HPAC February 2014

THE PENSION DILEMMA

PROPANE SHORTAGE

COMMERCIAL SUPERSTARS

NEXT-GENERATION RESTROOM TECHNOLOGIES

THE FINALE

PUMP PERFORMANCE ALSO INSIDE

GOOD BUILDING: 3 Points To Live By

FEBRUARY 2014

WWW.HPACMAG.COM

MODERN HYDRONICS 2014 FEBRUARY

Teaming Up With AIR-TO-WATER HEAT PUMPS

The Lure of

HYBRID SYSTEMS STEP-BY-STEP RADIANT COOLING RESIDENTIAL INFLOOR: INSTALLATION METHODS

PM 40069240 SNOW AND ICE MELT BASICS A PUBLICATION OF

HOW TO USE PUMP TROUBLESHOOTING TOOL PRODUCT SHOWCASE

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FEBRUARY 2014

MODERN HYDRONICS 2014

VOL. 88 NO. 1

TENTS

18 R EFRIGERATION

For Better Or For Worse…R-22 RIP (Part III) The nuts and bolts of refrigerant conversion. By Dave Demma

FEBRUARY

20 CANADIAN MECHANICAL & PLUMBING EXPOSITION (CMPX) 2014 PREVIEW

Teaming Up With AIR-TO-WATER HEAT PUMPS

22 P LUMBING

The Lure of

23 R ESTROOM SUPERSTARS

High-Performance Commercial Restroom Fixtures By Kris Alderson

HYBRID SYSTEMS STEP-BY-STEP RADIANT COOLING

57 FINANCE

Pay Now Or Pay Later The dilemma of pension reform. By Hank Bulmash

77 AS I SEE IT

Strategy Matters How to achieve the best buildings.

RESIDENTIAL INFLOOR: INSTALLATION METHODS

By Robert Bean

25

MH MODERN HYDRONICS

MH4 MH8

HEAT PUMP PLUS PART I

By John Siegenthaler

PRODUCTS MH20 HYDRONIC 60 PLUMBING 64 HVAC/R 72 GIZMOS & GADGETS

WHY AND HOW TO

DO RADIANT COOLING

By Robert Bean

MH12

EMBEDDED SYSTEMS: A RADIANT CONCEPT

By Mike Miller

MH14 TROUBLESHOOTING PUMP PERFORMANCE

By Larry Konopacz

MH16 THE PATH TO NEAR NET-ZERO IS UNDERFOOT

DEPARTMENTS 4 6

Upfront Industry News

News feature: Ontario, Quebec hit hardest by prolonged propane shortages

By Patrick Callan 66 Mechanical Supply News 70 People 74 The Source 75 Calendar 78 Training

By Steve Rohrbaugh

MH20 HYDRONIC PRODUCT SHOWCASE MH26 HEAT PUMP PLUS PART II

By John Siegenthaler HPACMAG.COM

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@hpacmag FEBRUARY 2014 | HPAC

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< UPFRONT PERPLEXED BY PEX SCENARIO I SOMETIMES GET ASKED HOW I COME UP WITH IDEAS FOR THIS COLUMN. Editors in all markets approach their editorials in different ways. When it comes to determining subject matter, I generally avoid walking you through the issue’s content. It is not particularly useful: you know where to find the contents page and how to use it. It is also safe to assume you do not care to hear about my food likes and dislikes, exercise regime (that would be a short column), travel plans, pet preferences and “favourites,” and so on.

As each magazine deadline approaches I look to industry contacts, media outlets, colleagues and our readers for ideas for this column. The challenge is to select a topic that will engage our diverse readership with useful, thought provoking and informative content.

Imagine my interest when a neighbour told me her insurance company was refusing to insure the house she purchased recently. The reason given was that the home had some PEX in a plumbing application and “that stuff leaks.”

Ouch.

The installation of said PEX and a tankless water heater happened about six years ago. Frankly, the insurance company's position shocked me, particularly since PEX tubing is recognized for potable water distribution in most model plumbing codes. Plus, this was a relatively new installation that was subject to a pretty comprehensive home inspection. With my editorial pegged, I then did some research.

Surely, this was a one-off, an uninformed, old school broker who may have had an experience with PEX many years ago (although the neighbour did say that the broker sounded about 16, so not likely). It turned out the neighbour took the decision to the next level but the company stood firm.

I suggest you Google: “problems in the pipes,” and "insurance coverage PEX Canada." The broker and his insurance company referred to here are not unique in their conviction.

We have seen the impact decisions by insurance companies can have on the mechanical industry. It is time to be proactive and educate and inform.

Whatever pipe you prefer to work with, a lack of knowledge or bias does not help anyone in the industry.

Editor

LET US KNOW WHAT YOU THINK SEND US AN E-MAIL KTURNER@HPACMAG.COM OR TWEET US @HPACMAG

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HPAC MAGAZINE 80 Valleybrook Drive, Toronto, ON M3B 2S9 TEL: 416.442.5600 FAX: 416.510.5140 www.hpacmag.com EDITOR Kerry Turner (416) 510-5218 KTurner@hpacmag.com ASSISTANT Patrick Callan (416) 442-5600, ext. 3524 EDITOR PCallan@hpacmag.com SALES & MARKETING Kim Rossiter (416) 510-6794 COORDINATOR KRossiter@hpacmag.com ASSOCIATE David Skene (416) 510-6884 PUBLISHER DSkene@hpacmag.com ACCOUNT David McGee (416) 510-6791 MANAGER DMcgee@hpacmag.com ART DIRECTOR Sandy MacIsaac (416) 442-5600, ext. 3242 SMacisaac@bizinfogroup.ca MARKET PRODUCTION Barb Vowles (416) 510-5103 MANAGER 800-268-7742, ext. 5103 BVowles@bizinfogroup.ca CIRCULATION MANAGER Selina Rahaman (416) 442-5600, ext. 3528 SRahaman@bizinfogroup.ca PUBLISHER Peter Leonard (416) 510-6847 PLeonard@hpacmag.com

BIG MAGAZINES LP Corinne Lynds, EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Tim Dimopoulos, EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER Alex Papanou, VICE-PRESIDENT OF CANADIAN PUBLISHING Bruce Creighton, PRESIDENT OF BUSINESS INFORMATION GROUP

PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40069240, REGISTRATION NO. 10815 Heating Plumbing Air Conditioning (established 1925) is published 7 times per year

by BIG Magazines LP, a division of Glacier BIG Holdings Company Ltd. HPAC Magazine is the leading Canadian business publication for the owner/manager of mechanical contracting businesses and their supply partners.

ISSN: 0017-9418 Contents Copyright © 2014 by BIG Magazines LP, a division of Glacier BIG Holdings Company Ltd., may not be reprinted without permission.

SUBSCRIBER SERVICES: To subscribe, renew your subscription or to change your address or information please visit us at www.hpacmag.com.

Subscription Price per year: $40.00 CDN; Outside Canada per year: $80.00 US; Single copy Canada: $5.00 CDN. Heating Plumbing Air Conditioning is published 7 times per year except for occasional combined, expanded or premium issues, which count as two subscription issues.

MAIL PREFERENCES: From time to time we make our subscription list available to select companies and organizations whose product or service may interest you. If you do not wish your contact information to be made available, please contact us via one of the following methods: Tel: 800.387.0273, Fax: 416.442.2191; E-mail: jhunter@ businessinformationgroup.ca; or by mail: Privacy Office, 80 Valleybrook Dr., Toronto, ON M3B 2S9.

HPAC Magazine receives unsolicited materials (including letters to the editor, press releases, promotional items and images) from time to time. HPAC Magazine, its affiliates and assignees may use, reproduce, publish, re-publish, distribute, store and archive such unsolicited submissions in whole or in part in any form or medium whatsoever, without compensation of any sort.

NOTICE: HPAC Magazine, BIG Magazines LP, a division of Glacier BIG Holdings Company Ltd., their staff, officers, directors and shareholders (hence known as the “Publisher”) assume no liability, obligations, or responsibility for claims arising from advertised products. The Publisher also reserves the right to limit liability for editorial errors, omissions and oversights to a printed correction in a subsequent issue. HPAC Magazine’s editorial is written for management level mechanical industry personnel who have documented training in the mechanical fields in which they work. Manufacturers’ printed instructions, datasheets and notices always take precedence to published editorial statements.

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund (CPF) for our publishing activities.

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INDUSTRY NEWS

SEE THE LATEST HPAC E-NEWSLETTER @ HPACMAG.COM

ONTARIO, QUEBEC HIT HARDEST BY PROLONGED PROPANE SHORTAGES News Feature By Patrick Callan Several reports have surfaced this winter about severe propane shortages in rural parts of eastern Ontario and western Quebec. Shrinking supplies have left thousands of Canadians living in those areas – many of which depend on propane to heat their homes – shivering in the cold.

The Canadian Propane Association (CPA) has denied allegations about a propane shortage in Canada, insisting that delivery disruptions have come as a result of “early and sustained colder-than-normal winter temperatures coupled with transportation-related issues.”

Poor road conditions, according to the CPA, have delayed some Ontario and Quebec propane retailers from having their supplies replenished. “At this time, the Canadian Propane Association recognizes this is an isolated situation and does not affect the industry as a whole.”

However, a former Ontario Liberal MP known as Canada’s “gas guru,” is not buying it.

“Prior to this colder-than-usual winter there was signs of a run on propane inventories – particularly in the U.S.,” said Dan McTeague, founder of www.TomorrowsGasPriceToday. com, a website created to help Canadians save money at the pumps and to highlight the lack of competition in Canada’s energy sector.

The National Energy Board’s propane winter outlook, released at the end of November, called for, among other things, a mild winter that could lead to lower propane demand in Canada and the U.S. It also said that with 1.5 million cubic metres in inventory (just shy of the five-year average) the Canadian propane industry had essentially recovered from the very low levels reported in the previous heating season in April 2013.

McTeague said this winter’s polar vortex weather has undoubtedly put a strain on propane supplies, but the problem started before the cold weather arrived when American farmers were scrambling to dry their bumper crops, and turned to Canadian propane.

“We went into the first weeks of December with lower inventory than in the past several years, to a level where Canada was meeting part of the U.S. demand by exporting a significant amount of surplus,” he said. “What had been a tight inventory situation has turned into a much more difficult one where there is now rationing and there are some who are having to go several days and perilously close to empty in terms of their heating options.”

But the root of the problem goes back even further, 6

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according to McTeague, to when Superior Propane was granted a monopoly in the Canadian propane industry.

Superior Propane acquired ICG Propane on December 7, 1998. On the same day, the Commissioner of Competition filed an application under section 92 of the Competition Act to dissolve the merger, saying it would be detrimental to competition.

Although the Competition Tribunal found in August 2000 that indeed the merger would reduce competition in many local markets and prevent competition in the Atlantic region, it sided with Superior, who used the “efficiency defence” (that the negative impacts would be offset by gains in efficiency) in Section 96 of the Act. Twice the Commissioner appealed the decision in the early 2000s, arguing that the Competition Tribunal had misinterpreted Section 96, but on both occasions the initial ruling was upheld.

“Under the guise of efficiency, which was a loophole of the Competition Act, traditional wholesalers were merged in favour of a monopoly that has now made a very bad situation on inventory a lot worse,” said McTeague.

“One company can choose where to provide its products strategically, and unfortunately at this time western Quebec and the area around Ottawa is more adversely affected,” he said. “And it doesn’t look like that’s about to end anytime soon given the climate continues to remain relatively cold this winter.”

McTeague said alarm bells should be going off in the minds of regulators and parliamentarians in Ottawa when a significant number of Canadians are at risk of not being able to stay warm.

“When you get out of the big smoke, in most cities across Canada propane is in fact the petroleum of choice,” he said of the roughly nine per cent of Canadian homes that rely on propane. “There's people out there who are prepared to pay any price for the ability to heat but find themselves limited.”

As one of the world’s energy superpowers, McTeague said it is important to have a strong energy-exporting sector, but we need to be able to take care of our own first. “Everybody universally knew this was going to be a problem and now that it has happened people are scratching their heads,” he said.

“We’ve got to get back to the drawing board and start to rethink energy policy and competition policy in Canada.”

C

INDUSTRY NEWS continues on p8 HPACMAG.COM

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SOUTHWESTERN ONTARIO COMPANY WINS 2013 BUSINESS INTEGRITY AWARD The Better Business Bureau for Western Ontario has recognized The Hayter Group for its high ethical standards towards customers, users, suppliers, shareholders, employees, and in their community. The Hayter Group was presented with the Business Integrity Award in October at the 16th Annual Business Integrity Awards Breakfast.

The Hayter Group also received a $2,500 Ross Imrie Scholarship from the Rotary Club of London Foundation to be given by the company to a scholar or scholars in post-secondary education. The Hayter Group primarily serves southwestern Ontario with geothermal

heating cooling and solar PV systems.

In the Chatham-Kent, Sarnia-Lambton and London-Middlesex regions it also services and installs gas, oil, wood and all types of radiant heating, as well as providing water treatment and plumbing services. www.thehaytergroup.com

DIRECT ENERGY BUSINESS SERVICES STRENGTHENS BUSINESS OFFERING Direct Energy Business Services (DEBS) announced its operating name change to Airtron Canada at the PM Expo in Toronto, ON on December 4, 2013. Airtron Canada will be the cornerstone of DEBS’ rebranding efforts in Canada to strengthen its HVAC, building automation and energy services offerings.

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After assessing its current brand perception, DEBS decided to rebrand under Airtron, a Direct Energy brand based in the U.S. and provider of HVAC services.

Airtron Canada will offer building technology services for Canadian businesses and building owners that include a full suite of HVAC, building automation and energy services. www.airtroncanada.com continued on p10

TWO HPAC COLUMNISTS TO HEADLINE CIPHEX WEST HYDRONICS CONFERENCE

P P SW

Dan Holohan will join HPAC columnists Robert Bean and John Siegenthaler for the just-added hydronics conference as part of CIPHEX West. Sessions at the hydronics conference will provide the technical information contractors, wholesalers and engineers need to specify, install and maintain hydronic systems.

More than 200 exhibitors are expected to participate in the trade show taking place on November 5 and 6 in Calgary at the BMO Centre at Stampede Park. Buildex Calgary will colocate with CIPHEX West.

Produced by the Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating, CIPHEX West is Western Canada’s largest plumbing and HVAC/R show. www.ciphexwest.ca www.ciph.com HPACMAG.COM

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Photo Oscar Einzig

< INDUSTRY NEWS

NEWEST VERSION OF LEED LAUNCHES AT USGBC CONFERENCE The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) launched LEED v4 during its annual Greenbuild International Conference and Expo, held in Philadelphia this past November. The updated version of LEED builds on the fundamentals of previous versions

while offering a new system that prepares all LEED projects in a portfolio to perform at a higher level. LEED v4 encourages and accelerates global adoption of sustainable green building and development practices through the creation and implementation of universally understood and accepted tools and performance criteria. So far, 122 beta projects from around the world are using LEED v4.

In other news, USGBC, Hanley Wood, GBC Italia and Veronafiere announced a global partnership to bring the green building conference and expo to Europe and the Mediterranean region this year. The event is scheduled to take place in Verona, Italy from October 8 to 10. A call for proposals for all Greenbuild conferences is now open. www.greenbuildexpo.org

Hockey great Darryl Sittler (l) and Steve Hoffins from Johnson Controls (York) at the official launch of the 2014 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic Ice Truck sponsored by York.

NHL WINTER CLASSIC ICE TRUCK LAUNCHES IN OAKVILLE A frigid December evening in Oakville, ON provided a fitting backdrop for the official launch of the 2014 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic Ice Truck sponsored

by York. Joined by Toronto Maple Leafs’ legend Darryl Sittler, a crowd of hockey fans and a scrum of media huddled outside Canlan Oakville Ice Sports to get a firsthand look at the one of a kind truck.

After launching in Oakville, the Ice Truck – which holds a 53 ft., 300-ton capacity Cimco refrigeration unit and rink system – was off to Ann Arbor, MI where it built and maintained an outdoor NHL rink at Michigan Stadium for the Winter Classic game between Toronto and Detroit.

The primary function of the world’s largest mobile refrigeration unit inside the Ice Truck is to remove heat from the ice surface and stabilize the temperature. That process involves pumping up to 3000 gallons of glycol coolant through hoses from the truck into custom-made aluminum trays configured on the field in order to keep the ice surface at its ideal temperature of -5.5C (22F).

Once the ice trays and rink boards were put in place, the next step was making the actual ice surface. Using a spray wand with a fine mist, workers slowly spread water to ensure an even freeze. (Normal NHL rinks are about 1 to 1.25 inches thick, but the outdoor rink is up to two inches because of the

PR

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harsher conditions. Each inch of thickness requires about 10 000 gallons of tap water.)

The ice surface was then whitened using 350 gallons of water-soluble paint and the lines and logos were painted and placed on the surface, with more ice built on top.

The last step was monitoring the rink: a 24-hour job using the Eye on the Ice system embedded in the ice surface. The high-tech system monitors the ice’s temperature at various points and send alerts to pump more glycol or engage the inline heating system if the temperature drops too much. www.nhl.com/ice/event.htm?location=/winterclassic/2014/ microsite

DesignTrends, Concrete Canada, HomeBuilder & Renovator Expo and National GreenBuilding Conference. All told, the event featured more than 1050 exhibits, 450 speakers and 200 presentations about the latest in products, technologies, best practices and applications for the design, construction, operation, retrofit, and renovation of all types of buildings. HPAC magazine was also well represented at the show with a contingent of staff manning booth 341.

For the 2014 edition of Construct Canada, the show will co-locate with IIDEX Canada to create The Buildings Show, which will be North America’s largest annual exposition and conference focusing on the design, construction and management of real estate. The combined event will take place from December 3 to 5, occupying the entire Metro Toronto Convention Centre. It will be held concurrently with seven other events: PM Expo, DesignTrends, HomeBuilder & Renovator Expo, Concrete Canada, The Toronto Real Estate Forum, Construct International and National GreenBuilding Conference.

The decision to co-locate all nine expositions and conferences aims to maximize value for attendees and exhibitors. www.constructcanada.com www.iidexcanada.com

CONSTRUCT CANADA CELEBRATES 25TH ANNIVERSARY, ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR 2014 SHOW Canada’s largest building and construction show celebrated its quarter century mark with more exhibits, special features, seminars, and networking opportunities than ever before.

More than 24 000 people visited the show which took place in Toronto, ON from December 4 to 6, 2013 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre’s South Building.

Construct Canada was held concurrently with PM Expo,

continued on p12

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AMENDMENT TO ONTARIO’S ENERGY EFFICIENCY REGULATION The Province of Ontario has implemented an amendment to Ontario’s Energy Efficiency regulation under the Green Energy Act as O. Reg. 337/13. The amendment sets or enhances minimum efficiency standards for 25 products. It includes major changes to the proposals posted on the Environmental Bill of Rights in June 2013 in response to comments received from industry during the 59-day public review period. The amendment comes on the heals of the joint effort by the Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating and the Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada, who in August 2013 prepared a proposal to the Ontario Ministry of Energy on options for enhancing energy efficiency requirements for water heaters. www.e-laws.gov.on.ca

CIPH JOINS LOBBY AGAINST BILL 91 The Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating has joined the Coalition for Effective Waste Reduction in Ontario to lobby the provincial government to reconsider Bill 91 and the execution of a program in Ontario. (Bill 91 – the Waste Reduction Act, 2013 – which looks to establish a new regime for the reduction, reuse and recycling of waste and to repeal the Waste Diversion Act, 2002, is currently undergoing second

reading debate in the Ontario Legislature.) The 14-member coalition consists of trade associations of varying sizes and scopes and is recommending industry-run stewardship programs to operate without “burdensome and costly overarching regulatory agencies.” www.ciph.com

TORONTO ACCEPTS E-MAILS FOR BUILDING PERMITS, EXPANDS RESIDENTIAL FASTRACK PROGRAM The City of Toronto Building Division is now accepting e-mail submissions for customers applying for a number of building, mechanical and plumbing permits by e-mail. The division has also expanded the list of projects eligible for the residential Fastrack program, an enhanced building permit service for certain types of projects in existing houses containing one or two dwelling units.

The following projects are now eligible: additions with cumulative areas up to 100 m2 on all floor levels, second suite to residential dwellings, conversion from up to three residential units to a single family dwelling, fire damage repairs, plumbing permits for residential dwellings, and HVAC for residential Fastrack permits after issuance of related building permits. www.toronto.ca/building HRAI ads_3.375x4.875_Layout 1 1/30/13 12:26 PM Page 1 continued on p16

Credibility... is using HRAI wholesalers that are in the know on regulations and standards. It’s knowing that they are up to date on market trends.

It ensures that quality, honesty, integrity and good faith are standard business practices.

When dealing with HRAI Wholesalers, you can be confident that you are in good hands!

Look for your nearest HRAI wholesaler member today! www.hrai.ca/wholesalers

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www.hrai.ca 1.800.267.2231 14

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2013

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< INDUSTRY NEWS

continued from p 14

BUILT GREEN CANADA EXPANDS IN WESTERN CANADA

® ®

First Choice is Your Best Choice. ®

Built Green Canada marked its 10th anniversary by announcing it will be expanding into Saskatchewan and Manitoba, effective February 2014. Built Green’s programs recognize energy efficiency as a fundamental component and include electrical efficiency, water efficiency, indoor air quality, resource use, and overall environmental impact. www.builtgreencanada.ca

Come in and check out our line of universal replacement parts available exclusively at Lennox PartsPlus® stores. Created to give you quality parts, competitive prices, and most importantly, a smart choice!

FirstChoice products include Motors, Contactors, Transformers and Capacitors, all at a great value, available from Lennox PartsPlus.

Stores open M–F 7:30am–4:30pm lennoxpartsplus.com CALGARY, AB 5350 86th Ave. S.E. 403-279-8075

EDMONTON, AB 8103 McIntyre Road 780-425-0733

BRAMPTON, ON 10 Woodslea Road 905-799-9911

BURNABY, BC 2962 Lake City Way 604-421-1767

SCARBOROUGH, ON 2010 Ellesmere Road, Units 13 & 14 416-754-4311

DARTMOUTH, NS 133 ILSLEY Ave, Unit D 902-468-5995

HAMILTON, ON 351 Nash Road North, Unit #10 905-560-4200 OTTAWA, ON 1177 Parisien Street 613-745-1528 WATERLOO, ON 115 Randall Drive, Ste 10 519-886-3666 LONDON, ON 1 Adelaide Street N., Ste 5 519-439-3377 16

WINNIPEG, MB 1653 Saint James St 204-633-0345 VILLE SAINT LAURENT, QC 3540 Boulevard Poirier 514-336-6090 REGINA, SK 2110 7th Avenue 306-757-7678 SASKATOON, SK 3026A Faithful Avenue 306-934-4858

CHEESE FACTORY IS THE CREAM OF THE CROP A cheese factory in Quebec is part of a select group of facilities to win an ASHRAE Technology Award for its innovative building design. Fromagerie des Basques in Trois-Pistoles, QC and Atis Technologies were awarded first place in the existing industrial facilities or processes category at the ASHRAE 2014 Winter Conference in New York, NY in January.

In 2010, a mechanical project was developed to change the heating and refrigeration systems at Fromagerie des Basques.

The factory used to send whey to a local pork farm but had to come up with a different plan when that facility closed and the municipality was unable to treat the waste. About nine litres of whey are generated in the production of a kilogram of cheese.

Atis Technologies proposed construction of an anaerobic treatment plant to transform the organic charges of the effluent in biogas (a combination of methane and carbon dioxide) while also using the biogas to produce heat needed in the production.

To separate the mechanical infrastructure from production, an existing warehouse was transformed into a mechanical room (as shown above) and a new building was constructed for the effluent post treatment. The popular digester concept uses a simple head three-phase separator, ensuring uniform velocity, which is an essential condition for digester efficiency and to prevent bacterial contamination. After functioning for over a year the project met its goals. www.ashrae.org HPACMAG.COM

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12/24/13 7:19 AM

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With th

Global Advances in Heat Pump Technology, Applications & Market Montréal (Canada) May 12-16, 2014 11th International Energy Agency Heat Pump Conference

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International promotional partners

14-02-07 1:49 PM

< REFRIGERATION

For Better Or For Worse...R-22 RIP

Now, the moment you have all been waiting for...the nuts and bolts of refrigerant conversion.

(Part III - the finale). BY DAVE DEMMA

I

n Part II we discussed the main drivers in determining which refrigerant to use for the conversion from R-22 (HPAC December 2013, online at www.hpacmag.com).

Once that decision has been made, a detailed plan can be assembled to ensure the conversion is completed in a minimum amount of time, and the result is a system that operates efficiently and trouble free.

STEP-BY-STEP Systems not operating properly with R-22 will not operate properly after a refrigerant conversion. A pre-conversion survey should be performed to ensure that system components are operating properly and a list of any necessary repairs should be assembled. Include a check of the systemâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s performance history in the survey. A system that has capacity issues on design high temperature ambient days might need an engineering review prior to the conversion. Repairs should be completed before or during the conversion.

If an oil change (mineral oil to POE) is required, do it about a week prior to the conversion. Field experience has shown that levels of remaining mineral oil higher than five per cent can be tolerated while still providing adequate oil return.

But compressor manufacturers still recommend that the percentage of remaining mineral oil after the refrigerant conversion be less than five per cent.

Prior to the conversion do a complete system leak check and properly repair any leaks that are discovered. In addition, elastomer seals have a tendency to leak after a conversion is performed. This is not due to an incompatibility issue, it is because the elastomer seals will swell when in the presence of refrigerants. R-22 has the most aggressive swelling influence on elastomer seals, so after the conversion the seal will effectively shrink (the conversion refrigerant will result in a seal that swells less that it did with R-22). For example, lab testing revealed a Neoprene W O-ring in the presence of R-22 and mineral oil swelled about 4.1 per cent. The same O-ring was then exposed to R-404A and POE, and the swell was reduced by 2.6 per cent.

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Every elastomer seal will take a compression set once it is compressed in the valve or component that it is providing a seal for. Over time the seal will lose some of its resilience, preventing it from providing an adequate seal after the â&#x20AC;&#x153;shrinkageâ&#x20AC;? takes effect. To avoid any potential leak after the conversion it is recommended that all elastomer seals be replaced. These would include any O-rings (oil level controls, hand tight flare caps), tetra seals (used in some older model solenoid valves, which have been upgraded to wolverine seals), Schrader valves, pressure regulating valves, brass filter-drier shells, receiver level gauges, etc.

Older model ball valves may not have leak proof caps. If available, leak proof caps should be acquired and installed. If not available, replacement of ball valves might be necessary.

Recovery of used R-22 from system. An accurate estimate of the system charge should be made and the necessary amount of clean/evacuated empty recovery cylinders should be on hand to accommodate the removal of the R-22.

Cylinders should not be filled to more than 80 per cent of capacity.

If this is a refrigeration system (particularly a supermarket with display cases) some product unloading might be necessary. Or adding dry ice to the display cases might negate that option. In either case, this is crunch time, a sufficient sized crew should be on hand to perform the necessary work in a minimum amount of time.

If distributor nozzles or TEVs or TEV elements require replacement, this is the time to do it.

After replacing flow controls (if needed) and replacing all filter-driers and oil filters (if used) the system should be pressurized and leak checked. If no leaks are found evacuate the system down to 250 microns, with confirmation that the vacuum holds.

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While the system is being evacuated it would be a good time to label the system with the new refrigerant. This might seem like an insignificant step, but imagine a technician taking a service call some weeks later and finding that the system was low on refrigerant. Without knowing that a conversion had taken place, a technician might add R-22 to a system that has the appearance of still being an R-22 system. This is a potential costly situation that should be avoided and can be by simple labeling. If a logbook is present, enter a summary of the work done during the conversion.

After the system has been properly evacuated the new refrigerant can be added and ultimately the system restarted. After the system has reached a stable operating condition, record and compare system operating conditions with those taken during the initial survey. Any pressure sensitive devices such as pressure controls, compressor unloaders, pressure regulating valves and system controllers should be reset for the correct pressure corresponding to the new refrigerant.

All system TEVs should be checked for proper superheat setting, and adjusted as required. If the refrigerant chosen for the conversion is a high glide refrigerant, then the technician will need to familiarize themself with the proper way to set superheat (and subcooling). Single component refrigerants such as R-22 will have a constant refrigerant saturation temperature at a given pressure.

Zeotrope refrigerant blends (such as R-407A/C, R-422A/ B/D, R-438A) are multi-component. At a saturated condition in an evaporator each component of a Zeotropic blend will boil independently of the other components. The saturation temperature will be determined by the per cent of each component remaining and the temperature at which it is boiling.

Where it gets complicated is that the lower boiling temperature component will boil at a faster rate than the higher boiling temperature components, causing a change or glide in the saturation temperature at a constant pressure.

For example, while R-22 boils at a constant 40F at 68.5 psi, R-407C at the same pressure will boil at 33.3F at the evaporator inlet. As the last molecule of liquid boils into a vapour it will be boiling at 44.6F. This is a glide of 11.3F. R-407C consists of three components: R-32 (23 per cent lowest boiling temperature), R-125 (25 per cent - intermediate boiling temperature) and R-134A (52 per cent - highest boiling temperature). At the inlet of the evaporator the R-32 is boiling at a faster rate than the other two components. Its effect is most noticeable at the evaporator inlet, as seen in the 33.3F boiling temperature. Because it is boiling at a faster rate it changes state into a vapour at a faster rate than the other two components, with the composition of the HPACMAG.COM

HPAC01_18-19_Demma.indd 19

remaining Zeotropic blend changingâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;less R-32 in proportion to the remaining two components. The boiling temperature starts rising because the effect of the R-32 becomes diminished as its per cent of the total diminishes. To a lesser degree the R-125 is doing the same thing. At the point where the last drop of liquid boils into vapour there is a greater percentage of R-134A (in comparison to the R-32 and R-125), causing the 11.3 degree rise in boiling temperature.

This effect is known as â&#x20AC;&#x153;fractionatio.â&#x20AC;? It can cause issues with the integrity of the system charge if refrigerant leaks out of the vapour side of a system during a time when the compressor is off. The effect would be the same as venting vapour from a cylinder of refrigerant, with the lowest boiling point component vapourizing at a quicker rate than the other components thereby changing the percentages of the remaining components left in the cylinder. There are two problems with this occurring in a system: the refrigerant left in the system now has a different chemical formulation than the original blend that the system was charged to, resulting in different performance and efficiency. And because the formulation has changed you have no idea what the pressuretemperature relationship is any longer, meaning that it would be difficult to determine what the superheat and/or subcooling values would be.

The recommendation is that if a system with a Zeotropic blend experiences a leak in the vapour side of the system, and the leak occurs during the off cycle, then the system charge should be removed and recharged with virgin refrigerant. Certainly on a smaller system with a minimal charge the effect of fractionation would be more noticeable.

One of the drawbacks of R-22 is the high discharge temperatures it will operate at in low temperature applications. It is not uncommon for these systems to operate at temperatures that result in mineral oil decomposition, with the resulting contaminant being deposited all throughout the interior of the system. While in small amounts it might remain dormant in an R-22 system, the presence of POE will bring all of these contaminants back into circulation. A day after the conversion it would be appropriate to replace the system filter-driers. Close monitoring of the oil a week or two after the conversion will reveal if further action is required.

That concludes the refrigerant conversion series. R-22 we will miss you. <> Dave Demma holds a degree in refrigeration engineering and worked as a journeyman refrigeration technician before moving into the manufacturing sector where he regularly trains contractor and engineering groups. He can be reached at ddemma@uri.com.

FEBRUARY 2014 | HPAC

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< SHOW PREVIEW

H

aving passed the 500 exhibitor mark, all 200 000-square-feet of exhibit space at CMPX 2014 is officially sold-out. More than 15 000 attendees are expected to attend the three-day show from Wednesday, March 19 through Friday, March 21 in the Metro Toronto Convention Centre's North Building.

As Canada's national show for the mechanical industry, CMPX offers installers, contractors, engineers, architects and national buyers the opportunity to see the latest product offerings and to attend educational sessions.

Manufacturers may enter products for the CMPX New Product Showcase through the CMPX website: www.cmpxshow.com/ new-products.cfm. Details on the 20 sessions scheduled for the Learning Forum and registration is also offered online.

Pre-registration is required for HPAC columnist John Siegenthaler's workshops titled "Unique Hydronic Details For Domestic Water Heating" and "Piping and Control Strategies For High Performance Wood-Fired Heating Systems."

Siegenthaler's first session will examine methods of configuring hydronic systems for providing domestic hot water.

These methods can be applied to systems using both conventional heat sources such as boilers, as well as systems using thermally based renewable energy heat sources such as solar collectors, heat pumps, and solid fuel boilers. He will focus on technical details that are synergistic to overall systems operation, including space heating and cooling. This workshop explores the advantages and limitations of several approaches, and presents information that designers can use on a range of projects.

Siegenthaler's second workshop will cover the conceptual design of systems that use wood gasification boilers and pellet fuel boilers as heat sources for heating buildings and pro-

Calling All Plumbing Engineers

The American Society of Plumbing Engineers (ASPE) is holding a free breakfast gathering in Toronto on March 20, from 8:30 a.m.–11:00 a.m. during CMPX.

HOURS

Wednesday, March 19 & Thursday, March 20 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Friday, March 21 • 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

One lucky visitor will win a 2014 GMC Savana 2500 with custom racking interior, compliments of CMPX 2014. viding domestic hot water. He will focus on systems for residential and light commercial applications. According to Siegenthaler, although there have been significant improvement to the efficiency and reliability of wood-fired heat sources, there has not been equal emphasis on the proper design of the overall systems in which these heat sources are used.

It is not uncommon to find multi-thousand dollar wood and pellet-fired boilers connected to poorly conceived storage and distribution hardware. The results are often wasted fuel and compromised comfort. Heating systems supplied by woodgasification and pellet-fueled boiler can benefit from state-ofthe-art hydronics technology. This includes intelligent mixing devices, outdoor reset, variable speed ECM circulators, homerun distribution systems, and on-demand domestic water heating. This session will introduce these devices and show how to properly integrate them with a wood-fired heat source and thermal storage.

For those who wish to attend the Learning Forum, organizers are suggesting visitors plan their days carefully as sessions will not be repeated. Another HPAC columnist, Mike Miller, along with Andre Patenaude of Emerson Climate Technologies, Canadian Hydronics Council (CHC) chairman Sean Giberson, Gord Cooke of Building Knowledge Canada and Martin Thomas of Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) are among the speakers. Alain Trahan, a vice president member for the Montreal Chapter of American Society of Plumbing Engineers, will discuss the lessons that have been learned in the aftermath of the Quebec City outbreak of legionnaires' disease. <>

www.cmpxshow.com

Tremendous Tool Take-away!

Drop by HPAC’s booth (N19/N20 at the top of the escalator) to enter a ballot for our Tremendous Tool Take-away for a chance to win thousands of dollars worth of products. The draw will take place on March 21.

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< PLUMBING

High-Performance Commercial Restroom Fixtures

O

ver the past few decades commercial restroom design has undergone a true transformation.

Emerging materials, products and technologies have changed the look, function and lifecycle of restroom furnishings, enhancing the total restroom experience from staff to consumers.

Compared with the restrooms of the 1980s, 1990s and even early 2000s, today’s well-designed commercial restrooms look more aesthetically pleasing and incorporate more conveniences and user-friendly features, making them more amenable to highly impressionable end-users. This attractiveness and feeling of quality, in turn, helps to create a favourable view of the overall business and management.

New and innovative materials and technologies are also helping plumbing and building management operate more efficiently and cost-effectively. The latest product advancements minimize time and costs for installation, maintenance, repairs and replacement parts, so staff can focus on other duties and projects.

When specifying high-quality restroom furnishings – lavatories, partitions, toilets and other washroom accessories – consider how the following new product trends are transforming today’s restrooms and extending products’ life cycles.

GREATER DURABILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY More manufacturers are incorporating sustainable materials into restroom products, which in addition to environmental 22

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benefits, often increase the durability, maintainability and life span of these products. For fixtures such as lavatories and partitions, materials made of natural and recycled materials are more commonly used. Many of these products are also GREENGUARD-certified, which means the product contributes to indoor air quality by meeting strict chemical and particle emission standards.

For example, a durable and sustainable natural material now available for lavatories is a moulded natural quartz material that can be sculpted into a range of attractive design options.

Composed of an eco-friendly resin made of soy and corn, natural quartz is virtually maintenance-free since it does not require sealing, buffing or reconditioning like granite. In addition, its smooth, seamless finish has a non-porous surface, so it does not support microbial growth and is easy to clean.

Solid surface lavatory countertops made of recycled materials and rapidly renewable material also help ensure durability, ease of cleaning and long-term maintenance. Solid surface resists stains, chemicals, scratches and heat, reducing the likelihood of repairs and the need for replacements. Surface marks and scratches are repaired easily with everyday cleaners or fine-grit abrasives, making the material very easy to clean and maintain. The integrated bowl design used with solid surface lavatories also eliminates crevices for microbes to hide and further helps prevent the spread of germs.

Likewise, toilet partitions made from 100 per cent postconsumer recycled High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) solid

Photo Bradley

Next-generation technologies address demands of building management, front-line plumbing staff and end-users. BY KRIS ALDERSON

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plastic stand up to heavy usage. Each locker made from 100 per cent recycled HDPE is equivalent to 500 recycled milk jugs that otherwise may have ended up in a landfill. This solid plastic material conveys a sturdy and professional look, while being easy to clean.

GREATER SAFETY It is no secret that restrooms are breeding grounds for bacteria. Touchless fixtures minimize the touchpoints in the restroom – a major issue for restroom users. As a recent survey* about hand washing behaviour revealed, people go to great lengths to avoid coming into contact with germs in public restrooms. Survey respondents report operating the toilet flusher with their foot (64 per cent) using a paper towel when touching the restroom door (60 per cent) and faucet handles (37 per cent) and opening and closing doors with their hip (48 per cent).

As restroom users continue to have a greater awareness and sensitivity to germs in public places, touchless fixtures may help reduce the transmission of germs and bacteria from users’ hands and improve overall hygiene as users leave the restroom area and enter other parts of the building.

Touchless fixtures also help in upgrading restrooms to be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which requires that faucets are operable with one hand, without tight gasping or twisting and should be activated using a

maximum of five pounds of force. Capacitive-sensor controlled faucets are among the best solutions for meeting this requirement, and eliminate user frustration because the entire spout is a sensor field that detects a user’s presence from any angle of approach.

While touchless fixtures are user-friendly and convenient for consumers, they are also easier for staff to keep in good working condition. The “hands-free” design reduces wear and tear from usage, and helps divert vandalism attempts such as leaving a faucet running to create a mess in the restroom. Sensored faucets prevent excess water spillage with an automatic shut off.

Speaking of overflowing water, wet floors stand out as a crucial issue to be addressed by building management.

Newer lavatory fixtures use design features to minimize water splashing on the floor, such as all-in-one hand washing units, so that users walk with dripping wet hands in search of a towel or hand dryer.

OPERATING COST SAVINGS Canada’s plumbing industry is no stranger to the concept of green design and the long-term operational and environmental benefits of using low-flow fixtures. Still, the latest statistics on water usage in commercial buildings are telling. According to the 2013 BOMA BESt Energy and Environment Report, for the continued on p.24

Photo Bradley

Restroom Superstars Known for its spotless reputation, eco-friendly design, and geothermal heating and cooling technologies, the Valleyview Shell Super Station in northern Alberta has won Cintas’ Canada’s Best Restroom Contest in 2013.

The 8350-ft. 2 convenience store serves between 2000 to 2500 customers per day, with employees checking the washroom every 20 to 30 minutes depending on the amount of traffic in the store. Featuring granite counters, solid adler wood stall doors with privacy glass panels, tiled walls, Victorian style semi-flush chandeliers, travertine floor tiles, and carved mirrors, the restrooms are a popular pit stop for travelers along Alberta’s Highway 43.

“The cleanliness and energy-saving design demonstrates how the staff at Valleyview Shell Super Station goes above and beyond to appeal to their customers,” said Leslie Molin, Cintas’ senior marketing manager.

Valleyview Shell Super Station manager Blake Sparks said his customers appreciate that they can count on the station for a clean place to stop and use the washroom. “People comment to our staff all the time about our elegant décor in the washroom and the importance we place on the maintenance of our facility,” he said.

For winning first place the station received a Canada’s Best Restroom winner plaque from Cintas and a spot in its best restroom hall of fame.

Rounding out the top five finishers were: (2nd) Steamworks Brew Pub in Vancouver, BC; (3rd) CHOP Steakhouse in Richmond, BC; (4th) MoRoCo Chocolat in Toronto, ON; and (5th) Marche Restaurant in Toronto, ON. All 2013 finalists were selected based on cleanliness, visual appeal, innovation, functionality and unique design elements. Votes were cast online through November 30, 2013. www.bestrestroom.com/canada HPACMAG.COM

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period of January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012, the average water consumption intensity for BOMA BESt (Building Environmental Standards) certified buildings was 0.6 m³/m², compared with the national average for water consumption in commercial buildings, which is 2.03 m³/m². Water consumption, calculated from water bills, varies widely from 0.1 m³/m² range to over 2.2 m³/m².

Low-flow fixtures can make a significant difference in commercial facilities. Some of the newer hand washing fixtures incorporate hands-free infrared 0.38 gallons per minute (gpm) faucets that reduce water usage by 24 per cent over 0.5 gpm faucets, and even more in buildings that use 1.0 gpm or more.

Paper waste is another environmental issue that, in part, is exacerbated by paper towel usage. According to Environment Canada, paper and paper products accounts for more than one third of Canada’s municipal solid waste.

High-speed touchless hand dryers help promote hand-drying with the hygienic benefits but without excess paper waste and expense, and extra maintenance. Newer models are also energy efficient, as they use 80 per cent less electricity than other hand dryers, while drying hands in as little as 1012 seconds.

NEXT-GENERATION FIXTURES As durability and maintainability features continue to improve, today’s emerging commercial restroom products are expected to last for up to 20 years – a major improvement from the seven to 10 year lifespan of yesterday’s products.

While periodic updates for partitions, paint, lighting and accessories will help keep a restroom’s look fresh and current, the newer “high-performance” centerpieces of restroom design are built to stand the test of time and repeated usage in even the most heavily trafficked restrooms. <> Kris Alderson is a senior marketing manager for Bradley Corporation, a USGBC member and manufacturer of locker room products, plumbing fixtures, washroom accessories, partitions and emergency fixtures. www.bradleycorp.com

WEB RESOURCES About GreenGuard www.greenguard.org/en/about.aspx *Handwashing survey www.bradleycorp.com/handwashing BOMA BESt Energy and Environment Report 2013 (BBEER) – Full Report www.bomabest.com/news-publications/publications/

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MODERN HYDRONICS 2014 FEBRUARY

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The Lure of

HYBRID SYSTEMS STEP-BY-STEP RADIANT COOLING RESIDENTIAL INFLOOR: INSTALLATION METHODS SNOW AND ICE MELT BASICS A PUBLICATION OF

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Do your best work.

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CONTENTS

a supplement of Heating Plumbing Air Conditioning Magazine HPAC MAGAZINE 80 Valleybrook Drive, Toronto, ON M3B 2S9 TEL: 416.442.5600 FAX: 416.510.5140 www.hpacmag.com EDITOR Kerry Turner (416) 510-5218 KTurner@hpacmag.com ASSISTANT EDITOR

Patrick Callan (416) 442-5600, ext. 3242

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

David Skene (416) 510-6884 DSkene@hpacmag.com

ACCOUNT MANAGER

David McGee (416) 510-6791 DMcgee@hpacmag.com

SALES & MARKETING COORDINATOR

Kim Rossiter (416) 510-6794 KRossiter@bizinfogroup.ca

ART DIRECTOR MARKET PRODUCTION MANAGER CIRCULATION MANAGER PUBLISHER

Sandy MacIsaac (416) 442-5600, ext. 3242 Barb Vowles (416) 510-5103 BVowles@bizinfogroup.ca Selina Rahaman (416) 442-5600, ext. 3528 SRahaman@bizinfogroup.ca Peter Leonard (416) 510-6847 PLeonard@hpacmag.com

BIG MAGAZINES LP Tim Dimopoulos, EXECUTIVE PUBLISHER Corinne Lynds, EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Alex Papanou, VICE-PRESIDENT OF CANADIAN PUBLISHING Bruce Creighton, PRESIDENT OF BUSINESS INFORMATION GROUP HPAC Magazine receives unsolicited materials (including letters to the editor, press releases, promotional items and images) from time to time. HPAC Magazine, its affiliates and assignees may use, reproduce, publish, re-publish, distribute, store and archive such unsolicited submissions in whole or in part in any form or medium whatsoever, without compensation of any sort.

NOTICE: HPAC Magazine, BIG Magazines LP, a division of Glacier BIG Holdings Company Ltd., their staff, officers, directors and shareholders (hence known as the “Publisher”) assume no liability, obligations, or responsibility for claims arising from advertised products. The Publisher also reserves the right to limit liability for editorial errors, omissions and oversights to a printed correction in a subsequent issue. HPAC Magazine’s editorial is written for management level mechanical industry personnel who have documented training in the mechanical fields in which they work. Manufacturers’ printed instructions, datasheets and notices always take precedence to published editorial statements.

We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund (CPF) for our publishing activities.

Proud member of:

MH4

COMBI-SYSTEMS

MH8

COOLING

Heat Pump Plus Part I By John Siegenthaler Why and how to do radiant cooling By Robert Bean

MH12 SNOW AND ICE MELT

Embedded systems: a radiant concept By Mike Miller

MH14 PUMPS

Troubleshooting pump performance By Larry Konopacz

MH16 INFLOOR HEATING

The path to near net-zero is underfoot By Steve Rohrbaugh

MH20 HYDRONIC PRODUCT SHOWCASE

MH26 COMBI-SYSTEMS

Heat Pump Plus Part II By John Siegenthaler

Your Condensing Boiler Partner

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Introducing the new Vitodens 222-F and the new generation Vitodens 200-W – featuring advanced Viessmann technology and performance in a small footprint.

Both gas-fired condensing boilers feature a new easy-to-use Vitotronic control. *Based on a temperature rise of 70 °F (50 °F to 120 °F). Information subject to change.

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MODERN HYDRONICS

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FEBRUARY 2014

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>> Combi-systems

Heat Pump Plus How to combine an air-to-water heat pump with a boiler (Part I).

A

ir-to-water heat pumps (AWHPs) represent a growing alternative to geothermal heat pumps in many parts of North America. While arguably not suited for consistently bitter cold climates, they can hold their own in moderate Canadian climates such as the southern parts of British Columbia and southern Ontario.

An AWHP gathers low temperature heat by refrigerating outdoor air during the heating season. The low-grade heat Figure 1 Heating Performance

INSIDE

OUTSIDE

AIR-TO-WATER! HEAT PUMP

leaving load water temp = 86 ºF

leaving load water temp = 104 ºF

leaving load water temp = 122 ºF 80000

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AIM LOW

is “upgraded” to higher temperature heat using a standard refrigeration cycle.

This heat is transferred to a stream of water, (or water/antifreeze) mixture, where it is ready for distribution using a low temperature hydronic distribution system.

In areas where low-priced natural gas is not available, the cost of heat delivered by an AWHP, on a $/MMBtu delivered basis, is often significantly lower than that delivered by propane or fuel oil. Since most AWHPs operate on electricity, they can also be combined with on-site electrical generation such as provided by solar photovoltaic systems. This option is especially attractive where net metering is available.

Another compelling reason to use an AWHP is that it can provide cooling during warm weather. Just like most geothermal and air-to-air heat pumps, AWHPs contain refrigerant reversing valves that let them serve as chillers. As such they can produce a steady stream of chilled water in the temperature range of 45 to 60F for use in hydronic cooling systems.

The heating performance of an AWHP depends on outdoor temperature, as well as the load water temperature. The warmer it is outside and the lower the leaving load water temperature (the temperature of water leaving the heat pump condenser), the higher the heating capacity and coefficient of performance (COP), as shown in Figure 1.

There is not much anyone can do to alter outdoor air temperature, however, designers do have options when it comes to determining the load water temperature required of the heat pump.

The goal is simple: design the heating distribution system for the lowest possible supply water temperature.

My suggestion is to design all hydronic distribution systems, especially those that will be (or might be) connected to heat pumps, so that they will deliver full design load output with a supply water temperature not exceeding 120F. Systems using low temperature floor, wall and ceiling radiant panels, as well as generously sized panel radiators, can all meet this criteria. In some cases, even

Figure 2 Simple Method of Operation

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heating load "duration curve"

heat supplied by auxiliary boiler balance point

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BOOST AND BACKUP In cold climates there are times when the heating capacity of an AWHP will likely fall short of the heating load. This can occur when the outdoor temperatures are at, or close to, their minimums.

It can also occur during periods of high demand, such as during recovery from temperature setbacks. At these times, a supplemental heat source can provide the extra heat needed.

If propane is available and cost competitive against straight electric resistance heating on a $/MMBtu delivered basis, a modern propane-fueled mod/ con boiler is a good choice as the supplemental heat source. Having such a boiler also provides a “backup” heat source if the heat pump is out of service.

The relatively low electrical wattage required also allows it to operate from modestly-sized standby generators during power outages.

There are two ways to use the auxiliary boiler to supplement a heat pump. The first uses either the AWHP, or the boiler, as the system’s sole heat source, depending on outdoor temperature. The second allows the possibility of using both heat

sources simultaneously. Which approach is best depends on the relative cost of energy supplied by the heat pump versus the fuel used by the boiler. It also depends on how low the outdoor temperature can drop before the heat pump should not be operated. Many modern AWHPs can operate at outdoor temperatures as low as -4F, albeit at significantly reduced heating output and low COPs.

EITHER/OR The first method of operation is simple.

Use the heat pump to supply the heating load until the outdoor temperature drops to the point where the heat output from the heat pump is insufficient to meet the load. Then, turn off the heat pump and turn on the boiler. This concept is illustrated in Figure 2.

The heating load duration curve represents the severity of the heating load versus the number of hours that the load is equal to or above a given percentage of design load. For example, in Figure 2, the heating load is equal to or above 50 per cent of a design load of about 1900 hours per year, as shown by the yellow lines. This graph also assumes that an average heating season lasts 5000 hours per year, which is just under seven months. continued on pMH6

Figure 3 Continuous Heat Pump Operation

space heating load (Btu/hr)

design! heating! load

no! heating! load

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heating capacity of heat pump heating load "duration curve"

heat supplied by auxiliary boiler balance point

spare heating! capacity of heat pump

heat supplied by heat pump during of heating season (hours)

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>> Combi-systems continued from pMH5 The exact shape of the heating load duration curve varies from one climate location to another. However, the curve’s general shape will remain similar to that shown in Figure 2.

This curve shows that the number of hours of severely cold weather, when the heating load is perhaps 90 per cent or more of design load, are very limited, compared to the hours where the heating load is a smaller percentage of design load.

The “balance point” is where the heat output from the heat pump equals the heating load. The red shaded area to the left of the balance point represents the time during which the boiler is meeting the load. In Figure 2, this is approximately 600 hours per heating season. The blue shaded area represents the time when the heat pump supplies the heating load.

In Figure 2 this is about 4400 hours per year (i.e., all but the time the boiler is supplying the load).

The mathematical areas under the heating duration curve represent the total energy supplied. The red area represents the total energy supplied by the boiler and the blue area shows the total energy supplied by the heat pump. Assuming that energy supplied by the heat pump is less expensive than that supplied by the boiler, the goal is to minimize the red area as a percentage of the total area under the curve. The extent to which this can be done depends on the heating capacity of the

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AWHP relative to the design load. It also depends on how the heating capacity of the heat pump “falls off” with decreasing outdoor temperature. Selecting a higher capacity AWHP, relative to the design load, will move the balance point to the left, decreasing the energy contribution of the boiler. However, it will also increase installed system cost. In general, the more expensive the boiler’s fuel is compared to the heat supplied by the heat pump, on a $/MMBtu basis, the farther the balance point should be moved to the left. This minimizes the energy contribution of the more expensive boiler fuel.

The pink shaded area shows where the heat pump’s heating capacity exceeds the load. This area implies that “spare” heating capacity is available from the AWHP much of the heating season. Good designers will use this available capacity for preheating, or perhaps even fully heating domestic water.

The second approach to combining an AWHP with a boiler keeps the heat pump in operation whenever there is a heating load and supplements its output, as necessary, using the boiler.

This scenario is represented in Figure 3.

Notice how the blue shaded area now spans the entire heating season. The red shaded area is significantly smaller than in Figure 2, indicating that the boiler supplies a smaller percentage of the total space heating required over the season.

The feasibility of this approach depends on several factors.

First, can the heat pump operate during the coldest outdoor air temperatures experienced at the site? In some parts of Canada the answer is likely yes. In bitter cold areas with outdoor temperatures dropping below -5F (-20C) the answer is likely no. The heat pump manufacturer should be consulted for information on the minimum acceptable outdoor temperature at which the unit should be operated.

Second, how does the cost of heat supplied by the heat pump, operating under low outdoor air temperatures, compare to that supplied by the boiler, on a $/MM basis. Remember that the COP of the AWHP under very low outdoor temperatures may be in the range of 2.0, or perhaps even less. If the cost of energy supplied by the boiler is comparable to that supplied by the heat pump, there may not be any incentive to keep the heat pump operating under very low outdoor temperatures. Shut it off and save the operating hours for more favourable conditions.

Part II of this article (see page MH26) shows and describes a specific system combining an AWHP and mod/con boiler. <> - JOHN SIEGENTHALER

2 Gal. (7.6L)

www.axiomind.com MH6 | FEBRUARY 2014

John Siegenthaler, P.E., is a mechanical engineering graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a licensed professional engineer.

He has over 34 years experience in designing modern hydronic heating systems. He is also an associate professor emeritus of engineering technology at Mohawk Valley Community College in Utica, NY. MODERN HYDRONICS

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>> Cooling

Why And How To Do Radiant Cooling "Have you ever considered that most naysayers of hybrid radiant-based HVAC systems say the problem is that you need two systems, one for comfort and one for ventilation; and yet many ventilation experts agree that independent ventilation systems are preferred – go figure."

W

hen it comes to radiant there is no shortage of myths, we address at least 45 of them at www. healthyheating.com. One undisputable whole truth about radiant is its role as an “enabler,” specifically when we talk about the hybrid radiant cooling system. It enables the preferred separation of thermal comfort from ventilation. Translation: it facilitates the use of 100 per cent dedicated, ducted and distributed outdoor air (DOAS). This system has many advantages in that its sole existence is for the exclusive tasks of dehumidification, deodorization and decontamination.

In comparison to all-air systems, the air part of a hybrid is designed and assembled around significantly reduced air flows leading to smaller air handlers, filters, ducts, dampers and fabrication and installation accessories. All of the above translates to a more effective system for less capital cost and lower operating and maintenance costs. Additionally, these dedicated duty systems are very effective at regulating the environmental conditions necessary for controlling microbial population, hydrolysis, swelling in hygroscopic materials, and in promoting respiratory and thermal comfort.

From an energy and exergy efficiency perspective, the sensible part of the hybrid radiant cooling systems is associated with tepid fluid temperatures in the range of 55F to 70F (13C to 21C) for high performance buildings using masonry type flooring. This makes them ideal for direct ground coupled exchangers, evaporative cooling with or without night sky radiation, and promote the possibility of compressorless cooling systems; or at the very least the ability to bypass the compressor for all but peak loads. The high return temperature range of 60F to 75F (16C to 24C) also maximizes efficiency from cooling plants and reduces transmission gains.

Radiant systems also serve the needs of architects and interior designers through greater freedoms with space, the ability to use low VOC materials and superior capacity in handling direct solar load with a quieter and more pleasant solution.

DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS As much as industry might want there to be a Radiant Cooling for Dummies – there is not. In fact, I would be disturbed to think that such a book would be published. We have enough MH8 | FEBRUARY 2014

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stupid radiant heating tricks out there. We do not need to pile on radiant cooling fiascos. The designer and contractor must understand the interactions and connections between buildings, the indoor environment and HVAC systems and controls.

It is not difficult but it does require skill sets beyond the typical hydronics only or air only technician. It requires a hybrid radiant-based HVAC designer and contractor.

ABRIDGED HOW IT IS DONE First, understand that the objective in the hybrid design is to introduce dedicated lean ventilation air to the space reflecting the anticipated latent loads from occupants, infiltration and other sources. The dry supply air will act as a sponge to maintain space operating conditions below the dew point of the radiant panel.

Panel surface and radiant asymmetry temperature limits will be within the range established by ANSI/ASHRAE 55 - Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy.

Let’s look at a simplified example of a small 30' x 30' x 10' classroom with a maximum occupancy of 30 people and a space sensible cooling load (qs) calculated to be 28 584 Btuh (8.4kW) and space conditions maintained at 74F (23.3C) operative temperature (top ) and 50 per cent relative humidity (rh). From the psychrometric chart, this gives a dew point temperature of ≈ 54F (12.2C) and a moisture content of ≈ 0.00896 lbH2O/lbdry .

1. Using a 100 per cent outdoor air supply per person of 20 cfmiii, ventilation flow rate (Qv) becomes (all calcs in IP units): Qv = 30 persons•20 cfm pp = 600 cfm [1] 2. The latent load (qL) due to occupants is calculated, using an estimate of 200 to 220 Btuh/per person (approximation from ASHRAE activity tables ) as: qL = 30 occupants x 220 Btuh/pp = 6600 Btuh [2] 3. The humidity ratio differential (Δω) due to ventilation is calculated for the occupant latent load as: qL = latent heat of vaporization (Lv )•air flow rate (Q)•Δ in humidity ratio (Δω) [3] qL = ( 60 min/h•1076 Btu/lb water•0.075 lb air/ft3 )•600 cfm•Δω qL = 4840 Btu-min/ft3-hr•600 cfm•(Δω)

MODERN HYDRONICS

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Modern Hydronics

4. From formula [2] the occupant latent load, qL = 6,600 Btuh, and now Δω can be calculated using [3]; 6600 Btuh = 4840 Btu-min/ft3-hr•600 cfm•(Δω), Rewritten to solve for Δω; Δω = qL/Lv•Q [4] Δω = 6600 Btuh/(4840•600 cfm) Δω ≈ 0.00227 lbH2O/lbdry 0.00227 lbH2O/lbdry represents the humidity ratio differential for 30 people.

5. For determining dew point, calculate the maximum anticipated humidity ratio (ωoccupied) starting with a space operating condition of 74F (23.3C) @ 50 per cent rh adding a 30 person load (infiltration and other possible latent loads ignored for this example): ωoccupied = ωoperating + ωpeople …+ ωother [5] ωoccupied = ω(74°F@50%rh) + ω(30 people @ 220 Btu/pp) ωoccupied = 0.00896 lbH2O/lbdry + 0.00227 lbH2O/lbdry ωoccupied = 0.01123 lbH2O/lbdry From the psychrometric chart (Figure 1), ωoccupied = 74F @ 62.5 per cent rh equals a dew point of 60.4F 6. Establish the minimum allowable surface temperature of the radiant panel (tp); based on good practice, select for ≈ 2F to 3F (1C to 1.5C ) minimum Δt above the dew point : tp = ωoccupied-dp + 3F [6] tp = 60.4F + 3F = 63.4F (17.5C) Notwithstanding radiant asymmetry and comfort, 63.4F (17.5C) represents the lowest allowed panel surface temperature with a sufficient safety margin to prevent surface condensation.

Figure 1 Lean supply air at 55F @ 50 per cent rh delivered to space to control moisture conditions below dew point of radiant panels. Shown is minimum floor surface temperature of 66F (19C) based on ANSI/ASHRAE 55.

7. Calculate sensible supply air capacity (qs): with an operating space dry bulb of 74F (23C) and designer choice supply dry bulb of 55Fv , the sensible air capacity becomes: qs = 60 min/h•(specific heat, Cp)•(density, ρ)•(air flow rate, Q)•Δt [7] qs = (60 min/h•0.244 Btu/lbF•0.075 lb/ft3 )•cfm•Δt qs = 1.08•cfm•Δt qs = 1.08•600•(74F - 55°F) qs = 12 517 Btuh 12 517 Btuh represent the sensible air cooling capacity of the supply air. This value, deducted from the 28 584 Btuh total sensible required, is what the radiant cooling panel must absorb.

8. The sensible cooling load placed on the radiant panel becomes: qs,panels = Total load (sensible) – air cooled (sensible) [8] qs,panels = 28 584 Btuh - 12 517 Btuh qs,panels = 16 069 Btuh This 16 069 Btuh can be assigned to a radiant ceiling, wall or floor or combination of cooling panels if necessary.vii 9. The required radiant panel surface flux (heat absorption) becomes: qflux = qs, panel/Aavailable panel area [9] qflux = 16 069 Btuh/(30 ft x 30 ft) qflux = 17.85 Btuh/ft2 This 17.85 Btuh/ft2 can be absorbed from any type of radiant panel.

10a. For radiant ceiling cooling, the surface temperature (ts) becomes: ts = top – (qflux/heat transfer coefficientviii) [10a] ts = 74F – (17.85 Btuh/ft2 /1.94 Btuh/°F) ts = 64.8F > 63.4F (safety margin temperature) > 60.4F (occupied dew point) = good Since 64.8F (18.2C) is above the safety margin limit of 63.4F (17.4C) and more than the 60.4F (15.8C) occupied dew point this would be an acceptable solution.

10b. For radiant floor cooling, the surface temperature (ts) becomes: ts = top – (qflux / heat transfer coefficientv) [10b] ts = 74F – (17.85 Btuh/ft2/1.23 Btuh/ft2 °F) ts = 59.5F (15.3C) ts= 59.5F < 60.4F (occupied dew point) < 63.4F (safe) & < 66F min.

Since 59.5F (17.5C) is below the occupied dew point of 60.4F (15.8C) and below the acceptable 66F (19C) surface temperature for thermal comfort, this would be an unacceptable solution without modifications to rework design for; higher operative temperature (top) or increase panel surface area (A), add peak cooling panels or second stage cooling coils or improve zone enclosure to get sensible loads down.

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| MH9

>> Cooling Figure 2 Overview of the operating characteristics for the hybrid radiant based HVAC system in the cooling mode.

10c. For radiant wall cooling, the surface temperature (ts) becomes: ts = top – (qflux/heat transfer coefficientv) [10c] ts = 74F – (17.85 Btuh/ft2/1.41 Btuh/ft2 °F) ts = 61.3F ts = 61.3F > 60.4F (occupied dew point) < 63.4F (safety margin temperature) Since 61.3F (16.3C) is above the occupied dew point of 60.4F (15.8C) but below the acceptable safety margin surface temperature of 63.4F (17.4C) this is a riskier application and would be an unacceptable solution without modifications to rework the design for; higher operative temperature (top) or increase panel surface area (A), add peak cooling panels or second stage cooling coils or improve zone enclosure to get sensible loads down.

Now that we have determined the sensible load on the panel system and sensible and latent load on the air system, we need to determine the capacity of the cooling coil in the air handler.

12. Sensible (qs), latent (ql) and total load (qt) on coil is calculated using: q = 60 min/h•density (ρ)• air flow rate (Q)•enthalpy differential (Δh) [12] q = (60 min/h•0.075 lb/ft3)•cfm•Δh q = 4.5•cfm•Δh qs = 4.5•600•(h3 – h2) = 2700•(25.45 – 18.17) = 19 656 Btuh ql = 4.5•600•(h1 – h3) = 2700•(43.44 – 25.45) = 48 573 Btuh qt = 4.5•600•(h1 – h2) = 2700•(43.44 – 18.17) = 68 229 Btuh In a nut shell, that is the why and how process for doing a radiant cooling system; albeit a simplified description since it does not describe re-heat or heat recovery potentials of the system. A competent HVAC engineer or technician would be able to describe all the necessary processes for each application and choice in DOAS equipment.

It is sufficient to say that radiant cooling is becoming a big thing, especially for commercial buildings. There is no need to pay attention to the myths nor is there any need to experiment. The applications and calculation procedures are proven and the working projects all over the world are demonstrating the energy and comfort features and benefits realized by radiant-based HVAC systems.ix,x

- ROBERT BEAN Robert Bean, R.E.T., P.L.(Eng.) is president of Indoor Climate Consultants Inc. and a director of www.healthyheating.com.

He serves on ASHRAE Committees: T.C.61. (CM), T.C.6.5 (VM), T.C. 7.04 (VM), SSPC 55 (VM). www.healthyheating.com i Radiant Mythology: myths about low temperature radiant heating and high temperature radiant cooling <http://www.healthyheating.com/Radiant_Mythology/

11. Calculate sensible (qs), latent (ql) and total load (qt) for cooling and dehumidification load for the dedicated outdoor air system to take 600 cfm of 100 per cent outdoor air from an example of 85F (29C) @ 80 per cent rh (h1, ω1) to a supply air of 55F (13C) @ 50 per cent rh (h2, ω2).

State point conditions from the psycrometric chart: h1 = 43.44 Btu/lbdry ω1 = 0.0210 lbH2O/lbdry h2 = 18.17 Btu/lbdry ω2= 0.0046 lbH2O/lbdry h3 = 25.45 Btu/lbdry ρ = 0.0750 lb/ft3

Radiant_Floor_Heating_Myths_.htm#.UrHdYeLDseI> ii Sensible loads: ASHRAE 55, ISO 7730, CSA F280 and Ventilation loads: ASHRAE 62.1, 62.2 and CSA 326 iii The actual cfm/person is determined by a method acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction, sample procedures are defined in ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 62.1, 62.2 and CAN/CSA-F326-M91 (R2010) iv 2009 ASHRAE Fundamentals Handbook, Chpt.18, Section 4 v This is purely based on experience but you can see how changing the target number will have a “flow through” effect on the design. vi The 28 584 Btuh total load came from the heat gain calculation (not described in this example). vii Bean, R. Together Forever (Using the ASHRAE Radiant Design Nomograph), HPAC Canada, March 2012. viii *Heat transfer coefficients (htc) - are empirical values determined from experiments

Where, hn = enthalpy at state point ωn = humidity ratio at state point ρ = air density MH10 | FEBRUARY 2014

(ref.: ASHRAE, REHVA and ISSO) ix Radiant Cooling Design Manual, Embedded Systems for Commercial Applications, Uponor, 2013 x Hydronic Cooling, idronics Journal of Design Innovation for Hydronic Professionals, Caleffi, July 2013 MODERN HYDRONICS

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>> Snow Melting

Embedded Systems: A Radiant Concept

Snow and ice melt basics.

SNOW.

It is part of nature's beauty, especially in Canada. But for commercial and institutional facilities, it is a cumbersome winter guest. Building owners and facility managers are well aware of the importance of proper snow removal for safe and easy access, prevention of slip and fall injuries and protection from potential lawsuits.

The conventional methods of snow removal â&#x20AC;&#x201C; plowing, shoveling, salting and sanding â&#x20AC;&#x201C; can impose a great financial burden every year. The cost is not just for the labour and materials associated with the removal, but also the wear and tear on the surfaces in and around the structure. Traditional snow-removal methods can even be an environmental challenge if chemicals are used that are either tracked into the building by guests or absorbed into the ground during the spring thaw.

BEING IN CONTROL When it comes to controlling the system, there are several options to choose from, such as automatic, semi-automatic, manual and idling.

Fully automatic system: a sensor is placed in the ground to detect when snowfall begins.

The sensor sends a signal to the heat source to activate the warm liquid flow through the radiant tubing. Once the snowfall stops and the sensor is dry and clear from snow and ice, the sensor sends a signal to stop the water flow and shut down the system. This energy-efficient method of controlling a snow melt system is typically the most economical as it runs only when needed.

Semi-automatic control: a manual intervention is required to start the system, but a timer is also included that will operate for a preset amount of time and then shut the system off when it times out. This could cause the system to be started MH12 | FEBRUARY 2014

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too late and when the timer stops, the system could shut off too early or too late â&#x20AC;&#x201C; both undesired outcomes.

Manual control: the system turns on and off with the flip of a switch. While this is by far the most cost-effective option to install with a snow-melt system, it generally costs more to operate. The human interface requirement typically does not align with that of perfect timing to start or stop a system when compared to the fully automatic system.

Idling: Another option is to idle the system at a preset temperature, typically 22F to 28F (-5C to -2C), to ensure it can ramp up quickly in the event of snowfall. This option is often useful in critical areas that must remain snow and ice free, such as walkways or entryways to buildings.

The idle option can be used with either automatic or semi-automatic controls.

MODERN HYDRONICS

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14-02-07 3:31 PM

Modern Hydronics

Hydronic snow melting has been gaining traction on commercial and residential properties in recent years. It has been found to help reduce both annual maintenance costs and environmental concerns.

Just like a radiant floor heating application, these systems circulate a warm water/glycol mixture through crosslinked polyethylene (PEX) tubing embedded in the ground. This is the same PEX tubing you use in a radiant floor heating system to heat a residential or commercial structure. The technology has been proven effective for more than 40 years in North America and even longer in Europe.

Embedded hydronic snow melting systems can be effectively used in any exterior area, including stairs, sidewalks, driveways, parking lots and ramps, loading docks, building entrances, wheelchair access ramps, hospital emergency entrances, and helipads on building tops. Almost any area that accumulates snow or ice can benefit from a snow-melting system.

- MIKE MILLER Mike Miller is director of business development, Canada, with Uponor Canada Ltd. and vice chair of the Canadian Hydronics Council (CHC). He can be reached at mike.miller@uponor.com.

DESIGN AND INSTALLATION CONCEPTS Designing an effective snow-melting system requires consideration of several factors, including Btu/sq.ft./hour load requirements, snowfall rates, snow density, snow temperature, outside temperature, wind speed, tubing size, and tubing spacing. All these factors help the designer and installer create a system that will be the most efficient and effective for the project at hand. As the installer you will need to consider a number of options: Installation method: There are several different methods for installing the PEX tubing, including tie-downs to wire mesh or rebar, or stapling to rigid foam.

Tubing type: When choosing the type of PEX to use it is important to use tubing that includes an oxygen barrier. This is because oxygen can migrate through PEX walls that do not have a barrier and corrode the ferrous components such as the boiler and pumps, in a hydronic radiant system.

It is possible to use a PEX product without an oxygen barrier in a hydronic radiant application, but the system design must ensure that there are no ferrous components, or that such components are isolated from the tubing to prevent corrosion and damage.

Heat source: The heat source for snow-melting systems can vary from traditional modulating-condensing boilers to solar, geothermal and even waste heat.

SCHOOLYARD LESSON In terms of control human intervention is not always a good thing as was discovered at a school with a snow melt system in its playground. The system has basically the same setup as a commercial sidewalk or residential driveway snow melt system, but with a slight variation. A layer of soft material was applied on the concrete substrate to cushion the play area. The fully automatic system employed a sensor to detect falling snow and activate the boiler, which activated the system (as described above).

When the system was first installed, a school official turned the system off during the winter break. It snowed quite a bit during that time and with the system off, the snow accumulated and had to be shoveled off.

ď&#x201A;&#x201E;

Lesson: Let the system function as it is designed to.

Fully automatic systems need to be turned on for the entire season if the user is to reap the benefits.

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MODERN HYDRONICS

FEBRUARY 2014

| MH13

14-02-07 3:31 PM

>> Circulators

Troubleshooting Pump Performance Understanding information provided on pump curves by the manufacturer and taking some simple gauge readings are a great help for analyzing pumped system problems.

A

manufacturer’s pump performance curves contain data that can help HVAC technicians analyze a pumping installation. Pump curves help identify the system’s operating point, find reasons for a system not performing, and even determine a pump’s impeller diameter.

After designing a pump, the manufacturer usually produces a number of units for performance testing. The tests are necessary to establish how the pump will actually perform. The data collected often includes water flow operating against various system resistances, brake horsepower required, efficiency, and the net positive suction head required for proper operation for the various diameter impellers allowable in the pump volute.

This data is analyzed and then plotted and published as the pump operating characteristics. The pump curve shows how the pump will perform with varying head or flow requirements (see Figure 1).

It is not unusual for a pump’s nameplate to be missing because the information is so important (it usually includes manufacturer’s name, pump model, size, impeller diameter, head and flow for the duty point), that it is often removed for safekeeping.

Unfortunately, at times it is so well safeguarded that it cannot be retrieved. Or, perhaps it is just painted over. Either way, the information on it is not available.

To identify the pump and reestablish the nameplate data, the manufacturer must be determined. Most pumps are made of castings and have casting part numbers and markings on them that identify the pump manufacturer. Once the pump manufacturer is known, the type or model and size can be determined with the help of published literature or a telephone call.

Since larger pumps generally have a family of impeller sizes which can be used with a given pump body, at this point the impeller diameter is unknown. A simple procedure using a pressure gauge and the pump’s curves will identify the impeller size in the pump.

IDENTIFYING IMPELLER SIZE Close the pump discharge valve and take the suction and discharge pressures. This is the “dead-head” condition. Reopen the discharge valve and reset it to the position it was in prior to closing, if it was used to balance the flow. The algebraic difference between the discharge pressure and the suction pressure is the pressure head being generated by the pump. Convert this to feet of water head and determine the correct impeller diameter from the no flow point on the pump curve.

As an example: P discharge = 20.5 psi P suction = 4 in. of Hg vacuum (a negative pressure), but the curves are dimensioned “Head, MH14 | FEBRUARY 2014

MH2014_14-15_pumps.indd 14

Figure 1 The pump curve shows how the pump will perform with varying head or flow requirements.

feet of water.” Therefore, the gauge pressures must be converted.

To convert pressure in psi to head in feet of water, multiply psi by 2.31 and divide by the specific gravity of the fluid being pumped. The specific gravity of water is 1. One inch of Hg is equal to 0.491 psi. Therefore: P discharge = 20.5 psi x 2.31 ft. of water per psi /1 = 47.4 ft. of water P suction = 4 in. Hg x 0.491 psi per in.

Hg = -1.96 psi x 2.31 ft. of water per psi/1 = -4.5 ft. of water Pump head = P discharge P suction = 47.4 -(-4.5) ft. of water Algebraically subtracting a minus is a plus, so: Pump head = 47.4 + 4.5 ft. of water = 51.9 ft. of water Locating this head, 52 ft., at 0 gpm flow on the pump curve in Figure 1, shows the pump impeller diameter to be seven inches.

The system operating point can also be determined by using gauge readings. Take the suction and discharge pressures while the system is operating with the discharge valve in the normal open position. Again, convert these into feet of water and subtract (algebraically) the suction pressure from the discharge pressure. This is the head of the pump at the operating flow.

Follow the head line from the zero flow axis out to where it intersects the previously identified impeller characteristic curve. The flow at that point is the system’s operating flow.

For example: after determining the pump’s impeller diameter to be seven inches, gauge readings of the pump taken while it operated were: P discharge = 17.5 psi P suction = 4 in. Hg (vacuum) Convert the gauge readings for the fluid being pumped to feet of water: P discharge = 17.5 psi x 2.31/1 = 40.5 ft. of water

MODERN HYDRONICS

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14-02-07 2:05 PM

Modern Hydronics

suction = 4 in. Hg x 0.491 psi per in P Hg = -1.96 psi x 2.31 ft. of water per psi/1 = -4.5 ft. of water Pump head = 40.5 - (-4.5) ft. of water = 45.0 ft. of water The pump head of 45 ft. intersects the seven-inch diameter characteristic curve at 55 gpm, which then is the system operating flow. Being able to fully identify a pump, determine the installed impeller size and the system operating point are of key to troubleshooting (see sidebar In The Field).

IN THE FIELD

A two hp base-mounted pump trips its circuit breaker regularly when pumping water. The nameplate specifies an 8 ½ in. diameter impeller with a duty point of 51 gpm at 74 ft. of head. Gauge readings at shutoff are 12 psi suction pressure and 46 psi discharge pressure. When the three-way valve is fully open to the coil, the suction pressure is still 12 psi and the discharge pressure is 44 psi.

When the three-way valve is fully open to the bypass, the suction pressure is still 12 psi, but the discharge pressure is 40 psi.

What is the problem? What is the solution? The first step to solving the problem is to analyze the pump readings.

Shutoff head is (discharge pressure minus suction pressure) x 2.31 = (46 psi - 12 psi) x 2.31 = 78.5 ft. of water The 78.5 ft. at shutoff and the pump curve (Figure 1) confirms the impeller diameter as 8 ½ in.

With the three-way valve fully open to the coil: Pump head = (44 psi - 12 psi) x 2.31 = 74 ft. of water The intersection of 74 ft. of head and the 8 ½ in. impeller curve on Figure 1 indicates a flow of 51 gpm. The horsepower required is 1 ¾. With the threeway valve open to the bypass, the pump head is calculated as follows: Pump head = (40 psi - 12 psi) x 2.31 = 64.7 ft. of water.

The intersection of 64.7 ft. of head and the 8 ½ in. impeller curve on Figure 1 indicates a flow of 80 gpm. The horse-power required is 2 ⅓. The problem is too much flow because the resistance to flow in the bypass circuit is too low.

The solution: increase the resistance in the bypass circuit by 9.3 ft. of water (74-64.7) so the resistance through the bypass circuit is the same as the resistance through the coil. The flow and the horsepower will then be reduced to the same as that flowing through the coil, eliminating breaker trips.

Larry Konopacz is manager of training and education for Bell & Gossett Little Red Schoolhouse. He is a LEED AP and a member of ASHRAE, the Hydraulic Institute, ASPE, and the USGBC. This feature is adapted from a Little Red Schoolhouse article. http://bellgossett.com

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MODERN HYDRONICS

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MH2014_14-15_pumps.indd 15

Understanding the information provided on pump curves by the pump manufacturer and taking some simple gauge readings are fundamental to analyzing pumped system problems.

- LARRY KONOPACZ

FEBRUARY 2014

| MH15

1/30/2014 4:50:30 PM

14-02-07 2:05 PM

>> Energy Management

The Path To Near Net-Zero Is Underfoot

H

omes use a significant amount of energy to operate.

Depending upon the location, about 63 per cent of that energy may be consumed by space heating according to Natural Resources Canada. Given the continual escalation of greenhouse gas emissions, status quo is no longer acceptable.

In many jurisdictions there are initiatives exploring high-efficiency homes and even net-zero energy residential construction, which may develop into new requirements over the next decade. A net-zero home produces as much energy as it uses over the course of a year. But most homeowners are not yet prepared to invest in on-site renewable energy systems to reach net-zero. Perhaps, approaching near net-zero should still be the goal for every residential new construction and renovation project. Now is the time to begin getting comfortable with the higher performing technologies that will shape the future of residential buildings.

The path to near net-zero begins with reducing energy consumption. The crucial first step is reducing the need for energy with a well-insulated, tight building envelope, paving the way for the latest HVAC technologies to have maximum effect. Radiant heating brings a lot to the equation and can be done even better than in the past. For example, combining a high-performance radiant system with a geothermal heat pump and advanced mixing controls puts you on track to cut your heating energy usage by more than half. Once you have selected the optimum wall and roof construction along with low U-value windows and doors, a well-designed radiant heating system should be your next priority in your journey to near net-zero.

CONSIDERING RADIANT DESIGN OPTIONS Understanding current radiant heating installation methods and their performance attributes is fundamental to achieving energy savings. There are three practical and proven methods for residential installations. One is for installers to secure PEX pipes with aluminum heat transfer plates to the underside of the subfloor in joist cavities. Another is to pour a thin slab of concrete that covers the PEX pipes, which are fastened to the top of the subfloor. A third is to fasten heat transfer panels to the top of the subfloor, then snap the PEX pipes into these panels. The choice between these installation methods is influenced by the scope of each project.

BELOW-FLOOR PLATES With many renovations, the homeowner may want to keep the existing wood, tile or marble floor. Heat transfer plates make radiant feasible under these conditions. To drive heat into the room, the underlying joist cavity is filled with insulation typically four to five times greater in R-value than the resistance of the flooring above. The minimum amount of insulation is specified in the CSA B214 Installation Code for Hydronic Heating Systems. A downside to heat transfer plate constructions is that optimal space heating comfort is not achieved. First, it is impossible to configure perimeter and occupied pipe spacing layouts. Second, it is difficult to zone rooms because the joists prevent the installation of the most efficient pipe layouts.

These constraints limit system efficiency.

THIN SLAB OVERPOUR An above-the-floor system such as a wet overpour is widely used in new construction. Overpour installations allow for the quick and easy placement of complex piping layouts that optimize the occupants’ thermal comfort. The thin slab also has a sound deadening effect. Installers need to make sure they have considered the extra material and labour costs to reinforce the subfloor and double plate the walls. Other trades should not be allowed to work inside the home while the thin slab is being poured and the floor finishers should not be scheduled for weeks to months later until the slab is cured.

ABOVE-FLOOR PANELS Heat transfer panels are an above-floor alternative that fits tighter construction schedules and requires less coordination.

Panels and pipes install quickly using typical framing tools and complex piping layouts are easy to configure with basic carpentry skills. Finished flooring can be installed the same day after pressure testing the PEX pipes.

Some renovation projects – such as when there is a full tear out of existing floor and wall coverings – are nearly equivalent to new construction. Either above-floor panels or below-floor plates can be installed. In these retrofit projects, it is generally not practical to reinforce the subfloor. An overpour should not be undertaken without the prior approval of an architect.

Radiant heating is not only under your feet. Heat transfer panels can also be installed in walls and ceilings, behind the continued on pMH18

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MODERN HYDRONICS

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ď&#x201A;&#x201E;

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14-02-07 2:06 PM

>> >> Category Energy header Management continued from pMH16 continued from pMH5

Figure 1 High-performance radiant heating panels combined with a ground source heat pump (GSHP) can provide more than 30 Btuh per square foot depending on your finished flooring.

with advanced controls for nighttime or unoccupied setback, resulting in less demand on the high-performance radiant panel system which translates to less energy consumed.

Output Btu-hr per square foot for PQ 0.5 2•°F/Btu-hr finished flooring

50 high performance panels

GSHP hea ng water supply to radiant system 40

thin slab panels

30

plates 20 pipe only 10 20

30

40

50

60

Radiant manifold supply temperature in °C for 20°C ambiaent room temperature and 11°C ΔT

gypsum board, as heating surfaces to increase the heat output into the room.

EVALUATING RADIANT PERFORMANCE The different radiant floor installation methods have significant differences in performance. Pipes underneath the subfloor, either with or without plates, are the least efficient radiant systems at transferring heat into the above room. Plate installations require higher water temperatures to heat the room and there are maximum temperature limits that must be adhered to. Floor coverings, underlayments, adhesives and grouts can be damaged by excessive temperatures leading to discoloration, noise, delamination, warping, cracking and deterioration.

More important than protecting the flooring is to ensure the occupants foot comfort and safety by limiting the surface floor temperatures in accordance with CSA B214. Working within these design temperature limits, the designer often will select supplemental heat to achieve the remaining heat requirements. These separate systems increase the installation costs and are less efficient, resulting in higher energy usage.

Overpour and high-performance heat transfer panel installations are more efficient at spreading the heat evenly underneath the flooring, allowing the room to be heated with lower water temperatures. High-performance heat transfer panels, with their low thermal mass and high heat conductivity, result in a quicker response time than overpour radiant systems.

Quicker response, particularly during the spring and fall “shoulder” months, adds efficiency and increases comfort by reducing the tendency to overheat the room, which can occur with slab systems. Also this fast pick-up time can be combined MH18 | FEBRUARY 2014

MH2014_16-19_rohrbaugh.indd 18

MODERN HYDRONICS

PAVING THE WAY FOR GEOTHERMAL High-performance panels may provide up to 50 per cent higher heat output in comparison to thin-slab overpour or traditional panel and plate systems, and more than double the heat output of just pipes installed in the joist cavity. This higher performance results in a lower required heating water temperature at design conditions. As radiant is optimized, there’s a sweet spot in performance levels where radiant and geothermal are perfectly compatible.

Performance matters with space heating system designs.

Energy savings is typically 25 to 50 per cent with geoexchange compared to other HVAC systems, according to the Canadian GeoExchange Coalition. Geothermal exchange systems do not burn combustible fuel to make heat and they provide three to four units of renewable energy for every one unit used to power the system. High-performance radiant heating panels are best suited to maximize this geothermal advantage by heating the room with low water temperatures that fit in the operating range of geothermal heat pumps without requiring supplemental heating systems.

DESIGNING FOR NEAR NET-ZERO A radiant specialist should get involved early in the project when there is a better chance to influence the design selections. It takes careful planning and involvement from the whole team – architects, radiant designers, general contractors and radiant installers – to achieve maximum energy savings. Together, this team can take steps to get nearer to net-zero by reducing the homeowner's energy requirements with: • Well-insulated walls, ceilings, windows and doors • Efficient and comfortable space heating with high-performance radiant heat transfer panels • High coefficient of performance energy sources such as geothermal exchange Why wait until net-zero is a mandate? With additional planning and a focus on maximizing performance, near net-zero construction is within reach today. Let’s get a few steps down the path by gaining experience with higher performing technologies now and preparing ourselves for a convincing dialogue with homeowners and decision makers.

- STEVE ROHRBAUGH Steve Rohrbaugh is an applications engineer in the building technologies, civil engineering and infrastructure divisions of REHAU North America.

WWW.HPACMAG.COM

14-02-07 2:06 PM

The Evolution of High Efficiency Condensing Boilers

Tx

High efficiency stainless steel boiler Models from 46,000 to 151,000 BTU/Hr Available in a combi version Fully modulating with 5:1 turndown Advanced outdoor reset control Venting to 150' 2" venting on all models up to 100'

MH2014_16-19_rohrbaugh.indd 19

14-02-07 2:06 PM

>> Products

Navienâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s NCB Series combi-boilers are capable of delivering hydronic heat and domestic hot water for large homes, including those in cold climates. Designed for ease of installation, reliable performance and energy cost savings, the combi-boilers are smaller than a traditional floor-standing boiler and water heater. www.wholehousecombi.com

The Runtal NEO by Runtal North America combines the lines of a Runtal panel with a heat exchanger and low voltage fans to provide increased heating capacity in a compact unit. It supplies high outputs when using low temperature heating solutions such as heat pumps, solar thermal systems or condensing boilers. The NEO is available in two heights (17.5 in. and 23.3 in.) and four lengths (31.5 in., 39.4 in., 47.2 in., and 59 in.). www.runtalnorthamerica.com Heat-Timer Corp.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mini-MOD-CNC allows owners to control a boiler system by automatically mixing and matching non-condensing boiler operation and condensing boiler operation to improve efficiency. It also allows for mixed control of modulating and staging boilers as condensing boilers. www.heat-timer.com

tekmar Designer Touchscreen thermostats are designed with one touch access for temperature settings, schedules and more. A backlit screen features a secondary display area that can show the current floor or outdoor temperature, room setting, or relative humidity level depending on the model and application. With two or four wires, installations are quick to wire and can be done as a communicating thermostat or as a standalone piece. www.tekmarcontrols.com

MH20 | FEBRUARY 2014

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MODERN HYDRONICS

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14-02-07 3:18 PM

MH2014_20-25_Products.indd 21

14-02-07 3:19 PM

>> Products

Xylem’s Bell & Gossett brand ecocirc XL large wet rotor circulator is designed to enhance commercial hydronic systems its superior qualHeatLink’s two-inch stainless steel manifold

ity and dependability. The ecocirc XL features

is designed for increased flow volume. With

modern hydraulics, advanced motor design

a flow volume of up to 50 gpm it delivers ef-

and intelligent controls. HVAC applications

ficiency at the job site, a compact and con-

include industrial, commercial, recreational,

cise appearance, and the capability to handle

institutional and multi-family residential.

a heavier water flow. For large heating/snow

www.bellgossett.com

melt projects or as a distribution header, The Stiebel Eltron Accelera 300 heat pump

installers do not have to solder copper.

water heater compressor and fan consumes

www.heatlink.com

HBX Control Systems Inc. has designed an

1kWh of electricity to generate the heat equiva-

intuitive control offering ease of use and set-

lent of 3 to 5kWh. It has an 80-gallon capacity,

up. The CPU-0550 stand-alone outdoor reset

2.51 energy factor, 2.2 kW power input, and

control accommodates staging, mixing and

1739 kWh/year power consumption as deter-

differential setpoint and pump sequencer ap-

mined by DOE testing.

plications in a flexible condensed package. It

www.stiebel-eltron-usa.com

features boiler run time rotation, up to three on/off boilers or single modulating boiler, multiple pump selections, and a full colour multigraphic display. www.hbxcontrols.com

Viega’s smartphone app lets users access the company’s complete 3000-product catalogue on their handheld devices. The app includes an integrated notepad feature to make product lists that can be e-mailed to colleagues or customers. It is designed for Apple and Android operating systems and is available for free in the App Store or Google Play. www.viega.net Dahl Mini-Ball balancing valves are designed Weil-McLain Canada’s ECO boiler delivers up to

for radiant floor systems. The compact design

92.5 per cent AFUE. Features include a stain-

features a separate shut-off and memory spin-

less steel fire tube heat exchanger, high mass

dle for balancing by loop length. Tamper resis-

water content design for low-flow resistance,

tant, the valves are available for copper, iron,

and a control with LCD to simplify system set-

PEX, PEX-AL-PEX and CPVC pipes.

up and navigation. www.weil-mclain.ca

www.dahlvalve.com

MH22 | FEBRUARY 2014

MH2014_20-25_Products.indd 22

MODERN HYDRONICS

WWW.HPACMAG.COM

14-02-07 3:19 PM

Modern Hydronics

Amvic Inc. has introduced an

Spirotherm’s Spirovent VDR is a dual-pur-

insulating panel for hydronic

pose device that will remove air and dirt

radiant heat floor systems. The

down to the smallest particle. Construc-

Amvic Insulated Radiant PEX

tion of this combined unit allows for the

panel is designed to reduce

removal of entrained air and dirt particles.

time and labour during instal-

Advantages to the installer and end user

lation. The residential panel is

are isolating valves or replacement filters

made using Type II with R-values

to clog and reduce flow, quiet operation,

of R10, R14, and R18; the com-

minimum pressure drop, no bypass, and

mercial panel is manufactured

dirt can be flushed while the system is in

using Type IX with R-values of

full operation. www.spirotherm.com

R15, R17 and R20. The panel nubs form a mushroom shape to lock the PEX in place. The PEX nubs will accept pipe sizes of ⅓ in., ½ in., ⅝ in., and ¾ in. www.amvicsystem.com The Z-one Relay by Caleffi offers single and multi-zone pump switching relays, and multi-zone valve switching.

The relay interfaces with low voltage

Aquatherm Blue Pipe SDR 17.6 is designed for chilled water, geother-

thermostats or any other low voltage

mal and condenser water mains. A faser-composite layer reduces ex-

controllers having a switching action.

pansion by 75 per cent by blending glass fibres with the PP-R, which

It features front bright LED function

reinforces the pipe and also restricts contraction. Delivering about 20

lights and meets UL873 listed by ETL.

per cent higher flow volume than Aquatherm’s SDR 11, the SDR 17.6 is

www.caleffi.us

less expensive and 35 per cent lighter. www.aquatherm.com

PEOPLE. SOLUTIONS. VALUE. Industry leading service.

It’s what we do. With 20,000 parts stocked on the warehouse floor, an in-house training facility to teach your installers the best techniques on the latest systems, and engineering support with deep experience in hydronics—we have what you need. We can even find the manual for you. Because it’s our business to support yours.

Call us at 1-866-594-0767

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MODERN HYDRONICS

Half Page Aquatech Ad Dimensions: 7 x 4.875 MH2014_20-25_Products.indd 23

FEBRUARY 2014

| MH23

2322_AQ February 10, 2012 14-02-07 3:19 PM

>> Products

The fourth panel from Creatherm combines the

Belimo Americas has released the KR

benefits of its first three radiant floor panels into

actuator on the pressure independent

one product. The S20 Contractor Floor Panel is two-

characterized control valve. It is designed

inches in overall thickness. The lower height profile

for motorizing open-close applications to

makes the snap-tight grid suitable for over-pour or

ensure optimal valve design and repro-

retrofit applications where a thicker panel cannot

ducible

always be used. The S20 is 2 ft. x 4 ft. x 2 in. thick

features a manually adjustable angle of

The Rinnai E Series is designed for homes

and features eight radial staggered snap-tight grids

rotation limiting device with a flow rate

with smaller domestic hot water requirements.

for optimal tubing spacing. www.creatherm.com

scale. www.belimo.com

Two models in the E Series use an integrated

control

quality.

The

actuator

single-speed boiler pump and three-way valve that provide domestic priority and supply a home with heat as well as hot water. E Series “combi” models offer maximum Btuh inputs from 75 000 to 110 000. www.rinnai.us

The KN Series of condensing cast iron boilers is available in sizes ranging from 200 to 3000 MBH. KN-Series boilers offer efficiencies of up to 99 per cent in a compact footprint, and feature

the

HeatNet

boiler

management

system to maximize operating efficiency and turndown ratios. HeatNet can network up to 16 boilers and communicate with a building management system. www.knseries.com MH24 | FEBRUARY 2014

MH2014_20-25_Products.indd 24

MODERN HYDRONICS

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14-02-07 3:19 PM

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14-02-07 3:19 PM

>> Combi-systems

Heat Pump Plus

How to combine an air-to-water heat pump with a boiler (Part II). fer tank. The water temperature in the buffer tank is regulated based on outdoor reset control. This control selection allows the heat pump to operate at lower condenser temperatures during mild weather, increasing both its heating capacity and COP. Figure 2 Electrical Wiring 240 VAC L1 L2

240 VAC

L1

(RH1-1)

heat pump

INSIDE

OUTSIDE

service switch

boiler (R1)

(RH3-1) (P3)

(RH2-2)

DHW circulator

(R1-1) (P5)

HX1 - tank circulator

(RH2-1) (P2) (RC1-1)

cooling secondary circulator

(RC2-1) (P6) (RC1-3)

(AH1)

(RC2-3)

(AH2)

air handler blower #1 air handler blower #2 transformer 120/24 VAC

24 VAC

off

(MSS)

mode selection switch RC RH W

heat zone valve 1

M

G Y thermostat

(T1)

(VA1)

(RC1)

RH

heat zone valve 2

M

G Y thermostat

(T2)

cooling relay 2

(VA1)

(RC2)

cooling zone valve 1

M

(ZVC1)

cooling zone valve 2

heat (P2) exchanger

valve actuator 3

M

(T3)

zone thermostats

(P5)

(P1)

R W thermostat

DHW

antifreeze protected circuit

(ZVC2)

outdoor temperature

(S7) sensor

outdoor temperature sensor

spring-loaded check valve

(HX2)

(DV1)

(S2) (S4)

sensors in well

(P4)

manifold valve actuators

(VA3)

R W

valve actuator 4

M

thermostat

(T4)

zoned radiant ceiling panels

(P3)

(VA4)

Heating zones 5 through 8 are wired identical to zones 3, 4. make up water

expansion tank

sensor

(S5)

R

(RH1)

C R

(SPC1)

outdoor temperature setpoint controller

(ORC)

C

outdoor reset controller

(S1) (S2)

MH2014_26-32_Siggy2.indd 26

MODERN HYDRONICS

heat relay 1

sensors

heat relay 2 (RH2) (RH3)

MH26 | FEBRUARY 2014

cooling relay 1

RC W

M

modulating/condensing boiler

L2

electric tankless water heater

(P4)

(S4) (S3)

T

(RC2-2)

outdoor reset controller

air to water heat pump (HEATING MODE)

distribution circulator

boiler

T

heat

R

cool

(P1)

Figure 1 Piping Schematic thermostatically controlled electric tankless water heater

L1

main switch (MS)

(RC1-2)

(S1)

N

120 VAC

heat cool

I

n Part I on page MH4 we discussed the energy concepts involved in combining an air-to-water heat pump (AWHP) with an auxiliary boiler. In Part II we will put hardware together into a complete combi-system for heating and domestic hot water. Since we have the heat pump, we will also include a couple of zones of chilled water cooling. Figure 1 shows the overall piping schematic.

This system uses a two-stage self-contained air-to-water heat pump. The outdoor unit is connected to a generously-sized brazed plate heat exchanger located within the heated space. An antifreeze solution is used in the circuit between the heat pump and heat exchanger. It provides reliable freeze protection during a prolonged power outage in sub freezing weather. The heat exchanger is sized to transfer the full output of the heat pump using an approach temperature difference of 5F between the incoming heated antifreeze and the heated water leaving the heat exchanger. This minimizes the thermal penalty associated with having a heat exchanger between the heat pump and the remaining portions of the system. The circuit between the heat pump and heat exchanger includes an expansion tank, combination air/dirt separator, pressure relief valve and fill/purging valves.

The heating distribution system is an extensively zoned low temperature radiant panel system. The rate at which some zones require heat is substantially lower than the heat pumpâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first stage heating capacity. The buffer tank stabilizes the heat pump against short cycling under single stage operation.

Notice that the heat exchanger (HX1) is piped so the heat pump works with the slightly lower water temperatures in the lower portion of the buffer tank. This helps maximize the heat pumpâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s heating capacity and coefficient of performance (COP).

When outdoor temperatures are high enough for the heat pump to meet the heating load, it serves as the sole heat source for the buf-

heat relay 3

WWW.HPACMAG.COM

14-02-07 3:20 PM

Modern Hydronics

When the outdoor temperature drops below a preset value, such as 10F, the heat pump is disabled and the boiler serves as the sole heat source for the buffer tank. The boiler is piped to work with the warmer water in the upper portion of the buffer tank. Even here, the water temperatures are low enough to allow the boiler to operate in condensing mode and thus at high efficiency. Stratification keeps the warmest water in the upper portion of the tank where it can be drawn off for either space heating or domestic water heating. The thermal mass of the buffer tank also protects the mod/con boiler from short cycling.

Domestic water is preheated by the external stainless steel heat exchanger labelled as (HX2) in Figure 1. Whenever the demand for hot water reaches 0.6 gallons per minute (gpm) or more, a flow switch inside the electric tankless water heater closes. This switch closure initiates two simultaneous actions.

First, it turns on circulator (P5) using an isolation relay. This circulator moves water from the upper portion of the buffer tank through the primary side of heat exchanger (HX2), while cold domestic water passes through the other side of the heat exchanger in a counter flow direction.

Second, if the temperature of the domestic water leaving heat exchanger (HX2) is too low for use at the fixtures, the thermostatically controlled tankless water heater elements boost the water temperature as necessary to achieve the required hot water delivery temperature. For more information about “on-demand” subassembly read Only As Needed in HPAC's May/June 2013 issue (the article is also available online at www.hpacmag.com).

ROLE REVERSAL In cooling mode, the heat pump produces chilled water, which is routed to the air handlers. These air handlers have been sized so that their total cooling capacity at a supply water temperature of 50-55F, closely matches the cooling capacity of the heat pump.

The heat pump operates on stage one cooling when one of the air handlers is running. If the second air handler turns on, the heat pump’s internal controller may turn on stage two to maintain adequately low chilled water temperature. Because the cooling capacity of the heat pump and air handlers is reasonably well matched, there is no need to involve the buffer tank during cooling mode operation.

An on/off zone valve regulates flow to each air handler. An ECMbased pressure regulated circulator varies its speed as necessary to provide proportional differential pressure control in the chilled water cooling distribution subsystem. Each air handler contains a drip pan that is connected to condensate drainage piping.

LADDER LOGIC The electrical wiring diagram for this system is shown as a ladder diagram in Figure 2. continued on pMH28 WWW.HPACMAG.COM

MH2014_26-32_Siggy2.indd 27

MODERN HYDRONICS

FEBRUARY 2014

| MH27

14-02-07 3:20 PM

>> Combi-systems continued from pMH27

STEP BY STEP The text that follows is a description of operation of the system.

It is a detailed narration that describes each sequence, beginning with a call for heating or cooling, and ending with that call being satisfied. As you read the description, be sure to cross reference the components mentioned in both the piping schematic in Figure 1 and the electrical diagram in Figure 2. This is where the rubber meets the road when it comes to understanding the details of how this system operates.

1. Space heating mode: The mode selection switch (MSS) must be set for heating. This supplies 24 VAC to the (RH) terminals of thermostats (T1) and (T2).

It also supplies 24 VAC to the (R) terminals of the heating only thermostats shown (T3,T4, etc.). If a thermostat is set for heating mode and it calls for heat, 24 VAC is switched to the thermostat’s (W) terminal. This supplies 24VAC to the associated heating valve MH28 | FEBRUARY 2014

MH2014_26-32_Siggy2.indd 28

Figure 3 R elationship Between Water Temperature and Outdoor Temperature design load condition

110

heat pump is off

105

supply water temperature (ºF)

At first glance, this diagram may look intimidating, But once you get oriented to how a ladder works, it is really straight forward.

The line voltage section at the top of ladder supplies driven loads such as circulators, air handler blowers, and the boiler. Each load is enabled by the closure of a normal open relay contact.

A transformer that reduces 120 VAC line voltage to 24 VAC separates the upper portion of the ladder from the lower portion. The thermostats and other low voltage components are located in the lower portion of the ladder.

The master selection switch located just below the transformer allows the system to operate in either heating or cooling mode, or be switched off.

Two of the thermostats (T1 and T2) control both heating and cooling. The remaining thermostats are heating only devices. To reduce the size of the drawing, only two of the heating only thermostats are shown. The wiring for the other heating only thermostats would be identical to that for thermostats (T3 and T4).

A basic outdoor reset controller turns the heat pump on and off as necessary to regulate the water temperature in the buffer tank. That water temperature depends on the outdoor temperature, as shown in Figure 3.

The warmer it is outside, the lower the water temperature is in the buffer tank. For example, if the outdoor temperature is 20F, the target water temperature is 95F, but if the outdoor temperature is 40F, the target temperature in the buffer tank is only 85F. The outdoor reset controller operates with a differential. In the situation depicted in Figure 3, the differential is set to 5F. Thus, at an outdoor temperature of 40F, the heat pump turns on when the buffer tank temperature (at the sensor location) drops to 85-5/2 = 82.5F, and turns off the heat pump when the sensor temperature reaches 85+5/2=87.5F. Most outdoor reset controllers allow this differential to be adjusted. Wider differentials provide less cycling of the heat source, but also allow greater variation in the water temperature supplied to the load.

reset line

100 95

5ºF differential

90

contacts on reset control!

OPEN to turn off heat pump

85

calculated target temperature contacts on reset control!

CLOSE to turn on heat pump

80 heat pump is on

75 70

70

60

50 40 30 20 10 0 Outdoor temperature (ºF)

-10

no load condition

actuator (VA). When the end switch in that valve actuator closes, 24 VAC is also sent to the coil of relay (RH1). One set of normally open contacts (RH1-1) closes to energize circulator (P4), which then operates in proportional differential temperature control mode.

Upon a call for heating from any thermostat, 24 VAC is also supplied to the outdoor temperature setpoint controller (SPC1), and the outdoor reset controller (ORC). If the outdoor temperature is above the minimum value set on (SPC1) the heat pump will be the heat source. In this case, 24 VAC passes through the normally closed contact within (SPC1) and on to the normally open contact in the outdoor reset controller (ORC). The (ORC) measures the outdoor temperature using sensor (S1) and calculates the target temperature for the buffer tank. It measure the temperature in the upper portion of the buffer using sensor (S2). If the buffer tank temperature is too low to supply the load, the normally open contact in the (ORC) closes. This energizes relay coil (RH2). One normally open contact (RH2-1) closes to energize circulator (P2). Another normally open contact (RH2-2) closes to enable the heat pump to operate in heating mode. The heat pump then turns on circulator (P1) and operates under it own internal control logic.

If the outdoor temperature detected by (SPC1) is below the setpoint value, the normally open contact in (SPC1) closes, and the normally open contact opens. This turns off relay (RH2) and disables operation of the heat pump as well as circulator (P2). It also applies 24VAC to the coil of relay (RH3). Normally open contact (RH3-1) closes as a dry contact across the (T T) terminals in the boiler, enabling it to operate. The boiler turns on circulator (P3) and begins operating under its own internal outdoor reset controller settings. It uses these settings, in combination with the outdoor temperature measure by sensor (S4) to calculate the target temperature in the buffer tank. It measures the temperature in the upper portion of the buffer tank using sensor (S3). When necessary, the boiler fires to raise the temperature of the buffer tank sufficiently high to meet the heating load.

MODERN HYDRONICS

continued on pMH30 WWW.HPACMAG.COM

14-02-07 3:21 PM

B

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14-02-07 3:21 PM

>> Combi-systems continued from pMH28 2. Space cooling mode: The mode selection switch (MSS) must be set for cooling. This supplies 24 VAC to the (RC) terminals of thermostats (T1) and (T2). If either of these thermostats is set for cooling mode, and call for cooling, 24 VAC is switched to the thermostatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (Y) terminal. This supplies 24VAC to the associated cooling relay (RC1) or (RC2). These relays each have 3 sets of normal open contacts.

One set of contacts (RC1-1) or (RC2-1) closes to provide line voltage to cooling circulator (P6), which then operates in proportional differential pressure mode. Another set of contacts (RC1-2) or (RC2-2) closes to provide 24 VAC to the associated cooling zone valves (ZVC1) or (ZVC2). The third set of contacts (RC1-3) or (RC2-3) close to provide line voltage to the associated air handler blowers (AH1) or (AH2). The end switches in the cooling zone valves close when they reach their fully open position.

This signals the heat pump to operate in cooling mode. The heat pump then operates based on its own internal control system.

3. Domestic water heating mode: Whenever there is a demand for domestic hot water of 0.6 gpm or higher, the flow switch inside the tankless electric water heater closes. This closure applies 240 VAC to the coil of relay (R1). The normally open contacts (R1-1) closes to turn on circulator (P5), which circulates heated water from the upper

portion of the buffer tank through the primary side of the domestic water heat exchanger (HX2). The domestic water leaving (HX2) is preheated to a temperature a few degrees less than the current buffer tank temperature. The domestic water leaving (HX2) passes into the thermostatically controlled tankless water heater, which measures its inlet temperature. The electronics within this heater control electrical power flow to the heat elements based on the necessary temperature rise.

All heated water leaving the tankless heater flows into an ASSE 1017 rated mixing valve to ensure a safe delivery temperature to the fixtures. Whenever the demand for domestic hot water drops below 0.4 gpm, circulator (P5) and the tankless electric water heater are turned off.

Keep in mind that this is just one of several ways in which an AWHP and boiler can be combined. That said, this design contains several synergistic details. It leverages a single thermal mass (the buffer tank) to protect both heat sources against short cycling, and stabilize DHW delivery temperature. The buffer tank also provides hydraulic separation between the various circulators that have piping leading to and from the tank. By using outdoor reset control, this design also keeps the supply water temperature as low as possible to maximize performance of both the heat pump and boiler.

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MH30 | FEBRUARY 2014

MH2014_26-32_Siggy2.indd 30

SUPPORT

Versatro

nik

This system does a lot and you may not need all the functionality that it provides. Or maybe you prefer to use other equipment such as a geothermal heat pump or zone circulators rather than zone valves. I will leave it as a challenge to readers to sketch out how this system could be modified for the following: 1. Provide only space heating and domestic water heating.

2. Use small circulators rather than valves for zone flow zoning 3. Use a geothermal water-to-water heat pump rather than the AWHP shown.

All of these modifications are possible. It is just a matter of adding or deleting hardware from the piping and electrical diagrams, and then writing a detailed description of operation for the selected hardware. This flexibility is a testament to what is possible using modern hydronics technology. <> John Siegenthaler, P.E., is a mechanical engineering graduate of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a licensed professional engineer.

He has over 34 years experience in designing modern hydronic heating systems. He is also an associate professor emeritus of engineering technology at Mohawk Valley Community College in Utica, NY. See John at CMPX in Toronto where he is presenting two workshops on March 19 and 20: Unique Hydronic Details For Domestic Water Heating, and Piping and Control Strategies For High Performance Wood-Fired Heating Systems. www.cmpxshow.com/education.cfm MODERN HYDRONICS

WWW.HPACMAG.COM

14-02-07 3:21 PM

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< FINANCE

Pay Now Or Pay Later Pensions reform presents a dilemma with serious political and social ramifications.

Photo istockphoto

T

he Ontario government has been talking about pension reform since well before Kathleen Wynne became premier. The reform the Liberal Party of Ontario would like to see is a significant increase in Canada Pension Plan (CPP) premiums and payouts. The government’s goal is to double the CPP payout over time. Wynne's argument is that using CPP is a good way to have taxpayers invest in their own futures by saving now. It is no secret that projections show that the baby boomers will have a profound saving shortfall when they retire.

Ontario is not the only province advocating CPP increases.

Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Manitoba, Quebec and Prince Edward Island are all in favour. That is not enough to change the law, however. CPP rules can only be changed if at least seven provinces representing two-thirds of Canada’s population, plus the federal government vote for the change. At press time there are six provinces or 70 per cent of the population in favour. All that is necessary for the change would be one more province to get on board and the feds, of course.

And there is the rub. The Conservative Party of Canada is against CPP expansion. If the pension regime is increased at all, it would prefer some kind of voluntary plan that will mimic the investment flexibility of Registered Retirement Savings HPACMAG.COM

HPAC01_57-59_Bulmash.indd 57

BY HANK BULMASH

Plans (RRSPs). They do not want to impose federal legislation that will increase payroll taxes. Their argument is that an increase in payroll taxes will hurt job growth. If CPP is to be expanded, they want to wait until the economy strengthens.

That may be a long time, of course. In fact, it might be never.

For that reason, the Liberal Party of Ontario has been floating the idea of a provincial pension plan, which would mean new legislation, new rules and an entire new Ontario bureaucracy. An Ontario pension plan will cost a lot of money and add even more red tape to business operations. It is not a good idea as a savings vehicle but it is very effective as a way to put pressure on the federal government.

The federal government points out that many economists in Canada, the U.S. and the U.K. believe that an increase in payroll taxes would hurt job creation. Payroll taxes are taxes paid by employers. In Ontario for example, the payroll taxes currently in effect are the employer’s share of CCP and employment insurance (EI) and the Ontario Health Tax. The economic argument is that an increase in payroll tax makes employees more expensive. More expensive labour leads to the search for cheaper substitutes, which results in increased automation and moving jobs offshore. Automation has some positive aspects for the economy. Offshoring simFEBRUARY 2014 | HPAC

57

14-02-07 3:22 PM

< FINANCE ply shifts economic activity somewhere else, which is not good. So, increasing the payroll tax is bad, but it is not the only bad thing about an increased CPP. Employees pay half of CPP themselves and an increase would lead to workers saving more and spending less. That sounds virtuous, but a decline in spending results in lower economic growth. Which means it hurts.

As they point out at every opportunity, the federal government is philosophically against the expansion of government. It wants government to become a smaller player in the economy, which it hopes will increase economic growth. This means the federal government is not just against expanding CPP, it would like to reduce the welfare net in general.

A year ago, the Tories oversaw a change in CPP rules that encouraged people to work longer and contribute longer to the program. That is sensible given that people are healthier and have longer life spans. Today a typical Canadian begins working around age 21 and retires around age 65. The savings from those 40 plus years of working are supposed to fund about 20 years of retirement – an impossible task for most people. Working an extra seven years to 72 reduces the retirement period to about 13 years, which is a much more achievable goal.

The recognition of these demographic facts led most people to accept without much objection the government’s recent changes to CPP. It is not the government’s fault that we are living longer. And many baby boomers have been forced to recognize that retirement at 65 is out of the question.

In other words, the pension issue is not really philosophical.

It is a result of major changes in our society, namely the shift of jobs offshore, longer life expectancy, fewer workers paying taxes as the boomers leave the workforce, and the demographics of a large number of elderly people. Along with that, fewer Canadians actually have pension plans. Many Canadians have little or no savings. RRSPs are a great idea, but families earning less than $100,000 have not been able to save much.

Tories reasonably believe that government alone cannot

deal with all these things. We do know for sure that the trend of manufacturing and service jobs moving offshore will not reverse itself. No one really expects our economy to be as glorious as it once was. But that means if we do not expand CPP or something like it soon, our elderly will be in real trouble. Or, maybe not. Even if they are poor, the elderly won’t be powerless.

They will have political remedies. Already the elderly form a potent voting bloc, and it is growing in numbers and in strength. All political parties will have to deal with "grey power" soon. When a lot of baby boomers are in economic trouble, they will naturally vote for increased payouts. Why wouldn’t they? It is not like they will be paying for the social net themselves. Other people’s children will.

The money will not come from CPP. The worker and the employer jointly fund CPP during a taxpayer’s working life, which simply means if the money is not put into CPP soon, baby boomers will have to collect their handouts from other sources. Those sources will be general tax revenues, which will be a burden on the working population at that time. If the federal government is worried about increased taxes hindering growth now, it should spend a moment reflecting on what taxes will be like 10 years from now when indigent baby boomers vote themselves a richer payday.

Political wisdom suggests that it is better to ignore problems until they become too large to avoid. Generally that makes a lot of sense given that our ability to forecast is lamentably weak. But in this case, putting off to tomorrow what we can avoid facing today may not make economic sense.

The burden we are putting on the younger generations will simply be too much for them to carry. <> Hank Bulmash, CPA, CA, MBA, TEP, is CEO of Bulmash Accounting Professional Corporation in Toronto, ON. He can be reached at hank@ bulmash.ca.

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© 2014 Masco Canada Limited

PLUMBING PRODUCTS

THG-Paris has incorporated many features of historical architecture into its Collection Malmaison bath fittings and accessories. Several handle options are available in a combination of crystal, bianco carrara marble, portoro marble and brass, together with trim accents in a variety of finishes. Aspects of the faucets, handles and accessories are handcrafted. www.thgusa.com

Bradley Corp. has introduced the HS-Series Terreon Solid Surface Undermount Basins. The basins are suited for healthcare applications such as exam rooms, patient rooms and nursing stations, as well as a number of commercial hand-washing applications, including laboratories, highrise offices and airports. www.bradleycorp.com

Xylem Inc. has launched the Goulds Water Technology brand e-HM stainless steel series horizontal multistage water pump for commercial and industrial applications. Made from AISI 316 stainless steel, the e-HM series has

The Saber flush valve by Delany Products fea-

a maximum flow rate of up to 127 gpm and

tures a recessed hex nut design that reduces

offers six models, as well as a one-piece or

the chance of scratches on installation and

sleeve design. It can be used for industrial ap-

during regular maintenance. Its small upper

plications such as food and beverage, cleaning

chamber allows for faster shut off and more

Franklin Electric Co. Inc. has introduced the C1

and refrigeration, water treatment and custom

efficient operation across a wide range of psi.

Series stainless steel submersible cistern

OEM. www.goulds.com

www.delanyproducts.com

pumps. They are designed for use in gray water/filtered effluent service applications and

Uponor North America now offers a ProPEX EP 45-de-

can pass solids up to ⅛ in. in diameter during

gree Elbow to facilitate directional changes. The elbow

normal operation without impacting the life of

is available in 1½ in. and 2 in. sizes, and features

the pump. The C1 Series is constructed of a

Uponor’s ProPEX connection that uses the shape memory

304 stainless steel motor and outer shell with

of Uponor PEX – a pipe to create durable connections

engineered polymer hydraulics to provide cor-

designed to hold tight with 1000 lb. of radial force.

rosion resistance.

www.uponorpro.com

www.franklin-electric.com

continued on p.62 60

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HPACMAG.COM

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READY WHEN YOU ARE. © 2014 Masco Canada Limited

We’re committed to providing innovative solutions that can help you get the job done.

That’s why Delta allows you to order and install a variety of electronic faucet roughs and trims separately.

Our pre-assembled roughs are pre-plumbed and factorytested to ensure quality and help save you installation time and hassle. And the trims can be ordered when you’re ready for them – no more worrying about storing or misplacing them during the project.

For more information, visit deltacommercialfaucets.com or specselect.com.

Pre-Plumbed Control Box Sensor, controller, power supply and solenoid shown are sold separately as part of trim kits.

590T1150

Committed to Quality, Driven by Innovation

This commitment to quality parts manufactured to the highest standards in tolerance and finish, has earned us our reputation for excellence.

Exceptionally durable, reliable products that are built for the long run.

For more information, visit www.brasscraft.com.

WATER SUPPLIES

HPAC01_60-63_Plumbproducts.indd 61

© 2014 BrassCraft Manufacturing

Every product we make is quality checked to exacting standards.

| BRASS FITTINGS | GAS/WATER HEATER CONNECTORS | TOILET REPAIR | SHOWERS

14-02-10 7:31 AM

PLUMBING PRODUCTS continued from p.60 Inspired by turn-of-the-century design, Kohler Artifacts bathroom faucets have three different spouts and handles that are available in five finishes. Fifteen accessories, including a tumbler, soap dispenser and a toilet paper carriage are also available. www.us.kohler.com

Liberty Pumps’ ProVore 680 Duplex Grinder

Rinnai America Corp. has introduced the Rinnai Hybrid Tank-Tankless Wa-

System, powered by two 1-hp grinder pumps

ter Heater, which combines on-demand heating technology with an ener-

and V-Slice cutter technology, is a compact

gy efficient 40-gallon storage tank. The hybrid heater installs like a tank,

system for residential sewage applications. It

requires a ½ in. gas line and is compatible with a four inch B-vent or

is designed to shred difficult solids such as

common vent with furnace. It is designed for emergency replacement, or

feminine products, rags and other unwanted

for customers looking to increase hot-water supply without reconfiguring

debris. Operating on 115 or 230 volts, the sys-

the current set up. www.rinnai.us

tem can be plugged into a standard 20 amp home circuitry. www.libertypumps.com

Well Equipped - to Deliver the Hottest News.

HPAC E-xpress has been optimized for your hand-held device!

Our recently commissioned survey showed a significant increase in the number of e-newsletters being opened on hand-held devices. Just like the magazine you are reading, HPAC E-xpress wants to keep you ahead of the curve – digitally.

To make sure that you don’t miss a single news item, we have redesigned our e-newsletters so that you can stay up-to-date in the office and on the job site. Featuring

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the most current Canadian mechanical industry happenings HPAC E-xpress keeps you current with stakeholder news, upcoming events and more.

If you are not receiving HPAC E-xpress simply visit our website at hpacmag.com and click on SUBSCRIBE – then Free e-newsletter. It is that simple!

Stay in the digital loop – follow HPAC on Twitter @hpacmag

HPACMAG.COM

14-02-10 7:31 AM

Beauty meets

Beast

U.S. Patent #8,235,316 and Patents Pending

The new macerating toilet with RazorCutTM technology.

Making impossible bathrooms possible.

800.543.2550 libertypumps.com Copyright Š Liberty Pumps, Inc. 2014 All rights reserved.

1.28 GPF

HPAC01_60-63_Plumbproducts.indd 63

14-02-10 7:31 AM

HVAC/R PRODUCTS Emerson Climate Technologies has launched the Copeland Scroll ZPK6 compressor. This sixth generation compressor supports high efficiency systems to meet minimum energy standards. The entire Copeland Scroll ZPK6 product line of one- to five-ton fixed capacity scroll compressors feature transient sound reduction design improvements, an optimized motor, and gas management technology to improve performance. www.emersonclimate.com

Victaulic’s newly updated ARCOM MasterSpec construction specifications offers five products that provide a foundation to save engineers research and writing time, while reducing risk from using old project specifications or outdated office masters.

The AD-1252 thermal dispersion airflow mea-

MasterSpec specifications available from Victaulic include:

suring system by Johnson Controls averages

211200 Fire Suppression, 211313 Wet Pipe Sprinkler,

velocity and temperature from up to four

211316 Dry Pipe Sprinkler, 232113 Hydronic Piping and

probes and 16 sensing points in a duct or ple-

232116 Hydronic Piping Specialties. www.victaulic.com

num to provide accurate, dependable airflow measurement from 40 to 4000 feet per minute. www.johnsoncontrols.com

Danfoss Turbocor Compressors Inc. has released the TT350 for 380-volt 50Hz and 60Hz models. These oil-free, variable-speed, magnetic bearing centrifugal compressors provide full- and part-load energy efficiency using HFC134a refrigerant. They feature low vibration and sound, intelligent controls and soft-starting characteristics. www.turbocor.com

Fulton Companies has released the Endura line of condensing hydronic boilers for commercial applications. The Endura is a vertical firetube-design boiler available in sizes of 1.5 and

The Chinook furnace by Dettson features 95

2 million Btuh. It features a duplex stainless

per cent AFUE, stability at high and low firing

Wacker Neuson’s HDR 155 direct-fired radiant

steel three-pass heat exchanger with fireside

rates, and a full product line from 15 000 to

heater features 155 000 Btuh heat input. It

surfaces, and offers less than 20 parts per mil-

120 000 Btuh on four platforms: single stage,

can heat workspaces, workers and objects

lion NOx emissions, 120V single-phase power

dual stage PSC or ETM motor (second stage

such as equipment, concrete formwork and

supply, and up to 8:1 turndown.

kicks in at 70 per cent), and modulating (from

other structures from about 15 ft. away.

www.fulton.com

40 to 100 per cent). www.dettson.ca

www.wackerneuson.com

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MECHANICAL SUPPLY NEWS MANUFACTURERS • DISTRIBUTORS • WHOLESALERS

Navien achieves CAN/CSA P.9-11 rating for combo system

Uponor expands headquarters, rejuvenates web presence Uponor North America celebrated the expansion of its 230 000-ft.2 corporate headquarters and manufacturing facility in Apple Valley, MN in November. The project included 17 500 ft.2 of manufacturing space and 3000 ft.2 for an employee services area. This is the fifth development of the facility, which has more than quadrupled in size since opening in 1990.

Uponor also launched two newly designed websites for its North American clients: www.uponor.ca and www.uponor-usa. com. Both feature a cleaner look with updated content and additional resources for crosslinked polyethylene (PEX) plumbing, fire sprinkler, radiant heating/cooling, hydronic distribution and pre-insulated pipe systems. The websites include a blog, a virtual city where users can click on either a single-family home or a commercial building to learn about Uponor products and systems, and a page where potential customers can locate an Uponor sales representative in their area. www.uponor.ca

Navien has achieved a CAN/CSA P.9-11 rating for its condensing tankless water heater system with SunTherm air handling unit for combined space and water heating.

“As a world leader in energy efficient technology and with a name created from the words: Navigator/ Energy/Environment, we strongly believe in the importance of the ENERGY STAR for New Homes program,” said Mark Williamson from Navien Canada. “Therefore, Navien has teamed up with SunTherm Heating Products and NV Eco Vision Sales to create this exciting heating combination of Navien’s NPE-240A condensing tankless water heater and SunTherm’s MMVE air handling unit.”

Effective April 1, 2014 any system providing forced-air space and domestic water heating will need to be tested to CAN/CSA P.9-11 test method for determining the performance of combined space and water heating systems in order to be recognized by the ENERGY STAR for New Homes program. www.navienamerica.com continued on p68

Plumbing program gets $25,000 boost From left to right: Joe Tomona, associate dean, School of Applied Technology; Sam Steele, faculty, School of Applied Technology; Simon Feddema, president, Grundfos Canada; Denise Devlin-Li, dean, School of Applied Technology; Brian Spry, district sales manager, Grundfos Canada.

As part of its Technical School Initiative, Grundfos announced a five-year, $25,000 partnership with Humber College in Toronto.

The funding will provide an annual $1,000 Grundfos Plumbing Apprenticeship Award to a student in their final year of study; efficiency pumps; technical literature; and access to pump industry professionals. Trade program faculty will receive assistance through pump advice and teaching aids. Training takes place at the college’s Centre for Trades and Technology located near the North Campus in Etobicoke. The 120 000-ft.2 centre opened in 2009 and houses several trade programs that focus on the building and construction sector. The facility includes two full-sized town homes and dedicated labs for construction.

Launched in 2011, Grundfos’ Technical School initiative currently provides more than $32,500 in support annually to plumbing apprentice programs at select Canadian post-secondary schools. Humber is the fifth institution to join the program.

Grundfos plans to extend the program further in 2014 with the addition of two or three more schools. The announcement is expected in the late spring or early summer. www.humber.ca and http://ca.grundfos.com 66

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HPACMAG.COM

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CCR_

T:7.875” S:7”

RAM 1500

-------------------------------------------------

THE FIRST EVER BACK-TO-BACK WINNER IN HISTORY

ramtruck.ca *Based on Automotive News classification. 11.4 L/100 km (25 MPG) city and 7.8 L/100 km (36 MPG) highway on HFE model with 3.6 L V6 4x2 and 8-speed transmission. 2014 EnerGuide highway fuel consumption ratings. Government of Canada test methods used. Your actual fuel consumption will vary based on driving habits and other factors. Ask your retailer for complete EnerGuide information. ≠ Based on longevity of entire Ram large pickup segment compared to all competitive large pickups on the road since 1988. Longevity based on IIHS Automotive: Polk Canadian Vehicles In Operation data as of July 1, 2013, for model years 1988-2013 for all large pickups sold and available in Canada over the last 26 years. ± Based on Automotive News Full-Size Pickup segmentation.

CCR_M_14_1005_RAM_1500_A.indd 1 HPAC01_66-71_MSN.indd 67

1/17/14 12:04 PM 14-02-10 7:30 AM

T:10.5”

S:9.5”

This year, Ram 1500 has gone where no other truck has gone before – with the first ever back-to-back win of Motor Trend’s Truck of the Year.® It also goes where other trucks can’t by achieving best-in-class fuel economy as good as 7.8L/100 km (36 MPG)* highway thanks to a class-exclusive 8-speed transmission.± And now Ram 1500 is available with a new 3.0L EcoDiesel V6 engine, making it the country’s only light-duty diesel pickup. With all these features, including a class-exclusive Active-Level TM Four-Corner Air Suspension±, it looks like Canada’s longest-lasting pickup≠ will continue to be the talk of the truck world for years to come.

< MSN

continued from p67

Wolseley Canada launches new division, announces VP Wolseley Canada recently launched a new division, Wolseley Industrial, which includes Meridian, the company’s valve, valve actuation, pipe, fittings and flange business, and its Engineered Pipe Group (EPG), which provides Murray total solutions for all high-density polyethylene projects. Both the Meridian and EPG brands will be retired and rolled up under the Wolseley Industrial name. Bryn Murray has been promoted to the role of vice president of this new division and is responsible for the strategic direction and performance of the Canadian industrial business unit, including pipe, valve and fittings distribution as well as industrial services activities. Murray joined Meridian in 2003 and has held progressively senior roles as regional manager, business alignment manager and national sales manager before his most recent role of general manager from 2008 to 2013. www.wolseleyinc.ca

WINNERS CIRCLE Supplier of the year award goes to Viega Viega received a Supplier of the Year, Marketing Excellence award in the 2013 Spirit of Independence Awards from Affiliated Distributors (AD) at an awards banquet in November. The awards celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit and hard work of

HRAI isn’t for every contractor company.

It’s for the best.

That’s right. HRAI doesn’t accept just any company to its ranks.

Only those with properly trained and licensed technicians.

So the next time a prospective customer asks if you’re an HRAI member … what will you tell them?

Visit hrai.ca/becomeamember Scan the QR Code to watch video

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AD affiliates and suppliers. AD also recognized a group of suppliers known as the “Get the Lead Out Plumbing Consortium” for marketing excellence. www.viega.com Two Canadians win a Taco 00-VS Circulator A pair of Canadians – Ryan Carroll of Mechanical Service Group in Calgary, AB and Joe Remigio in Caledon, ON – were amongst the winners of a draw to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Taco 00-VS Circulator. All nine winners received a 10th anniversary limited edition Taco 00-VS Circulator signed by Taco owner and president Johnny White. www.taco-hvac.com Kohler showerhead and wireless speaker wins silver IDEA award Kohler’s Moxie Showerhead and Wireless Speaker, which streams music wirelessly into the shower via a Bluetooth enabled device, earned a 2013 Silver International Design Excellence Award from the Industrial Design Society of America. “Moxie brings a new level of fun into the shower,” said Gregory de Swarte, design studio manager for Kohler Faucets. “Before Moxie, bringing music into the shower meant settling for a complicated and underperforming shower radio or required a remodel with waterproof speakers. Moxie changes all of that with its great sound, affordable price and ultra-simple installation.” www.ca.kohler.com

MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS >> Johnson Controls Inc. and Hitachi (Hitachi Ltd. and Hitachi Appliances Inc.) have signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding for Johnson Controls to obtain a 60 per cent ownership stake in Hitachi Appliances’ global air conditioning business, excluding sales and service operations in Japan and certain other assets. The partnership will include key products such as variable refrigerant flow and inverter technologies supporting both the commercial and residential markets. www.johnsoncontrols.com www.hitachi.ca

>> Atlanta-based Rheem has acquired Heat Transfer Products Group (HTPG) of Scottsboro, AL from Monomoy Capital Partners. HTPG is a manufacturer of commercial refrigeration equipment for the foodservice, food retail and other non-consumable markets. Rheem plans to refresh the HTPG brand with significant product development. HTPG will be a standalone division of Rheem and its manufacturing operations will remain in Scottsboro. www.rheem.com www.heattransfergroup.com HPACMAG.COM

14-02-10 7:30 AM

s ’ C A P H r o f p u t h g Step Ri L O O T S U O D N E M TRE !

I I I Y A TAKE-AW At the upcoming 2014 CMPX show one lucky winner* will take home thousands of dollars worth of FREE TOOLS! Visit www.hpacmag.com/tools to check out the tools and visit the suppliers’ websites at the same time. You can also print out your ballot and bring it to the HPAC booth at the top of the escalators. *For contractors and technicians only.

Good luck – see you at the show!

At the 2012 show, Jonathan Fisher, of Vanguard Mechanical Inc. was

HPAC’s Great Tool Take-away winner and took home more than $2000 worth of FREE TOOLS.

For your chance to win $1000s worth of products come to CMPX in Toronto MARCH 19-21, fill out a ballot at the HPAC booth and you’re in!

Visit www.cmpxshow.com for show details.

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< PEOPLE Geoff Holloway, vice president of Canadian sales at A.O. Smith, is now responsible for the wholesale and home services (rental) sales channels, as well as Canadian sales administration. Reporting to Holloway are sales managers Glen Gottschalk, Malcolm Bradbury and Jim Nicklasson, and inside sales specialists Tasha Medeiros, Josella Widmeyer and Debbie Shortreed. Kim Laurette, director of retail sales and Canadian marketing will oversee the retail sales channel and Canadian marketing responsibilities. Senior marketing coordinator Ian Reinhart and inside sales specialist Bronwyn Thornton report to Laurette. Holloway and Laurette will continue to report to general manager D. David Hammond. The job announcements follow two recent retirements: Pat Cushing, vice president of sales at A.O. Smith and GSW Water Heating, who had been with the company since 1965, and Marg Miller, inside sales specialist. Both retired as of January 3.

Russ Evans is the new executive director of the Mechanical Contractors Association of Alberta, replacing Hans Tiedemann who retired at the end of 2013. Evans has more than 15 years of assoEvans ciation management experience and holds a master’s degree in environmental management.

Anvil International Canada recently named Alexandre De Gagné as its new sales director for the spring supports, hydraulics and made-to-measure diviParent De Gagné sion and Jo-Ann Parent has joined the company as sales representative for the province of Québec.

Morgan Loukes has joined the Reliable Automatic Sprinkler Company’s team as the new regional sales representative for Eastern Canada. Reporting to Matt Squirell, director of sales for Canada, Loukes is responsible for regional sales activities in ON, QC, NB, NS, PE. and NL. He brings with him a background as a technical designer, fire safety consultant, project manager and part-time firefighter. Loukes holds a diploma from Seneca College in Fire Protection Engineering Technology.

Desco has made changes to its management team: Duncan Salisbury has been hired as purchasing manager and Domenic DeFazio has taken on the operaDeFazio Salisbury tions manager role. Salisbury is a graduate of Brock University and has spent the last eight years in a purchasing management role in the hardware distribution business. DeFazio is a professional logistician with over 20 years of management experience in operations and logistics. Both positions are based out of Desco’s Etobicoke, ON office.

Topp Industries Inc. has appointed JJ Lang to manage its wholesale sales business across Canada and the U.S. In this newly created position at Topp Industries, Lang will Merkel Lang work to strengthen the company’s relationships with its wholesale channel partners and independent sales agents domestically and abroad. Also, Tim Merkel is the new outside sales manager at Topp Industries, responsible for OEM and engineered sales accounts.

Noble Corporation has announced the appointment of Michael Rogers to the position of heating and hydronics specialist in the Greater Toronto Area. Rogers, who has more than 25 years of industry experience, will be responsible for field Rogers work and site visits with Noble’s existing hydronics and heating customers. He will also be mentoring members of the inside and outside sales teams in hydronic design processes and after-sales support initiatives.

administered by 70

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LET US KNOW WHAT IS GOING ON IN YOUR COMPANY! e-mail pcallan@hpacmag.com HPACMAG.COM

14-02-10 7:30 AM

MEET (Mechanical Electrical Electronic Technology) has become Atlantic Canada’s most inclusive event, giving visitors a unique opportunity to network and compare the latest products and services available to the industry.

• Cutting Edge Seminar Program • Exciting Skills Canada NB Competition • Innovative New Products & Services for your Business!

To reserve your space at this premier event, please contact: Shawn Murphy, Show Manager • smurphy@mpltd.ca Matt Mitchell, Exhibit Sales • mmitchell@mpltd.ca

Toll Free: 1-888-454-7469 SHOW HOURS Wednesday, May 7 Thursday, May 8

9:00am - 5:00pm 9:00am - 5:00pm

WWW.MEETSHOW.CA

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GIZMOS AND GADGETS Panasonic Canada Inc. has introduced Toughpad tablets. Consisting of the FZ-G1, a 10-inch model using Windows 8 Pro operating system, and two Android-based tablets, the seven-inch JT-B1 and the 10-inch FZ-A1, the tablets can assist contractors who need mobile access to data when working in adverse conditions. www.panasonic.ca/toughpad Milwaukee Tool Corp. has added heated hand warmers to their line of M12 Heated

Ansell has introduced the HyFlex 11-200 HI-VIZ

Gear. Suited to a variety of winter jobsites

sleeve, combining comfort with ANSI level three cut

and powered by red lithium battery tech-

performance and level two abrasion resistance for

nology, the hand warmers feature two car-

greater safety. The product’s fluorescent yellow co-

bon-heating elements to heat hands for up

lour improves worker visability. Featuring an ana-

to six hours. The heating element can be

tomical and ergonomic design, the HyFlex 11-200

set to low, medium or high with a button

sleeve has an adjustable system in the forearm

located inside the external pocket.

area and extra space in the upper arm area to en-

www.milwaukeetool.com

sure proper fit. www.ansellpro.com

Bosch Measuring Tools has introduced the BM3 Positioning Device to give contractors the versatility

Regal Canada has launched the MotorAID cross-ref-

needed for multiple leveling and alignment applica-

erence app to help contractors in the field find re-

tions while eliminating the need to change mounts.

placement motors, locate a distributor, and contact

The BM3 can be magnetically attached to metal sur-

Regal’s Motor ID desk. It also provides the option to

faces, set on the floor with retractable feet, mount-

upload a picture via e-mail in order to identify the

ed to drywall or wood with screws, or used for ceiling

correct motor replacement. The app is available for

grid applications. www.boschtools.com

free download in the Apple store and in Google Play. www.regalbeloit.ca

Wiss aviation snips are designed with a unique blade, free-floating active pivot bolt, and valve-grade double-wound return spring. Featuring a full edge width wave-pattern serration on both the upper and lower blades, the snips provide aggressive shearing action, higher resistance to tooth breakage, and extended blade life. Snip design and materials are lab-tested and meet ASME requirements. www.apexhandtools.com/brands/wiss

Dewalt’s line of heated jackets provide hours of continu-

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ous heat when powered by Dewalt’s 20V MAX or 12V

Fluke Corp.’s three-phase Fluke 1730 Energy Logger

MAX lithium ion batteries. The heated jackets are of-

is designed with professional-level energy data gath-

fered in four styles: a soft shell work jacket, a hooded

ering capabilities for maintenance professionals.

work jacket, a True Timber camouflage jacket, and a True

This energy logger conducts key measurements of

Timber Blaze Orange camouflage jacket. Each jacket of-

voltage, current, power, and power factor to identify

fers a water and wind-resistant outer shell, an LED con-

areas of energy waste. Data logged by the 1730 can

troller with three temperature settings plus pre-heat

be imported into the Fluke Energy Analyze software

mode, and three core body heating zones.

for further processing and archiving.

www.dewalt.com

www.fluke.com/1730 HPACMAG.COM

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THE SOURCE ADVERTISERS IN THIS ISSUE Adrian Steel.....................................................................

Amvic..............................................................................

AquaTech........................................................................

Aquatherm......................................................................

Axiom Industries..............................................................

Bardon Supplies...............................................................

Belimo............................................................................

Brant Radiant Heaters......................................................

Caleffi.............................................................................

Centrotherm....................................................................

CMPX..............................................................................

Delta...............................................................................

Ford................................................................................

Franklin Electric...............................................................

Fujitsu.............................................................................

GM Fleet.........................................................................

Habitat for Humanity........................................................

HBX Control Systems ...................................................................

Hilmor.............................................................................

HRAI...............................................................................

IBC..................................................................................

IEA Heat Pump Conference...............................................

Insulation Solutions ........................................................

KWE Technologies............................................................

Lennox Parts Plus............................................................

Liberty Pumps.................................................................

MEET Show......................................................................

Navien.............................................................................

NTI..................................................................................

RAM ................................................................................................

Reliance Worldwide Corp..................................................

RMC................................................................................

Saniflo............................................................................

Taco................................................................................

Thermo Mfg.....................................................................

Thermolec.......................................................................

Uponor............................................................................

Viessmann......................................................................

Wade Drains....................................................................

Watts..............................................................................

Xylem..............................................................................

Zurn................................................................................

www.adriansteel.com .................................................................................page 16 www.amvicsystem.com .........................................................................page MH27 www.aquatech.ws..................................................................................page MH23 www.aquatherm.com .............................................................................page MH31 www.axiomind.com .................................................................................page MH6 www.bardonsupplies.com ...........................................................................page 59 www.belimo.us/americas ......................................................................page MH15 www.brantradiant.com ...............................................................................page 12 www.caleffi.us ......................................................................................page MH32 www.centrotherm.us.com ........................................................................page MH5 www.cmpxshow.com ..................................................................................page 73 www.deltacommercialfaucets.com ..............................................................page 61 www.ford.ca ...............................................................................................page 15 www.franklinwater.com ...............................................................................page 79 www.fujitsugeneral.com ..............................................................................page 21 www.gmbusinesschoice.ca ...........................................................................page 5 www.ciph.com/en/gala ...............................................................................page 76 www.hbxcontrols.com .................................................................................... MH17 www.hilmor.com ........................................................................... page 7, 9, 11, 13 www.hrai.ca .........................................................................................page 12, 68 www.ibcboiler.com ................................................................................page MH29 www.iea-hpc2014.org .................................................................................page 17 www.insulationsolutions.com .........................................................................MH20 www.kwe-tech.com ...............................................................................page MH30 www.lennoxpartsplus.com ..........................................................................page 14 www.libertypumps.com ..............................................................................page 63 www.meetshow.ca .....................................................................................page 71 www.NavienAmerica.com .........................................................................page MH7 www.nythermal.com ..............................................................................page MH19 www.ramtruck.ca .......................................................................................page 67 www.sharkbite.com ......................................................................................page 8 www.refrigerantmanagment.ca ...................................................................page 70 www.saniflo.ca ...........................................................................................page 24 www.taco-hvac.com ................................................................................page MH2 www.ThermoPan.com .................................................................................page 65 www.thermolec.com ..............................................................................page MH24 www.getconnectedwithuponor.com/HPAC ...............................................page MH21 www.viessmann.ca ..................................................................................page MH3 www.wadedrains.ca ......................................................................................page 2 www.watts.com ..........................................................................................page 80 www.xyleminc.com ................................................................................page MH11 www.zurn.com ...........................................................................................page 10

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Visit www.hpacmag.com to renew your free subscription to HPAC Magazine.

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CALENDAR

2014

FOR THE LATEST EVENT NEWS SEE HPAC'S NEWSLETTER @ HPACMAG.COM Hearth, Patio & Barbeque Expo 2014 March 6-8 North America’s largest indoor-outdoor living expo is being held in Salt Lake City, UT at Salt Palace Convention Center. www.hpbexpo.com

MCAA Annual Convention March 9-13

MCE 2014 March 18-21

The Mechanical Contractors Association of America annual convention will take place in Scottsdale, AZ.

The 39th biennial Mostra Convegno Expocomfort exhibition, dedicated to residential and industrial installations, air conditioning and renewable energy, will be held in Milan, Italy at the Fiera Milano Rho. www.mcexpocomfort.com

www.mcaa.org

CMPX March 19-21

RSES Canada 2014 AGM March 20

The Canadian Mechanical & Plumbing Exposition (formerly CMX) at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto, ON will include the New Product Showcase, the Learning Forum and the Emerging Technologies Centre. www.cmpxshow.com

RSES Canada will be holding its 75th annual general meeting in Toronto, ON at 6 p.m. during the CMPX Show (Room TBA).

NEBB Annual Conference April 3-5 The National Environmental Balancing Bureau’s annual conference will be held in Fort Lauderdale, FL at the Hyatt Regency Pier 66. This year’s theme is “Delivering Building Performance and Energy Efficiency.”

www.rsescanada.com

Construction Middle Management Education Conference April 1-3 CMCEF and MCA Saskatchewan will host this event at the Hilton Garden Inn in Saskatoon, SK.

www.cmcef.com

ASHRAE High Performance Buildings Conference April 7-8

All-Energy Canada 2014 April 9-10 The All-Energy Canada exhibition and conference will be held at Exhibition Place in Toronto, ON. It will provide a forum for national and international experts in the renewable energy industry to share knowledge, expertise and experience. www.all-energy.ca

www.nebb.org

The third ASHRAE HPB conference will take place in San Francisco, CA at the Hyatt Fisherman’s Wharf. It will look to advance the industry’s efforts to accomplish a true high-performance built environment. www.ashrae.org

MEET Show May 7-8

11TH IEA Heat Pump Conference May 12-16

Energy Summit 2014 May 14-15

The Mechanical Electrical Electronic Technology show will be held at the Moncton Coliseum Complex in Moncton, NB. It includes a trade show and speaker component.

The International Energy Agency Heat Pump Conference will be held at the Fairmont - The Queen Elizabeth in Montreal, QC.

The Energy Summit will take place at the Sheraton On The Falls Resort Hotel & Conference Centre in Niagara Falls, ON. It will bring together Canada’s industry leaders in energy efficiency. www.nrcan.gc.ca

www.iea-hpc2014.org

www.meetshow.ca

CSA Annual Conference June 15-17

COHA Annual Conference June 18-19

CIPH ABC June 22-24

CSA Groups’ Annual Conference and Committee Week will take place in Charlottetown, PEI at the Delta Prince Edward. The committee meetings run until June 20. www.csa.ca

The Canadian Oil Heat Association’s annual conference is taking place in Ottawa, ON. (Venue TBA)

The 82nd CIPH annual business conference will be held in Kelowna, BC at the Delta Grand Okanagan Resort & Conference Centre.

www.coha.ca

ASHRAE Annual Conference June 28-July 2

HRAI Annual Meeting and Conference August 20-23

The annual ASHRAE conference will be held in Seattle, WA. It will address topics ranging from the application of technology to practice, to new reports on research taking place worldwide.

The 46th annual HRAI meeting and conference will be held in Montreal, QC at Le Westin Montreal.

www.hrai.ca

www.ciph.com

2014 ASHRAE/IBPSA-USA Building Simulation Conference September 10-12 The conference, which will be taking place in Atlanta, GA will focus on making better decisions through the application of simulation and modeling over the entire building life cycle.

www.ashrae.org

www.ashrae.org

MCAC National Conference September 24-27

CIPHEX West 2014 November 5-6

The Mechanical Contractors Association of Canada will hold its 73rd national conference in St. John’s, NL at the Delta St. John’s Hotel & Conference Centre.

Western Canada’s largest expo and conference for plumbing, HVAC/R and water treatment will take place in Calgary, AB at the BMO Centre.

www.mcac.ca

www.ciphexwest.ca

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Planning an event?

Send the details to Patrick Callan Assistant Editor

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Gala 2014_HPAC_Layout 1 11/7/13 10:01 AM Page 1

Gala Evening Join us as we celebrate 20 years of investing in our communities through support for Habitat for Humanity

“ Jessica Holmes is one of Canada’s top comedic talents.”

A favourite on CBC’s Royal Canadian Air Farce…

Her comedic high-jinks and crazy antics, topped with her unique knack for skewering celebrities are sure to amuse.

Tuesday March 18, 2014 Metro Toronto Convention Centre

YEARS

ciph.com/gala

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< AS I SEE IT

Strategy Matters Our view of construction stands in the way of good buildings. BY ROBERT BEAN

W

estern Canada has hosted two international conferences, both of which brought the expertise and influence of ASHRAE, CIBSE, ISIAQ and REHVA, along with more than 200 000 of their combined members, into Canada.1 Unfortunately the 2012 International Cold Climate HVAC Conference in Calgary, AB and the 2013 IAQ Conference in Vancouver, BC were largely ignored by Canada's mainstream HVAC and building industry.

The exceptions were those from academia and government, and a handful of engineering and architectural professionals. As a result, Canada's mechanical industry missed out on learning about the key competitive strategies and tactics being implemented internationally in the retrofit and construction of the next generation of buildings.

I think one reason for this failing is the broader market in Canada (and in the United States) views the world of construction from a top down rather than a bottom up perspective (see Figure 1). Domestic and foreign acaFigure 1 Views of the world of construction

demics are currently influencing international codes, standards and guidelines based on real buildings with real people, not on hypothetical research. This readily available “real” research is being presented worldwide with an underlying message that the ethos of buildings must lay within indoor environmental quality using energy and exergy efficient systems.

That said, within the current engineering and architectural leadership there is broad-based agreement that too much effort continues to be put into energy preservation and conservation at the risk of failing the occupants with the resultant poor indoor environmental quality.

As Danish Technical University professor Bjarne Olesen succinctly stated: "We don't design buildings for the sake of efficiency, we build them for comfort."2 No doubt there is a level of frustration from those immersed in the holistic side of architecture having empathy towards energy, while those with a myopic view of energy ignore the human element.3 The frustration is something I witness

regularly. It is like observing the wise person on the mountain watching the "lost energy tribe" in the valley below struggling to navigate its way through the forest. The correct path is obvious to those who have a broader perspective from a much higher position. That position is: design for people and good buildings will follow. Those on the mountain are delivering award winning projects such as the Manitoba Hydro Building or NREL RSF Building in Colorado or the recent round of winners in ASHRAE's Technology Awards.

Incidentally, five of the six first place winners used radiant in the HVAC strategy as did a number of second place winners.

For 2014, if there is anything I can bring to HPAC readers from my participation in recent industry conferences it would be these three points; In the global community, Canada is no longer the international darling of building science and energy efficiency. When a worldwide community of building and indoor environmental scientists announces its intention to show up in our backyard we ought to be listening to them and acting upon their works.4

1

2

Productivity, academic learning and wellness are a product of the indoor environment, and its cost is about 100 times larger than the associated energy cost. Let me put this into perspective. At the recent USGBC GreenBuild 2013 conference it was stated that the United States spends $432 billion on building energy. No doubt that is a big number, but it pales in comparison to the approximately $43.2 trillion related to the human factor cost in those buildings.

Divide the numbers by 10 for a figure in Canadian dollars.

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< AS I SEE IT

3

With today's building and HVAC technologies, the temperatures needed for conditioning people and spaces is lower than temperatures found on and within the human body itself (100F/38C). It is remarkable that in Canada the majority of our population indirectly or directly uses source temperatures of 3200F (1750C) for cooling and heating buildings.5 We cannot call ourselves sustainable by any definition while blatantly destroying the difference between what we need and what we generate.

As a design practitioner in buildings and mechanical engineering, and as a participant in numerous industry associations and institutes — many of

which are populated with academics — I say that we need to turn the way we see knowledge upside down.

It should not be something that gets filtered and diluted down from the top but rather something we build upon to enable the best indoor environments for our population without destroying society's resources and outdoor environment. <> Robert Bean, R.E.T., P.L.(Eng.) is president of Indoor Climate Consultants Inc. and a director of www.healthyheating. com. He serves on ASHRAE Committees: T.C.61. (CM), T.C.6.5 (VM), T.C. 7.04 (VM), SSPC 55 (VM).

(1) ASHRAE, American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers CIBSE, Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers ISIAQ, International Society of Indoor Air Quality and Climate REHVA, Federation of European Heating and AirConditioning Associations (2) There is so much misunderstanding about the principles of energy that I am going to do a future article on why energy cannot be saved.

(3) An example: the energy efficient view says increase the R-value of buildings; the IEQ view says increase the mean radiant temperature.

The results may be the same but the IEQ approach recognizes the occupant needs, which are 100 times greater than the energy costs.

(4) Keep your eyes on the Canadian universities with architectural engineering programs and private building science consulting firms as they will lead the way.

(5) The use of combustion for space heating or power generation to operate chillers, heat pumps and electric heaters cannot ignore the flame temperature in energy analysis. Such high quality temperatures are industrial in nature and are wasted in non-industrial applications such as conditioning people and spaces.

TRAINING

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS CANADA CMCEF National Seminar Program

Canadian Hydronics Council

The Canadian Mechanical Contracting Education Foundation’s National Seminar Program Catalogue & Calendar is available online. It contains more than 100 programs available for on-site training for companies and associations. Programs range from half-day to two days. To request a seminar contact your local association or the CMCEF office at tel.

613.232.5169. www.cmcef.org

CHC’s course descriptions and training schedules are available online.

Introduction to Hydronic Heating Installations is a starting point for anyone interested in the professional installation of hydronic heating systems. The Essentials of Hydronic System Design intermediate level program is geared to helping practitioners understand key design principles and the different options and solutions required to meet client needs. Participants must have completed CHC’s Introductory course.

TECA Quality First Training

www.ultimatecomfort.ca

To register for the Quality First training course offered by the Thermal Environmental Comfort Association, tel. 604.594.5956.

LEED Canada Training

www.teca.ca

HRAI SkillTech Academy The SkillTech Academy course teaches participants the technical competence to design and install HVAC systems for residential and small commercial applications. For more information contact Dorothy Allen by e-mail: dallen@hrai.ca.

Workshops by the Canada Green Building Council include: LEED Green Associate Exam Preparation, Introduction to Passive Housing Design and Construction, and Overview of the LEED-ND Rating System for Canada, tel. 613.241.1184. www.cagbc.org

RETScreen Training Institute

CSA Learning Institute’s course calendar is available online.

The RETScreen Training Institute is delivered in collaboration with the Faculty of Environmental Studies at York University in Toronto. The Institute offers intensive instruction on how to properly assess the viability and performance of clean energy projects using RETScreen software.

A certificate is awarded upon successful course completion.

www.csa.ca/cm/ca/en/training

www.retscreen.net/ang/home.php

Dollars to $ense Energy Management Workshops

GeoExchange Training

Natural Resources Canada’s Office of Energy Efficiency is offering workshops focused on improving efficiency, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and lowering operation costs. A workshop schedule is available online. www.oee.nrcan.gc.ca

The Canadian GeoExchange Coalition is offering a national accreditation program for geothermal loop installers that is valid for commercial and residential installations. An updated CGC training calendar is available.

www.hrai.ca

CSA Learning Institute

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