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This page of questions will provide insight to common questions from students partaking in the 2008
student design competition. This page is updated as we receive questions from participants. If you have questions, please contact the Assistant Manager of Student Activities at tholman@ashrae.org Question:
"Computer programs may be used for heating and cooling loads and energy calculations, but a sample manual calculation must be included. Also, a clear description of all computer logarithms must be provided." In regard to this, I was wondering what computer programs are allowed. Are we allowed to use Trane software or must we write our own? I am the president of ASHRAE at Northern Illinois University and we are interested in entering this competition for the first time ever so we will be starting completely from scratch. Is there any way to view any entries from past competitions? It would be very helpful to have some sort of an idea of what we are up against because we really have no idea. Also, when can we expect the details of the competition to be available? Response:
Teams may use commercially available software as long as sample manual calculations and a clear description of all computer logarithms are included to demonstrate that the students understand what load calculations are being performed by the software. Question:
Is the bonus limited to Energy-10 or we can use another energy simulation program? Resonse:
Other programs are acceptable. Energy 10 is a suggestion since it is easy to use. Question:
In the HVAC system Selection judging criteria document it mentions that maintainability is 10 points, please define maintainability? Response:
The 2007 ASHRAE Handbook - HVAC Applications defines maintainability as follows:
"the ease, accuracy, safety, and economy of maintenance. This concept is an important design characteristic. The purpose of maintainability is to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of maintenance. . . . maintainability is simply the ease with which maintenance actions can be performed."
For the purposes of the ASHRAE Student Design Competition, maintainability will be judged as follows: - Adequate space has been provided around all equipment to allow the equipment to be easily accessed for service.
- Equipment is located such that access to the equipment for service is easy. In other words, it is not located over areas that make it inaccessible, for example, over the pool in the natatorium, or tucked in a crawl space where maintenance staff is less likely to crawl thorough to perform routine preventative maintenance.
- Selected systems are relatively simple, not requiring extensive training to maintain.
Question:
Where do we find copies of the needed Standards such as:
- ASHRAE Standard 90.1-2004 Energy Standard for Buildings Except Low-Rise Residential Buildings
- ASHRAE Standard 90.2-2004 Energy-Efficient Design of Low-Rise Residential Buildings
- ASHRAE Standard 62.1-2004 Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality Response:
All ASHRAE Standards are available for purchase is the ASHRAE online bookstore, www.ashrae.org/bookstore. We recommend you check your university library for a school copy. You may also refer to the local ASHRAE chapter in your area for assistance with obtaining various standards. For local chapter information, other questions and special requests email Tarra Holman, tholman@ashrae.org. Question and Response:
Please give more explanation about the phrase, 'ASHRAE student teams located outside the USA and Canada may locate the Recreation Center in the capital of the student’s country, IE: Students from Mexico may use Mexico City. Building criteria and design assumptions to remain the same for all building sites, with the exception of the climate information.'
a). Is it necessary for the students to locate the Recreation Center just only in the capital of their country for designing HVAC system? No, in this instance, students can select any location that they can get the design weather data for. We did not anticipate a student team wanting to use a city outside of what they are familiar with.
b). If the country capital is located in the hot-climatic zone which has the climate design temperature above the inside design one all year round (even though in Winter),can the students design the system for the Recreation Center located in that country capital? Don't they need to design the Heating system? No, students won't be required to design the heating system. Just document why heating is not going to be required. Students should take in consideration how to dehumidify the building before determining that heating is not required.
c). If it is possible to design in that hot climatic condition, how is the design Judging for the Goal: System Selection > Accuracy of Cooling/Heating Load Estimate? All teams, must submit design calculations. Calculations will be checked thoroughly.
d). If we design the Recreation Center in our country capital, should we use the Utility Information of that capital? (electricity, natural, gas, water, sewer – and any alternative fuels) Yes
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