Commercial Architecture June 2016 - (Page 30)

PROJECT hvac UV Improves HVAC Increased airflow and improved air quality are only two benefits of an ultraviolet-lamp system in an HVAC system upgrade. W hen you compete for premier ductions based in Pompano Beach, FL. Fon- office tenants in a high-rent taine's team recommended the sustainable market such as south Florida, UV-C solution, product selection, and installa- your building better have the best finishes and tion at BayView. systems to stand out from the competition. In the end, an independent audit document- That's an ongoing challenge that motivated ed as much as a 47% increase in the building's Bunnie Willis in her role as vice president, se- airflow levels following the UV-C installation, nior property manager, for the 12-story Bay- which also reduced enough energy use to pay View corporate tower in Fort Lauderdale. Built for the upgrade in just three-months-an impres- in 1973, the 412,000-sq.-ft. Class A building sive 90-day return on investment. The audit not houses 13 corporate tenants, including AT&T, only showed an increase in airflow, but also a Whole Foods, and Landmark Worldwide. reduction in fan and refrigeration-system ener- Willis routinely looks for ways to enhance gy consumption. the value of BayView and the other Florida According to the U.S. Department of Ener- commercial properties she manages on behalf gy, Washington, Willis is not alone in targeting of New Boston Fund Inc., a multi-billion-dollar HVAC as a potential source of savings, as this private real estate investment-management firm. equipment accounts for 30% to 50% of a build- In July 2011, during a routine evaluation of the ing's total energy use-a figure that may be even BayView Tower's mechanical systems, Willis more pronounced in southern climates such as learned that she could provide her tenants with Florida. cleaner, healthier air by making modest up- Willis did her homework learning more grades to the building's heating, ventilating, and about the technology. She met with the build- air-conditioning systems. One upgrade held the ing's chief engineer, Miki Minic, who had suc- promise of saving energy, reducing maintenance cessfully used UV-C lamp systems in several costs, and extending equipment life. other buildings. USING UV LIGHTING Minic. "Most important is the improvement to A key component in the HVAC system up- indoor-air-quality levels, so tenants enjoy clean- grades was the addition of ultraviolet-C (UV- er, healthier air. Absenteeism due to the spread C) lamps. Used extensively since the 1990s to of unsafe microorganisms by HVAC systems is improve indoor air quality and later to improve almost eliminated." "There are many benefits of UV-C," said An RLM Xtreme fixtureless UV-C lamp system delivers high-output ultraviolet energy to irradiate coils and destroy mold, bacteria, and viruses in demanding and high-volume HVAC environments. Photos: Mitchell Zachs, magicalphotos.com 30 COMMERCI A L A RCHI T EC T URE JUNE 2016 commercialarchitecturemagazine.com heat-exchange efficiency, boost airflow, and re- He continued, "Moreover, equipment life is duce maintenance, the UV-C wavelength elim- improved, downtime and preventive mainte- inates, and further prevents, microbial and or- nance expenses like cleaning the coils, drain ganic material buildup on HVAC cooling coils, pans, and the purchase of coil and drain treat- air filters, duct surfaces, and in drain pans. ments is significantly reduced." However, it is the technology's ability to po- Willis also visited similar properties in the tentially slash between 10% and 25% of HVAC area with HVAC UV-lighting installations and energy use that drives nine out of 10 UV-C in- looked to her peers in the area for their input stallations, said Bruce Fontaine, vice president and experience with the technology. of business development and operations at Sus- "Following my research and meeting with tainable Management Solutions, a national en- other commercial property managers who had ergy-efficiency consultancy specializing in UV lighting installed, I was sold on the technol- commercial HVAC, electrical, and water-use re- ogy's benefits," she said. http://www.magicalphotos.com http://www.commercialarchitecturemagazine.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Commercial Architecture June 2016

The Architects
Green Schools Score High Marks
Modular Skylights Brighten College Spaces
More Sauce, Less Electricity
Lighting Improves Hotel Aesthetics, Safety, Security
UV Improves HVAC
Energy Solutions Enhance Learning Environment
Tree Trunks Furnish Store Backbone
Roofing, Skylights Boost Medical Stats
Building Technology Products
Showcase
Index
Portfolio

Commercial Architecture June 2016