HVAC System Recommendations

When viewing the model in the beginning, I noticed that each level was roughly 12’ in height. To account for this as well as aesthetic purposes of design, I wanted to make sure that the ducts did not go into the space too much from the ceiling, while also making sure that there was enough space in between the ceiling and floor above to include these pieces. The structural beams sat at 10’ 6 205/256”, or about 1/2 a foot below the floor. and I accounted for roughly half an inch of space in between the ducts and beams, making the placement of the ducts and air terminals at roughly 10’.

Screenshots of Interior View of Merged model from Model Coordination:

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Screenshot of the Space Schedule:

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Discussion:

  • Challenges:
    • The main challenges were trying to coordinate the structural model with the mechanical model. There were several instances in which a beam and a duct were clashing, and I had to try to fix it. Another challenge was regarding the height placement of the mechanical work in order to make sure that the spatial design goals were still being met. I originally placed the ducts and terminals at 11’, because I forgot to account for the structural beams. I then moved it to 10’6”, but realized I needed a little more space due to some clashes. I then added an extra half foot of space, equating to a placement of 10’ above the level, or 1’6” below the ceiling.
  • Meeting Project’s Spatial Design Goals:
    • Overall, I believe the design met the project’s spatial design goals. Based on the needed airflow of each space, the design at hand ensures proper ventilation of each space and even in relevance to each other. The only thing that I would improve is regarding the height of the ceiling. Because the designer wanted 10 foot ceilings, the duct work did take roughly 12 inches from that floor-to-floor height. In order to fix this, I would need to make the levels higher in height by roughly a foot.
  • Recommendations:
    • In order to make the design more sustainable, I would recommend adding overhangs to the windows to lessen the direct solar heat gain through the curtain walls. A great design aspect that could be added as well would be a trombe wall on the lower level of the building. This acts as a thermal mass that would absorb heat and disperse it throughout the day. A water wall would also work for this reason and in my opinion, would be more aesthetically pleasing. Additionally, trying to limit the amount of windows on the east and west sides during the hottest months of summer where the peak cooling load is at its highest.