REMEDIAL HEATING/COOLING/LIGHTING

REMEDIAL HEATING/COOLING/LIGHTING

and ENERGY CONSERVATION

There are several compelling reasons to conserve energy in the design and operation of school buildings.

Save operating costs: Energy costs may seem relatively small relative to salaries, but they add up quickly, and they are one of the few parts of a school district budget which can be reduced over time without harming instruction.

Help control energy costs regionally and nationally: Energy conservation is good for the whole nation. Educational institutions, by using resources wisely, set and example for their students in stewardship.

Help limit global warming: There is no doubt that we are in a period of global warming that is largely caused by human activity and which, unless slowed dramatically, will probably have major adverse consequences for human life on this planet.

Basic Physics of heat transfer

Buildings gain and/or lose heat in an exchange of energy with their environment. This transfer can take place through the building skin, through glazing as light, or through the movement of air through the buildiing. Here are some sources of heat gain loads.

Internal heat gain loads:

people
electric lighting
equipment (anything that uses electricity or gas)

External heat gain loads:

solar (light through glass)
conduction (transfer through walls and roof)
convection (transfer via air that leaks in, also called infiltration, or is brought in via the ventilation system)

Basic Physics of

Heat transfer sources:

internal heat gain loads

lighting

people

equipment

external loads

solar (through glass)

conduction (through wall & roof)

convection (through outside air)

basic approaches

daylighting; saves energy directly + reduces cooling load

several studies show higher academic perf. with daylight

importance of views for computer users

efficient, high quality electric lighting (more on that later)

quantity standards are LOWERING, less is better (glare, etc.)

research indicates that quality is much more important

occupancy sensors

techniques to reduce conduction:

insulation of walls, roof, floor, glass

mass

techniques to reduce solar gains (slides)

shading devices

plants

special glazing (reflective, dark color, etc.)

techniques to reduce convection loads

tighten up walls, windows, doors

techniques to increase HVAC equipment efficiency:

sophisticated controls, sensors

economizer cycles (heat or cool with outside air)

night flushing (pre-cooling in early morning hours)

passive cooling (hard to retrofit in most buildings, more later)

plug load reduction (brainstorm)