ASHRAE Journal - April 2021 - 22

COLUMN SOLVING PROBLEMS

Kilcoyne added that the commissioning report is commonly the last time a design engineer will be able to see
any issues in the BAS design.
" After this, facilities engineering takes over and mitigates, works around or lives with any BAS deficiencies, "
he said. " If [design engineers] have the opportunity, I
suggest checking back in with the client after six or 12
months to see what is working for them and what issues
have arisen. "
Benson also suggested staying in communication with
customers and O&M teams as they become familiar with
the building and day-to-day challenges.
" This is especially powerful for owners that use analytics and benchmarking to track performance. Don't
forget to request feedback both on where you could do
better as well as what's working well, " he said.

Possible Pitfalls
Start with Controls in Mind
When starting to design any type of system, keep controls in mind, said Del Monaco.
" Oftentimes controls are put on the back burner, and
they're developed really late in the game, " he said.
When controls are not considered in the early stages of
design, sometimes the designer does not consider all the
components and/or devices to control the space or environment, he said.
" So you end up adding modifying equipment or components really late in the game. And sometimes that
could be a challenge because there may be physical limitations, impacts to other trades and cost implications to
doing that, " Del Monaco said.
Kilcoyne said he would like to see the industry move
more toward an integrated design approach, which he
said could lead to better performing and more energyefficient systems.
" When you're thinking about the types of controls
sequences and resets that you want to incorporate into
the design sequences, then you have to know where
those sensors are located in your piping plans, your air
distribution and ductwork, " he said.

Do Not Overly Rely on Others
" Young or less experienced engineers tend to rely too
heavily on others, " said Del Monaco. " They do not do
their due diligence to understand the existing system
and new components. As the engineer of record, they
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are responsible for all aspects of the design and should
learn the system in detail. "
He encourages young or less experienced engineers to
take the initiative to learn what they are doing, instead
of being intimidated because they think someone else is
the expert.
" Do your own research, ask questions, but discern
what it being told to you, " he said.
Kilcoyne echoed Del Monaco. Relying on a local BAS
vendor to perform the controls design on a project is the
most frequent pitfall Kilcoyne sees. While BAS vendors
are experienced and knowledgeable about their product
and can be a valuable resource to a design engineer, the
design engineer needs to be able to temper and judge
their recommendations and perform their own design,
said Kilcoyne.
" These vendors may have motivations other than optimal BAS performance that show up in their designs.
They are also not being paid to perform the investigation
into the existing network that is necessary for a proper
design, " he said.
Kilcoyne advises engineers to educate themselves or
work with someone within their own firm to get a " truly
independent and unbiased controls design. " He also
pointed to design templates that are available through
ASHRAE and manufacturers.
" They're all useful tools that you can use, but you have
to have enough knowledge, " he said.

Do Your Due Diligence
Benson advises design engineers to do their own due
diligence-especially for existing systems. He recommends engineers plan at least one site visit to ensure
they understand an existing building's components,
original intent and how things are installed. He also said
to always remove non-applicable sections of specs.
" Avoid the cardinal sin of redundant tag names and
numbers. Multiple pieces of equipment in a building
with the same tag number (ex: 'exhaust fan 1', 'VAV 01',
'AHU 01') is a nightmare and leads to real problems referencing designs and maintaining systems effectively.
Using unique names from the start is very much appreciated, " said Benson.

Simplify Overly Complex or Unmanageable Strategies
" As good as their intentions are, we often have an
issue when an engineer tries to squeeze out the last few

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ASHRAE Journal - April 2021

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