Evaluating Alternate Fume Hood System Technologies Using Advanced Building Simulation

Karl Aveard, Earl Walls Associates
William Kosik, OWP/P

Objectives:

Recent design improvements in laboratory fume hoods present new opportunities to reduce the ongoing energy costs of a research facility, as well as reduce the first cost of the HVAC equipment. Also, depending on the number of fume hoods and the size of the facility, it may be possible to reduce the building size and floor-to-floor heights due to the reduced mechanical system size. Since laboratory design often involves the use of large amounts of outside air, the energy savings will differ based on geographic location.

Findings:

We will present information derived from energy analysis and life-cycle costing exercises using competing technology fume hoods that will demonstrate their impact on energy usage and HVAC equipment capacity, as well as offer commentary on the potential reduction in building size. We will also present the corresponding reductions in ozone-depleting and global warming gasses. All of the analysis and findings will be based on different geographic regions (Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Northwest, and Southwest) in the United States. The information will be benchmarked against the ASHRAE 90.1 standard and LEED™.

Labs21 Connection:

We feel this presentation will:

1. Reinforce the need to look at laboratory design from a whole-building approach. By performing detailed energy analysis and life-cycle costing early in the design process, the design team can determine the overall size requirements of the mechanical and electrical systems more precisely, not by just using industry standards and rules of thumb. This will potentially result in a smaller building footprint that will require less building materials and reduce the overall cost of the building.
2. Demonstrate the power of using life-cycle cost decision-making. Having detailed analysis on the potential energy savings and operational cost reductions, as well as first cost information, will help the building owners and end-users understand how their decisions will affect the long-term costs of the building and the impacts on the environment.
3. Showcase available sustainable energy technology and systems that can help reduce the overall energy use of the facility.

Biographies:

Karl Aveard, CSI, AIA, possesses over 20 years of experience as a project manager, sales manager, and designer for architectural and laboratory products. After leaving the University of Pittsburgh, Karl was employed as a Facilities Engineering Technician for PPG Fiber Glass Research Division. Working closely with the researchers and the architect during the design and construction gave Karl his entrée into the world of laboratory consulting.

As the Director of Business Development at Earl Walls Associates (EWA), Mr. Aveard has responsibility for marketing the laboratory design and engineering services of the firm to new and existing clients. As a consequence of his advanced knowledge of laboratory casework, fume hoods, and other scientific products, he is a valuable resource for the firm's laboratory planners and designers.

Mr. Aveard has been an active member of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), and is currently serving on the committee for the rewriting of ASHRAE 110-1995 (SPC-110). He is also a member of the Construction Specifications Institute, the U.S. Green Building Council, the Society for College and University Planners, the Scientific Equipment and Furniture Association, CETA (Controlled Environment Testing Association) and Labs for the 21st Century.

William Kosik, PE, CEM, is the Director of Engineering for OWP/P. Bill is also a LEED™ Accredited Professional, a Registered Energy Professional with the City of Chicago, a Certified Energy Manager, and an author and international speaker on the topic of high-performance building design. Under Bill's direction, OWP/P 's 60-person engineering team has received 11 ASHRAE awards over the last six years. Bill specializes in researching and developing high-performance building solutions using computer-aided technology, such as energy modeling, lighting analysis and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling.