Commercial Architecture October 2017 - 46
PROJECT
hvac
frame heat exchanger, isolating the CHP unit loop from
the building's various needs for heat.
Three loads draw from the heat exchanger: DHW
production, the building's two-pipe fan-coil units when
in heating mode, and three new, 50-ton Yazaki (Canton,
MI) absorption chillers on the 12th floor. "Absorption
chillers are the nearest thing to a magic box," said Cafer.
"You put hot water in and get chilled water out." The
chiller's unique lithium-bromide absorption technology
lends itself perfectly to CHP applications.
During the shoulder seasons, there's potential for the
CHP unit to produce more thermal energy than the facility needs. In the event there's excess heat, there's a dry
cooler on the roof for heat rejection.
"Being that the absorption chillers are now the only
source of cooled water, the heating and cooling elements
in the building are entirely dependent on a source of hot
water," explained Beyer. "During maintenance of the
CHP unit, or in the unlikely event of failure, we needed
complete redundancy in the form of condensing boilers.
This is the case with almost every co-gen application."
A pair of Laars, Rochester, NH, NeoTherm condensing boilers provide double redundancy. The larger, at 1.7
MMBtu, more than matches the output of the CHP unit.
Clockwise from left. The 13-story brick building that houses Ronald McDonald House New York was built in 1989. Though living space within the
70,000-sq.-ft. structure is modern, the systems that served it were original until recently.
Comfort for families away from home was one of the key considerations for the retrofit.
Two, high-efficiency Laars NeoTherm boilers supply backup heat and cooling to the structure, providing guestroom comfort.
It alone is able to condition the building regardless of the
season. The second, 1 MMBtu boiler is in place for further peace of mind. If the CHP unit is turned off for any
reason, the boilers fire together, each modulating to
roughly 50% to meet design load.
"The contribution of the boilers in this situation is
ration plants in New York State ranging from 75 kW to 10
"Making the changes necessary to convert to a CHP
critical, even more so than in a conventional heating ap-
mW, and Integrated has flawlessly maintained our facility
system would have yielded a seven or eight-year pay-
plication," said Don Rathe, president of Rathe Associ-
for years. Ike was a Navy submariner. To say he's meticu-
back," said Cafer. "But the charity wanted to make huge
ates, Farmingdale, NY, the manufacturer's representative
lous is an understatement."
strides toward sustainability, occupant comfort, and cost
firm whose professionals helped to specify components
At every step, Farrell was intimately involved with the
avoidance, so the decision was made to remove nearly all
for the hydronic system and supplied the boilers. "In ad-
renovation. His understanding of the building and its ex-
old mechanical components and start with a clean slate.
dition to carrying the heating and snowmelt loads, the
isting systems proved to be invaluable.
This only pushed the retrofit's simple payback out three
cooling system would also go down if the boilers failed to
more years, which is very impressive."
run. "Given the physical state of some of the children at
IF BEFORE HOW
Beyer and Cafer will attest to the growing adoption of
RMH, the role of the boilers becomes essential to their
In 2011, long before any plans for a retrofit were drawn
CHP technology in the Big Apple; up nearly 400% in the
health and year-round comfort conditioning," added
up, Energy Concepts began a feasibility study to deter-
past decade. Cafer explained that Hurricane Sandy
Rathe. "This was a key reason for specification of the
mine if a CHP plant would be right for Ronald McDon-
stirred great interest in co-gen. While much of the grid
NeoTherms, systems we've found to be extremely reli-
ald House New York or if an in-kind equipment replace-
was down, several buildings they personally worked in
able."
ment offered better value.
continued operation as usual, courtesy of well-designed
"All applications are different, based on energy-use
CHP systems.
Integrated HVAC Systems and Services also replaced
the building's existing domestic-hot-water equipment
trends and the physical structures themselves," explained
"Co-gen has always made sense," he said, "but with
with two 85-gal. instantaneous, indirect-fired water heat-
Cafer, who spends several days each week at the firm's
cheap natural gas, costly power, and an overtaxed electric
ers. A new building-automation system simplifies the
Brooklyn office. "We took a holistic approach; energy
grid in NYC, it makes more sense now than ever."
otherwise complex systems, and a snowmelt zone outside
models were developed based on past use and projected
now keeps guests safe and eliminates costly winter side-
costs." The study was funded in part by the New York
HARDWARE
walk maintenance. Lighting throughout the structure
State Energy Research and Development Authority
Integrated HVAC Systems and Services installed a nat-
was updated with LED fixtures, a joint project between
(NYSERDA), Albany.
ural gas-fired IntelliGen, Bethpage, NY, CHP unit on
Integrated and Innovative Energy Solutions Group-New
After two years of research and data collection, it was
the roof of the 13-story building. The pre-packaged unit
York, Hauppauge, NY (IESG-NY), and also partially
determined that on-site cogeneration equipment would
combines a roughly 600-HP, 12-cylinder reciprocating
funded by NYSERDA.
provide the heating, cooling, and domestic hot water
engine with a 250-KW generator to produce power for
The two-phase project was formidable, but everyone
(DHW) loads while supplying 95% of the building's
the building. Heat from the engine-as much as 1.5-mil-
involved had realistic timeline expectations when work
power needs.
lion Btu under full load-is rejected into a large plate-and-
began in December 2013.
46
COMMERCI A L A RCHI T EC T URE
OCTOBER 2017
commercialarchitecturemagazine.com
http://www.commercialarchitecturemagazine.com
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Commercial Architecture October 2017
The Architects
Shaping Neighborhoods
Local Atmosphere
Concrete Tile Roof Caps Renovation
Decking Provides Venue Views
Exteriors Products
After The Storm
Lofty Windows
Glass Spans Mixed-Use Development
Smart Glass Delivers Airport Comfort
Windows & Doors Products
Solar-Thermal/Tankless Water Heating Is LEED Platinum
UV Technology Fights Infection
Co-Gen Delivers Comfort At Ronald McDonald House
HVAC & Plumbing Products
Contemporary Lighting, Outdoor Dining
Low Voltage, LEDs Meet Sustainable Goals
Lighting & Electrical Products
Polished-Concrete Floor Reveals Natural Beauty
Interiors Products
Building Technology Products
Showcase
Index
Portfolio
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - Cover1
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - Cover2
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - 1
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - 2
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - 3
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - 4
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - 5
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - 6
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - 7
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - The Architects
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - 9
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - Shaping Neighborhoods
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - 11
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - 12
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - 13
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - 14
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - 15
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - 16
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - 17
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - Local Atmosphere
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - 19
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - 20
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - 21
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - 22
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - 23
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - Concrete Tile Roof Caps Renovation
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - 25
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - 26
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - Decking Provides Venue Views
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - Exteriors Products
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - 29
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - After The Storm
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - 31
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - Lofty Windows
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - Glass Spans Mixed-Use Development
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - Smart Glass Delivers Airport Comfort
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - 37
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - Windows & Doors Products
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - 39
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - Solar-Thermal/Tankless Water Heating Is LEED Platinum
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - 41
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - 42
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - UV Technology Fights Infection
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - 44
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - Co-Gen Delivers Comfort At Ronald McDonald House
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - 46
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - 47
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - 48
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - 49
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - HVAC & Plumbing Products
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - 51
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - 52
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - Contemporary Lighting, Outdoor Dining
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - Low Voltage, LEDs Meet Sustainable Goals
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - Lighting & Electrical Products
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - 56
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - Polished-Concrete Floor Reveals Natural Beauty
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - 58
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - 59
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - Interiors Products
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - 61
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - Building Technology Products
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - 63
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - Showcase
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - Index
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - Portfolio
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - Cover3
Commercial Architecture October 2017 - Cover4
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