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Getting the Sums Right
mall energy savings delivered The naturally ventilated building will be Minimising the pressure drop across these
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by often overlooked managed in zones. All the systems will be valves minimises pumping losses.
components can deliver controlled by a sophisticated BMS which will Correctly specified, these components can
large cumulative benefits. monitor heat gains and cooling and operate make a significant cumulative contribution to
Andy Lucas of Crane Building additional mechanical heating and cooling energy efficiency.
Services & Utilities explains. systems accordingly. Designers at Bideford College have
Local authorities which are building schools selected components designed to achieve
under the government’s Building Schools for Cumulative Energy Savings these benefits.
the Future (BSF) programme are incorporating The heating and cooling elements of the
sophisticated building management systems HVAC system work at maximum efficiency Other Requirements
(BMS) and other new technologies into their when operating as close as possible to their The HVAC components need to be more
projects to achieve savings in energy use and design parameters, which requires the valves than just efficient; easy installation and
CO2 emissions. controlling the fluid flow to deliver precisely the maintenance and a high level of quality are
These systems can deliver impressive right amount of hot or cold water. also required.
efficiency benefits. However, some new school Static valves have therefore been specified at The valves being used at the college HVAC
developments are improving even on these Bideford College to control the flow of water system have been designed to give fast and
results by adopting a design approach which around the heating and cooling systems. effective commissioning. Their fixed orifice
includes attention to detail in specifying They will be used to balance the systems and technology, incorporating flow measurement
individual system components. measure flow with an accuracy of and regulation into a single unit, reduces the
Designers on these projects are demanding +/- 5 per cent. Performing to standards number of on-site connections which need to
that things such as HVAC valves should be identified by CIBSE and BSRIA, the valves will be made, cutting the costs of installation.
lighter in weight, more compact in order to save enable the systems to manage flows at They can be used in any orientation without any
on space and to have a higher degree of maximum efficiency. change in performance.
accuracy in order to minimise energy usage. Keith Dixon, Senior Mechanical Engineer with Carefully specifying the right HVAC hardware
Manufacturers are rising to the challenge with NPS said, “The commissioning valves allow us at the design stage and then working with
value-engineered products designed to to accurately regulate and balance flow rates in contractors to ensure that the specifications are
maximise energy efficiency. the system. translated into installations,
One school currently under construction They help the not amended in pursuit of
adopting such a detailed design approach is system to perform short-term cost savings, can
Bideford College which Devon County Council consistently to deliver real additional
is showcasing as a national demonstrator in optimise benefits when striving to
BSF. Phase one of the new college is due to performance achieve sustainability in new
be completed in July 2010. and thereby create school buildings.
The ambition is to make the school exceed significant energy
the requirements for the award of a nationally savings.”
recognised accreditation for reduced heating, The biggest
energy and water consumption set out in energy load in a
the government’s guidelines entitled HVAC system,
Sustainable Schools – For Pupils, Communities of course, is the heating and cooling itself.
and the Environment. However, the pumps driving water circulation
Devon County Council is trying to make the are also significant consumers of energy,
new £44 million college as close as possible to even variable speed pumps controlled by a
being a carbon neutral site using cutting edge BMS which match power consumption to the
environmental and ecological systems to flow required.
reduce CO2 emissions. Further small but significant energy savings
The college will have bio-mass boilers can be delivered by specifying low loss
burning woodchip rather than gas regulating valves and ball valves (used to isolate
(with gas boilers installed as a backup), sections of the system for maintenance and
solar heating and a rain-water recycling system other purposes) where the bore diameter is
for use in flushing WCs. the same as the internal pipe diameter.
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