school of forest resources building

SCHOOL OF FOREST SCHOOL OF FOREST RESOURCES BUILDINGRESOURCES BUILDING

Senior Thesis PresentationSenior Thesis Presentation

Penn State UniversityPenn State University

University Park, PAUniversity Park, PA

13 April 200513 April 2005

Brian Horn Senior Thesis Presentation

Construction Management 13 April 2005

Background

LEED Design

VAV Systems

VRML Models

Conclusion

PRESENTATION AGENDA

• Project Background

• LEED Certification for Laboratory

Buildings

• Variable Air Volume Systems for

Laboratories

• Immersive Virtual Modeling for MEP

Coordination

• Conclusions and Recommendations



Background

LEED Design

VAV Systems

VRML Models

Conclusion

PROJECT BACKGROUND

PROJECT OVERVIEW

•Size: 92,000 SF

•Laboratory Space: 28,000 SF

•Cost: $27,000,000

•Construction: August 2004 – December 2005

•Delivery Method: CM Agency

•CM Agency: Gilbane Building Company

•Designed as LEED Certified



Background

LEED Design

VAV Systems

VRML Models

Conclusion

PRESENTATION AGENDA



Buildings


Laboratories


Coordination




Background

LEED Design

VAV Systems

VRML Models

Conclusion

LEED CERTIFICATION FOR LABS

WHAT IS LEED?

•Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design

•Established by the US Green Building Council (USGBC)

•Voluntary, consensus based national standard for developing high performance,

sustainable buildings

• Four levelsCertified: 26-32 pointsSilver: 33-38 pointsGold: 39-51 pointsPlatinum: 52-69 points



Background

LEED Design

VAV Systems

VRML Models

Conclusion


BENEFITS OF LEED

•Decrease energy costs•Up to $6/SF for typical lab

•Decrease water consumption•Up to 1,000,000 gallons/year

•Reduced equipment size

•Improved indoor environmental quality

•20 – 26% improvement in learning / comprehension

•1.6 – 1.9% improvement in classroom attendance

•2 – 4% improvement in employee productivity



Background

LEED Design

VAV Systems

VRML Models

Conclusion


DIFFICULTIES FOR LABORATORY

BUILDINGS

•High demand for power and water

•Air quality requirements•100% outdoor air•Minimum air flow rates•Air changes per hour•Maintain negative room pressure



Background

LEED Design

VAV Systems

VRML Models

Conclusion

“LEED” - ING BY EXAMPLE

DONALD BREN HALL UC SANTA BARBARA

•First LEED Platinum certified laboratory building in the country

•Similar in size and scope to the Forest Resources building

•Keys to sustainability:

• Photovoltaic array on roof provides 10% of total electricity needed

• High efficiency variable air volume mechanical system

• Constructed from more than 40% recycled materials

• Water conservation and reclamation



Background

LEED Design

VAV Systems

VRML Models

Conclusion


THE COST OF GOING “GREEN”

•Bren Hall achieved Platinum certification for only 2% above construction costs



Background

LEED Design

VAV Systems

VRML Models

Conclusion


FOREST RESOURCES BUILDING

•Designed for LEED Certification

•Could easily achieve Silver or even Gold

certification

•Main areas of focus:

•Landscaping

•Water conservation

•Reduce total energy use



Background

LEED Design

VAV Systems

VRML Models

Conclusion

PRESENTATION AGENDA



Buildings


Laboratories


Coordination




Background

LEED Design

VAV Systems

VRML Models

Conclusion

VAV SYSTEMS FOR LABS

WHAT IS VAV?

•Variable Air Volume

•System varies the amount of air supplied to specific areas of the building based on demand

•Advantages•Reduced energy costs•Reduced equipment sizes

•Disadvantages•Higher initial cost•Higher maintenance costs•More sensors and control wiring needed



Background

LEED Design

VAV Systems

VRML Models

Conclusion


IS THERE A NEED FOR VAV SYSTEMS?

ENERGY USE FOR A TYPICAL LAB

Source: labs21.org



Background

LEED Design

VAV Systems

VRML Models

Conclusion


VAV FOR LABORATORIES

•Must maintain room pressure

•Laboratory fume hoods

•Minimum air flow

•Sash position sensors

•Maintain constant conditions for experiments

•Override switch



Background

LEED Design

VAV Systems

VRML Models

Conclusion


TYPICAL LABORATORY VAV ARRANGEMENT



Background

LEED Design

VAV Systems

VRML Models

Conclusion


IS A VAV SYSTEM COST EFFECTIVE?

•Typical constant volume system

$12 - $14 / SF of laboratory

•Typical VAV system

$15 - $17 / SF of laboratory

•VAV system alone can save up to $2 / SF per year on

energy costs

•Life cycle cost analysis shows VAV to be a better

economic investment over life of building



Background

LEED Design

VAV Systems

VRML Models

Conclusion

PRESENTATION AGENDA



Buildings


Laboratories


Coordination




Background

LEED Design

VAV Systems

VRML Models

Conclusion

IMMERSIVE VIRTUAL MODELING

MEP COORDINATION PROCESS•Traditionally done with 2D drawings

•Difficult to visualize elevations and layout of components



Background

LEED Design

VAV Systems

VRML Models

Conclusion


MEP COORDINATION USING VRML•3D model exported to Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML)

•Goal of immersive virtual model is to reduce time needed to detect collisions

•Save time and money during coordination and construction



Background

LEED Design

VAV Systems

VRML Models

Conclusion


INDUSTRY SURVEY•Nine professionals from the Forest Resources building

•Ranged from mechanical engineers to pipe fitters

Visualizing the layout and elevations of duct and piping is easier with the immersive virtual model than with traditional 2D drawings:

Strongly Disagree

Disagree Neutral AgreeStronglyAgree

5 4



Background

LEED Design

VAV Systems

VRML Models

Conclusion




Using an immersive virtual model could speed up the MEP coordination process:

Strongly Disagree


33 5 1



Background

LEED Design

VAV Systems

VRML Models

Conclusion




Using an immersive virtual model during the MEP coordination process could help avoid delays during construction:

Strongly Disagree


11 7 1



Background

LEED Design

VAV Systems

VRML Models

Conclusion


CONCERNS ON THE USE OF VRML•One of the biggest drawbacks is the additional time and money needed to create the immersive virtual model

•Hopefully, this money would be made up during construction by having no delays or change orders

•Having an environment available to view an immersive virtual model in stereo can be costly and space consuming

•Taking advantage of facilities such as this one could be beneficial



Background

LEED Design

VAV Systems

VRML Models

Conclusion

PRESENTATION AGENDA



Buildings


Laboratories


Coordination




Background

LEED Design

VAV Systems

VRML Models

Conclusion

CONCLUSION

•LEED Certification is a worthwhile and rewarding endeavor

•Main focus for Forest Resources building should be reduced energy use

•Using a VAV system can greatly reduce energy consumption

•Special attention should be given to laboratory requirements

•Visualizing MEP coordination drawings can be greatly enhanced by immersive virtual models

•Some barriers do exist that make the technology not quickly adopted into the construction industry

•Immersive virtual models can be an economically rewarding investment



Background

LEED Design

VAV Systems

VRML Models

Conclusion

QUESTIONS



Background

LEED Design

VAV Systems

VRML Models

Conclusion


LIFE CYCLE COST ANALYSIS

LC = IC + AC * ((1 + i)^n – 1) / (i * (1 + i)^n)

where:

LC = life cycle costIC = initial costAC = annual cost (energy + maintenance)i = interest raten = number of years



Background

LEED Design

VAV Systems

VRML Models

Conclusion


LIFE CYCLE COST ANALYSIS20 Year Period

Given economic factors:Interest rate = 8%Service Life = 20 years

Constant Volume systemInitial cost = $364,000Energy cost = $168,000 / yearMaintenance cost = $35,000 /

year

Variable Air Volume systemInitial cost = $448,000Energy cost = $112,000 / yearMaintenance cost = $38,000 /

year



Background

LEED Design

VAV Systems

VRML Models

Conclusion


LIFE CYCLE COST ANALYSIS

Constant Volume life cycle costLC = 364,000 + (35,000 + 168,000) * ((1 + 0.08)^20 –

1) / (0.08 * (1 + 0.08)^20)

LC = $2,357,000

Variable Air Volume life cycle costLC = 448,000 + (38,000 + 112,000) * ((1 + 0.08)^20 – 1) / (0.08 * (1 + 0.08)^20)

LC = $1,921,000

school of forest resources building

Documents

platinum certification

mep coordination conclusions

sustainable buildings

forest resources buildingkeys

high performance

greenbren hall

labsthe cost

national standard