Air Conditioning Works to Become Sustainable

According to “Recreation Center Focus of ASHRAE Student Design Competition” by Jodi Dunlop. http://www.ashrae.org/pressroom/detail/16825 last access 8-29-08. ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers) began in 1894 and works towards promoting sustainability in their fields. As such, they held a contest this year to see which undergraduate team of students could come up with the best looking, most efficient and sustainable air conditioning and heating for a new recreation center to be built. Students and their faculty advisors had to choose where they would get the energy to run their units. Those who placed used a combination of geo and solar heat sources. One team even used a solar dehumidifier over the pool section.

First place in the architectural design category is awarded to Alexandra Gibson, Justina Jones, Bryan Quarles and Bazigha Tufail of The University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kan. Their advisor is Brian A. Rock, Ph.D., P.E. Their design was based on their goal of using sustainable technologies for HVAC&R, lighting, energy supply and water use. Key features include a green roof to combat the urban heat effect and to provide extra roof insulation as well as contributing to CO2 absorption/oxygen output; rainwater harvesting; development of proper lighting controls detecting the amount of daylight penetration, efficient illumination fixtures and the use of light shelves for indirect lighting; and photovoltaic panels to minimize electricity use. “To produce a building that includes all of these ideas while remaining beautiful and also acting as an educational tool, integration of these systems from the beginning from the design was a key element,” the students wrote.

The first step in coming up with new ideas is putting them out there. The heating and cooling industry, as well as consumers looking to install systems in their homes need to be aware of the greener alternatives out there.