Product category:
Building Automation and Control
News Release from: CentraLine | Subject: Boosting energy efficiency
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial
Team on 19 May 2008
Boosting energy efficiency and EU
planning
Hannes Lutz, Product Manager, CentraLine on boosting energy efficiency in response to new EU planning requirements for ventilation and air conditioning systems (EN 13779).
The new European Standard EN 13779 on Ventilation and Air-Conditioning Systems is one of the first Europe-wide standards to set forth new implementation recommendations based on the E.U.'s "Energy Performance of Buildings Directive" (EPBD) These recommendations provide planners with active assistance in meeting the requirements of the EPBD and can help to significantly boost the energy efficiency of ventilation and air-conditioning systems
This article was originally published on Buildingtalk on 6 Dec 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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The articles of the EPBD (1) are generally formulated, and have numerous technical consequences for designing, equipping, and supplying power to buildings.
They influence all energy-consuming installations, including heating, ventilation, the provision of hot water, as well as electrical equipment (lighting, ventilation, etc.).
Ventilation systems especially, with their high power requirements, must be adapted to the new regulations.
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With the introduction of EN 13779, a new standard has been created which addresses Articles 4 and 5 of the EPBD and promises to have a rapid impact upon energy consumption.
Ventilation and air-conditioning systems can be used to influence:.
Indoor climate.
Room air quality.
Room air humidity.
Room acoustics.
This is provided that additional parameters (e.g room size, lighting, or furnishings) are taken into account.
EN 13779 contains detailed regulations pertaining to the operating temperature, the risk of cold air drafts, the relative room air humidity, and the "A" sound pressure level.
Such factors as the air quantity, pressure losses, temperature setpoints, room air quality, and the flexible control of all parameters are all dealt with in this new European Norm.
EN 13779 describes the Present Level of Technology and - in conjunction with the Directive on Occupational Safety - is therefore of central importance for planning ventilation and air-conditioning systems for non-residential buildings.
One interesting new feature of the standard is the fact that the cooperation of planners with building contractors has now finally been mandated.
This cooperation is intended to ensure the optimal energy efficiency of planned air-conditioning and ventilation systems, insofar as all essential parameters must be agreed upon by the participants at an early stage: Together, planners and building contractors are to establish the operational parameters for the ventilation / air-condition system.
This emphasizes the planner's responsibility for compliance with the basic requirements.
The establishment of the basic requirements (e.g daily temperature setpoint, air quality, air quantities, electrical consumption, and conduit dimensions) ensures the optimization of the room environment, with a resultant saving of energy.
In this context, the maintenance of room air quality and thermal comfort remain the primary functions of the system.
EN 13779 defines various different categories of room air quality.
Depending upon major sources of room-air contamination and with consideration of the room use and user requirements, general categories can then be defined.
Room Air Quality.
Understandably, in the case of room air quality, too, the rule is that unnecessary air conveyance and superfluous heating and cooling energy are to be avoided.
For this reason, it is indispensable that the volumetric air flow be properly "organized" and minimized.
Here, too, EN 13779 sets forth that building contractors and planners agree to a level of air quality (dependent upon the individual room requirements) which must then be provided by the suitably-regulated ventilation system.
Modern planning software, e.g CentraLine's COACH, allows the aforementioned regulation strategies for heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems to be fully implemented.
In this context, renewable energies as wood pellets or solar cells are also supported.
In the case of COACH, these functions can be adopted with just a few mouse clicks.
The installation documentation is available at the click of a button, and describes in detail what is happening in the background.
Conclusion.
The consistent application of these principles and the calculation of amortization rates for new and existent ventilation and air-conditioning systems can help to attain the ambitious goals of conserving finite energy resources and ensuring comfort with the lowest possible energy consumption.
Planners are thus responsible for operational functionality and low-energy use.
With EN 13779, however, planners have been given a tool enabling them to define critical parameters in advance together with the building contractor, who is thus allowed to actively participate in the decision-making process.
CentraLine PARTNERs are control experts, have received thorough training with regards to the new directives, possess extensive yet detailed know-how, and are thus ideally suited to providing planners with the needed support.
(1) "Energy performance of buildings directive" of Dec.
16, 2002 (2) DIN EN 13779: Ventilation of Non-Residential Buildings - General Principles and Requirements for Ventilation and Air-Conditioning Installations, 2005, DIN Deutsches Institut fur Normung e.
V.
(3) DIN EN 15251: Criteria for Evaluating Indoor Climate, incl.
Temperature, Room Air Quality, Light, and Noise, DIN Deutsches Institut fur Normung e.
V.
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