Energy retrofit makes old building young again
When Whitesell Enterprises acquired a 10 year old, 75,000 sq ft. three story office building, it set out to create a Class A office space for its new tenant. The building, designed in the early 1970s, was typical of the early part of that decade's construction in that it was built with little regard to energy conservation. Floor-to-ceiling, single pane glass windows formed the walls of the structure; a dramatic atrium stretched from the lobby to the third floor; and other esthetic touches such as Belgian blocking and granite combined to create a striking home office with a high profile image. But the building was saddled with equally striking operating costs. With the scheduled occupancy date looming, Whitesell faced the considerable challenge of bringing the building's above normal operating costs down to a competitive market rate. The solution the owner chose was to retrofit the building. A major part of this work centered around retrofitting the building's HVAC system, the components of which, while operational, were outdated and beginning to show their age. The decision was made to upgrade rather than replace existing mechanical systems. One of the most important parts of the retrofit strategy was retrofitting the existing constant volume air handling system to variable air volume (VAV). The cooling plant consisted of a 50 ton unit on the first floor and four 40 ton units - one each at opposite ends of the second and third floors. Space temperatures were monitored by thermostats located on the north, south, and central walls of each floor. Each thermostat was set at a different temperature, depending on the amount of sunlight hitting the wall. In turn, each activated a flow of cool air when necessary. If too much cool air was discharged, the thermostats switched on electric duct heaters to warm the supply air and maintain a comfortable space temperature.
- Research Organization:
- Tozour-Trane, King of Prussia, PA
- OSTI ID:
- 5604375
- Journal Information:
- Heat., Piping Air Cond.; (United States), Journal Name: Heat., Piping Air Cond.; (United States) Vol. 58:3; ISSN HPAOA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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