluation have been
expanded. Details have been added as to
what should be in the building systems
document and the life safety management
document. For example, the building systems document specifically requires a discussion regarding the principal fire and
life safety features and strategies including, but not limited to, the various fire
protection systems, emergency power and
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Codes & Standards

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and public address systems. The life safety
management document addresses issues
including, but not limited to, emergency
planning, first aid and medical plans,
emergency communication plans, operating procedures for risks identified in a
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management renovations within
the library.
language being developed during the first

revision phase is likely to be revised based
upon public comments and task group
activity. This effort may also result in revisions to the scope of NFPA 101.
n Increasing the maximum area of
smoke compartments in hospitals containing single-bed patient
The life safety management
rooms from 22,500 sq ft to
document addresses issues including, 40,000 sq ft. Similar to the
rationale for increasing
but not limited to, emergency planning, suite sizes, the increase
in smoke compartment
first aid and medical plans, emergency
size also is based upon
communication plans, operating
increased area requireprocedures for risks identified in a risk
ments in newer editions
of the Facility Guidelines
assessment, and first responder plans.
Institute. This change is
risk assessment, and first responder plans already in the 2015 edition of the International Building Code (IBC), but the
(Section 12/13.4.1).
increase was not accepted during the last
revision cycle for NFPA 101. Related to
Moving forward
The revision cycle resulting in the this, changes may be appropriate in some
2018 edition of NFPA 101 has already other NFPA standards, such as NFPA 99:
commenced, and there is a number of Health Care Facilities Code, in which fire
potential changes that may impact con- alarm zones and gas cylinder quantities
sulting engineers. It should be noted that have typically been based upon smoke
these potential changes are not final and compartment size.
n Marking of fire barriers, smoke
they are still subject to correlating committee action, public comments, and barriers, and smoke partitions may be
association action. However, the changes required in the 2018 edition of NFPA
101. While such marking is currently
of interest include:
n Adding a requirement for a risk required by the IBC, it has not been
assessment, as required by NFPA 72 for accepted for inclusion in NFPA 101. It
mass notification systems, be performed should be noted that this change has
for new buildings that are part of a college been accepted during technical commitor university system. The originally pro- tee meetings, only to fail the committee
posed language is likely to be revised dur- ballot. A similar outcome could occur
ing the public comment period based upon this revision cycle.
For additional information regardtask group activity and public comments.
However, the intent is to ensure that the ing other changes to the 2015 edirisk assessment is performed when need- tion, or to monitor or submit public
ed. The concern is that decisions are being comments regarding proposed revimade to not provide a mass-notification sions to the 2018 edition of NFPA 101,
system prior to preparing the risk assess- visit www.nfpa.org/101.
ment. Because the requirement currently
exists in the requirements for mass noti- William E. Koffel is president of Koffel
fication systems in NFPA 72, if a decision Associates Inc. He is chair of the NFPA
is made not to provide such a system, the Correlating Committee on Life Safety
and a member of numerous NFPA techrisk assessment would not be prepared.
n Adding language to better address nical committees. He is a member of the
incidents such as active-shooter inci- Consulting-Specifying Engineer editorial
dents in various occupancies. Again, the advisory board.
30
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Designs for
pumping technologies
By making correct pump and piping selections, systems can operate at
or near peak efficiency, avoid cavitation, and maintain a long service life.
With each system type a multitude of options are available to a designer
or engineer; but within these, the best option must be selected
for a given application.
BY MATT DOLAN, PE, LEED AP BD+C, JBA Consulting Engineers, Macau, China
Learning
objectives
Explain the types of pumps
used in HVAC and plumbing
systems.
Model calculations for
pump speed, size, and curve
selection.
Appraise energy-efficient
solutions.
32
aterside pumping
and piping systems
are typically considered less complex
and easier to apply/
design than their airside counterparts.
With greater density and heat transfer
capacity, water can carry the same amount
of energy through a much smaller conduit
than air. This allows pipes to route through
buildings with fewer clashes, and easier
coordination with other trades within
congested plenum spaces than the same
energy transferred within ductwork.
A 2-in. chilled-water pipe is typically
simpler to route through a congested ceiling space than a 30-in. equivalent duct
(using a 16F T for chilled water and 20F
T for air at 2.5 ft/100 ft pipe friction and
0.08 in. wc/100 ft.
With these arguments, people are led
to believe that water systems require
less effort in design and need less skill
to implement than airside systems.
These assumptions, however, hide the
vast array of pumps available to choose,
or the shortened operational life that
can occur from improper engineering
selections.
Pump construction and

material types
A centrifugal pump is the standard

pump type used within commercial
buildings for both HVAC and plumbing
systems. These pumps are made of a volute
casing that houses the impeller, which
rotates to draw water from the suction eye
and discharge it radially out through the
impeller vanes (perpendicular to the drive
shaft). The impeller is attached to the drive
motor either directly or through a separate
drive shaft (closed- or split/flexibly coupled, respectively). The water is directed
out through the discharge nozzle with a
very small quantity of water recirculating
back at the cut water (resulting in pump
inefficiencies as this clearance increases
with reductions in impeller diameter for
a specific volute casing size).
The volute and impeller can be constructed of differing materials depending
upon the requirements of the system. The
typical material types for different HVAC
and plumbing systems are as follows:
HVAC: chilled, heating, and condenser water
Standard materials include a cast
iron volute casing and a bronze impelwww.csemag.com
Figure 1: This image shows chilled-water heat exchangers (green pipe) on the left-hand side, which connects to a condenser-water
circuit (blue/red pipe) for waterside economizer. At the back right are the associated floor-mounted chilled-water pumps and insulated
piping. All graphics courtesy: JBA Consulting Engineers
ler, referred to as a bronze fitted pump.

These material types are typically only
usable for nonpotable, treated water
systems (controlled pH and chemical concentrations), where corrosion
is unlikely, and more of the oxygen
is removed from the system (either
through standard air vents in a closedloop system or through an air separator
in an open-loop condenser water system). The typical pH requirements of
chilled-, heating-, and condenser-water
systems are from 7-9 (slightly alkaline),
with total dissolved solids (TDS) less
than than 1,500 ppm.
Review these values with the specific
equipment to be used within the system,
as they may vary depending upon the
manufacturer. The TDS requirements
are typically used for condenser-water
systems to help define the specific cycles
of concentration that are allowable for
the water system. This is the number
of times the water is able to recirculate
through the piping, pumping, and cooling tower system before it is required
to be drained out of the system and
replaced with freshwater and further
chemical treatment.
www.csemag.com
Plumbing: potable cold, hot, and hotwater recirculation

The standard material used in potable
water booster pumps is stainless steel
volute and impeller. This is due to the
potable-water code requirements for low
lead content within the system, as well
as high levels of oxygen present within
potable water and limited or no water
treatment that is completed.
Though potable-water treatment in
buildings is not common, some designs
introduce chemicals such as chlorine
dioxide, silver ions, or other means of
controlling legionella bacteria beyond
heating the system to approximately
140F. Caution is recommended when
providing additional treatment of potable
water within commercial buildings. In
many instances, these systems must be
permitted and approved by the authority
having jurisdiction (AHJ), as these systems can become a public health hazard if
not properly implemented or maintained.
An item that may require additional
selection and scheduling with a pump
is the respective mechanical seals. The
mechanical seal provides the watertight
seal between the volute casing and the
Figure 2: This shows hot-water boilers and

their associated insulated piping in the mainframe with the floor-mounted heating hot-water
pumps and insulated piping on the bottom
right-hand side.
motor drive shaft where it must connect to drive the impeller. Pump manufacturers provide a standard seal with
each pump, but other options are available from the factory. Seal types can be
as simple as a stuffing box packed with
coated cord until it seals the opening
33
Designs for pumping technologies

between the casing and drive shaft. These
are typically only used for fire-sprinkler
water pumps or in some cooling tower
applications where high levels of TDS
are present. The other typical mechanical
seal uses a stationary seat and a rotating
seal ring pressed against each other by a
spring along with an O-ring elastomer.
There are various types of materials
available for these two parts, depending upon cost and type of water in the
system, from carbon/ceramic to silicon
carbide/silicon carbide (SiC/SiC). SiC/
SiC seals are effective with higher levels
of total dissolved solids, abrasive resistance, and higher-temperature water
systems (when paired with the correct
O-ring, Buna, Viton, or EPDM [ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber],
as required for the temperature of liquid).
One side note to mention regarding
centrifugal pumps is the misconception
of force when talking about pump operation and water flow. The centrifugal
force that is often talked about in pump
books and literature, which is stated as
the force keeping an object following a
curved path from moving away from the
center, is actually a fake force in phys-
ics terms. If you remember your physics

classes, centrifugal force is actually the
result of the inertia of the object trying
to resist the change in movement. The
actual force attributed to this phenomenon is centripetal force, which is the force
that keeps an object in a rotational path
instead of moving in the vector direction
of velocity at a specific point. Centripetal
force acts in the direction perpendicular
to velocity, between the object and the
center of rotation.
Pump selections
Choosing an HVAC pump for a specific duty point has been well covered in
previous articles such as Selecting an
HVAC Pump (May 2015). The article
includes calculations for expected system
pressure drop (total dynamic head) along
with the flow requirements based upon
the heat-capacity requirements. Please
review the article for detailed information regarding net-positive suction head
(NPSH available of the system greater
than the NPSHR [required] of the specific pump), as well as calculating friction
loss in a piping system for both closedand open-loop systems.
Closed-loop systems: These typically

are HVAC chilled- and heating-water
piping systems that are not open to atmosphere. The required pressure loss of the
piping system takes into account only the
full piping loop (distance to the farthest
coil multiplied by two for supply and
return piping) along with all of the equipment and accessory losses in the system
including valves, coils, strainers, etc.
For large piping systems, the friction
loss through elbows is typically considered as an additional 25% to 35% of the
straight length of piping (125% to 135%
total straight piping). For small systems,
this value can be up to 75% to 100% of
the straight pipe length (175% to 200%
total). The physical elbows can be counted as well, but, as engineers know, most
piping designs are not installed identically to the contract drawings.
Using percentages from the straight
length provides a gauge of the overall system schematic, but entry-level
designers/engineers should calculate the
full pressure drop elbow by elbow and
piece by piece for a few systems before
they can be comfortable with using percentage rules without issues.
Figure 3: Split-case pumps are used within a central plant condenser-water system.
34
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The standard pressure drop and velocity used to size closed-loop piping systems are 2.5 ft/100 ft and a maximum of
8 fps (whichever is more stringent for a
pipe size). These are rules of thumb, but
are based upon empirical data from previous system designs. The friction-loss
limitation assists in maintaining flow
at the farthest fixtures and maintaining
velocities below the threshold for acoustical requirements where piping is located adjacent to noise-sensitive areas (as
defined by acoustical-consultant reports.
and the limitation is used for more standard commercial buildings, areas like
theater seating may require additional
flow restrictions).
These values can be exceeded when
present in dedicated mechanical rooms
or where the respective terminal unit
is located close to the pump discharge,
which allows for increased pressure available in the branch circuit. Expected system diversity also should be taken into
account, especially for large systems
where all areas of a facility should not be
occupied simultaneously. This allows the

main utility piping to be reduced in size
from the theoretical combined flow rate,
as only 80% may be used even when the
facility is fully loaded.
The static height of the water column
(for piping serving towers or high-rise
buildings) is only accounted within the
working-pressure requirement of the
pump. The total dynamic head of the
system, along with expansion-tank precharge, is also added to the static height
of water for the pumps working pressure.
The typical pump working pressure is
150 psi as standard with 300 psi available as an option in most cases.
An important item to be mindful of
when designing a closed-loop piping/
pumping system is the inclusion of an
expansion tank to compensate for fluid
expansion between system fill and equipment operation. This is important for
both chilled-water and heating-water
systems, as there is always a temperature
differential between the filled temperature of the system and the operational
Figure 4: Vertical-inline pumps can be used within a central plant condenser-water

system.
36
temperature. This is typically the difference between the groundwater temperature and the maximum temperature
expected in the system.
For an area such as Las Vegas, the
groundwater fill temperature is approximately 60F with a maximum of 85F
for chilled-water systems (when the
chillers are not operational and the system is under flushing or the branch is
stagnant during summer) and upwards
of 180F for heating-water system supply temperatures with a standard noncondensing boiler system. The precharge
pressure of the expansion tank will add
approximately 15 psi to the system pressure to maintain enough pressure at the
top of the system for correct flow through
air handling unit (AHU) coils and other
heat-transfer devices that may exist at the
farthest point in the system.
Pumps used within closed-loop systems include vertical-inline, end-suction, and horizontal/vertical split-case,
though we have recently seen verticalinline pumps used more frequently in
chilled- and heating-water systems due
to their lower vibration and floor-footprint requirements within central plants.
These include small, medium, and large
central plant heating-, chilled-, and condenser-water pumps.
Open-loop systems: Typically, these
include plumbing potable-water and
HVAC condenser-water systems that
have the piping outlet open to atmosphere and intake a larger quantity of
freshwater than closed-loop systems.
The piping length to the furthest outlet
(including elbows, but not the return
piping for domestic water systems as
the hot-water return system uses its own
pump), piping accessories (valves, etc.),
and the vertical height of piping all factor
into the total dynamic head of the pumping system. All of these values also factor
into the working-pressure requirements
of the pump along with the minimum
pressure required at the outlet.
Because of the pressure differences
between open- and closed-loop systems,
certain pump types are more useful than
others. Vertical multistage pumps are
most common for plumbing domestic
www.csemag.com

water booster pump systems. They provide high head with lower flow operation with multiple impellers configured
in series to boost the volume of water to
higher pressures than would be attainable in a standard single impeller. Condenser-water systems typically use standard HVAC-type pumps with high flow
and lower head requirements when the
respective cooling towers are installed at
a lower level (such as in a detached central plant found on many large central
plant system designs).
The standard pressure drop within
open systemsspecifically plumbing
domestic water systemsis defined by
the first fixture served and the last fixture
served. The typical operational limits for
plumbing fixtures is 25 to 30 psi at the
lower end (for proper flush-valve operation, though this may be as high as 60
psi for shower operation for certain highflow body-spray or experience shower
applications) and 80 psi at the upper
end (for maximum acceptable pressures
at flush valves and other fixtures).
The pressure drop per 100 ft can be
determined based upon the total length
of piping (from the pump to the fixture in
one direction) and the difference between
the upper and lower pressure limits. This
can provide a much higher pressure drop
per 100 ft than some closed-loop systems, but designers/engineers also must
be mindful of the local-code-limited
velocities for domestic cold- and hotwater systems (which may be as low as 5
fps for hot-water systems).
Open-loop systems do not require
expansion tanks, but for domesticwater booster pumps, a hydropneumatic
tank is commonly provided within the
booster-pump skid to reduce the run
time and cycling of the pump. This
precharged tank is maintained at the
system pressure and drawn down by
the attached plumbing system before
the booster pump is required to start,
thereby reducing the number of start/
stop cycles required of the pump (this
prolongs pump operating life).
Some booster pump manufacturers
state that by using a multipump variable
38
frequency drive (VFD) arrangement in a

packaged multistage system, the hydropneumatic tank is not required. It is
still recommended to include the tank
unless there are structural issues with
the weight of water or space constraints.
These tanks are precharged at the system pressure and provide a buffer water
volume to prevent continual cycling of
the booster pumps (reducing start/stop
times per day), which assists in increasing the overall pump longevity.
Impeller trimming
To trim or not to trim? For many years,

trimming was clearly the best answer
to this question. Trimming is the act
of trimming the impeller (reducing its
diameter within a fixed-volute casing).
This is easily defined on most all pumpperformance curves where the curved
lines descending from peak efficiency
(maximum diameter) are shown to meet
specific system duty requirements. For
constant-volume systems, trimming the
impeller is a typical method of meeting the duty point of the system (total
dynamic head and volumetric flow rate)
with a standard pump.
The main detriment of trimming
the impeller is loss of pump efficiency.
This is graphically shown on the pump
curve, as the curves move farther from
the peak efficiency curve, but the loss of
pump efficiency is physically a product
of the increase cutwater clearance that
allows more water to bypass the discharge outlet and recirculate with the
impeller. The other main difficulty with
trimming the impeller is if the installed
system requires additional head to meet
the scheduled flow, the only option is
to purchase another larger impeller and
retrofit the pump.
For current pump systems where VFDs
are common, requirements to trim the
impeller are becoming less, which allows
systems to reach higher levels of efficiency while maintaining the system flow
and pressure requirements. These are
not able to fix all situations, but a VFD
may allow the pump impeller to remain
at its maximum size while reducing the
frequency and speed of the pump to meet

the required system conditions of flow
and pressure.
Pump speed and curve selection
Three main operational speeds are

available from pump manufacturers, each
with its specific application. These are as
follows:
n 1,150 rpm: Used for low-head
and high-flow applications, such
as condenser-water applications
where the cooling towers are
installed at grade level just above
the level of the pumps.
n 1,750 rpm: Used for most typical
pump applications, such as most
chilled- and heating-water applications.
n 3,500 rpm: Used for high-head
and low-flow applications, such
as domestic-water booster pump
system applications. Though these
may have increased wear on the
bearings due to the higher speed
operation.
Two types of pump curves are available to designers/engineers as described

below with the following definitions
and uses:
n Flat curves:
Flat pump curves are defined as
those in which their pump head
rises less than 25% from the operational point to the shut-off head.
Flat curves can offer better efficiencies with variable volume systems.
n Steep curves:
Steep curves are more conservative
when the actual pump head cannot
be measured (or calculated) accurately.
They allow for more variation with
pump head while maintaining a
similar flow volume.
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Flow and friction loss
Two equations that should always be

presented when referencing pumping
systems are as follows:
Heat flow with chilled/heating water
systems.
Q = ((Cp * p * 60 minute/hour)/
.
7.48 gal/ft3) * V * T
Where
Q = heat flow (Btu/hour)
Cp = Specific heat of water at 60F
(1.0 Btu/lbsF)
= Density of water at 60F
(62.37 lbs/ft3/7.48 gal/ft3 =
8.34 lbs/gal)
V = Volumetric flow rate (gal/minute)
T = Temperature differential (F)
At standard conditions, this simplifies down to the equation with which

most engineers/designers should be
.
familiar: Q = 500 * V * T
This equation is used with typical
chilled-water/heating-water coil selections and provides a direct correlation between the space cooling/heating
requirements (provided by heated or
cooled air) and the chilled- and/or heating-water piping systems.
Piping friction losses for both closed
and open systems.
2
hL = f * ( Dl ) * ( v2 * g )
(Darcy-Weisbach equation)
Where
hL = head loss (ft of water)
f = friction factor
l = pipe length (ft)
D = internal diameter of piping (ft)
V = velocity (ft/second)
g = gravitational constant
(32.174 ft/seconds2)
This calculation is not often used with
the prevalence of pipe-sizing wheels
within engineering offices, but it is very
useful when working with nonstandard
fluids (glycol solutions, for example).
Energy efficiency conclusions
Energy efficiency for pumps is not

well regarded. Oftentimes, a designer
will select the quickest pump that meets
the required flow and total dynamic
head requirements without regard for
where the point falls on the pump curve
or what size impeller is necessary.
Designers and engineers need to be
aware of what the pump curve should
look like and what design assumptions
they have made that may be influenced
or modified for the installed condition.
They should pay particular attention to
these when reviewing submittals prepared by others.
The commercial building is not a
perfect world. Clashes, rerouting, and
venue/design changes all happen and
can impact the pump selections that
may have already been purchased and
installed on site. Flexibility and energy
efficiency are key.
The presented information is a broad
coverage of the types of pumps, construction, materials, performance selections,
and others needed to properly calculate
and specify a pumping system. Many
qualified outlets are available to review
further information when it comes to specific scheduled options or pump models
available for an application.
Matt Dolan is a senior project engineer
with JBA Consulting Engineers. His expertise is in designing complex HVAC and
plumbing systems for various building
types, such as commercial offices, health
care facilities, and hospitality complexes
including numerous high-rise guestroom
towers and restaurants.
39
Every quarter,
ConsultingSpecifying
Engineer conducts
research studies
on the industries
serviced by the
publication:
Electrical and Power
Fire and Life Safety
HVAC/BAS
Lighting
Download the Consulting-Specifying

Engineer Editorial Research Studies:
www.csemag.com/
media-library/research
Updates to
ASHRAE 90.1
An update of ASHRAE Standard 90.1 looks at building envelope,

HVAC, plumbing, lighting, and elevators and escalators. The bulk of
the article focuses on the 2013 edition, with a look at 2016 addenda
that are already approved.
BY JEFF BOLDT, PE, HBDP, LEED AP, FP, KJWW Engineering Consultants, Madison, Wis.;
LEONARD SCIARRA, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Gensler, Chicago;
MICHAEL ROSENBERG, LEED AP, CEM, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Wash.; and
ERIC RICHMAN, LC, FIES, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, Wash.
Learning
objectives
List changes to ASHRAE 90.1,
both the 2010 and 2013 editions.
Preview the approved changes
in ASHRAE 90.1-2016.
Explain the approved and other
significant in-process addenda
in all disciplines since the 2013
edition was published.
40
SHRAE Standard 90.1:

Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings continues to evolve and increase
energy savings in buildings (see Figure
1). Some states enforce older codes, such
as the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and ASHRAE
90.1-2007, while others have updated
to 2012 IECC/ASHRAE 90.1-2010, and
a few states have adopted 2015 IECC/
ASHRAE 90.1-2013. (The article Whats
new in ASHRAE 90.1-2013 in the January 2014 issue of Consulting-Specifying
Engineer covered the 2013 changes, not
including lighting.)
One major change that affects both
envelope and mechanical systems is
that the climate zones were updated to
match those in the 2013 edition ASHRAE
Standard 169: Climatic Data for Building Design. For example, this moved the
southern half of Wisconsin from climate
zone 6 to climate zone 5, reflecting warming trends in the weather data and realigning of political and geographic borders to
more accurately reflect the weather data.

This also added climate zone 0, because
there are places in the world that are much
hotter than areas like Miami, which is in
climate zone 1.
Building envelope 2013 changes
Insulation values for wall and window

U-factor and solar heat gain coefficient
(SHGC) were made more stringent. The
window-to-wall-ratio requirement, however, remained the same at 40%. Note, the
window-to-wall ratio in 2012 IECC is 30%.
The standard expanded the areas where
daylighting (called toplighting) is required
in several large space types, and modified
the way the window orientation/area provisions are calculated. The other change
is that the envelope-only trade-off option
rules were updated so one can use current whole-building energy simulation
software.
Building envelope 2016 changes
Of the many in process addendums,

three stand out. First, minimum heating
and cooling capacities that make a space
www.csemag.com
Improvements to ASHRAE Standard 90.1 (1975 to 2013)
Figure 1: This shows

the progression of energy savings in ASHRAE
Standard 90.1. Since
1975, the ASHRAE 90.1
standard has continued
to evolve and increase
energy savings in buildings. The latest edition,
2013, prescribes an
energy-use baseline that
is about 50% less than
what was mandated in
the 1975 version. Courtesy: PNNL
fall into the heated

or cooled categories
were reduced. Second,
changes were made to
the fenestration U-factor and SHGC, with
some additional modifications made to
the fenestration orientation provisions as
well. And third, a new section was added
that begins to address air-leakage inspections. While the performance requirements have not changed, the standard
will clarify that an inspection and verification program must be documented.
HVAC, plumbing 2013 changes
The reheat limitations were modified

in the 2013 edition to require a reduction in flow to 20% in deadband, and were
relaxed to allow up to 50% flow at peak
heating. This increases energy efficiency
in deadband (assuming that ASHRAE
Standard 62.1 is satisfied) and lowers first
cost, but increases energy use at times
when peak heating is needed.
Direct digital control (DDC) requirements were added. These require DDC
for most new building air-handling systems, chilled-water, and heating plants. A
table details criteria that require DDC for
new buildings, alterations, and additions.
HVAC, plumbing 2016 changes
In the 2016 edition, hotels/motels with

more than 50 guest rooms are required
to have automatic controls for each guest
room that raise the cooling and lower
www.csemag.com
the heating setpoint temperature by

4F within 30 minutes of all occupants
leaving the room. When unrented, the
setpoint shall be 80F in cooling and
60F in heating. Networked rooms are
permitted to return to occupied temperatures 60 minutes prior to expected
occupancy.
In this edition, 1/12- to 1-hp electric
motors now have minimum efficiency
requirements that push the industry
toward 3-phase or electronically commutated motors (ECM). In many of
these applications, ECMs are becoming
more popular because of the wide speed
variation compared to small, 3-speed
permanent-split capacitor (PSC) motors.
Significant increases were made to
minimum efficiencies for variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems.
Vestibule heating is prohibited when
the outside air temperature is above 45F.
The cooling setpoint shall not be below
85F, and the heating setpoint shall not
be above 60F.
Variable flow is required for hydronic systems with three or more control valves. Variable speed control is
required for pumps with motors larger
than 5 hp. One of two control methods
is required:
Differential pressure control that

senses pressure near the critical heat
exchanger plus reset of the differential
setpoint based on valve position
Chilled- or heated-water temperature
reset based on valve positions.
Duct-sealing requirements were clarified to avoid confusion with examples
in the Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors National Association
(SMACNA) HVAC Air Duct Leakage
Test Manual.
The fan-power credit for fully ducted
systems was revised to only give credit
to systems required by code or accreditation standards to be fully ducted. This
removes the credit from systems such as
ducted return systems in office buildings
that could use return-air plenums.
The wording of the fan-power allowance
for heat-recovery systems was modified to
clarify the order of the calculation steps.
Lighting section 2010 changes
The 2010 version of Standard 90.1

currently is the basis for the building
energy-code requirements in many
states. For lighting, the requirements
cover the two main categories of lighting
41
ASHRAE 90.1
power density (LPD) limits and controls.
Each must be separately complied with
to ensure effective energy savings that is
a combination of just the wattage needed
to provide effective light and controls to
turn it off when not needed.
The LPD-limit requirement for a building specifies the total amount of power
that can be used to light the building.
These total limits are prescribed separately
for both interior and exterior parts of the
facility. For interior areas, there are two possible prescriptive compliance options. The
building-area method provides one total
lighting power limit for the entire interior
of the building.
The space-by-space method provides
separate limits for each different space
type, and the total limit for the building
is calculated as the sum of the individual
allowances based on the size of each space.
In either case, the total limit for the building
is the value used for building compliance.
For exterior compliance, only an individual area (space) compliance method is
provided. This method is applied in a similar manner as the interior space-by-space
method, with the total exterior limit being
the sum of the individual exterior area

limits. It is useful to clarify that for both
interior and exterior applications, it is the
total allowance that is used to determine
compliance with the standard and not the
individual space allowances. This means
that the standard does not care how much
of the total power is used in each space or
area as long as the total for the interior of
the building does not exceed its total interior limit and the total for the exterior does
not exceed the total exterior limit.
It is also important to note that there
are many exceptions to the types of lighting that must be included as part of compliance with the standard. In the 2010 edition of the standard, there are 18 different
lighting applications that do not have to
be counted toward the interior LPD limits. These typically are specific nongeneral
lighting applications, such as for theatrical stage performance, plant growth,
and exit signs. There also are 12 exterior
lighting applications that do not have
to be counted for compliance, including lighting for industrial production,
searchlights, theme elements in amusement parks, and directional signage.
The control requirements in 2010

specify which controls must be applied
to the various space types or applications
within a building or similarly to exterior spaces or applications. The primary
control requirement for all interior lighting is automatic shutoff of general and
task lighting when not needed. This can
be accomplished with either a schedule
for after-hours shutoff or occupancybased sensors that turn off lights when
the space is empty. Some spaces are also
further required to have the specific
occupancy-based sensor shutoff of general lighting. This includes classroom,
conference, lunch, storage, copy/print,
individual office, restroom, and locker
room-type spaces.
All spaces, with some exceptions, are
also required to provide the occupant
with the ability to turn off at least 30%
of the space lighting when not needed.
The control of electric lighting when
sufficient daylight exists in a space
also is required. This requirement has
minimum area requirements before the
control is required, such as 250 sq ft for
sidelighting applications (windows) and
Figure 2: Exterior-lighting power limits depend on location zones. For ASHRAE Standard 90.1 and the IECC, the external-lighting
power limits have been categorized by exterior location. The categorizations have been developed to try to match commonly
understood zoning descriptions. Courtesy: PNNL
42
www.csemag.com
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ASHRAE 90.1
900 sq ft for overhead daylighting applications (skylights).
Another control requirement for the
interior of buildings applies specifically
to indoor parking garage areas. This set of
requirements includes daylighting control
(where applicable), zone lighting power
reduction based on detected occupancy, and
allowances for daylight-transition zones for
entries and exits from the garage. A final set
of requirements lists seven specific applications where control of that lighting must be
separate from general lighting or have additional specific requirements. These specific
applications include guestrooms, display
and case lighting, task lighting, stairwells,
nonvisual, and demonstration lighting.
The control requirements for exterior applications start with automatic
shutoff of lighting when there is sufficient daylight. This would typically

be the standard photocell control used
on many parking and streetlights. The
requirements also include shutoff of
facade and landscape lighting before
and after business hours. The remaining exterior lighting is required to be
turned down by at least 30% either
after hours or when no occupancy is
detected. Additional requirements
in the standard include specific procedures for the functional testing of
lighting controls to ensure that the
lights will effectively capture expected
energy savings as well as requirements
for manuals and drawings of installed
lighting systems to be provided to
building operators.
The 2013 version of Standard 90.1 saw

several clarification changes and some
major updates with significant energysavings potential.
The lighting control requirements were
significantly increased by adding controls
and applying the existing control requirements to a wider list of space types. This
change was implemented with a revised
and expanded LPD-limit table that now
includes the applicable control requirements by space type. The added controls included occupancy-based partial
automatic-on and partial automatic-off.
The partial automatic-on requirement
specifies that only 50% of the general
lighting can be automatically turned on
based on sensing occupants in the space.
LED operating room

lighting saves energy
ED operating room lights are becoming popular because of their

color-rendering index (CRI), and, in some cases, adjustable color
temperature. Another benefit, however, is the associated HVAC savings.

A standard quartz-halogen operating room light discharges most of its
energy in the beam of visible and infrared light. This warms the surgical
team greatly. On the other hand, LED lights emit the energy in their visible light (perhaps 20% of the total energy) forward, toward the surgical
team, and the rest of the input energy is convected on the back of the
fixtures. This means that the surgical team is subjected to much less
infrared heat. The secondary effect of this is that surgical teams often
set the room temperature several degrees higher. This makes it much
easier to comply with the 60% maximum relative humidity requirement
in ASHRAE Standard 170: Ventilation of Health Care Facilities and the
Facility Guidelines Institute Guidelines for Design and Construction of
Hospitals and Outpatient Facilities.
The HVAC energy savings are generally many times greater than the
electrical energy savings. A sample calculation is shown below:
One operating room:
Halogen exam light
Lighting 250 W (each)
HVAC (60F at 60% relative humidity (RH) = 45F dewpoint) = 19 kW
LED exam light
Lighting 65 W (each)
HVAC (65F at 60% RH = 50F dewpoint) = 13 kW
44
Figure 3: LED operating room lights emit the majority of their

input energy to the back of the fixtures, subjecting the surgical team to much less infrared heat. As a result, surgical
teams often set the room temperature several degrees higher. This makes it much easier to comply with the 60% maximum relative humidity requirement in ASHRAE Standard 170
and the FGI Guidelines for the Design and Construction of
Hospitals and Outpatient Facilities. Courtesy: KJWW
www.csemag.com
ASHRAE 90.1
Standard 90.1 space-type models, which
change the LPD limit. In this case, many
space-type LPD values went down, some
did not change, and a few went up. These
changes also caused some of the wholebuilding LPD values to drop.
A change to the alterations section
added specific control requirements. For
this version of the standard, any interior
lighting alteration that requires compliance with the LPD limits also must comply with the basic after-hours automatic
shutoff. Exterior applications must also
comply with the shutoff when sufficient
daylight is available and after-hours faade
and landscape lighting shut off.
Figure 4: The lighting section of ASHRAE

Standard 90.1 specifies which lighting controls must be applied to the various space
types or applications within a building or
similarly to exterior spaces or applications. The control requirements for exterior
applications start with automatic shutoff of
lighting when there is sufficient daylight.
Courtesy: KJWW
The remaining lighting must be activated

directly by occupant choice. The partial
automatic-off ensures that at least 50%
of the general lighting in the space is
turned off when no occupants are in the
space. This is applied to spaces where full
automatic-off may be a safety issue or a
building-function issue such as in corridors, library stacks, and lobbies.
Changes also were made to the interior LPD limits based on the publication
of the new edition of the Illuminating
Engineering Society (IES) Lighting Handbook. The models used to determine the
LPD values in ASHRAE 90.1 are based
on the task-lighting-level recommendations provided by IES. When a new version of the handbook comes out, some
recommendations change, and these
are typically then incorporated into the
46
Many changes for lighting requirements are working their way through
the process. Several could be considered
clarification while others will have significant impact on construction practice
as well as energy savings.
One important change that has already
been approved as part of the supplement
to the 2013 edition of Standard 90.1 is an
increase in the lighting control requirements for alteration projects. Previously,
only automatic shutoff based on a schedule
or occupancy sensing was required.
The new requirements call for most of the
same controls that are currently required
for new construction. These include occupancy-based control and bi-level control in
most spaces, but excludes the daylighting
controls required for new construction. The
inclusion of these new control requirements
will increase the work required to comply
with applicable energy codes for alterations
in many spaces, but is expected to be more
than offset by additional energy savings
from the controls.
The daylighting controls required for
new construction are not included for
alteration projects in the 2016 version. The
complexities of this control type are still
considered unduly cumbersome for many
alteration situations. There is also an exception for simple alteration projects that are
just retrofits involving changing only lamp
and ballast combinations within fixtures.
For these simple retrofits, compliance only
with the LPD limits is required and no additional controls need to be added.
A significant change that is working its
way through the system to become part of
the 2016 edition is a modification of the
interior and exterior LPD limits. These
changes are based on the introduction of
LED lighting as a major basis for the determination of the LPD limits. LED technology has been steadily making its way into
the mainstream commercial markets for
many years. The promise of increased
energy savings with LED lighting was a
driver in considering it for inclusion in
the 2013 version of the standard; but at the
time, there was still much concern about
availability and variability of products.
With 3 additional years of LED technology and product development, there are
now plenty of good products available to
provide complete confidence that LED
technology can be successfully used as a
basis for reducing energy use in buildings.
Another proposed change will require
occupancy-based lighting control in outdoor parking areas. This requirement will
only apply to shorter (24-ft or less) poles
with significant lighting-fixture wattage
(78 W or more) and only require 50%
power reduction when no activity in the
area of the pole is detected.
In the interest of simplicity, another
set of additions to the standard adds 1
pagesimplified compliance paths for
office, retail, and school facilities. These
alternate compliance methods offer users
with more simplified and/or smaller facilities an easier way to comply without working through the entire lighting section to
determine applicable compliance items.
Compliance requirements may be a little
tighter with these methods; but for simpler or smaller buildings, these should be
easy to comply with and require much less
documentation and plan evaluation.
Another change that is in process and
likely to be included in the 2016 version of
the standard involves voltage-drop limits.
This clarification notes that the maximum
allowed voltage drop for a buildings electrical system is 5% for combined feeder
and branch electrical systems instead of
separate values.
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ASHRAE 90.1
Elevators and escalators
In ASHRAE 90.1-2010, requirements

were added for lighting and ventilationfan efficiency and for shutoff of lighting
and ventilation after 15 minutes of no
activity. In ASHRAE 90.1-2013, escalator
and fast-walk speed control were added
to reduce energy use when unused.
It is possible, but perhaps not likely,
that ASHRAE 90.1-2016 will add elevator movement efficiency requirements.
An ISO standard has been approved and
the only thing delaying code approval is
elevator industry adoption and rating of
the available products.
Performance rating
method 2016 changes
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Addendum bm makes two major

changes to Appendix G for 2016. First, it
allows Appendix G to be used as a path
for compliance with the standard in addition to rating beyond code performance
of buildings. This prevents modelers
from having to develop separate building
models for code compliance and beyond
code programs. Using this new version of
Appendix G to show compliance with the
2016 version of the standard, the proposed
building design needs to have a performance-cost index (PCI) less than targets
shown in a new table based on building
type and climate zone.
The second change is that the baseline
design is now fixed at a stable level of
performance set approximately equal to
the 2004 edition. The stringency of the
baseline will not change with subsequent
versions of the standard. Instead, compliance with new versions of the standard
will simply require a reduced PCI (a PCI
of 0 is a net zero building).
Using this approach, buildings of any
era can be rated using the same method.
The intent is that any building energy
code or beyond code program can use
this methodology and merely set the
appropriate PCI for their needs. The multiple uses and stable baseline will encourage the development of software tools that
automate creation of the baseline building, as the market will be larger and the
useful life of the software is extended.
48
This path should eventually replace the

Chapter 11 performance method because
it gives credit for design choices that were
previously not credited, such as optimized window-to-wall ratio, right-sizing
of HVAC equipment, optimized building
orientation, and using HVAC system types
that are more efficient (instead of always
comparing performance against a model
building with the same HVAC system).
ASHRAE Standard 90.1 continues to
push the limits of economical energy
conservation. The standard is required to
meet lifecycle cost limits for all proposals. A designer who is looking for energy
savings can be confident that a 2013 or
2016 addendum that passed or even was
issued for public review is economical.
Designers should start with the items
approved in newer versions of Standard
90.1 when suggesting energy-reduction
measures to their clients.
Jeff Boldt is a principal and director of engineering for KJWW Engineering Consultants
and a voting member of the ASHRAE 90.1
Committee, its mechanical subcommittee,
and ASHRAE 189.1.
Leonard Sciarra is a senior associate,
project architect, technical director, and
sustainability leader with Gensler; he currently serves as chair of the ASHRAE 90.1
envelope subcommittee and is past chair of
the Chicago chapter of the AIA Committee
on the Environment.
Michael Rosenberg, senior research scientist
at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, has
worked in the building energy field for more
than 20 years upgrading building energy
codes, training code officials and design professionals, designing high-performance buildings, analyzing complex building systems, and
developing and administering beyond-code
energy programs.
Eric Richman, senior research engineer
at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,
is currently the chairman of the ASHRAE
90.1 lighting subcommittee and has been
involved in the standards development
since 1995.
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Motors,
drives, and HVAC efficiency

Engineers must understand how the components
in the HVAC systems they design use power and
how they can be optimized without compromising
traditional design values. Motors and drives are
shown in relation to the design of HVAC systems.
BY JOHN YOON, PE, LEED AP, McGuire Engineers Inc., Chicago
Learning objectives
Demonstrate how the energy codes directly
affect motor and drive design.
Compare 6-, 12-, 18-pulse, and active front-end
variable frequency drive (VFD) technologies.
Understand how VFD selection impacts
power quality.
Apply products and systems within HVAC
design to improve energy efficiency.
50
lthough variable frequency drives (VFDs)

have been used in HVAC
applications for a long
time, the focus hasnt
extended much beyond basic functional
and budgetary concerns. It is generally
understood that using a VFD can allow
for significant energy savings through
the affinity laws. It is also understood
that with certain types of fan systems
like variable air volume (VAV) systems,
VFD use is more or less required. However, ongoing changes in applicable codes
and standards have effectively eliminated
many other HVAC design options and
made the use of VFDs a de facto requirement in many situations.
Code evolution
Design engineers are often caught

off guard by energy-code changes. In
many cases, the changes seem to add
unjustified expense and complexity to
www.csemag.com
Figure 1: This is an internal view of a standard 12-pulse variable frequency drive (VFD) in a freestanding enclosure. The phase shift
transformer typical of this design is clearly visible in the lower left corner of the cabinet. All graphics courtesy: McGuire Engineers
HVAC systems that worked fine before.

While engineers usually focus on specific aspects of designs, there is a need
to take a step back to get a broader perspective on the external influences that
will continue to push the designs toward
increased energy efficiency.
A countrys energy usage and economy
are linked. Although the relationship is
changing in highly developed countries
where there is a shift away from the industrial sector, a growing economy will generally result in increased electrical usage.
Global events like the 1973-74 energy crisis and the two Gulf Wars can destabilize
the cost of energy, with major repercussions on a countrys economy. The changes
that we are seeing now in our energy codes
are actually the result of ongoing federal
legislation that can be traced back 40 years.
It should come as no surprise that
major federal energy legislation (Energy
Policy and Conservation Act of 1975,
Energy Policy Act of 1992, Energy Independence and Security Act [EISA] of
2007) immediately followed major global
events that impacted the cost of energy.
That same energy legislation directly
resulted in the energy codes and standards that affect our designs. Although
projections from the U.S. Energy Information Administration would seem to
indicate that the long-term trend is for
economic growth to decouple from energy usage, the basic relationship should
remain valid through 2040.
So, what exactly is the goal of energy
codes and standards? The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is responsible for
national energy policy and has federal
statutory authority for the evaluation
of energy codes and standards. They
are given this authority through energy
codes ability to affect public health and
welfare. Energy codes and standards help
ensure the public health and welfare by:
Reducing dependence on foreign
energy by increasing efficiency and
www.csemag.com
Figure 2: A generic electrical schematic is shown for a 6-pulse variable frequency

drive (VFD).
Figure 3: Shown is a generic electrical schematic for a 12-pulse variable frequency

drive (VFD).
promoting alternate sources

of energy
Protecting consumers through
adoption of consistent standards
Providing for a more reliable
electrical utility gird
Promoting economic development.
Efficiency in motors and VFDs is a
prime target for any energy code or stan-
dard. The International Energy Agency

(IEA) estimates that electric motordriven systems account for 43% to 46%
of global electricity consumption (7,108
terrawatt-hours [TWh]/year). Most of
this is in the industrial sector. However,
commercial building usage still accounts
for 1,412 TWh/year.
These are incredibly big numbers and it
can be difficult to truly grasp their magnitude1 TWh is equal to 1 billion kWh.
So, while an increase of a few percentage points in efficiency for an individual
51
Motors, drives, and HVAC efficiency

motor may not seem significant, it should
be clear that small changes in industrywide motor-system efficiency standards
can dramatically impact global energy
consumption.
Delay in adoption of codes
While both are driven by federal

energy legislation, there is a distinction
between energy codes and industry standards. Standards typically apply to specific types of equipment like ac induction
motors or centrifugal chillers. Energy
codes apply to how that equipment is
integrated into engineered systems.
While new energy-code requirements
may seem overwhelming, what many
specifying engineers dont realize is that
HVAC equipment manufacturers have
been coping with these same problems
for a longer period of time. The changes
in the minimum federal efficiency standards that are referenced in the energy
codes generally take place well in advance
of their incorporation into those codes.

For example, lets look at the timeline for
general-purpose squirrel-cage induction
motors that are governed by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association
(NEMA) MG 1 industry standard:
EISA 2007 mandates NEMA
Premium efficiency levels for
motors. Before this, there were
both minimum standard-efficiency
and premium-efficiency offerings.
NEMA MG 1-2009 incorporates
these as new minimum efficiency
levels.
MG 1-2009 became effective
Dec. 19, 2010.
ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2013 and
International Energy Conservation
Code (IECC) 2015 incorporates
these MG 1-2009 requirements.
Figure 4: This shows a generic electrical schematic for a 18-pulse variable frequency
drive (VFD).
52
DOE gets up to 12 months to

determine if these energy codes
would effectively improve energy
efficiency.
Each state is required to certify
within 2 years that its commercial
energy code is in compliance with
the new code.
All new motors currently in the marketplace should meet the minimum efficiency standards in MG 1-2009, but most
states, as of December 2015, still havent
adopted either ASHRAE 90.1-2013 or
IECC 2015, which mandate their use in
new construction.
Motors, VFDs, and the energy code
Motors are present in almost every

piece of HVAC equipment that we specify and drive their overall energy usage.
However, barring unforeseen technological innovations, continuing increases in
NEMA MG 1 efficiency requirements
are not sustainable. Motors are commodity products, and recent increases in
efficiency can be attributed to adopting
previously premium product requirements and making those the base-level
standard. With each increase in motor
efficiency, the associated manufacturing
cost increases and, at some point, the
improved efficiency no longer justifies
the additional costs.
Given the diminishing returns associated with further increasing motor efficiency, the next obvious target is to focus
how those motors are integrated and controlled within systems. With most HVAC
systems, the peak-load/design-day condition represents a small percentage of the
overall operating hours for that system.
When considered in conjunction with
the affinity laws, being able to operate
motors at reduced speed/horsepower to
meet actual load requirements clearly has
the potential for dramatic energy savings.
The increasing importance of part-load
efficiency is not only reflected in the energy codes, but also in evolving industry
standards for several types of HVAC equipment. The Air-Conditioning, Heating,
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and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) is the
manufacturers trade association that sets
standards for most HVAC, refrigeration,
and water-heating equipment. AHRI has
set efficiency standards for many types
of air conditioning equipment including
chillers, condensing units, air-cooled heat
pumps, etc. These standards often mandate minimum efficiency requirements
for not just full-load but also for part-load
conditions.
These part-load efficiency requirements will take a weighted average of
the equipments relative efficiency at
multiple different load levels (25%, 50%,
75%, and 100% load). This weighted
average is more representative of how
the equipment will be used in a reallife application. Case in point: Chillers
have different efficiency requirements
for full load (FL) versus integrated part
load values (IPLV). Large air conditioners have similar requirements where
the full load energy-efficiency ratio
(ERR) will be different than the integrated energy-efficiency ratio (IEER).
Achieving these part-load efficiency
requirements is generally accomplished
by controlling the motors within that
equipment with VFDs.
It is interesting to note that while there

are minimum industry efficiency standards for motors per NEMA MG 1, there
are no corresponding industry standards
for VFDs yet.
ASHRAE 90.1 and IECC requirements
This shifting emphasis from equipment efficiency to system efficiency

is reflected in each subsequent edition
of the energy code. Again, efficiency
requirements for specific pieces of equipment are somewhat transparent in that
most HVAC equipment and components
already meet the applicable NEMA and
AHRI efficiency standards.
Lets look at ASHRAE 90.1/IECC
requirements as they directly relate to
motors and VFDs. While there are some
differences, both codes typically require
some type of control to reduce flow under
part-load conditions for hydronic and air
systems. Here are some examples:
Fan systems serving multiple zones
shall be VAV systems (IECC 2012
and 2015).
VAV supply fans that control space
temperature by airflow must have
Motor affinity law, variable torque

Percent of full torque/power
120
100
80
60
40
Power
20
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Percent of full-rated speed
80
90
100
Figure 5: Variable torque loads include the centrifugal fans and pumps that are
commonplace in HVAC design. While several variables are not taken into account
(parasitic loads, minimum pressure requirements, etc.), this graph should provide a
general understanding of the basic relationship between speed/torque and power for
these types of loads.
54
the capability to reduce fan motor

demand to 30% power at 50%
design air volume and one-third
of total design static pressure. This
is applicable to both Standard 90.1
and IECC, but each code has different thresholds for the minimum
motor horsepower where this
applies.
Multizone systems that adjust
cooling capacity based on space,
temperature, at least two stages of
fan control (66% and 40% of full
speed), are required for systems
larger than 65,000 Btu/h, effective
Jan. 1, 2016, under both ASRHAE
90.1-2013 and IECC 2015.
Pumps in hydronic systems with a
combined motor capacity of 10 hp
or larger need to automatically vary
fluid flow by not less than 50%. Typical to both Standard 90.1 and IECC.
Torque
Figure 6: A small 6-pulse variable frequency drive (VFD) has a lead-lag controller serving a pair of 5 hp fan motors
within a makeup air unit.
Under Standard 90.1 (both 2010

and 2013), the individual motor
5 hp in hydronic variable-flow
systems with a total system power
exceeding 10 hp must also meet
the 30% power at 50% flow
requirement.
Under Standard 90.1-2010, singlezone VAV with fans 5-hp and greater
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must be able to reduce their speed to
the larger of 50% or the minimum
speed necessary to meet ventilation
requirements. Direct-expansion (DX)
units with a capacity of 100,000 Btu/h
must be able to reduce speed to twothirds or the minimum speed necessary to meet ventilation requirements.
Standard 90.1-2013 was revised and
makes no distinction between multizone and single-zone VAV.
n Heat-rejection equipment fan
controlfan motors 7.5 hp shall
have the capability to operate at
two-thirds full speed with associated automatic controls (per both
Standard 90.1-2010/2013 and IECC
2012/2015).
While this isnt intended to be a comprehensive review of the energy-code
requirements, it should be noted that

theres a reoccurring theme to have the
ability to reduce flow to 50% and that
the power required at half speed should
be no more than 30% of that required
at full speed. In fan systems, both codes
allow for multiple means of compliance
with these control requirements. These
include mechanical or electrical variable
speed drives (VSDs), vane-axial fans with
variable-pitch blades, or other controls
and devices.
So, if were not specifically required
to use VFDs, why are we forced to use
them? If we look at means of adjusting flow in VAV systems, we can see
that many of the traditional ways to
accomplish this dont meet the 30%
p ower consumpt ion at 50% f low
requirement. The following is a summary from the ASHRAE 90.1 Users
Manual of various VAV-control methodologies:
n Air foil fan with discharge dampersdoes not meet efficiency
requirement.
n Forward curved fan with discharge
dampersdoes not meet efficiency
requirement.
n Air foil fan with inlet guide vanes
does not meet efficiency requirement.
n Forward curved fan with inlet
guide vanesdoes not meet efficiency requirement.
n Vane-axial fan with variable-pitch
bladesmay meet the requirement
in some circumstances.
n Any fan with variable-speed controlgenerally meets the minimum
efficiency requirement.
Figure 7: This 6-pulse variable frequency

drive (VFD) shows the relatively small
size of the 6-pulse VFD compared to the
rest of the unit.
56
Actual fan performance will vary

depending on multiple factors like static
pressure sensor location, fan selection,
etc. But, in general, variable-speed control with VFDs becomes the de facto
means of compliance with this 50%

flow/30% power requirement.
Changes to control requirements
VFDs are inherently capable of

smoothly modulating motor speed.
However, there are currently no specific mandates in the energy code for
use of VFDs or continuously variable/
modulating flow control to meet the
power-reduction requirements. VFDs
usually represent the best path to code
compliance, but the current speed-control requirements in the code only list
discrete percentages of full-load speed
(40%, 50%, or 66%, depending on the
system controlled).
When you consider the power-speed
relationship defined by the affinity laws,
the gaps in these steps are dramatic. They
leave an incredible amount of potential
energy savings on the table. Ultimately,
this gap can be attributed to two factors:
inconsistent application/design of control systems and a lack of an industry
standard for efficiency of VFDs.
There are currently no North American efficiency standards for VFDs similar
to NEMA MG 1 for induction motors.
Its impossible to mandate efficiency for
a particular product when there are no
industry standards for how to consistently measure the efficiency of that product.
While direct digital control (DDC)
systems generally are accepted in commercial HVAC systems, the primary
challenge aside from initial installation
cost for DDC systems is having uniform
design guidelines that can produce consistent, quantifiable improvements over
existing baseline systems. Seemingly
innocuous guidelines in the code, like
defining the proper location of static
pressure sensors in VAV systems, are laying the groundwork for this eventuality.
While there are multiple variables that
can affect overall efficiency in complex
HVAC systems, the basic affinity-law
relationships remain valid. It is anticipated that fully modulating control will
eventually be required as the cost of DDC
and VFDs continue to fall and the industry agrees on VFD efficiency standards.
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Harmonic distortion
With the changes in the energy code,

it is inevitable that the use of VFDs will
increase. As VFDs start to represent a
disproportionately larger percentage of
the electrical-load profile for a facility, the
design process has to consider not just the
need to ensure the reliability of the motor
and VFD, but also what impact their use
will have on the rest of the facility.
VFDs are nonlinear electrical loads
that can create significant electrical harmonic distortion. To change the speed of
a motor, VFDs change the frequency of
the ac power wave-form that is supplied
to that motor. This is done by converting 60-Hz ac utility power to dc power,
which, in turn, is used to synthesize a
new ac power sine wave. This wave-form
can be changed in frequency based on
the motors speed requirements. For this
first ac-to-dc conversion step, VFDs and
nonlinear loads generally draw power in
short, high-amplitude bursts. For simple
6-pulse VFD designs, these bursts occur
when the rectifier section of the VFD
fires at the positive and negative peaks
of the ac sine wave. They dont draw

power consistently through the entire
sine waveonly at specific points, thus
distorting/notching the wave-form at
those peaks.
Nonlinear electrical loads cause dirty
power. Harmonic content changes the
sinusoidal characteristics of ac power
and can result in a wave-form that looks
more like a sawtooth profile. Excessive
distortion/notching may result in additional zero crossings in the wave-form,
thus affecting electronic equipment that
depends on a consistent 60-Hz electricalsource frequency for proper operation.
We refer to certain order harmonics
when we refer to the type of wave-form
distortionbut what exactly are they?
They are defined by an integer multiple
of the base frequency of the source. So for
example, the 3rd harmonic in a 60-Hz
electrical distribution system would be
180 Hz, the 7th would be 420 Hz, etc.
Certain order harmonics are usually more problematic than others due
to the fact that they can arithmetically
reinforce/resonate with each other. The
ones that are of greatest concern are commonly referred to as triplens. Triplens
are odd multiples of the 3rd harmonic
(3, 9, 15, 21, etc.). Although predominant
in single-phase nonlinear loads, these
arent an issue with balanced 3-phase
loads like motors. However, the 5th, 7th,
11th, and 13th are an issue with balanced
3-phase loads, with the 5th being the
greatest concern. The 5th is a negativesequence harmonic and, when supplied
to a standard induction motor, can produce negative torque (i.e., slow it down
from synchronous speed). Higher-order
harmonics beyond these usually arent as
much of a concern due to their general
lower overall magnitude.
How much harmonic distortion is
acceptable? IEEE Standard 519: Recommended Practice and Requirements for
Harmonic Control in Electric Power Systems is the industry-accepted standard in
this regard. This standard does not state
how to minimize harmonic distortionit
is not a design manual. The latest version,
the 2014 edition, has been significantly
abbreviated and deletes most of the specific
Table 1: IEEE 519-2014 voltage distortion limits at PCC for <1,000 V

Individual harmonic (%)
Percent total harmonic

distortion
99th percentile very short

time (3 second) values
Weekly 95th percentile short

time (10 minute) values
5.0
8.0
1.5x
1.0x
Table 1: This is a composite of information presented in the text and table of IEEE 519-2014, section 5.1. For additional information and further guidance for voltages above 1 kV, refer to IEEE 519-2014, section 5.1.
Table 2: IEEE 519-2014 current distortion limits at PCC for <69 kV

ISC /IL
TDD
99th percentile very short time

(3 second) values


<20
5.0
2.0x
1.5x
1.0x
20<50
8.0
2.0x
1.5x
1.0x
50<100
12.0
2.0x
1.5x
1.0x
100<1000
15.0
2.0x
1.5x
1.0x
>1000
20.0
2.0x
1.5x
1.0x
ISC = max available short-circuit current at point of common coupling (PCC)

IL = maximum total demand load current at PCC under normal operating conditions
TDD = total demand distortion
Table 2: Shown is a composite of information presented in the text and table of IEEE 519-2014, section 5.2. For additional
information and further guidance for voltages above 69 kV, refer to IEEE 519-2014, section 5.2 and 5.3.
58
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Figure 8: Variable frequency drives (VFDs)

are applied in numerous applications. In the
elevator industry, variable-voltage, variable
frequency (VVVF) version are used with ac
hoist motors to lower starting current and
provide improved controllability compared
to traditional elevator controllers.
electrical-design references and appendixes

that were present in the previous version
(1992) to emphasize this point. Rather, the
new focus of the standard is to only define
the total harmonic distortion (THD) level
that is allowable within an electrical distribution system. The means and methods to
achieve these THD limits are at the designers discretion. It also notes that the threshold values given are only recommendations
and should not be considered binding in all
cases. In fact, the THD requirements have
been relaxed in comparison to the previous
version of the standard.
To quantify the harmonic distortion in
a sensible manner, you need a consistent
point in the electrical distribution system
to measure/calculate it. This point in the
electrical distribution system where the
60
harmonic content is analyzed is called the

point of common coupling (PCC). This is
typically the low-voltage side of the utility transformer. Tables 1 and 2 summarize
the most pertinent IEEE 519-2014 requirements for voltage and current distortion.
The key takeaway from these tables is
that, although the allowable current distortion can increase in certain situations, voltage-distortion thresholds are fixed. This
can be attributed to the fact that current
distortion is pathway-dependent; it generally only goes between the source of electricity and the nonlinear load. Although
the flow of excessive harmonic current
may cause overheating of conductors and
nuisance tripping of overcurrent protection devices, it generally wont directly
affect any other loads that are connected
to the same electrical distribution.
Voltage distortion, on the other hand,
is not path-dependent and can affect anything else that is connected to that common electrical distribution bus. IEEE 519
also has guidance for acceptable currentdistortion levels for specific individual
harmonic orders. For the sake of clarity,
that information isnt listed here. However,
in general, lower-order harmonics (i.e.,
3rd through 11th) generally have higher
acceptable limits.
It is recognized that lower-order harmonics are more difficult to address and
also have a greater potential for powerquality issues. As such, IEEE 519-2014
has new provisions where, if a user can
reduce lower-order harmonics, the threshold values for higher orders of harmonics
for current distortion can be increased by a
multiplying factor. Typically, if lower-order
harmonics are limited to 25% of the values
given in the standard, a multiplier can be
applied to the remaining higher harmonic
orders. The multiplier is directly proportional to the pulse order of the 3-phase
rectifier being used. The equation is:
If a 6-pulse VFD was used, the multiplier would be 1.0x. With a 12-pulse
VFD, the multiplier would be 1.41x, with
an 18-pulse the multiplier would be 1.73x,
etc. As we examine VFD topologies next,
it will make more sense why the IEEE

519 standard rewards the use of 12- and
18-pulse VFD.
VFD design topologies
There are four primary VFD design

types: 6-, 12-, and 18-pulse, and active
front-end. Most mechanical engineers
have a general understanding of what a
VFD does, but if push comes to shove, a
significant number cant clearly describe
the relative pros and cons for each of
these VFD design topologies. Because the
VFDs are often specified and purchased
as part of a package with the associated
MasterFormat Division 23 HVAC equipment, details on the specifications and
performance requirements for those
VFDS can often slip through the cracks.
The 6-pulse VFD design dominates the
HVAC industry for very good reasons
(see Figure 2). They are:
n Cheap
n Small
n Efficient
n Simple.
However, their simplicity does have a

flipside. The rectifier section, the part that
turns ac power to dc power, draws power
only six times (two per phase, at the positive and negative peaks for each of the three
phases) per each complete sine wave cycle.
This results in unusually high levels of harmonic distortion. This harmonic distortion
for a 6-pulse VFD can be up to 80%. Even
after adding some type of filtering like line
reactors, the harmonic distortion levels can
still be in the 30% range. Due to the 6-pulse
design of the rectifier section, the 5th-,
7th-, 11th-, 13th-, 17th-, and 19th-order
harmonics are generated. Six-pulse VFDs
seldom meet IEEE 519 requirements if the
total VFD load represents a high percentage
of the overall service size.
Line reactors can be added to help
mitigate the harmonic distortion. These
work by adding an impedance, which
reduces the rate of change in the input,
thus helping smooth the pulsing characteristics associated with harmonics. However,
it also slightly reduces overall efficiency
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and causes voltage drop. So while highimpedance line reactors are theoretically
more effective in mitigating harmonics, a
5%-impedance line reactor is typically the
highest level used.
The 12-pulse VFD is essentially two
6-pulse VFDs grafted together (see Figure 3). This design also uses a 30-degree
phase-shift transformer with two outputs.
Each output feeds one of the 6-pulse rectifiers, which in turn are connected to a
common dc bus. The VFD draws power
12 times (four times per phase for each of
the three phases) per each complete sine
wave cycle. While each 6-pulse rectifier
still generates the same harmonics mentioned previously, what makes this design
special is the transformer.
North American electrical power is
delivered at a base frequency of 60 Hz. The
transformer shifts the two 60-Hz outputs
30% out of phase. How does that same 30%
phase shift for the 60-Hz base frequency
translate to a 5th-order harmonic with a
300-Hz base frequency (60-Hz base frequency times five for the 5th harmonic)?
The end result is that most of the major
harmonic frequencies generated by each
rectifier are shifted 180 degrees out of
phase with each other. This effectively cancels out most harmonics and brings down
the THD to around 12% to 18%. While
the design is effective in mitigating 5th
and 7th order harmonics, the 11th, 13th,
23rd, and 25th orders are still present to a

lesser degree.
While a 12-pulse VFD goes a long way
toward addressing harmonic distortion,
there are significant downsides. Because
of the additional components (two rectifiers and a transformer, etc.), the overall
cost is significantly higher and the physical
size is much larger. The cost of a 12-pulse
VFD will typically be twice that of a
6-pulse VFD with line reactors. While it
is common to have wall-mounted 6-pulse
VFDs, most 12-pulse VFDs are freestanding enclosures. While not necessarily as
great a consideration, 12-pulse VFDs are
also slightly less efficient due to transformer losses and additional switching losses
associated with the extra rectifier.
If 12-pulse designs are good, 18-pulse
must be betterright? An 18-pulse VFD
takes the concept one step further and
uses a 3-output, 20-degree phase-shift
transformer to feed three parallel 6-pulse
rectifiers (see Figure 4). This design draws
power 18 times (six times per phase for
each of the three phases) per each complete sine wave cycle. This design is also
extremely effective in addressing harmonic
distortion.
All harmonics below the 17th order
are dramatically reduced. Typically, THD
will be in the 3% to 6% range. However,
with this type of performance, there are
significant increases in cost and com-
plexity. They are typically only used for

larger motor loads where the cost can be
justified based on the potential impact
that a large nonlinear load would otherwise have on a facility. The cost for
an 18-pulse VFD will typically be 50%
higher than a 12-pulse VFD.
Active front-end VFDs
VFDs are double conversion devices.

They take ac power, convert that in the
rectifier section to dc power, and, finally,
the inverter section uses that dc power
to resynthesize an ac wave-form (ac to
dc to ac). This basic concept is closely
paralleled in another type of equipment,
uninterruptible power supplies (UPSs).
Many of the harmonics and powerquality issues discussed in this article
regarding VFDs are an even greater issue
in the mission critical UPS marketplace.
Standby generators used to provide
backup power to those mission critical
facilities were extremely vulnerable to
harmonic distortion. High levels of harmonic distortion could wreak havoc on
a generators ability to properly regulate
its output voltage, therefore jeopardizing
the critical load.
While the adoption of technologies like
permanent magnet generators, excitation
in generators has significantly reduced
the impact of harmonic distortion, there
remains a heightened sensitivity in the
Fractional horsepower motors
mall fractional-horsepower motors (motors below 1 hp) are

everywherefan coils, fan-powered VAV boxes, condensing
unit fans, induced draft blowers, etc. The 2015 version of the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) and ASHRAE Standard
90.1 are also beginning to address smaller fractional-horsepower
motors (smaller than 1 hp) in fan motor applications. While there is
a dramatically greater quantity of installed fractional-horsepower
motorsworldwide, larger motors between 1 and 200 hp still use
more power overall. However, with efficiency improvements for
larger motors starting to level off, these smaller motors are now
becoming the next target for new efficiency standards. IECC 2015
and ASHRAE 90.1-2013 now state that fan motors between 1/12 and
1 hp have to be electronically commutated motors (ECM) or have a
minimum efficiency of 70% at full speed.
The fractional-horsepower market still is dominated by permanent-split-capacitor (PSC) type motors. In general, PSC motors
dont meet this minimum 70% efficiency requirement. However,
there is a loophole in that motors that comply with minimum
62
federal energy efficiency requirements for PSC motors are acceptable per ASHRAE 90.1-2013 and IECC 2015. The barrier for federal
adoption of this 70% efficiency requirement could be attributed to
the dramatic price difference between ECM and PSC motors.
However, ECMs are continuing to drop in price. Air-Conditioning,
Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI) efficiency standards
for typical small residential split-system air conditioners is a
seasonal energy efficiency ratio (SEER) of 13. This efficiency level
is incredibly difficult to achieve without the use of ECMs. In fact,
early ECMs from one manufacturer were branded X13 motors in
reference to the ability to help air conditioner manufacturers meet
the 13.0 SEER requirement. Increased acceptance in the residential air conditioner market may eventually translate to reduced
product costs and facilitate further penetration into the commercial market. The fact that, in addition to being more efficient, ECMs
also are inherently capable of variable-speed control suggests that
they will at some point become the de facto means for compliance
with the code.
www.csemag.com
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Providing helpful and specific
information thats directly applicable
to your career.
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mission critical industry. As such, transformer-based 12-pulse UPS designs and
input filters were fairly common until
recently. However, given the nature of the
industry, most UPS manufacturers were
in rectifiers, IGBTs have dramatically

increased speed and controllability. In
combination with active filtering, THD
can be reduced to the 3% to 5% range
while still increasing overall efficiency.
The active filter within the UPS eliminates

harmonic distortion by inserting equal and opposite
current into the line.
motivated to develop new, more costeffective designs with similar or better
performance. The solution was to swap
new insulated-gate bipolar transistors
(IGBT) for the silicon control rectifiers
(SCR) traditionally used in the frontend rectifiers, and add active filtering
to that. The active filter within the UPS
eliminates harmonic distortion by inserting equal and opposite current into the
linesomewhat similar to how noisecanceling headphones function. In comparison to the SCRs traditionally found
This approach was so effective that it is

now the industry standard in the mid- to
large-capacity UPS market.
The most current evolution of VFDs
reflects this design approach with IGBTbased rectifiers and active filtering. However, adoption of this new technology still
lags far behind the UPS industry. While
an active front-end VFD might be comparable in cost to an 18-pulse VFD, it is dramatically more expensive than a simple
6-pulse VFD. As such, current applications are typically limited to larger motors
where the cost can be justified. Another

limitation of the technology is that IGBTs
arent as robust as traditional SCRs. While
UPS manufacturers are starting to explore
the substitution of IGBT in semiconductors with more robust silicon carbide
(SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN), that
technology is still in its infancy. It will be
a long time before we will see that technology trickle down to the cost-sensitive
VFD marketplace.
John Yoon is the senior staff electrical
engineer for McGuire Engineers. He has
more than 20 years of experience in the
design of electrical distribution systems.
His project experience includes high-rise
building infrastructure renewal programs,
tenant build-outs, mission critical data
centers, laboratories, and industrial facilities. He is a member of the ConsultingSpecifying Engineer editorial advisory
board.
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he voice of the engineering community

speaks loud and clear in the following pages
featuring corporate profiles of those companies
participating in the Executive Voice program
presented by Consulting-Specifying Engineer magazine.
Our thanks to the following participants:
Aaon
Connectrac
Contemporary Controls
Distech Controls, Inc.
Linx Industries
Noark Electric
PVI
SEMCO LLC
Unison Comfort Technologies
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ince its founding in 1988,

AAON, Inc. has not slowed down.
Starting with a 60,000 square feet
facility and $30 million in sales,
AAON has expanded to over 1.8
million square feet, with $350 million
in sales. Employing over 1,600 people
in Oklahoma and Texas, AAON
strives for innovative products that
demonstrate unmatched quality
and flexibility.
AAON Facility in Tulsa, Oklahoma
AAON product lines include

standard, semi-custom and custom
rooftop units, chillers, packaged
outdoor mechanical rooms, air
handling units, makeup air units,
energy recovery units, condensing
units, air-source heat pumps,
geothermal heat pumps, water-source
heat pumps, and coils. But what
AAON is most known for are those
superior features and premier options
offered in these units.
AAON products are unlike anything

that you would find out in the
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insulated panels with R-13 thermal
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paint that exceeds a 2,500
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Serviceability features
include isolated controls and
compressor compartments for
easy maintenance, colorcoded wiring diagrams for
fast connection identification,
and individually labeled
components, wires, and fuses
for quick evaluation.
AAON products are engineered with
the highest efficiency in mind with
features designed for all conditions
(not just rated conditions) including:
Variable capacity compressors
Backward curved plenum fans with
direct drive motors
Factory installed AAONAIRE
energy recovery wheels
Variable speed supply, return,
exhaust, and condenser fans
Norman H.
Asbjornson
President
and CEO
AAON believes in adaptability and

flexibility, offering numerous options
and configurations for any application.
Need humidity control? AAON
units offer high capacity coils,
modulating hot gas reheat humidity
control, and return air bypass. Dont
have the space for a mechanical room?
AAON offers chillers and outdoor
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Need a water-source, geothermal,
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As AAON continues to grow by
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another record-breaking year for
the company.
To learn more about the exceptional line of AAON products, email marketing@aaon.com or visit
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allas, Texas-based Connectrac, founded

in 2005, is a privately owned company
whose products are available throughout the U.S.,
Canada, and increasingly, around the world.
Connectrac is quickly becoming the go-to solution
for top corporations, government agencies, schools
and universities.
Connectrac wireways are the best floor-based
solution for bringing power, data and
communications from the wall to all interior
commercial applications without core drilling,
trenching or unsightly power poles.
Connectrac allows any workspace to transform elegantly

and seamlessly. Providing a variety of options and finishes,
Connectrac gives you a near-invisible, no-bump aesthetic with
our In-Carpet wireway, while maintaining the ability to be
moved or adjusted.
Need to change the location of your cable pathway or add
more cabling? Perfect! With no drilling required, Connectrac
wireways can simply be moved to where you desire, and they
have the accessibility to add any cabling you need.
For the last decade, Connectrac has dedicated itself to
providing its customers with cable management that not only
gives a subtle and elegant look to a workspace, but is also
easy to install.
With core drilling or trenching come the hassle of disruptive
installations, intrusions on employees and neighboring tenants,
and additional costs. Connectrac gives you the look and feel
you desire in your workspace at an affordable price.
Corporations, government agencies and universities

are faced with retrofitting their facilities to keep up
with the demands of technology. Easy access to data,
power and telecommunications has become critical
in the world of cable management.
Recently, it was shown through a study by RSMeans that

using Connectrac wireways can save you up to 50% or more
on your project than using core drilling or trenching.
Additionally, Connectracs non-intrusive wireways are also
easy to understand and easy to install.
Within a couple of hours, our wireways can be laid down
and ready for use, all without disrupting the workflow of
your office or having to schedule installation at
inconvenient hours.
Connectrac is quickly becoming the go-to solution for top

corporations, government agencies, schools and universities.
info@connectrac.com
1.877.480.5637 Connectrac.com
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ontemporary Controls designs and manufactures the system building

blocks for networking, integrating and controlling automation processes
where performance and reliability are important. Our products are built upon
open technologies such as ARCNET, BACnet, CAN, Modbus, Niagara
Framework and Sedona Framework, and are typically found in building
and industrial automation industries.
Our customers are systems integrators, contractors

and mechanical and controls OEMs seeking simple
and reliable networking and control products from a
dependable source.
With headquarters based in the US, we have
operations in the UK, Germany and China with selfmanufacturing in the US and China.
Contemporary Controls world headquarters.

Sales and Manufacturing Facility,
2431 Curtiss StreetDowners Grove, Illinois 60515
CTRLink Ethernet for Automation

consists of unmanaged and managed switches,
mediaconverters, wired and wireless IP routers.
These products are designed for unattended
operation in environments not conducive to office
grade equipment. CTRLink overcomes the
challenges that Ethernet presents to the automation
professional by providing convenient mounting in
George
Thomas
Founder/Owner
Contemporary
Controls
control panels, Class power

wiring, and reliability. Our
switches, media converters and IP routers adhere
to IEEE 802.3 standards and more. Specialty
regulatory needs are addressed in selected models.
From simple plug-and-play operation to fullymanaged switch functionality, there is a model to
meet any need.
BASautomation Building on BACnet
provides solutions for both small and scalable
building management. BACnet, an internationally
recognized building automation standard, can take
a system from the field level to the Internet. BACnet
routers link IP networks to BACnet MS/TP. Gateways
adapt other protocols such as Modbus to BACnet.
BACnet/IP controllers Powered by Sedona
Framework or Niagara Framework do the work.
Once on Ethernet, the CTRLink family with its
collection of managed and unmanaged switches,
media converters, wired and wireless IP routers
can complete the connectivity process.
With over 40 years in business, four locations around
the world, and a reputation for technical support,
Contemporary Controls is committed to making
your automation projects successful.
Visit us at our website: www.ccontrols.com and / or
also call us directly at 630.963.7070.
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tienne Veilleux always knew he

wanted to be an entrepreneur.
It was, however, the opportunity
for open protocols and the idea of a
greener, better world for future
generations that inspired him to
found Distech Controls, a
building automation and energy
management company. Founded in
1995 and based in Montreal, the
company he started has grown from
2 employees to over 200, with offices
in Canada, the US and Europe.
Distech Controls products and
solutions can be found all over the
world, including buildings that house
Stanford University in California and
NOAA in Maryland.
Veilleux also serves as a mentor

for entrepreneurs participating in
startup accelerator Founder Fuel, as
well as for the smart city accelerator
InnoCit MTL. Through the efforts
of Veilleux and his executive team,
Distech Controls level of excellence
and environmental stewardship have
been honored on various occasions,
including Canadas Best Managed
Companies, PROFIT500, and
Canadas Top Small and Medium
Employers.
An innovation leader in energy
management solutions, Distech
Controls provides unique building
management technologies and services
that optimize energy efficiency
and comfort in buildings, while
reducing operating costs.
Etienne
Veilleux
Founder,
President
and CEO
Internet of Things Building. With

the companys ECLYPSE Connected
IP and Wi-Fi Product Series,
ENVYSIONresponsive, web-based
design and visualization interface, and
mobile apps, Building Management
Systems can now leverage and
converge with the IT infrastructure,
resulting in reduced costs and
improved performance.
The company delivers Innovative

Solutions for Greener Buildings through
their passion for innovation, quality,
customer satisfaction, and sustainability.
Named Entrepreneur of the Year by
Ernst & Young in 2010 for his
contribution to Green Technology,
Veilleux is an inspired leader who is
passionate about innovation,
moon-shot thinking, and taking ideas
to the next level through actionable
strategies. He sits on the Board of
Directors of QG-100, an invitationonly network of 100 world class
business leaders, and is a
member of the Young Presidents
Organization, Entrepreneur
Organization and Financial Angels.
The company delivers Innovative

Solutions for Greener Buildings
through their passion for innovation,
quality, customer satisfaction, and
sustainability. Distech Controls serves
multiple market segments through its
worldwide business divisions, service
offices and a superior network of
Authorized Partners.
Distech Controls develops
leading products and solutions that
enable, both now and in the future,
the technology needed for the
Distech Controls commitment to

open standards, combined with the
ECLYPSE connectivity platform,
readies buildings for the future,
and supports continually
evolving technology.
Now almost 21 years later, Veilleux
remains as dedicated as ever to
delivering Innovative Solutions for
Greener Buildings.
450-444-9898 ww.distech-controls.com
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inx Industries, Inc. is an American sheet metal manufacturer of HVAC

ductwork. The companys market strength is built upon decades of
research and intuitive technology that pairs contractors budgetary interests with
the owners heightened energy efficiency concern. Linx has been instrumental
in the mechanical engineering world for providing air tight ductwork and
catapulting self-sealing round systems to the American market.
Dave
Shaeffer
President
Linx Industries, Inc. is a relatively new name to the construction market. In

August 2015, DMI Companies purchased the Lindab Groups US subsidiary.
Formally known as Lindab USA, Linx Industries has a proven track record for
producing superior quality ductwork for notable construction projects in the
United States.
Left:
Manufacturing headquarters
and distribution hub in
Portsmouth, Virginia
The skilled tradesmen and women at Linx Industries handcrafted the HVAC
ductwork at the Pentagon, as well as, numerous sports stadiums, universities,
and laboratories across the country. The companys commitment to reliable
products makes it an industry leader for energy efficient, self-sealing systems,
which feature the Lindab Safe gasket.
The construction industry is focused on sourcing materials that meet or
exceed past performance standards. Linx Industries products are manufactured
with an unparalleled commitment to quality that many competitors try
to duplicate.
We are the only ductwork manufacturer

that produces products under published
tolerances with a Class 3 guarantee.
Engineers seeking an insulated

or double wall specification
should take note. Linx Industries
single slip self-sealing gasketed
system is unsurpassed.
There is no rival to the Linx
Double Wall duct system.
Comparable to single wall, the
Linx Double Wall system saves
valuable installation time,
hardship and assures the
facility engineer that the system
is free of insulation debris.
engineering@li-hvac.com
Tel: 800-797-7476 li-hvac.com
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PVI Industries is a Fort Worth, Texas

based water heater manufacturer
serving large commercial end-users
like hotels, schools, hospitals, and
stadiums. In North America,
water heaters have traditionally
featured carbon-steel tanks with a
supplemental lining to protect against
iron oxidation (rust) caused by the
dissolved oxygen that is plentiful in
potable water. PVI too had been using
linings to reduce corrosion in their
steel water heater tanks.
Corporate Headquarters Fort Worth, Texas
The PVI team began looking for ways

to reduce manufacturing waste while
extending the useful life of its water
heaters but was limited by the
allowances of ASME.
We started by looking at what
materials ASME had certified for
pressure vessel construction. We were
aware of stainless steel as a material
for corrosion resistance, but some
grades are not ideal for potable water
applications, reports Chris Bollas,
PVI President.
Eventually his teams research led

them to Outokumpu and LDX 2101
duplex stainless steel to replace carbon
steel, a move that has significantly
reduced the manufacturing waste
stream as well as increased the useful
life of their water heaters.
We identified a couple of duplex
grades and found favorable
characteristics in Outokumpus
LDX 2101, but the grade wasnt
yet ASME certified for water
heater fabrication,
Bollas explains.
We believed the
material was something
that would accomplish
our goals, because
stainless steel doesnt
require any coating
or plating.
A prototype, test unit
#1, was built in 2009
using Outokumpus lean
duplex LDX 2101 and then underwent
accelerated life testing, which
simulated the equivalent of 30 years of
normal life by rapid thermal cycling
with 190F stored water at 500 ppm
dissolved chlorides. Using these
results, PVI approached the ASME
committees and was granted approval
to use LDX 2101 in production
water heaters.
Five years after development, test unit
#1 is still operational. PVI has since
produced more than 5,000 LDX 2101
units, quickly becoming the worlds
Chris
Bollas
PVI
President
largest manufacturer of ASME

code duplex stainless steel water
heaters and storage tanks. Due to
market acceptance, PVI gradually
phased out carbon steel is now only
manufacturing duplex stainless steel
pressure vessels.
The warranty for a standard storage
tank is now 25 years. Despite all the
benefits of using stainless steel over
lined carbon steel, there is no
change in the cost of the water
heaters for customers.
The additional cost of the stainless
steel is offset by the savings from
no longer coating or nickel plating
the carbon steel tank material. In
addition, the manufacturing waste
stream reduction helped PVI win
state and national pollution
prevention awards.
info@pvi.com www.pvi.com
800-784-8326
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ince its founding as a sheet metal

fabrication company with five
employees, SEMCO has grown to
be recognized as a worldwide
innovator in the field of indoor
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Digital Edition
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Visit www.csemag.com/digitaledition for exclusive content and for
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DE-1
Connecting renewable energy systems

Electrical engineers have several items to consider when interconnecting
renewable energy production systems.
BY SEAN AVERY, PE, LEED AP
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77
Connecting
renewable energy systems

Electrical engineers have several items to consider when interconnecting
renewable energy production systems.
BY SEAN AVERY, PE, LEED AP, DLR Group, Seattle
Learning
objectives
Explain the basics of connecting a renewable energy
production system (REPS)
to a buildings electrical
system.
Help system designers,
integrators, and owners
consider the implications
of different interconnection
options and requirements
for utility interactive REPS.
DE-1
hether designing a
renewable energy
production system
(REPS) to connect
into an existing
buildings electrical system, or designing
a solar-ready facility where only a means
to interconnect a future REPS is provided, the details of the interconnection can
have a major impact on the design, cost,
and schedule of a REPS project.
The design of an electrical utility gridconnected REPS, whether it be photovoltaic (PV), wind, or alternative technology, can be broken into two parts:
The energy system itself, including

production equipment, conversion
equipment, and any other balance
of system components
The electrical interconnection to
the grid.
The design of the former is usually
straightforward, and the rough cost and
design is easily predicted as early as the
proposal process. The interconnection
design, which is often overlooked until
later in the design process, can have
drastic implications on the system size,
www.csemag.com
Figure 2: This shows a typical load-side tap in which 120% of 1,200 amp is 1,440
amp, so a renewable energy production system is limited to 225 amp. Point of
interconnection opposite of main overcurrent protection.
Figure 1: The 8,000-panel (2 MW) photovoltaic energy generating system at

FedExField, home of the Washington
Redskins, also includes 800 covered
parking spaces. This array generates
enough power to serve all of the facilitys
electrical needs on nongame days and
provides a portion of the stadiums electricity needs on game days. All graphics
courtesy: DLR Group
project schedule, and project costs

both the upfront cost and lifecycle cost
of the system. Considering the electrical
interconnection early will improve the
likelihood of eliminating project pitfalls
associated with these items.
The major factors influencing the
interconnec tion design are co de
requirements, utility requirements,
owner requirements, and existing
equipment conditions. These factors are
discussed in detail in regards to their
impact on the overall REPS design.
For the sake of this article, all REPS
are assumed to use utility interactive
www.csemag.com
Figure 3: Reducing main overcurrent protectionthe main circuit breaker,

in this caseallows for an increased size of the renewable energy production
system.
inverters, thus fall under the requirements for those types of inverters.
Code requirements
NFPA 70: National Electric Code

(NEC) Article 705 provides requirements
for interconnecting REPS. Article 710.12
addresses the point of interconnection
and offers three possibilities. Each of these
possibilities presents different benefits and
restrictions, and each can affect the maximum system size allowed, the cost of the
interconnection, and other system parameters. The interconnection possibilities are
presented in the order in which they are
likely assessed during design.
NEC 705.12(D)(2)load-side interconnection: The most common type of
interconnection for smaller-scale REPS

is a load-side interconnection, commonly known as a load-side tap. The
general rule for this type is that the
interconnection overcurrent protection
(OCP) must be placed at the opposite
end of the busbar from the main OCP,
and that the sum of the main OCP and
the interconnection OCP cannot exceed
120% of the bus rating (see Figure 2).
For smaller REPS, this option is often
chosen because it is relatively inexpensive, uses spare capacity within existing
equipment, and is well-understood by
the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ)
and electric utilities. For larger REPS,
however, this option may present a challenge as the 120% rule limits the OCP
DE-2
Renewable energy systems

for the REPS and, therefore, the size of
the REPS.
To increase the potential size of the
REPS with a load-side tap, either the busbar size must be increased or the main
OCP must be decreased. For existing
buildings, increasing the busbar size is
unlikely to be a cost-effective option. It
is also uncommon for the main OCP to
have a lower rating than the busbar. However, it is likely that the peak demand on
the existing equipment will be substantially less than the OCP rating. If metering the main OCP shows that this is the
case, the main OCP may be reduced
(either replaced or, if an electronic trip
unit is present, dialed down) to allow
for a larger REPS to be connected on the
load side (see Figure 3). If a main OCP

reduction is desired, the implications of
the resulting reduced system capacity
should be discussed with the owner. If
a main OCP reduction is not possible,
an alternate method must be considered.
NEC 705.12(A)supply-side interconnection: This article allows the REPS
to be interconnected ahead of the main
disconnecting means for the site. This
option, usually referred to as a supplyside tap or a line-side tap, allows for output amperage of the REPS to be as large
as the busbar rating.
The big question that usually arises for
this interconnection is, Where exactly
do we make the tap? For a new system,
the answer is easy. A tap location ahead
Figure 4: Providing an overcurrent protection (OCP) device for interconnection ahead

of the main OCP is easily done with new construction. The OCP can be rated as high
as the busbar.
Figure 5: A retrofit tap ahead of the main overcurrent protection and downstream of
the meter may be feasible. Confirm with the manufacturer and/or field-listing agency.
DE-3
of the main OCP can be provided in the

gear in a similar fashion as a fire pump
would be connected (see Figure 4). The
REPS OCP could be an externally fused
disconnect or a breaker/disconnect integrated into the switchgear.
For existing installations, this option
can be tricky. Adding a breaker or tap
section to an existing piece of gear will
likely be costly, as it would require significant modification of the equipment. This
leaves tapping the busbar somewhere
ahead of the main OCP but after the utility meter (see Figure 5). With the many
different gear configurations out there,
this may or may not be possible. To find
out, a few parties will need to be involved.
To evaluate a line-side tap, it is recommended to first get the gear identification
number, usually located on a sticker on
the front of the gear. With this, you can
contact the manufacturer and find out,
based on the shop drawings, whether a
tap can be made ahead of the main without voiding the UL listing of the gear. The
manufacturer may affirm it is possible,
and even be able to provide you with a
part number for a tap kit. If the board
contains multiple metering sections, the
manufacturer may say it is possible within one of the metering sections, in which
case you would need to contact the utility
and get permission to tap in one of their
unused sections.
If the manufacturer replies that it is
not possible without voiding the UL listing, you have one more option. You can
contact a field-listing agency to evaluate a line-side tap and relist the gear if
required. This will require two site visits
by the agency. The first trip will involve
the agency taking measurements in the
switchgear to ensure proper clearances.
Upon completion, the agency will then
confirm whether a line-side tap is feasible. If feasible, they will indicate how it
is to be done, and they will need to come
back after the installation is complete to
inspect the gear and relist. This process
does carry a price tag; however, in most
cases it will be cheaper than providing a
new switchgear line-up placed ahead of
the main switchgear to tie-in the REPS
www.csemag.com
and refeed the existing switchgear. In

some locations, the utility may allow you
to move the utility meter and tie-in the
REPS at the secondary of the transformer.
NEC 705.12(C)greater than 100
kW: If the REPS is greater than 100 kW
or the service is more than 1,000 Vac, the
design is not restricted by the previous
two options assuming you qualify with
two additional requirements:
1. Only qualified persons may service and operate the equipment.
2. Safeguards, procedures, and protective equipment are established
and maintained.
Figure 6: If the transformer is primary metered or if the secondary meter is integrated

into the transformer, the utility may allow interconnection at the secondary of transformer.
As a rule of thumb, this type of interconnection is dedicated for locations

with a permanent electrical staff that
maintains the equipment. In most cases,
this option takes form as a load-side tap
that exceeds the 120% rule.
Utility requirements
Utility requirements vary significantly

between different utilities. They represent another layer of complexity that
comes with the interconnection design.
Generally, utilities will allow any of the
previously mentioned interconnection methods, but will have additional
requirements beyond the NEC. The utility may enforce:
Disconnect requirements. The
utility may require a dedicated
disconnect for the REPS. The
disconnect may require a viewing
window, and it may be required to
be in a certain area.
Net metering. If the installation
is in a location that does not allow
net metering, then the REPS will
not be allowed to back-feed the
utility. In this case, a reverse power
relay will need to be included in the
interconnection design. Depending on the proximity of the current
transformers to the inverters or
controls, additional infrastructure
www.csemag.com
Figure 7: Renewable energy production systems may exceed the 120% rule if the system size is greater than 100 kW and qualified staff operates the equipment.
for data/communication wiring

may be needed.
Transformer winding configurations, such as wye-wye, if a transformer is required for interconnection.
Grounding requirements for the
REPS that cannot be met without
the addition of a grounding transformer.
An interconnection study (if the
size of the REPS is large enough)
to study steady-state and transient
behavior of the local grid.
To understand what requirements apply
to you, it is recommended to talk with the
utility or read through the interconnection documentation if its available.
Owner requirements
Many facilities have only one service,

leaving no question about which services
are available for interconnection. Large
facilities may have multiple services of
different sizes. The variety of sizes may
result in a variety of utility rate schedules.
If this is the case, it may be more financially beneficial over the lifetime of the
REPS to interconnect with one service
over another.
Existing gear age and condition
Occasionally, the path to interconnection may involve switchgear that does

not appear to be in safe working order or
consists of obsolete components. In these
instances, a conversation with the building
owner should take place. If replacing the
gear is feasible, it may be something the
owner will pay for. If not, new switchgear
DE-4
Renewable energy systems

placed between the utility meter and the
main switchgear may need to be provided.
Solar-ready or net zero ready
recommendations
The process for evaluating and determining an interconnection of a REPS of a

known size has been recommended above.
But what if the system size is not known?
If designing a solar-ready or net zero ready
building in which the size of the REPS is
likely unknown, another strategy may be
used. The most flexible option for future
interconnection is always a line-side tap. A
If the number of PV modules needed

for the large system would cover the
entire site, it seems improbable that a
system of this size will ever be installed.
If the medium system could tie-in via
load-side tap and would be cheaper in
the long run, then a load-side tap may be
chosen over the line-side tap.
In summary, the design for interconnection of the REPS can be more involved
than the design of the REPS itself, and
can have greater impacts on the project cost and schedule. The earlier in the
process the information can be gathered
If a project involves architectural design, it is

beneficial to all involvedarchitects, engineers,
and ownersfor the renewable energy and
architectural-design processes to be integrated.
Mediumenough PV to cover the

roof and parking areas via covered
parking structures
to steer the interconnection design, the

less likely you are to experience pitfalls
and surprises later on. It is important to
consider the interconnection design and
process whether bidding design work or
installation.
If a project involves architectural design,
it is beneficial to all involvedarchitects,
engineers, and ownersfor the renewable
energy and architectural-design processes
to be integrated. If the architecture needs
are designed with the design of the renewable energy system in mind, the system
designers will be able to integrate their
system as a function of the final product,
as opposed to an after-the-fact addition. As
the demand for renewable energy design
continues to grow, having architectural
designers and facility owners who understand the operation of these systems will
be imperative.
Largeenough PV to offset 100%

of the annual electrical usage of the
building. (Note: if the building uses
gas, it will likely not be possible to
offset 100% of the total energy. This
scenario would require the building
to be a net producer of electricity,
and the building will not fall under
net meter requirements.)
Sean Avery is an electrical engineer and

senior associate at DLR Group. His recent
work includes Fortune 500 energy provider
NRG to design large photovoltaic arrays at
the MGM Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas as
well as professional football at the stadiums of the New England Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles, San Francisco 49ers, and
Washington Redskins.
breaker, fused disconnect, or provision for

either located ahead of the main OCP and
of the same amperage as the main OCP
will allow for interconnection of the largest
possible REPS. However, the largest possible REPS may be physically larger than
the site can accommodate, and a line-side
tap may be more expensive than a loadside tap. Therefore, it is helpful to evaluate
a few potential sizes and their associated
interconnection requirements.
For example, assuming the REPS is
PV, some suggested system sizes to study
include:
Smallenough PV to cover
unused roof space
DE-5
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Company
Page
Reader
Service #
Phone #
2015 HVAC and Building

Automation Systems (BAS) Study. . . 22. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2016 40 Under 40 Nominations . . . . . 17. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
AAON. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37. . . . . . . . . . 21 . . . . . . .
Aeroflex USA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64. . . . . . . . . . 29 . . . . . . .
Air Monitor Corp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29. . . . . . . . . . 17 . . . . . . .
Armacell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24. . . . . . . . . . 14 . . . . . . .
Baldor Electric Company. . . . . . . . . . . C-2 . . . . . . . . . .1 . . . . . . . .
Building Commissioning
Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59. . . . . . . . . . 28 . . . . . . .
Carlo Gavazzi, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25. . . . . . . . . . 15 . . . . . . .
Carrier Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21. . . . . . . . . . 12 . . . . . . .
CFE Media, Engineering
Is Personal. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Connectrac . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30, 31. . . . . .18, 19 . . . . . .
Continental Control Systems . . . . . . . 16. . . . . . . . . . .9 . . . . . . . .
CSE Editorial Research Studies . . . . . 39. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
CSE Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
CSE E-newsletters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
CSE On-demand Webcasts . . . . . . . . . 66. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Danfoss . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35. . . . . . . . . . 20 . . . . . . .
Distech Controls, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19. . . . . . . . . . 11 . . . . . . .
DYMO - XTL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ebm-papst, Inc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15. . . . . . . . . . .8 . . . . . . . .
Greenheck Fan Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43. . . . . . . . . . 22 . . . . . . .
Johnson Controls. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26. . . . . . . . . . 16 . . . . . . .
Mitsubishi Electric
Cooling & Heating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-4 . . . . . . . . . 31 . . . . . . .
Navien, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5. . . . . . . . . . . .4 . . . . . . . .
Noark Electric . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23. . . . . . . . . . 13 . . . . . . .
Onicon Incorporated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18. . . . . . . . . . 10 . . . . . . .
Pentair Flow Technologies. . . . . . . . . . 47. . . . . . . . . . 23 . . . . . . .
PVI Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49. . . . . . . . . . 24 . . . . . . .
Reliable Controls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6. . . . . . . . . . . .5 . . . . . . . .
Schweitzer Engineering Labs . . . . . . . 53. . . . . . . . . . 25 . . . . . . .
SEMCO LLC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55. . . . . . . . . . 26 . . . . . . .
SimplexGrinnell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2. . . . . . . . . . . .3 . . . . . . . .
Solutions for Engineers. . . . . . . . . . . . 61. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
SPX Cooling Technologies, Inc.. . . . . . 8. . . . . . . . . . . .6 . . . . . . . .
Starline . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10. . . . . . . . . . .7 . . . . . . . .
Uponor, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16A-16B . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Viega LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1. . . . . . . . . . . .2 . . . . . . . .
XYLEM GLOBAL HEADQUARTERS . . 57. . . . . . . . . . 27 . . . . . . .
Yaskawa America, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . C-3 . . . . . . . . . 30 . . . . . . .
Web site
Send Info
630-571-4070 . . . . . www.csemag.com/2015HVACBAS . . . . . . .
630-571-4070 . . . . . www.csemag.com/40under40 . . . . . . .
918-583-2266 . . . . . www.AAON.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
866-237-6235 . . . . . www.aeroflexusa.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
800-AIRFLOW . . . . . www.airmonitor.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
800-866-5638 . . . . . www.armacell.us . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
479-646-4711 . . . . . www.baldor.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
877-666-2292 . . . . . www.bcxa.org/ncbc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
847-465-6100 . . . . . www.GavazziOnline.com. . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.carrier.com
630-571-4070 . . . . . www.csemag.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
877-480-5637 . . . . . www.connectrac.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
888-WattNode . . . . www.ccontrolsys.com
630-571-4070 . . . . . www.csemag.com/media-library/research . . . .
630-571-4070 . . . . . www.csemag.com/smartBAS. . . . . . . .
630-571-4070 . . . . . www.csemag.com/newsletters . . . . . .
630-571-4070 . . . . . www.csemag.com/ondemandwebcasts . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.danfoss.us . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
800-404-0043 . . . . . www.distech-controls.com/SpecifyECLYPSE. . . . . . .
877-289-3966 . . . . . http://dymo.com/en-US/xtl-US . . . . . .
860-674-1515 . . . . . http://radipac.ebmpapst.us. . . . . . . . . .
715-359-6171 . . . . . www.greenheck.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.JohnsonControls.com . . . . . . . . .
800-433-4822 . . . . . www.MitsubishiPro.com/Ready . . . . . .
800-519-8794 . . . . . www.Navien.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
626-330-7007 . . . . . www.NoarkUSA.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
727-447-6140. . . . . . www.onicon.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
630-859-7000 . . . . . www.AuroraPump.com . . . . . . . . . . . . .
800-784-8326 . . . . . www.pvi.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
250-475-2036 . . . . . www.reliablecontrols.com. . . . . . . . . . .
509-332-1890 . . . . . www.selinc.com/arcflash02 . . . . . . . . .
888-473-6264 . . . . . www.semcohvac.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
800-746-7539 . . . . . www.TycoSimplexGrinnell.com . . . . . .
630-571-4070 . . . . . www.csemag.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
913-664-7554 . . . . . www.spxcooling.com/keys . . . . . . . . . .
800-245-6378 . . . . . www.StarlinePower.com . . . . . . . . . . . .
800-321-4739 . . . . . www.uponorengineering.com . . . . . . .
800-976-9819 . . . . . www.viega.us . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
914-323-5700 . . . . . www.xyleminc.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
8009275292 . . . . . . www.yaskawa.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
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www.csemag.com
79
Future of Engineering
BY GREG SHANK, PRINCIPAL,
Altura Associates Inc., Irvine, Calif.
BAS, controls are at a crossroads

An integrated engineering team should collaborate on all software
programming and optimization during design and construction.
n the new data-driven lifecycle of

modern commercial buildings,
building automation systems (BAS)
and controls services can be an effective bridge between design, construction, and operation. Gone are the days
when building controls functionality
was locked within a construction subcontract and squeezed into the chaotic
final days of construction and initial
occupancy. Open-network architecture
and employment of a connected building-commissioning (CBCx) approach
have opened a new landscape.
Today, optimal operating sequences
and relationships can be built into the
smarts of a building, and performance
requirements can be made softwareenforceable. However, these software
aspects need to be considered early and
repeatedly throughout the design/
construction cycle by a multidisciplinary project team. In effect, the team
is defining a software data platform
that will extend into the normal operations phases of the buildings life. Done
correctly, it will serve as the buildings
next-generation energy-management
system (EMS) and will adapt to the
needs of the owner and occupants over
time without costly hardware changes
or massive software overhauls.
The path to this vision for a nextgeneration EMS does require new
approaches to project delivery for both
new construction and retrofits. According to smart-building research firm
Memoori, the traditional supply chain for
BAS services is in the midst of a major
restructuring. The critical piece of this
80
restructuring is the separation of the contracts for hardware installation from the
contracts for software, including controls,
analytics, and workflow management.
This separation enables building
owners to take advantage of the explosion in software services that mine
building data to reduce energy costs,
improve occupant comfort, streamline
operations workflow, and automate
corporate environmental reporting.
No single company or product category can drive the full potential of this
industry shift. Instead, it will be built
on top of open-network architectures,
where a variety of innovative service
providers can easily leverage the data
from the myriad connected devices
throughout a building.
When clients are introduced to this
process, they may respond with, This
sounds great, but are you telling me I
now have to manage even more subcontracts and spend more money?
The answer is no. Here are a few key
recommendations:
Managing complexity:
Start your operations and maintenance (O&M) controls service
contract in the design phase.
Use a commissioning (Cx) firm
to manage the process of delivering high-performance building
controls.
Put the hardware contract under
the general contractor or mechanical, electrical, plumbing (MEP)
engineer, and contract the software/
analytics directly to the owner.
Managing cost:
Competitively bid the hardware
and software/analytics with discrete acceptance criteria and performance benchmarks.
Look for consolidation opportunities. For example, evaluate
whether multiple systems can run
on a common network or whether
software-based virtual metering
can be used to minimize the number of energy submeters required.
Reduce soft costs by integrating
the scopes for controls-sequence
development, start-up/acceptance
testing, Cx functional testing,
automation programming, and
operational tuning/optimization.
A common theme in these recommendations is the need for simple
and continuous lines of accountability. For example, the simple step
of separating controls hardware
procurement from the software programming, optimization, and maintenance creates powerful opportunities, but these opportunities can be
destroyed if the responsibilities are
handed off between parties throughout the process.
Greg Shank is a founding principal of
Altura Associates. He manages complex
design, construction, and operations
projects with a focus on measuring performance and building team capacity.
Read more about managing complexity
online at www.csemag.com/archives.
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Consulting and Specifying Engineers Magazine Jan Feb 2016

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