Welcome to ASHRAE Toronto Chapter

Greetings!

Notice of Meeting

Notice of Meeting  

NO Walk-In Registrations will be Permitted

Date:	Monday March 5th, 2012
Technical Tour:	4:00 PM to 5:30 PM (Corus Quay - Main Lobby) - 60 Person Limit!
Reception & Dinner:	5:30 PM to 9:00 PM (Corus Quay, Toronto, Ontario)

We ask that you pre-register for the dinner meeting at your earliest convenience online at www.torontoashrae.com, select "Meeting Registration and Calendar" from the left tab and then "Register" button for the ASHRAE Toronto - March 2012 Dinner Meeting.  You may also still register through the ASHRAE chapter office (Sabrina Tai - 905 602 4714 or stai@hrai.ca). Please indicate at time of registration if you have any specific meal requirements. There will always be a vegetarian option, simply notify us at time of registration. No walk-in registrations will be permitted for this event.  

Theme: Young Engineers in ASHRAE (YEA) Promotion Night

ASHRAE Toronto Chapter's March dinner meeting will be held at the new corporate headquarters for Corus Entertainment located at the water's edge in East Bayfront. Corus Quay is a 500,000 square foot office and broadcast centre that has allowed the company to consolidate its Toronto based operations from two distinct locations, including 24 television services and three Toronto radio stations into one facility. Corus Quay is a hub of activity with round-the-clock broadcasting and space for public performances.  

Corus Quay is owned and was developed by Toronto Port Lands Company, formerly known as the City of Toronto Economic Development Corporation (TEDCO), Corus Quay is the anchor project in the revitalization of East Bayfront, bringing life, energy and business opportunities to Toronto's waterfront neighbourhood.

Corus Quay is targeting LEED® Gold certification, and features a number of sustainable green building and development practices that were adhered to throughout the construction of this project, including:

• Energy efficient lighting, including the use of daylight harvesting to reduce power consumption by automatically dimming lights when natural sunlight can be used
• Filtering the air in the central atrium through a living, five-storey high bio-wall. This stunning green wall uses plants to naturally clean the air and reduce energy consumption
• Use of local and recycled materials
• Corus Quay has a rooftop cistern that collects rainwater that drastically reduces water consumption
• Installed environmentally friendly printers that use solid ink which creates 80% less packaging waste (all the packaging is recycled and recyclable), uses 50% less power when printing and reduces greenhouse gas emissions
• Corus Quay features green rooftops to create usable outdoor space for Corus employees but also to reduce heat-island effect
• Twenty percent of all materials in the project came from within 800 km and the entire building is made up of a custom THERMO 3 Curtain Wall System which works to reflect light and drive down energy consumption
• Over 75% of construction waste was diverted away from landfill during the construction of Corus Quay

Guest Speakers

Lyle Scott, P.Eng, LEED AP BD+C

Sustainability should no longer be viewed as a separate discipline that is brought in only when a project is already at an advanced stage. For sustainability to be most effective, it should be integrated into every aspect and at every stage of a project. With a background that includes more than 15 years in sustainable design and development as well as facility management and consulting, Lyle has gained a broad perspective on the best sustainability strategies.
 
Lyle has played a key role in a wide range of sustainable design projects. Projects include: Seneca College - Knowledge Infrastructure Facility, Target LEED® Gold, Toronto, ON; Calgary International Airport - International Facilities Building, LEED® Registered, Target Gold Certification, Calgary, AB; Minto Roehampton, First Highrise Multi-Residential Building to Achieve CaGBC LEED® Gold Certification, Toronto, ON; Edmonton Clinic, LEED® Registered, Target Silver, Edmonton, AB; 180 Kent Street - Minto Office Building LEED® Candidate, Targeting Gold Certification, Ottawa, ON; Minto Midtown, Largest Mixed-Use Building to Achieve CaGBC LEED® - NC Gold Certification, Toronto, ON.

Jim Patterson, P.Eng

Jim Patterson has a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Manitoba and has been in involved in the design, testing and commissioning of noise and vibration control products for the Heating Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) and power generation industry for over 15 years, and 5 years in mechanical system design and energy conservation.
 
He is a registered professional engineer with post graduate education in Noise Control Engineering from Penn State University. He is also a member of ASHRAE and ASTM E33 Committee on Building and Environmental Acoustics and a member of AHRI Seismic Subcommittee for Qualification of HVACR Equipment. 

• Tour  attendees are asked to meet on the  main floor of the Corus Quay building at 3:45 PM, for a tour start of 4:00 PM.
• Tour will start with the main public corridor, where select artistic features, including the shoal  fish, Lightning Bolt and Drizzle lights will be discussed.
• In the main Atrium guests will learn about the Living wall and it's filtration process.
• Moving on to the 8th floor, where guests will take a behind the scenes tour of the mechanical systems and spaces, including:  the air handling systems, base building generator room, an exterior walk of our green roof, we then move onto a floor and look at a typical compartment unit mechanical room.
• We then move onto parking level where we will tour the DEP mechanical room which includes: heat exchangers, pumps, VFD's and Grey Water pumping station
• And last we will look at the Grey Water Cistern storage facility 
• If time allows there will be a generous 5 minutes for Q & A session

Need Assistance?

Feel free to contact the following members for further details:

Arash Habibollahi

ASHRAE Toronto CTTC Member

(arash.habibollahi@smithandandersen.com, 416-487-8151x261)

Danny Ciasullo

ASHRAE Toronto CTTC Member

(danny.ciasullo@gmail.com, 647-990-8432)

Sharon Godlewski
ASHRAE Toronto CTTC Member
(SGodlewski@ehpricesales.com, 647-248-2937)

Christine Choi
ASHRAE Toronto CTTC Member
(christine@ashraeseneca.org, 647-464-5476)

Marco Ottavino
ASHRAE Toronto CTTC Programs Chair
(marco.ottavino@honeywell.com, 416-771-3824)

February Dinner Meeting Summary 

Sustainability Prototype: Walmart Superstore. Geo-exchange for Big Box Development

ASHRAE Toronto's February 2012 dinner meeting topic was the technology behind the new sustainability prototype for Walmart supercentres in Burlington, ON. Presented by Nuno Duarte, P.Eng, P.E, LEED AP; Associate, Stantec Consulting Ltd.

Challenges: the new location was south of QEW and Walmart already had a store located north of QEW. The location was formerly an auto dealership site and the community was hesitant of Big Box development. The local government desired an eco solution and insisted on a geothermal system before they would approve the project.

Walmart hired Stantec for the design of a vertical geothermal system and the initial cost analysis showed a 10% increase to the budget and a 40-year payback.

Solution = Innovation. The team had to reduce costs by leaning on global collaboration using the expertise within the firm and adapting existing technology to the geo-thermal industry.

Adapt existing technology = The SpiderPlow technology. Coming from the oil and gas industry this type of pipeline installation is more commonly used as an alternative to traditional open trench options.

How Spider Plow Works? The "Winch Crawler" pulls the Spider Plow by a cable. Every leg operates independently. The unique Ripper and chute displaces the soil while installing piping at designed depth (piping must be in direct contact with the ground at all times). The narrow slot in the ground closes quickly while a roller closes the narrow gap. A three men crew may install as much as 3-4 kms per day. Fifteen kilometers of piping were installed in a period of 6 days compared to 3 months that it would have taken using the traditional open trench option.

Improvement = 50% cost reduction. Stantec researched and introduced The Spider Plow to reduce the geothermal construction cost by 80%. In addition, they researched and introduced a "roll-out" radiant floor system to reduce costs and bring value to the client by reducing the initial pay-back period from 40 years to 20 years.

The firm introduced some innovative elements to the design of the building beyond the Geothermal System. These were: a) Redesigned HVAC Systems (radiant floor technology); b) Development of dehumidification system using heat pump technology (using gas for the reactivation cycle) c) Integration of refrigeration heat rejection and d) Integration of day lighting controls.

Radiant Floor Technology. A PEX "Roll-Out" mat was developed with the manufacturer (Uponor) to be used for heating or cooling. Its benefits included: no Impact to pouring schedule, reduced installation and energy costs. Furthermore, radiant effect allows for a larger range of space temperature.

Dehumidification. It was also developed with the manufacturer. The criterion was to use heat pumps and use the reject heat for the reactivation process.

Refrigeration Racks: Reclaim heat rejection before heat pump loop during winter and divert heat rejection after heat pump loop during the summer. The racks made possible to recycle 900 MBH that would have gone to the atmosphere.

Control System: Full Building Operation System, Novar Opus Control system. Features: a) BacNet Protocol; b) graphics displaying systems and equipment; c) trend metered systems and data points; d) provides reports for energy management.

Energy Model: TRNSYS permits modeling of complex thermo-dynamic systems. Building model TRNBUILD used for min-by-min loads. It was possible to model the entire radiant floor and decide how much insulation was needed. Customized slab model was integrated. Due to the complexity of the HVAC equipment, 24 hours of computing time were required to model 1 year.

Results. Energy model predicted 56% savings on annual energy consumption compared to a traditional Walmart store. Actual results after two years of operation showed 60% of energy reduction.

During the winter only 2% of the energy was coming from the boiler. During the summer 83% of the energy comes from the Geo-Exchange Field compared to 36% of the energy coming from the same source during the winter.

Summary: Sustainability & Innovation

• Once installed the system gave 8 year payback compared to the 40 year payback initially estimated.
• Horizontal geothermal system with near 15km of HDPE pipe.
• First known installation in the world using The Spider Plow.
• Radiant floor system for heating and cooling throughout the whole slap system.
• Dehumidification air handlers using heat pump technology and reject heat.
• Incorporated Refrigeration Reject Heat.
• Incorporated Day Lighting Controls.
• Extensive Energy Model.

Technical Presentation: Radiant Heating and Cooling Systems for commercial applications.

The technical theme for the evening was Radiant Heating and Cooling Systems for commercial applications, presented by Jerry Leyte, P.Eng, MASc. Commercial Sales Engineer at Uponor Ltd.

Radiant systems existed since 10,000 B.C. and were first used by Chinese, Koreans and Romans. In-floor heating was developed in 1937 by Americanarchitect Frank Lloyd Wrigh and PEX-a was developed by Thomas Engel. It was not until 1980 when PEX tubing was introduced in North America.

What is PEX? PEX = cross-linked polyethylene. There are three types on the market: PEX-a (produced using Peroxide / Engel method), PEX-b (uses a silane method for cross-linking), PEX-c (manufactured using electronic irradiation).

A basic Hydronic / Radiant system includes a boiler, a chiller, pumps, circulators, a manifold and a temperature control system.

Since 2005, the inclusion of radiant systems in specifications has increased by 36%. 8.5% of new construction projects are specified with radiant system and a continued growth is expected.

According to ASHRAE Standard 55 "Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy", radiant temperature is one of the key components of thermo comfort. The standard also indicates that the lowest temperature for thermo comfort is 66 F and the maximum is 84 F, which are the temperatures used to design radiant systems.

Radiant Systems Advantages: thermal comfort, less noise & drafts, architectural freedom (less / smaller HVAC equipments and ductwork), synergies with UFAD, DOAS, VAV, low temperature heating and high temperature cooling (geo-thermal) and energy efficient (average of 30% in savings).

HVAC + Hybrid Radiant = Total Comfort

A study conducted by the U.S Department of Energy on energy savings design technology package for medium office buildings showed how using radiant systems and dedicated outdoor air systems vs. standard HVAC systems achieved over 50% on-site energy savings for all of the 16 climate locations. Nearly 84% of these savings came from fan energy reduction mainly from the use of radiant thermal systems and DOAS and the use of smaller HVAC equipment.

Another study conducted by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California shows how the inclusion of radiant energy allows for smaller HVAC fan sizes. In a typical office building as modeled by LBNL, 42.3% of energy savings were found. Radiant cooling, on average, saves 30% overall energy for cooling and 27% on demand. Finally, the study found energy savings of 17% in cold /moist climates and 42% in warmer/ dry climates.

Design considerations.

The radiant energy necessary to condition a space it is only a few degrees different from the temperature of the conditioned space. The surface temperature to the floor needs to be 2-3 degrees above the dew point. Buildings need to be moderately well air-sealed and ventilation air would need some dehumidification. Cross section of the cooling surface needs to be big enough to deliver the cooling at a small water temperature differential. Floor coverings need to be considered in the design process. For instance, the use of concrete floor with mean supply water at 55 F will get up to 15 BTU/ft2/h of cooling capacity, while the use of commercial grade carpet for the exact same system will reduce the cooling capacity in half.

Direct solar loads from short wave radiation (sun, electrical lights) can increase radiant cooling capacity. If solar load exceeds cooling capacity it will increase the floor surface temperature and emit long wave radiation back into space. Radiant cooling capacity averages are 12-14 Btu/h/ft2, but when used in areas with high solar gain potential, it is especially effective, increasing to 25-32 Btu/h/ft2.

Manifold location is another key factor. The incorrect location of the manifold can lead to overheated or overcooled spaces. It must be discussed with architects, engineers and designers in order to guarantee the right position.

Common Radiant Applications include: museums, institutional, educational and recreational facilities, high-rise hotels / offices, manufacturing & retail spaces, hospitals/health care and assisted living facilities, airplane hangars, dormitories, barracks & prisons, religious facilities , outdoors (snow and ice melt), residential and turf conditioning.

In summary, radiant heating systems are a low-energy solution that equals the use of low-temperatures for heating and high-temperatures for cooling.

Veronica Cabeza 

Website & Gazette Committee Member

Job Postings    

Below is a summary of all current job postings available on the job postings board on the Toronto Chapter website.  For more information go to torontoashrae.com.

• Ehvert Engineering
• Engineers
• The Dominion
• Manager - Engineering Services
• FVB Energy Inc.
• Intermediate Engineer
• NORR
• Senior Mechanical Engineer
• Tim Horton's
• Civil Designer
• Tecoustics
• Estimator / Sales Coordinator
• CN Tower
• Manager, Engineering Services

ASHRAE Toronto February Chapter Meeting

 Michael Khaw  Toronto Chapter President, Ms. Isabelle Lavoie Region II DRC, and Marco Ottavino Program Chair.

Ms. Isabelle Lavoie Region II DRC addressing the Toronto Chapter at the February Meeting.

Mr. Nuno Duarte, P.Eng from Stantec Consulting, Mr. Jerry Leyte, P.Eng. Commercial Sales Engineer with Uponor Ltd. guest speakers for the evening with Philip Keall Toront Chapter CTTC member.

Membership Promotion  

February New Members

February has been an excellent month for new members.  These are the new members that have joined at the ASHRAE society level.  If you know anyone on this list please encourage them to join our local chapter as there are many benefits that can be realized at the local level as well.

Wilfred Wong
Behzad Farzipour
Masood A Rizvi
Ian McRobie
Mark Sardinha
Navid Malakootikhah
Rafik H. Lotfi
Vinh Khan Thieu
David J Sparks
Jorge Perezstone
Raul Dominguez
Casey Boers
Gary J Blue
Christopher Trevor Gardiner

David L Birmingham
Thea M Parris
Jeanette Parker
Mark E McGinnis

Volunteer with ASHRAE

Volunteering within ASHRAE provides you with a single resource for keeping up with technical advances in the industry. By volunteering, you gain direct access to new technology, technical information available that is universally recognized as authoritative and reliable and you influence the direction of HVAC&R technology.

Standards Committees: ASHRAE publishes more than 100 standards and guidelines, which serve as the basis of testing and design practice around the world. Our standards and guidelines are established to assist industry and the public by offering uniform methods of testing for rating purposes, by suggesting safe practices in designing and installing equipment or by providing other information that may guide the industry. By volunteering to help write ASHRAE standards and guidelines, you influence the direction of HVAC&R technology.

Commenting Opportunities: Volunteerism within ASHRAE is not limited to service on a committee. ASHRAE also provides means for membership involvement by allowing members and others to comment on its publications, Handbook and proposed standards.

Standing Committees:  ASHRAE has more than 20 standing committees, which aid in operation of the ASHRAE activities at the Society level, such as development of educational courses, approval of research projects and planning of student activities. Volunteers who serve on ASHRAE standing committees must first be nominated by either themselves or by other individuals or groups within the Society.

Technical Committees: ASHRAE needs the input and experience of those in the HVAC&R industry around the world in serving on technical committees. As a member of a technical committee, you assist in planning programs for meetings, writing and reviewing Handbook chapters and developing research projects to improve equipment and system performance. Technical committees also advise the Society on all aspects of the technology it embraces. ASHRAE currently has more than 100 committees addressing a range of HVAC&R disciplines.

Also don't forget to update your ASHRAE bio and let everyone know who you are!

Imtee Baksh, P.Eng
2011 - 2012 Membership Chair

membership@torontoashrae.com

Student Activities

ASHRAE Winter Conference Chicago 2012

This January there was an important ASHRAE event in Chicago - the Winter Conference and AHR Expo. Specialists from all around the world attended technical and educational sessions, forums and seminars from basic to advanced levels. The AHR Expo took place at the McCormic Centre where there were almost 2000 exhibitors. The entire industry, from small valves to big air handlers, was represented under one roof. Of particular interest were technical tours where experts showed and described innovative buildings with complex designs. There were lots of activities dedicated to students and young professionals. ASHRAE Student Activity Committee Chair awarded winners in the yearly students' project competition and gave important advice to all students on how to make the best of their Chicago conference experience. Also ASHRAE designed the special program for students which included YEA/studentsmixer, Solar Decathlon and lots of interesting seminars. It was a privilege to be one of the eight students who Toronto ASHRAE Chapter sponsored to attend the Chicago conference. Joining us from Seneca College were 

students from Humber College and Ryerson University. It was great experience for all of us, impressive in the technical aspect, as well as in networking opportunities. On behalf of all delegated students I would like to thank ASHRAE Toronto Chapter for this opportunity and encourage new students to become ASHRAE members and activelyparticipate on every level from local meetings to international events. 

Alex Bogun 

Toronto Chapter Officers 2011-12

Executive Board

Board of Governors

Committee Chairs