Sophia KianniYour Design Journal entries for this module should highlight your design thinking and analysis results that influenced your decisions about:
- your overall HVAC system strategy
- your heating strategy and how you implemented it in your design
- your cooling strategy and how you implemented it
- any special HVAC system challenges that you encountered
HVAC System Strategy
The overall HVAC system strategy centers around a centralized Air Handler Unit (AHU) located on the top floor. From this AHU, rigid ducts distribute conditioned air to each individual space within the building. While return air pathways were planned, they were not fully modeled in the design. Each room was designed to have a dedicated low return to help maintain better indoor air quality by ensuring the continuous circulation of fresh air.
Heating Strategy and Implementation
The heating strategy relies on the AHU system, which is designed to provide both heating and cooling throughout the building. Heated air is distributed via the ductwork system to all spaces, ensuring consistent thermal comfort.
Cooling Strategy and Implementation
The same AHU system is also responsible for cooling the building. In addition to the mechanical cooling provided by the AHU, the design incorporates insulated glass and shading devices to help minimize heat gain from the extensive glazing. This passive cooling strategy reduces the overall cooling load and supports energy efficiency.
Special HVAC System Challenges
One of the primary challenges encountered was the extensive use of glass throughout the building. The high percentage of glazing significantly increased the cooling load, requiring a much higher volume of airflow than typically expected for a building of this size. This led to the need for a larger number of supply grilles, particularly in smaller rooms, which made it difficult to fit the required ductwork within the available ceiling space.