High Performing Buildings - Fall 2008 - (Page 32)

temperature is outside the acceptable ranges, the building enters the “closed-mode” level of operations and uses more conventional but highly efficient, mechanical systems. In addition to operable windows, the building’s perimeter informal social spaces (dining, studying and meeting areas) are accompanied by a variety of devices that provide local conditioning. Three 60 ft clerestory custom solar vents act as skylights to admit daylight to the center of the building and provide solar-driven ventilation through vents, while custom designed pendulum and wave fans move air across chilled radiant surfaces, and large rotary fans circulate air at the building’s perimeter. Exterior shading design responds to the specific orientation of the building. Exterior vertical trellises, fixed louver systems, fritted glass, and canopies shade the building as needed, reducing heat gain while still allowing an appropriate amount of indirect daylight, thereby reducing dependence on artificial lighting. Vertical trellises, fixed louver systems and fritted glass shade the building as needed, reducing heat gain while allowing indirect daylight to minimize the need for artificial lighting. Opening The Building— Air, Light and People The previous building had minimized use of daylighting due to heat gain and natural ventilation due to humid- Shading design responds to the orientation of the building. 32 HigH Performing ity. The newly constructed building creates healthy spaces that emphasize natural light year-round and natural ventilation, especially during the spring and fall. By increasing the comfort zone, the period that a building can remain open in New Orleans is expanded by an additional one to two months (for a total of six Buildings fa l l 2 0 0 8 months). This is achieved by using combined criteria to predict thermal comfort as per international standards (ISO 7730) over the traditional ASHRAE Standard 55 (1992) method that prioritizes air temperature and assumes no air movement and physical activity. The new thermal comfort criteria emphasize radiant surfaces

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of High Performing Buildings - Fall 2008

High Performing Buildings - Fall 2008
Contents
Lessons Learned
Green on a Budget
ASHRAE Sets Example: ASHRAE Headquarters
The Lavin-Bernick Center for University Life
Spectral Services Consultants Corporate Office
Advertising Index

High Performing Buildings - Fall 2008