{"id":7143,"date":"2020-07-15T18:16:20","date_gmt":"2020-07-15T18:16:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/impacteng.ca\/?p=7143"},"modified":"2020-07-15T18:17:33","modified_gmt":"2020-07-15T18:17:33","slug":"the-decarbonization-of-building-ventilation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/impacteng.ca\/news\/the-decarbonization-of-building-ventilation\/","title":{"rendered":"The Decarbonization of Building Ventilation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Installation of heat pump ventilation units can greatly reduce building’s carbon emissions<\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Air source heat pump ventilation units are ideally suited to the Vancouver climate<\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
It is important to validate existing electrical and structural capacities<\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Incentive funding from CleanBC will support your business case<\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Electrification of Ventilation Systems<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The provision of ventilation air for buildings, using rooftop and makeup air units, forms a significant portion of overall building energy demand and carbon emissions. This is particularly true when older, less efficient equipment is involved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Multi-unit residential buildings (MURBs) for example typically incorporate natural gas fired make-up air (MUA) units to provide corridor pressurization & ventilation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We often find that these makeup air units are low cost models, which deliver constant air volume at a constant supply air temperature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Is there a better way of providing building ventilation, that results in reduced energy consumption and carbon emissions?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Advancements with Heat Pump Technology<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
New generation air source heat pump ventilation systems, including rooftop units (RTU) and makeup air units (MUA), offer a highly efficient method of heating ventilation air, while eliminating carbon emissions from burning natural gas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Standard efficiency natural gas heated ventilation units typically operate with a combustion efficiency of less than 80% (factoring in degradation over time).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Heat pump ventilation units can provide effective heating of ventilation air for most of the year in Vancouver. Units with a coefficient of performance (COP) of around 3.5 are typical.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Our experience has shown that heat pump MUAs typically require auxiliary heating for the fraction of the year when outdoor air temperatures are at or below freezing (typically 5% of the time in our climate). Redundancy is typically provided in the form of electric resistance or natural gas heating backup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Due to the \u201cplug and play\u201d replacement technology options, ventilation systems are commonly regarded as one of the easiest mechanical system to electrify from both a technical and financial standpoint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Operational Improvements<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Compared to conventional natural gas units, heat pump MUAs offer several benefits beyond reduced GHG emissions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Improved energy efficiency and reduced operating costs<\/strong><\/li>
Option to provide cooling is especially valuable with rising temperatures<\/strong><\/li>
Enhanced control and higher precision of heating\/cooling for improved comfort<\/strong><\/li>
Wider range of compatible airflow rates for future adjustability and resiliency<\/strong><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Design Considerations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The following should be considered as part of the design process when specifying heat pump ventilation units:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Electrical – <\/strong>Does your building have sufficient electrical capacity available to support the additional load? Fortunately, we have found that most buildings can.<\/li>
Structural – <\/strong>Heat pump MUAs are typically heavier than their simple gas only counterparts. Therefore, structural upgrades and associated permitting may be required.<\/li>
Sound & vibration – <\/strong>Heat pumps incorporate compressors that are constantly responding to heating\/cooling demand. Adequate vibration isolation should be included by the manufacturer and in design.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n