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2023 Setty Family Foundation
Applied Engineering Challenge
Introduction
The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed our perceptions of our workplace. One on hand, with more companies allowing working remotely and flexible work schedules, a typical workplace consists not only offices with regular an 8am-5pm occupancy schedule, but also cafeteria, conference rooms, lobbies, lounges, coffee shops, and our own home with diversified occupancy schedules. On the other hand, for those offices with regular working hours, ventilation to improve IAQ and to mitigate spread of COVID-19 and other airborne diseases has become paramount. So, what if a smart sensor – a portable IAQ health meter – can inform us if your office has airborne contaminants and what toxic levels they are at? What if such a sensor can be integrated into building automation systems to control mechanical or natural ventilation to improve the IAQ in your office?
Scope
Design a portable IAQ health meter that will detect contaminants in a space and display the levels of different toxins to the user. The system should identify related IAQ issues and provide solutions and/or next steps to solve these problems.
The system shall consider multiple system variables, including space temperature, humidity, contaminant level (as outlined in ASHRAE 62.1 Table C), and outdoor condition.
The data that is gathered from the sensor could also benefit other users, so a way to share collected information should also be investigated.
Constraints
The health meter should have portable sensors so a user can bring it into any space with no difficulty. This portion should be no larger than a typical smartphone, but it can hook up to a docking station that is the size of a standard laptop.
Judging
This project is intended to challenge not only design and engineering skills, but also your ability to foresee and resolve building IAQ issues related to ventilation systems.
Projects shall be evaluated, at a minimum, according to the following criteria. For items not covered specifically below, judging will be based on the merits of the proposal and documentation presented as justifications. Teams are urged to use their creativity, but like most real life situations, the proposed solutions must adhere to industry approved engineering guidelines, utilize currently available technology, be financially feasible, and be deployable from concept through construction within a reasonable timeframe.
- Depth and breadth of solutions considered to related IAQ issues
- Creativity and innovation of the proposed solutions
- Quality of the reporting methods used for building occupants and operators
- Use of ASHRAE Standards and other related materials
Submission
Entries must be submitted electronically by June 8, 2023 by uploading the entry to the ASHRAE Society FTP site established for this purpose. Only teams who register will receive the FTP site information, so please register at least 30 days prior to this date to allow for processing. The submission must be limited to a 25-page maximum technical report. The document must be formatted to 8.5 x 11 inch paper with margins of 1 inch, a font size of 11 points using either Arial or Times New Roman, and a line spacing not less than the Microsoft Word standard of 1.15. All documents must be delivered in PDF format and should be clearly readable in black and white print.
Prizes
Awards will be presented to the winners at the 2024 ASHRAE Winter Meeting to be held in Chicago, Illinois, United States of America as follows:
- 1st place
- 2nd place
- 3rd place
- Rising Star
In conjunction with the 2024 ASHRAE Winter Meeting, members of the winning teams will be invited to meet with ASHRAE’s Executive Committee.
First Place: $5,000 prize plus the entire team will receive free transportation and two nights’ lodging for (capped at $5,000) to attend the 2024 ASHRAE Winter Meeting where the award will be presented at the ASHRAE Plenary. A 24 x 36 inch ARCH D, or ISO A1 poster is required for display at the ASHRAE Student Program.
Second Place: One representative from the team will receive free transportation, two nights' lodging at the 2024 ASHRAE Winter Meeting where the award will be presented at the ASHRAE Student Program. A 24 x 36 inch ARCH D, or ISO A1 poster is required for display at the ASHRAE Student Program.
Third Place: One representative from the team will receive free transportation, two nights’ lodging at the 2024 ASHRAE Winter Meeting where the award will be presented at the ASHRAE Student Program. A 24 x 36 inch ARCH D, or ISO A1 poster is required for display at the ASHRAE Student Program.
Rising Star: One representative from the team will receive free transportation and two nights lodging for attendance at the 2024 ASHRAE Winter Meeting where the award will be presented at the ASHRAE Student Program. A 24 x 36 inch ARCH D, or ISO A1 poster is required for display at the ASHRAE Student Program.
>> View the listing of past winners
Resources