High Performing Buildings - Spring 2008 - (Page 60)

LESSONS LEARNED Slow Radiant Flooring Radiant flooring is energy efficient and a comfortable method of heating, but it is extremely slow to cool down or heat up. Early on, Ferreira found that meeting occupant requests to increase or decrease heat just a few degrees could take hours instead of minutes. From the building’s monitoring and visualization system, a discovery was made that helps keep the building temperature comfortable while maximizing energy efficiency. By lowering the radiant flooring a few degrees below the desired building temperature and using the rooftop units to augment the difference, quick adjustments to the building’s temperature can be made to satisfy occupant requests. Heating the Open Shop Area The six-bay shop area is used for servicing Ferreira Construction’s heavy road and highway equipment, as well as a fleet of trucks and SUVs. When Ferreira decided to use radiant flooring to heat the approximately 26,000 ft2 shop area, some people were skeptical about the system’s ability to meet the demands. Often several bay doors are open, or opened and closed throughout the day, exposing the shop and making it difficult to maintain heating or cooling. After implement- ing the radiant flooring and using it for over a year, Ferreira found that the plan worked better than expected. Because the cement slab retains the heat and radiates it upward, mechanics were comfortable in the shop. The feedback has been unanimous that radiant flooring in the shop area provides a high level of user comfort while being efficient and low in cost. Construction Diligence Even with thorough plans and well-designed systems, constant diligence by construction managers and commissioning agents was required to bring the building and systems from design to occupancy. From pressure testing the radiant flooring before the concrete slab was poured to inspecting the electrical systems, problems and errors were identified and eliminated before they were almost literally set in stone. The entire system had high pressure air pumped into it. If a leak occurred during the pouring of concrete, a drop in pressure would be seen. Sloping Solar Panels Ferreira decided not to slope the solar panels installed on the north side of the building’s roof. Sloping the panels at an upward angle would compensate for the reduction in sun exposure from the pitch on the north side, but it also would increase the wind load. Comparing the potential lost efficiency of the panels to the support that would need to be added for the roof to account for the potential wind load showed that sloping the panels was not cost effective. The decrease in production was estimated to be less than 5%, and the wind load from angling the panels would add significant construction costs. Because 31 Tannery Project is creating more power than it consumes, the increased construction cost outweighed the production loss. After installation, monitoring the panels proved the calculations correct. Because the pitch on the roof is slight, a minimal amount of efficiency was sacrificed, and adding a considerable amount of structural support was avoided. Real-Time Monitoring Having a real-time display with dynamic graphics has allowed everyone, the licensed professional engineer, the CEO and the occupants, to participate in how the building is managed. The professional engineer has been able to identify problems and increase efficiency, the CEO sees how the investment is paying off, and occupants are able to participate in lowering energy use without affecting their workloads. Future Plans The 31 Tannery Project received a 100 ENERGY STAR score and was cited by New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine as being the ﬁrst business in that state to meet his Executive Order 54 for the reduction of greenhouse gases. The company reduced its carbon footprint 83%. With a payback of ﬁve to seven years, the building proves that building green and designing for sustainability is commercially viable. The Ferreira team is not ready to stop. They are working on a plan to 60 HIGH PERFORMING implement a solar thermal system to heat the radiant ﬂooring system and eliminate the building’s carbon footprint. This was not included in the original design because of cost. Current solar and high-efﬁciency systems added 35% to cost, and the owner required a short payback. Additional projects are underway. Ferreira is working with the state of New Jersey, Liberty Science Center, and Newark Public Schools to implement a renewable energy learning program to be taught from grade school through high school. The Ferreira Spring 2008 team also hosts visitors on a regular basis to let other businesses learn how they can apply the same techniques to their building and achieve similar results. Upon visiting 31 Tannery Project, many business owners have expressed interest in investing in renewable energy and energy efﬁciency for their buildings. • ABOUT THE AUTHOR John Grabowski, vice president of Noveda Technologies, Inc., served as project coordinator for 31 Tannery Project. BUILDINGS

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

High Performing Buildings - Spring 2008
Daikin AC (Americas)
Contents
Seattle City Hall
SEMCO
3M Energy & Advanced Materials
Price
Sofame Technologies Inc.
Sweetwater Creek Visitor Center
ASHRAE Certification
Greenheck
Daylighting Strategies That Maximize Benefits
Energy Conservatory, The
ASHRAE e-learning
Ecobuild America
CTG Energetics, Inc.
Cambridge City Hall Annex
Tate Access Floors, Inc
Air-Conditioning, Heating, & Refrigeration Institute
31 Tannery Project
Building Owners & Managers Institute
Indian Springs Discovery Center
International Facility Management Association
ASHRAE Healthcare
Fulton Companies, The
AAON, Inc.

High Performing Buildings - Spring 2008