Achieving Sustainability When Using Central HVAC and VAV Systems for a Building - Essay Example

The paper "Achieving Sustainability When Using Central HVAC and VAV Systems for a Building" is an outstanding example of an essay on engineering and construction. The fundamental importance of central HVAC andVAV in a building cannot be overemphasized. The assumption is that heat, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) are straight forward when it comes to constructing a building that meets the relevant requirement. Achieving sustainability is of the essence when using HVAC in a building. To achieve sustainability it necessary to employ a high-performance HVAC with integrated building design. The integration of the two components ensures a reduction in the cost of energy. It is, therefore, important to select an HVAC that is capable of minimizing the consumption of energy. An energy-efficient design integrated with a high-performance HVAC ensures sustainability in a building by saving on the cost of energy (Kaabouch & Hu 2012, P.165).

Variable air volume (VAV) is a fundamental component required for building just like the HVAC. Achieving sustainability is critical while employing VAV in a building. Most of the VAV used in the building has a single minimum control strategy that is employed in construction. However, single minimum control strategies do not ensure sustainability in buildings. The single minimum strategy does not ensure sustainability in the sense that when it reaches the setpoint, it does not cool or heat effectively making the VAV flow of air higher than the specified limits. To ensure sustainability, it is important to employ a dual maximum strategy (Appleby 2012, p. 313). This strategy ensures that as VAV gets to the heating mode, it is broken down into two spheres. The approach ensures that airflow and reheating are significantly controlled effectively leading to a reduction in energy loss (Appleby 2012, p. 313).  Read More