This paper provides an experimental evaluation of the efficiency of an energy recovery ventilator (ERV) for a range of summer temperatures in Ottawa including humid summer days. The assessment was achieved using the twin houses at the Canadian Centre for Housing Technology (CCHT) and their side-by-side testing to measure the real impact of the installation of the ERV. Side-by-side testing consists of incorporating into the test house an innovative energy-saving component, in this case the ERV. Both houses are then operated identically and monitored.

A new method for optimizing the indoor thermal climate under nonuniform temperature distribution by accounting for energy conservation and indoor thermal comfort has been developed. Temperature settings and arrangements of thermal sensors of an HVAC system are optimized using a genetic
algorithm-based method (e.g., Cantu-Paz 2000). In a genetic algorithm, design variables are coded into a chromosome that is subject to a series of genetic operations in search of an optimized solution. An optimal sensor arrangement requires :

Under contract with the ASHRAE, RTI conducted an interlaboratory study (ILS) ofANSI/ASHRAE Standard 52.2-1999. Seven American and one European laboratories participated.The purpose of the ILS was to determine if the system qualification tests are adequate to providereliable test results. Testing was performed in two rounds :Round 1 was a trial run during which each lab ran an initial efficiency test (no dust loading) on two medium efficiency filters.Round 2 consisted of six full 52.2 tests : two tests each of low (MERV 5-8), medium(MERV 9-12) and high efficiency (MERV 13-16) filters.

The first goal of this paper is to arm the reader with the knowledge necessary to compare filter performance. In that aim ASHRAE standards 52.1.-1992 and 52.2. - 1999 are described first in general and qualitative terms, then with specific details including equations and examples. An application-level knowledge is provided too via discussion and practical considerations.

This paper discusses the result of a field study undertaken in two phases to evaluate and define the role of various filter efficiencies in attaining and sustaining clean HVAC components and distribution systems. Its conclusion is that filter efficiency is a significant factor in preserving system cleanliness, that low efficiency equals low performance for MERV 6 filters, whereas MERV 15/16 filters appear to be the best of all.

This paper is the part 2 of a two-part series. It deals with the electrical and thermal energy savings, in Smith & Wesson's 153-year-old plant located in Massachussets.Thanks to the design and the installation of the new electrical system, the electrical-power demand has been reduced by 72.5 %, the annual electrical-energy consumption by 54.6 % and the annual thermal-energy consumption by 34.6 %. For that the nine electrical motors serving the make-up air units and exhaust fans have been equipped with VFD (variable-frequency-drive).

A comprehensive energy-conservation study that leads to design and installation of ventilation system that improves plating process operating energy efficiency at the plant. The plating area contains 40 process tanks that require an organized removal of contaminants. The plating process requires maintenance of adequate ventilation. Thanks to the installation of an optimally balanced variable volume ventilation, the plating and associated process areas experienced a considerable reduction in ventilation air changes by 27.3 %.

This article deals with the most critical issues and outstanding solutions in the Indoor Air Quality field. The sources of IAQ problems such as indoor pollutants, as well as the resolutions (ventilation standards, control technologies, air quality and green buildings, homeland security) are presented. But more research and development is still needed though progress toward indoor environments that reliably control odors and chemical or biological contaminants to safe and comfortable levels is being made.

In the aircraft cabin environment, the major air pollution source inside the cabin is human bioeffluents. The performance of PCO (photocatalytic oxidation) air cleaners for this group of pollutants at low humidity is not well documented. The aim of that study was to examine the performance of two prototype PCO air purifiers from different manufacturers in a simulated aircraft cabin environment with real human bioeffluents as the main pollution source.

The performance of a particulate air filter is mostly based on the filtration efficiency obtained by weight method (for CPA filter) or dust spot method (for MEPA filter). The primary goal of this study was to obtain the filtration efficiency over airborne microbes of a CPA filter or MEPA filter which are normally installed in Japanese office buildings. In-situ tests were carried out on three air-handling units and one package air-conditioner located in Tokyo.