Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC)

Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC)

HVAC systems directly influence productivity through the health of the occupants and so are a major factor in the operation of both the building and business. This has been achieved both by the introduction of improved direct digital control (DDC) technology, distributed processing and more adaptive spatial planning in general. Systems have been developed that deliver HVAC using both the traditional approach, where the ducting is installed in the plenum space and air is directed downward, and in floor-ducted systems that supply air in an upward direction. Personal environmental control systems that integrate technologies to deliver cooling/heating to the individual are also available and are impacting greatly on the development of future HVAC systems.

The distribution of control zones and hence the number of zones that can exist on each floor is aligned with the type of HVAC system used (Table). This may pose difficulties if a broad distribution of functional zones is created in the process of providing the desired work places, thus limiting the opportunity to align building system control zones with

Table: Attributes and types of HVAC systems used in intelligent building

HVAC attribute

·     Horizontal distribution: air, water, none

·     Horizontal distribution: ceiling, floor, furniture supply/return

·     Environmental load management and load balancing

·     Split ambient and task conditioning: individual controls

·     All air systems and mixed mode systems

·     High performance systems

·     Air quality management and energy management

·     Chilled ceilings

·     Geothermal ground water systems