How do you handle performance validation and energy analysis of HVAC Systems using simulation?

[RandomUserName]

Fellow engineers,

I am a developing engineer (3 years experience) who has found himself at a 100ish person private A/E firm who consults for clients in healthcare, education, pharmaceuticals, and heavy industry. Doing HVAC / plumbing / fire protection engineering, design, and specification. Most of the commercial work is renovation or small (<10,000 sq. ft.) construction, while the sky is the limit on the heavy side.

We use Carrier HAP for basic load calculations for HVAC sizing of equipment. It seems like all clients in our area are concerned with initial capital cost. As such we typically only specify multiple packaged rooftop units on small jobs and constant volume hydronic systems with constant speed AHUs on the larger project side.

I would like to have the conversation with current long term clients about spending a little more money during design development (heck, maybe even do it pro bono the first time or two) to perform an energy analysis of different HVAC air/water systems to show different break-even periods. For a small upfront cost - that I believe should pay for itself in energy savings - we can help our client build better mechanical systems. It is a win-win: we get a larger fee based off construction costs; client saves money over the lifetime of the use of the space.
Thing is, I do not know where to start.

I am plenty familiar with all the basic engineering systems and how to design them. If not, I have the books to teach me, and I really enjoy technical reading. I am also very familiar with performing financial economic analysis (PV, FV, Annuities, NPV, etc). I need to learn the correct software and approaches to blend these two skills.

1. How do you all go about presenting this to your clients?
2. What energy modeling simulation software do you use to perform your analysis? Any preferred reading materials to go along with using it?
3. Could you give me a success story or two?

I think this could be a great new territory for us. Your thoughts are greatly appreciated!

 

[EnergyProfessional]

cry22: I'm not trying to argue. so for a 4000 cfm you then run boilers to re-heat? that also is wear on equipment and the pumps.
the VFD is not much more expensive. Balancing you need to do with CV even more. And you also have the constant noise in CV. Again, not trying to argue... I get your point.

 

[urgross]

I finished my second meeting where the MEP is the lead, architect is the sub. A world of difference. The envelope is 189.1, 90.1-2010 is a starting point, and I'm sure they want to get their 179D tax credits. Even with the architect as sub, it is difficult to get the support space right. The customer needs an autocllave, so that fit on the footprint. The steam gennie, RO and water softening weren't figutred in; oops, the MER has to be larger, so be it.

There are still many applications for CV; any time you need to maintain relative differential pressure between multiple adjacencies, I'd say that is the way to go-VFD is still needed for loading, so no energy savings to speak of. For smaller areas, if energy is a concern, I'd go with a CV for energy savings; it would be a DOAS with VRF energy recovery, or even radiant flooring with desuperheater and supplemental heat.

If solar PV was practical in this area, I would do it. Haven't seen a LCCA showing positive in less than 54 years so far.

If you think that all architects will be practical and responsible, try dealing with one of the PlaneTree artists. I think "PlaneTree" actually means "screw the MEP".

 

[cry22]

Agree that sometimes, we do use CV boxes or air valves on CV systems to maintain pressure differential requirements.
but you say:
"The steam gennie, RO and water softening weren't figutred in; oops, the MER has to be larger, so be it" - there is no way in hell that an architect can figure out space needs for such requirements if not spelled out in his RFP. Sometimes, you may need to educate the architect (IN WRITING - VIA E-MAIL) and you will get what you want. I've learned over the years that reaching out to architects with anticipation of space needs goes a long way.

AND, it's not always what you say, it is how you say it. ADJUST, as they say in the military.