ASHRAE Journal - September 2022 - 46

TECHNICAL FEATURE
Technology Transfer
A technology transfer effort was conducted to facilitate
implementation of the variable volume technology
by providing accessible technology description documents,
pertinent application tools and a broad-spectrum
outreach. This multifaceted support steps a user
through the entire process of evaluating, procuring and
implementing the technology.
The technology evaluation products help users
determine if this technology is the right fit for their
circumstances. Products include a project overview
poster and fact sheet, a technical note (a brief distillation
of the detailed research report), a field scoping
guide spreadsheet (to conduct an installation-wide
screening as well as individual unit evaluation to
assess a potential unit's operational status and suitability
for retrofit, including prompts to help identify
needed repairs/upgrade of system equipment that
would prevent successful retrofit performance [such
as broken dampers or failed motors]), an economic
estimator spreadsheet (to help gauge the expected
energy and cost impact of a retrofit) and a pitch briefing
(ready slides and script to convey the retrofit
opportunity to decision makers).
The estimator allows a potential user to apply the
energy results of the technology demonstration to their
particular situation. It applies the field derived percent
energy savings on the fan and at the coils to typical
energy use for the candidate site's location and facility
end use, along with local utility rates and site-specific
system efficiencies to estimate the impact of the
change. It calculates key LCC values based on multiple
inputs:
* User-provided system specifics such as unit
size, area served, system configuration, retrofit/repair
choices and local utility costs;
* Typical HVAC energy requirements (i.e., kBtu/ft2)
for their designated building activity (e.g., office) and
locality from CBECS data;
* Technology demonstration savings percentages;
and
* Cost data.
Calculations are customizable with common upgrade
activities (e.g., retrocommissioning, addition of scheduling
and/or economizer function, needed equipment
repair, etc.). Default values support preliminary scoping
analysis with limited data input. The estimator supports
user override of many parameters to refine output. The
estimator provides for review of retrofit measures as
stand-alone activities or combined with other potential
upgrade activities into a retrofit package to determine
the full budget requirements and estimated energy
impact.
A procurement package provides a coordinated
approach to consider best practices and reduce piecemeal
one-off efforts. The products include a design
guide, template drawing set, specification template and
sample contracting language for a performance work
statement (PWS). The template drawings, specification
and points schedules allow quick production of procurement
requirements with minimal edits.
A commissioning guide helps establish and verify
proper operation of the system, including sample procedures
verifying the updated sequence of operation.
Outreach efforts have been used to raise awareness
of the technology and encourage adoption through
published papers and articles, email/phone contacts
of DOD personnel already indicating interest, conference/webinar
presentations and online posting of
documents. All the technology transfer products have
been vetted with subject matter experts and potential
users for usability and pertinence. Products of the
technology transfer are available at the Whole Building
Design Guide, https://www.wbdg.org/ffc/army-coe/
design-guides/mz-vv-hvac-controls-retrofit.
retrofit and some additional room sensors and programming
for the DCV option.
The field demonstration took place in 2016-17 before
the 2020 COVID pandemic, so the consequences of new
ventilation guidelines were not considered and could be
appropriate for further exploration. The addition of outside
air ventilation measurement and control, not present
in the preretrofit systems, is advantageous for ventilation
monitoring and ready ventilation adjustments in
situations where this functionality might be beneficial
as a pandemic mitigation measure.
46
ASHRAE JOURNAL ashrae.o rg
S E PTEM B E R 2022
The retrofit includes several novel aspects including
limited requirement for new equipment (just two
pieces of equipment), use of zone damper control signals
as an indicator of space loads thus avoiding the
need for damper position sensors and simplification
of the hot deck temperature reset, which prioritized
saving costly fan electricity over less expensive heating
using natural gas. Further, the experimental set
up of rotating through operational modes on a daily
basis and mapping hourly energy savings to a typical
weather year allowed measuring not only the baseline
https://www.wbdg.org/ffc/army-coe/design-guides/mz-vv-hvac-controls-retrofit https://www.wbdg.org/ffc/army-coe/design-guides/mz-vv-hvac-controls-retrofit https://ashrae.org/
ASHRAE Journal - September 2022

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