ASHRAE Journal - September 2024 - 67

2024 ASHRAE TECHNOLOGY AWARDS CASE STUDY
2
improving indoor air quality (IAQ), daylighting access
and environmental comfort, promoting maximum
occupant well-being.
ENVELOPE EFFICIENCY
To support the biophilic and daylighting architectural
elements in this building, it was necessary to consider
selective high-performance glass for the main atrium
skylight to not only reduce energy consumption (for
cooling loads to minimize equipment size and optimize
whole building energy performance), but also permit
natural light . Many energy modeling studies were
conducted to decide the best glass and envelope material
combination for this project.
HVAC SYSTEM ENERGY EFFICIENCY
The HVAC system is composed of a chilled water
plant (CWP) on the ground fl oor with three (N + 1)
oil-free magnetic bearing water cooled centrifugal
chillers (600 ton [2110 kW] capacity each), three (N + 1)
variable primary chilled water loop pumps, three (N + 1)
condensing water loop pumps and three (N + 1) open
circuit cooling towers (each 702 ton [2469 kW] capacity).
This CWP supplies chilled water for all high-capacity
air-handling units (AHUs) located outside the CWP room
and some rooms' fan coils in the building. All purchased
equipment was in accordance with Standard 90.1-2010
minimum effi ciency. Chillers exceed performance
requirements with a coeffi cient of performance (COP)
of 6.00 and integrated part load value (IPLV) of 11.08
at AHRI 550/590. The CWP also has a heat recovery
system for domestic hot water use, in which the
condenser water leaving chillers exchange heat from
the condensing loop to preheat the storage tank located
in the hot water plant (HWP). All CWP components
(chillers, cooling towers, pumps, valves, temperature,
pressure and fl ow sensors, etc.) are integrated in the
main building management system (BMS) for whole
equipment monitoring and control by the operations
and management team.
This CWP supplies chilled water through the loop
for 10 high-capacity AHUs (four for labs, four for
classrooms, one for the auditorium and one for the main
building atrium) installed in a technical room beside the
CWP. These AHUs supply conditioned air through main
vertical ducts to all fl oors, which is distributed through
variable air volume (VAV) boxes for all thermal zones
(classrooms, meeting rooms, laboratories,
cleanrooms, administration rooms, etc.). Air
distribution for the classrooms and administration
areas are supplied by VAV boxes separated by at least
two zones-exterior (façade) and interior (core). All fans
serving the parking garage exhaust system have ultrapremium
effi ciency electronically commutated motors
exceeding Standard 90.1-2010 minimum effi ciency
requirements.
INDOOR AIR QUALITY
Besides the biophilic design, regarding IAQ, each
AHU is composed of modules with MERV 8 prefi lters
and MERV 13 fi nal fi lters, exceeding ASHRAE Standard
62.1-2010 minimum media fi lter requirements
(MERV 6), which contribute to air quality and
particulate matter PM2.5 reduction. Minimum
ventilation rates were based on peak occupancies
and space areas in accordance with ASHRAE
Standard 62.1-2016, and total ventilation rates were
compared between Standard 62.1-2016 and local code
NBR 16.401-3, where the highest value was adopted.
Parking areas on underground fl oors have dedicated
exhaust systems that modulate according to the carbon
monoxide concentration monitored by sensors located
strategically throughout the garage area, which are
integrated in the BMS for air quality monitoring.
LIGHTING ENERGY EFFICIENCY
The internal lighting system is composed of higheffi
ciency LED lighting fi xtures with high-power factor
electronic drivers in all areas, which contributed to
lower lighting power density values in relation to
Standard 90.1-2010 parameters.
All lighting control drivers and sensors comply
with Standard 90.1-2010, Section 9.4.1 requirements.
Classrooms, administration areas, meeting rooms,
laboratories, cleanrooms and auditorium lighting
controls were integrated in the main BMS for time
schedule operation with touch switches for manual
on/off/dimming controls. Classrooms have a tablet
for lighting, motorized blinds and air-conditioning
override controls. In the parking garage, at least 50% of
the lighting fi xtures were integrated in the occupancy
sensors. This area is partially controlled by time
schedule through BMS, and the rest is controlled by
sensors. Daylighting sensors were installed close to the
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