Modelers,
Has anyone performed an exceptional calculation to demonstrate energy savings in a drug manufacturing facility for EAc1? We are trying to demonstrate an improvement and savings by lowering the required classification of spaces.. I.E. changing from a Grade A space at 90 fpm requirements to Grade B, C, or D. This can reduce the air changes drastically. This of course reduces building loads and energy consumption dramatically, shrinks the HVAC equipment, and may even reduce the overall building footprint that is required.
Has anyone successfully done this for LEED? Maybe this also falls under the Innovative Category, for shrinking the building footprint? If anyone has any advice to offer, that would be great; example project, resource, website, etc.. This might fall under the realm of process load reduction..
Dana Etherington, E.I.T., LEED AP BD+C
Dana,
What would you actually "do" differently in the proposed design to
change the space classifications? I'm not familiar with what constitutes
Grade A vs. Grades B, C or D. You need to be able to explain how what
you are doing is not standard/typical practice. I'm intrigued to hear
the rationale. Just because I put a bunch of desks in a long, narrow
open room, doesn't mean I can call it a office in the baseline but a
corridor in the proposed.
Regards,
Bill
Bill,
Well clean rooms are required to retain a certain level of particulates in the air. Some would argue that a Grade B space requires 50 AC/hr to maintain the required particulate level (I do not know the exact levels off hand).
The idea here is to demonstrate, through analysis and documentation, that we can deviate from "industry standard" and reduce our air change rates in the different clean room spaces (still maintaining particulate level). In doing so, we can reduce our energy consumption quite a bit from the "standard" facility. We are trying to achieve a high level of LEED certification, and it will be difficult if we are not able to get credit for this energy reduction. Thanks,
-Dana
Mr. Dana Etherington, E.I.T., LEED AP BD+C