ASHRAE Journal - May 2020 - 70

COLUMN ENGINEER'S NOTEBOOK

FIGURE 7 Causal map leading to the selection of HVAC system. Originally Figure 23 from Croxford, et al.15 Image courtesy of Arup as author of diagram.

Decentralized
MVHR Units

Services and
Facade Upgrade

Poor Value/
Investment

Full Refurbishment +
Extension
Protocol Connection Problem
Between Chilled Beams' Control
and UCL's BMS Systems

Natural
Ventilation

New
Risers

High Density
Studio Spaces:
1.8 m2/person

Plant Space
On Roof

Centralized AHU With
Heat Recovery

Retain Concrete
Frame

Possible BMS Time
Scheduled Seasonal Night
Ventilation

Service Contract

Chillers

Centralized UCL
BMS Control
Chilled Beams

Local
Multipurpose
Units

Low Ceiling
Height

Evaporative
Cooling

Mechanical
Cooling

Mix-Mode
Strategy

Extra Fan Coil
Units Introduced
District Heating
Connection

BIM Model for MEP
Bay Studies

Standardized
Units

* Decisions are color coded by phase in which they were finalized in. Nominally being red = masterplan; pink = brief/pre-concept, blue = concept; yellow = design development; green =
construction documents; purple = construction; orange = commissioning.
* Filled boxes represent decisions taken and dotted-line boxes decisions considered but not adopted.

a long life/loose fit approach (Table 3, "Universal"). The
low ceiling heights drove the presumption of local multipurpose units, which when tested in the BIM model
(Table 2, "Virtualize") resulted in a selection of standardized lengths of chilled beams as the local terminal device
(Table 3, "Universal," "Passive" and "Pre-Loved" readiness).
While a cooling as a service contract for the chillers and
chilled beams was entertained (Table 3, "Joint Venture"),
it was ultimately rejected. (Factual information from
Croxford, et al.,15 pp. 27-28; mapping of CIBSE17 and
EMF10 strategies, cycles and scenarios by author.)
Clearly the Bartlett School project team had the
commitment to explore circular economy principles
throughout the HVAC design and construction process
to see how far the principles could be applied, given the
constraints of the existing building and campus. It is
the proactive collaboration of the many parties who are
guardians of the building's performance throughout
its life cycle and their willingness to discuss, analyze,
70

ASHRAE JOURNAL

ashrae.org

M AY 2020

document and decide that leads to robust conversations
that will lead the industry forward.

The Earth is Curved... So is Its Economics
For many years, ASHRAE has led the way in the ethic of
"reduce" from within an extractive linear building design
and construction economy, and I have confidence that we
will grow toward a broader understanding of materialbased reductions as the world transitions to a carbon
economy. For our community of HVAC professionals,
stewards who have a hand in the transformation of a large
proportion of the earth's energy and material flows, the
questions of rational circular frugality before us become:
* How might we make the ethic of "reuse" as many
times as possible work on current or modified economic terms?
* How might we make the ethic of "recycle" to extend
beneficial use of resources a viable form of business-asusual?
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ASHRAE Journal - May 2020

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