ASHRAE Journal - July 2020 - 44

2020

ASHRAE TECHNOLOGY AWARD CASE STUDIES

Photo 1 Entrance lobby with triple-glazed window and radiant ﬂoor heating.

collision. The inelastic collisions create larger particles
that have a neutral charge and are then captured. The
electronically enhanced ﬁlter is equivalent to a MERV 15
ﬁlter. A spare ﬁlter rack is also provided in the AHUs in
case a carbon or chemical adsorption ﬁlter is required in
the future. Furthermore, the building is maintained at
a positive pressure relative to the outdoors to minimize
inﬁltration of contaminants and odor from the outside.
The non-gallery ERV system contains a MERV 8 ﬁlter,
and the fan-coils contain MERV 13 ﬁlters.

Thermal Comfort

Gallery Space. The objective of the design is to maintain space temperature and humidity in the exhibit area
to the Class AA museum space condition requirement,
which is 21°C, ±1°C (70°F, ±2°F) and 50%±5% RH all year
round. This condition also satisﬁes occupant thermal
comfort based on an average metabolic rate of 1.4 and
a clothing insulation value of 1.0, per ANSI/ASHRAE
Standard 55-2004. The museum has ﬂoor-to-ceiling
glazing in the main lobby and the corridor, leading from
the lobby to the exhibit areas. Triple-glazed window
and radiant ﬂoor heating are provided in the lobby and
corridor to minimize the cold radiant window effect to
maintain comfort and also reduce the amount of air
that would have been required if heating was to be provided only by air to minimize potential drafts. Supply air
within the exhibit space is supplied at the ceiling level
with ceiling return air, with an air-distribution effectiveness of 1.0. The terminal air velocity from the supply
air grilles is designed at 0.1 m/s (20 fpm) to minimize

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draft at the occupied level, both for human comfort and
art preservation. Temperature, humidity, and CO2 sensors are provided in each exhibit space.
Non-Gallery Space. As noted previously, the non-gallery spaces act as a thermal buffer zone between the outdoor and the gallery spaces. The non-gallery space condition is controlled to 21°C, ±1°C (70°F±2°F), 40%, ±10%
RH in the winter and 23°C, ±1°C (73°F, ±2°F), <60% RH
in the summer. This condition satisﬁes occupant thermal comfort based on an average metabolic rate of 1.4
and a clothing insulation value of 1.0 per ANSI/ASHRAE
Standard 55-2004. Supply air within the exhibit space
is supplied at the ceiling level with ceiling return air,
with an air-distribution effectiveness of 1.0. The maximum terminal air velocity from the supply air grilles is
designed at 0.8 m/s (160 fpm). Temperature, humidity,
and CO2 sensors are provided for each fan-coil zone in
the non-gallery area.

Innovation
The museum is located in a heating-dominant location, with a 1% heating design outdoor air temperature
of -20°C (-4°F) (BC Building Code 2012). The building
is able to reduce its heating energy in this climate due
to a high-performance envelope and heat recovery heat
pumps. Highlights of the envelope and mechanical system's energy-saving features are as follows:
* Overall exterior roof conduction 62% lower than the
baseline case.
* Overall exterior wall conduction 32% lower than the
baseline case.

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ASHRAE Journal - July 2020

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