Building Energy Storage, Humidity Control Top Technical Draws from Winter Conference
From eSociety, January 2019
ASHRAE members from around the world traveled to the 2019 ASHRAE Winter Conference to hear the latest technical information on topics from humidity control to building energy storage.
The 2019 ASHRAE Winter Conference took over downtown Atlanta last week as more than 2,700 registered to attend the conference.
The Winter Conference technical program and ASHRAE Learning Institute courses offered information on best practices and industry trends.
The technical program featured tracks on systems and equipment; the convergence of comfort, indoor air quality and energy efficiency and common system issues and misapplications. The ASHRAE Learning Institute offered 20 courses on topics from the design and application of variable refrigerant flow systems to the latest information on high-performance dedicated outdoor air systems.
The highest overall attended technical program sessions were:
1. Building Energy Storage: The Future of the Smart Grid
This seminar discussed the integration of energy storage within buildings in order to maximize the benefit of renewables for both the grid and building owners.
2. Low GWP Refrigerants: Components and System Designs
This seminar focused on low-GWP refrigerants and the methodology of adopting them in system design. The performances of a variety of lower GWP alternatives at various temperatures and the design method of compressors were presented.
3. The Best of Engineer's Notebook 3rd Edition
ASHRAE Journal’s "Engineer's Notebook" series authors chose one of their favorite columns to discuss during the presentation.
Before the conference, the authors discussed the significance of their chosen topics.
The ASHRAE Learning Institute with the highest number of registrants were:
1. Humidity Control I: Design Tips and Traps
In commercial buildings, excess humidity and moisture promote mold, mildew and uncomfortable conditions for occupants.
This course, based on ASHRAE's Humidity Control Design Guide for Commercial and Institutional Buildings and on the ASHRAE Guide for Buildings in Hot & Humid Climates, helped the designer achieve true control of humidity, rather than just its moderation. The course covered how to understand and easily estimate the major humidity loads that must govern the design of the system and decisions about equipment size and configuration.
2. Humidity Control II: Real-World Problems and Solutions
Based on ASHRAE's best-selling Humidity Control Design Guide for Commercial and Institutional Buildings, this course included an in-depth discussion of moisture load calculations and how humidity control can be added to HVAC designs for seven different types of commercial buildings. The course covered the effects of different humidity levels on thermal comfort, corrosion, mold growth and airborne microorganisms.
3. Variable Refrigerant Flow System: Design & Application
Variable refrigerant flow (VRF) systems are now being applied in many building types across North America.
This course provided non-manufacturer-specific concepts of how to apply VRF systems to buildings. The course supplements the fundamental technology presented in the 2016 ASHRAE Handbook—HVAC Systems and Equipment, offering consulting engineers who already have a basic knowledge of VRF technology comprehensive system design and application guidance using building-specific scenarios.