The iterative design process to match potential project solutions to the client’s budget and schedule

1. Mike Godawa www.integralgroup.com
Advanced Mechanical Systems-Finding
the Right Solution for the Client and
the Project

2. Advanced Mechanical Systems
Finding the Right Solution for the Client and the
Project
• What are the goals of the Client and the Project?
• What are the project assets?
• What are the project liabilities?
• Iterative process matching the potential solutions
to the budget and schedule
• Final solution
• Lessons Learned
Case Study: Evergreen Brick Works

3. Advanced Mechanical Systems
Finding the Right Solution for the Client and the
Project
• What are the goals of the Client and the Project?
Evergreen Brick Works

4. CLIENT GOALS PROJECT GOALS
High Sustainability Goals from outset • On Budget
• Site wide energy & water • On Schedule
conservation • Reduce energy and water
• Demonstrate sustainable consumption
technologies
• Reduce carbon footprint
Evergreen Brick Works

5. Advanced Mechanical Systems
Finding the Right Solution for the Client and the
Project
• What are the goals of the Client and the Project?
• What are the project assets?
• What are the project liabilities?
Evergreen Brick Works

6. ASSETS LIABILITIES
• Good solar opportunities • Location - Flood Plain
• Good thermal mass of existing • Contaminated Soils
building • Subsurface archeology
• Known soil conditions • Historic envelope reduces ability to
• Open minded environmentally super insulate buildings
driven client • Limited Construction Budget
Evergreen Brick Works

7. Advanced Mechanical Systems
Finding the Right Solution for the Client and the
Project
• What are the goals of the Client and the Project?
• What are the project assets?
• What are the project liabilities?
• Iterative process matching the potential solutions
to the budget and schedule
Evergreen Brick Works

8. Questions to Ask the Client and the Design Team
• Is air conditioning a necessity?
• Are there any “sacred cows”?
• Is free or waste energy available nearby ?
• Do site constraints limit mechanical solutions?
• What can drive the mechanical plant size lower?
• Are there any opportunities to display new technologies?
Evergreen Brick Works

9. Iterative Design Process
• People before hardware
• Shell before contents
• Application before equipment
• Quality before quantity
• Passive before active, and
• Load reduction before supply
Evergreen Brick Works

10. Geo-Thermal
• Has sex appeal for energy savings
but challenge the Owner
whether both heating and
cooling are required. A balanced
load is critical.
• Difficult on this site due to buried
artifacts, environmental hidden
costs and confined location for
drilling
Evergreen Brick Works

11. Solar Thermal/PV
• Tendered design included a
combined concentrated solar
thermal/PV on a rotating
turntable.
• Unfortunately the supplier
admitted they had design flaws
before it was installed.
• System was to provide electricity
and hot water for heating,
domestic hot water and for
cooling through an absorption
chiller
• Small solar thermal system
installed to serve domestic hot
water needs
Evergreen Brick Works

12. Bio-Mass Boilers
• Tendered design included a biomass
boiler in building 16 complete with pellet
storage so as to minimize fossil fuel use.
• Need a dependable source of cost
effective, low ash/low moisture content
wood pellets.
• Microclimate analysis is critical due to
ash content in flue discharge.
• Expensive technology and does not
necessarily add LEED points for energy
but does reduce carbon footprint
• As a result it was deleted for cost savings
and a gas fired boiler plant including a
primary condensing boiler was installed.
Evergreen Brick Works

13. Ice Rink
• Seed money for project came from a donor who insisted an ice
rink be made.
• Waste heat from compressors used to heat radiant floors in
Building 14.
• Always look for something useful out of mandatory requirements
Evergreen Brick Works

14. Advanced Mechanical Systems
Finding the Right Solution for the Client and the
Project
• What are the goals of the Client and the Project?
• What are the project assets?
• What are the project liabilities?
• Iterative process matching the potential solutions
to the budget and schedule
• Final solution

15. Stantec

17. • 765,000 litres of water captured for re- • Energy Intensity 137 KWH/m2/yr.
use on site annually: 18 Olympic Pools (494 MJ/m2/yr.)
• 60% potable water use reduction
• 58.8% Improvement on
ASHRAE 90.1 Guideline
• 23% Reclaimed and Recycled Materials • 46% Regional materials (800 km radius)
• 51% Reduced Carbon
The sustainability of Evergreen Brick Works Footprint from ASHRAE 90.1
Guideline

18. Advanced Mechanical Systems
Finding the Right Solution for the Client and the
Project
• What are the goals of the Client and the Project?
• What are the project assets?
• What are the project liabilities?
• Iterative process matching the potential solutions
to the budget and schedule
• Final solution
• Lessons Learned
Evergreen Brick Works

19. Natural/Mixed Mode Ventilation
• Good solution if whole building does
not need to be cooled.
• Need to watch out for partitions
blocking air paths. Transfer air ducts
need to be large to reduce pressure
drop
• Fan assist runs all the time as building
is located in a natural swale.
• Improvements needed to be made at
solar chimneys as “bounce back”
occurred at top level.
Evergreen Brick Works

20. Cisterns
• Lots of roof area to capture rain
water but how much is too much?
• Need to make use of the water. Right
now we have two 5,000 gallon tanks
to feed water into building 12 for
flushing toilets and serve for make-
up water for the cooling tower.
• Majority of 12 other tanks are to be
used for irrigation and have fill
spouts at tanks and must be drained
in fall to avoid freezing.
• Biggest maintenance issue was the
leaf catchers which could not handle
the flow.
Evergreen Brick Works

21. Modeling
• Allow for multiple what-if
scenarios.
• Get them involved early and
before major milestones
• Need to have a knowledgeable
modeler when doing
sustainable design.
• Designers must check all
assumptions
• Needs to be “Green Giant”
Evergreen Brick Works

22. Push the Envelope but make sure there is
Clarity with Owner!
• Document decisions and
Space Conditioning Requirements
Building Type Conditioning Summer Indoor Winter Indoor Relative Humidity
Approach Design Design (% RH)
make it easy for client to Building 1 Fully Conditioned
(WB/DB –F)
-
(DB – F)
- -
understand (harder than Building 3
(Existing)
Unconditioned Ventilation Set
Point - 75°F
Outdoor Condition Not Controlled
it sounds) Building 4
Building 5
Future
Heated Only – No
-
-
-
-
-
-
Modifications
(Existing)
• Give examples and Building 6 – 7 Unconditioned Outdoor Condition Outdoor Condition Not Controlled
– Nat. Ventilation
Building 8 Unconditioned Outdoor Condition Outdoor Condition Not Controlled
research costs (don’t rely Building 9 Future
– Nat. Ventilation
- - -
on cost consultant) Building 10b Heated Only Outside
Conditions
72F ( 3F) Not Controlled
Building 10 – 11a - Future - - -
Future
• Get sign off whenever Building 12
Level 1 Heating / Cooling 75°F 70°F 20 – 30% winter /
(Primary) 50% summer
possible Levels 2 – 5 Heating - 70°F 20 – 30% winter
Cooling – Nat. ± 5°F above - Not controlled
Ventilation ambient outdoor
conditions
Cooling 78°F - Not controlled
(Secondary)
Evergreen Brick Works Building 14 Heated Only Outdoor Condition
– Nat. Ventilation
70°F Not controlled
Building 16 Future - - -

23. Any Questions?

24. The Tour of the Brickworks