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EVALUATION OF DISPLACEMENT VENTILATION AND CONVENTIONAL VARIABLE AIR VOLUME SYSTEMS FOR INDOOR AIR QUAUTY CONTROL STATUS REPORT: DESIGN PROCESS OF THE RESEARCH AND DEMONSTRATION FACILITY PHASE 11 for Philip Morris USA November 18,1992 N O N iM+ iJt Indoor Environment Program ~ College of Architecture and Urban Studies ~ Virginia Tech, Blacksburg ~

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We would like to recognize the following people for their contributions: Albert J. Davis, William Galloway, Dixon B. Hanna, Charles W. Steger (College of Architecture and Urban Studies), John G. Kuykendall, Kenneth W. Baker, Steven P. Warren, Virgii F. Decker (Facilities Planning and Construction, Virginia Tech), John J. Harmon (H.C.Yu and Associates), reviewers of the Department of Energy and Buildings of the State of Virginia.

TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS ii LIST OF TABLES ....._ ................................................ iii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................ 1 1 DESIGN OF A RESEARCH AND DEMONSTRATION FACILITY .............. 4 1.1 DESIGN OF THE ARCHITECTURAL SYSTEMS .................... 5 1.2 DESIGN OF THE MECHANICAL SYSTEMS ....................... 6 12.1 THE CONVENTIONAL VARIABLE AIR VOLUME VENTILATION SYSTEM ........................................... 7 1.2.2 THE VERTICAL DISPLACEMENT VENTILATION SYSTEM ...... 8 1.2.3 THE SYSTEM SERVING THE CONFERENCE ROOM, INSTRUMENTATION ROOM, AND CORRIDOR ............... 8 12.4 OTHER MECHANICAL SYSTEMS ........................ 9 12.5 COMMISSIONING .................................... 9 2 3 THE PROJECT BUDGET ........................................... 11 2.1 COST ESTIMATE ........................................... 11 2.2 BIDS ................................................... 18 REVIEW OF THE BID DOCUMENTS ................................. 22 3.1 IEP RESEARCH TEAM REVIEW ............................... 22 3.2 UNIVERSITY REVIEW ...................................... 23 3.3 STATE OF VIRGINIA REVIEW ................................ 25 REFERENCES ........................................................ 30 NOMENCLATURE .................................................... 31 lu

LIST OF TABLES Table 1. Cost estimates by Rollins and Ass ............................... 14 Table 2. Bids for RDF Phase II ....................................... 19 Table 3. Final project budget ......................................... 20 Table 4. Cost estimate by division ...................................... 21 ~ 0 N t+ ~ ~ ~ N N ®

Status Report Evaluation of Vent6dion Systems November 16,1992 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Design of a Research and Demonstration Facility The Research and Demonstration Facility (RDF) grew out of the need to Investigate building related issues at full-scale. The intent of this facility is twofold: (a) to investigate systems that control the thermal, lighting, air quality and acoustic indoor environment; (b) to demonstrate innovative building systems. The architect of the project is Albert J. Davis, Associate Professor at the College of Architecture of Virginia Tech in cooperation with William Galloway and Robert P. Schubert. This report describes the design of Phase II only. Phase II, currently under construction, will endose 4000 square feet including conditioned office space, a mechanical room, and an instrumentation room. The office space consists of two visually identical open-plan areas, each 700 square feet, separated by a conference room. Each of these offices will be equipped with a different method of air delivery to evaluate and compare the performance of the two systems. There are three independent HVAC systems in the RDF Phase Ii. One Is a conventional variable air volume system serving one office, the second is a vertical displacement ventilation system serving the other office. The third air handling unit serves the conference room, the corridor and the instrumentation room. a commissioning process has been specified for the HVAC systems. The design of the facility and its systems is described in Chapter 1. The Project Budget Changes to the design for RDF Phase II were made to keep the project within budget. Since Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) was a research issue and the HVAC system was part of that research, no cost savings were possible in this division. Because of the phased construction of the RDF, Phase N was to be compatible with Phase i. Therefore major architectural components, such as Execumre Summary 1

Statw Report Evaluation of Ventil.tion Syatena November 18,1992 the space frame and the masonry walls could not be changed. Compromises were made in the architectural design and the engineering design to get the project within budget, without compromising the IAQ or the architectural Intent. Instead the strategy to reduce cost focused on those items that were non-mandatory or redundant. For example, a roof hatch provided in Phase I would suffice for roof accessibility allowing it to be deleted from the Phase II construction. Additional cost savings were realized through changes In materials used for the Interior walls and the roof. It is anticipated that a good preventive maintenance program will compensate for the loss of durability inherent to these new materials. Chapter 2 describes the several cost savings that were made in chronological order. The final budget was approved June 9,1992. Although bids were expected to come in low because of the current market, the lowest bid was 6% higher than the budget encumbered for. A loan was procured for the additional money and the contract was awarded and signed September 17, 1992. Review of the BId Documents Because the Research and Demonstration Facility is a State building, the design, drawings and specificabons were made in compliance with the Virginia Capitol Outlay Manual. These documents were reviewed by the Indoor Environment Program (IEP) research team, the University Facilities Planning and Construction group, and the Division of Engineering and Buildings for the Commonwealth of Virginia, during the period between June 9,1992 and August 16, 1992. The IEP research team reviewed the project with an emphasis on the requirements of the research agenda and to verify that the research requirements were met with the design. Safety data sheets of materials known for high emission rates were reviewed as available; the amount of outdoor air for both the variable air volume system and the vertical displacement system were checked for compliance with the standards for all occupied operating conditions; the control sequence and the commissioning process were thoroughly reviewed and revised until they compiied with the criteria. Exeeutive 9ummary 2

startus Report Evaluation of Ventilation Systsms November 18,1992 The university review included three major objectives: (a) Compliance with the Virginia Capitol Outlay Manual and Building Codes; (b) Compliance with University requirements, which include testing procedures, conformity with University systems, and custodial necessities; and, (c) Cheching for possible IAQ problems. All review comments were addressed and necessary changes made. However, some recommendations were not followed because they addressed research issues. For example, to reduce contamination, return air plenums or lining inside ductwork are not generally allowed in any new construction or renovation. Both return air plenums and lined ductwork are part of the research agenda and were therefore not deleted from this project. The Department of Engineering and Buildings of the State of Virginia divides the review process into six categories: architectural, mechanical, electrical, civiVstructurai, fire/safety, cost analytical. Each category is reviewed for: (a) Compliance with the Virginia Capitol Outlay Manual; (b) Compliance with the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code (i.e., BOCA), including the handicapped standards; (c) Cost in relation to building size and use; (d) Clarity of drawings and specifications; and, (e) Common sense, e.g. location of items for accessibility and preventing vandalism. Currently, the State review process does not specifically consider indoor air quality. However, as a result of our discussions with the Department during the review process, the State is now considering to address IAQ related Issues as part of the review process. Chapter 3 discusses the reviewers comments.

stoa Report Evaluation of Ventiiation syst.ms Ncvember 18,1992 DESIGN OF A RESEARCH AND DEMONSTRATION FACILITY The Research and Demonstration Facility grew out of the need to investigate building related issues at full-scale. The intent of this facility is twofold: (a) to investigate systems that control the thermal, lighting, air quality and acoustic indoor environment; (b) to demonstrate innovative building systems. The primary focus of the current research is indoor air quality, studied through evaluation and comparison of two ventilation systems, i.e., variable air volume and vertical displacement. Four specific factors will be examined: (a) ventilation effectiveness (air distribution) in occupied spaces, (b) contaminant removal effectiveness, (c) energy efficiency and (d) cost effectiveness. Human response and analytical measurements will be recorded and analyzed to verify that the criteria for human response and system performance are indeed met. This two-phase, 11,000 square foot project Is located at the Virginia Tech campus. The architect of the project Is Albert J. Davis, Associate Professor at the College of Architecture of Virginia Tech in cooperation with William Galloway and Robert P. Schubert. Because the work that will be done at RDF represents an on-going research agenda evoiving over time, the building has to respond as a dynamic and reconfigurabie research laboratory. Therefore, a column-supported space frame with a masonry infiii at the perimeter that allows for the expansion or reconfiguration of the enclosure system was chosen. The space frame, spanning both phases of construction, provides for an interstitial space accommodating duct runs, mechanical equipment, lighting systems, and data communication equipment. For Phase I, a research agenda was developed to investigate the application of new and previously untested products and construction assemblies directed towards concrete masonry products and construction integration and was funded by the National Concrete Masonry Association, the Center for Innovative Technology, and Philip Morris. This Phase of the facility, now being completed, has 7,000 square feet of N O N ~ N 41 ~ ~ Design of a Research and Demonstratlon Facdity 4

Status Report Evslwtion of Ventilation Systems November 18,1992 conditioned space and includes a fifty-person classroom, a ten-person office area, and a twelve- person studio. The research agenda for the Phase II includes a comparison between a variable air-voiume (VAV) system serving one area and a vertical displacement system serving the other. This Phase, currently under construction, is funded by Philip Morris USA and has 4000 square feet including conditioned office space, a mechanical room, and an instrumentation room. The office space consists of two visually identical 700 square feet open plan areas separated by a conference room. Each of these offices will be equipped with a different method of air delivery to evaluate and compare the performance of the two systems. Involved in the design of the RDF Phase II are: Jack Davis, Bill Galloway, and Bob Schubert, architects Jack Harmon, H.C.Yu and Associates, mechanical engineers Jim Woods and Sanjay Arora, Indoor Environment Program research team 1.1 DESIGN OF THE ARCHITECTURAL SYSTEMS The primary programmatic concern for this facility Is that it had to provide two architecturally Identical office spaces, typical of current office environments. This to ensure that the human response would reflect the difference in perception of the office environment due to a different HVAC system, and not confounded by other factors. The only difference between the offices is the HVAC system. The site is approximately 5000 square feet adjacent to the existing phase one building. Since this facility is an addition to Phase I, it is essential that it matches In scale and exterior material the existing building. The entire facility is covered by a space frame, which affords the maximum flexibility for mechanical ductwork and other utilities as well as future partition changes. N Maintaining the space frame at the existing height of Phase I, provides for an interior height of N 18' below the frame. The exterior is a polished ground-face concrete masonry block, fabricated ~ with a'dry-block' add mixture and with a factory applied clear acrylic finish. This biock is tied to ~ ~ Design of a Research and Oemonstration Faciliry 5~

Staws Report Evaiu.don of Ventilatbn Syst.na November 18,1992 conventional 8" concrete block with a 1 1/2" rigid insulation and 3/4" air space between, making this exterior construction a high quality, weather-tight, highly durable structural wall. There are two 700 square feet office areas, identical in size and interior finishes. The interior ceiling height is 9'-0" above a raised floor. The ceiling is a suspended ceiling with acoustic lay-in ceiling tiies. Lighting is typical of most office environments. Although the two rooms have different mechanical systems serving them, they both have the same lay-out for diffusers and lighting. In the office space served by the conventional HVAC system, air is supplied trough diffusers and returned through the light-troffers. In the office space served by the FACT system, air is supplied through the perforated floor, the diffusers will serve as return grilles. Light troffers in this space are covered. The floor Is a raised floor, with solid panels in one and perforated panels in the other space. The carpet is a non-commercial carpet with a special backing, allowing air flow through the carpet. Walls are standard dry-wall finished with semi-gloss paint. The conference room is 200 square feet and is located between the two office space as a neutral zone. This room will also serve as adaptation room for panels judging the air quality in the offices. Therefore, no fleecy materials (materials that absorb and desorb odors) could be allowed in this room. The walls and ceiling is the same as in the office spaces. The floor is a raised floor with solid panels. Initially, this floor will not be covered with carpet. The primary consideration of the mechanical room was adequate space for three mechanical systems and future mechanical equipment. To enable the installation of additional equipment an overhead door is provided. The floor is sealed concrete and the walls are unpainted concrete masonry. A room to accommodate the instrumentation is located in the mechanical space. 1.2 DESIGN OF THE MECHANICAL SYSTEMS There are three independent HVAC systems in the RDF Phase II. One is a conventional variable air volume system serving one office, the second is a vertical displacement ventilation system Design of a Research and Demonstration Facility 6