From the outset, the customer required the specialist knowledge and expertise of a hydronic balancing expert to ensure that a solution was provided that would work in the most energy efficient manner possible, without using excessive amounts of energy. Similarly, the system needed to be able to handle the cooling and heating requirements of such a large building without the need for regular maintenance.
Using TA Hydronics’ TBV-C, STAD, STAP, STAF, balancing and control product to provide and accurate and stable balance. Also introduced was TRANSFERO, PLENO-P, VENTO and COMPRESSO from the Pneumatex pressurisation, water make up and degassing range to create stable static pressures and reducing the air content in the water to prevent corrosion The building has been specially commissioned to ensure the comfort of staff throughout the heating and cooling season. With a total cooling capacity of 5MW and a heating capacity of 3MW the system, is able to adequately meet the needs of the building whilst using the energy as efficiently as possible.
Due to the installation of TA Hydronics’ specialist balancing valves, alongside additional energy reducing solutions, the overall energy usage of the building has been reduced by 65%.
With 2,600 employees and hundreds of daily visitors using the sprawling office space, two restaurants, extensive conference facilities and three large atrium courts, the interior comfort of the building was of optimum importance.
Graeme Waugh, National Technical Mangaer from TA Hydronics, commented: “Considering the scale of the building, measuring some 83,000sqm, we needed to ensure that we provided an HVAC solution that would service the needs of the building effectively and efficiently. As can often be the case with large buildings, poorly commissioned and unstable systems can mean that some areas of a building do not heat or cool with the desire effect.
“TA Hydronics were brought on board at an early stage in the project Our aim throughout the project was to apply integrated Hydronic expertise that would make sure the solution would deliver operational efficiency, minimise energy consumption and maintain an optimum indoor climate in the building, all whilst maintaining the correct system pressures across the building.
The method used to balance the system is critical, normal proportional balancing can be a non optimal process, better methodology needs to be applied to building of this nature to ensure an absolutely optimal balance. The compensated method or TA-Balance can provide this.
During the project, we supplied an ongoing level of both technical advice and support, particularly throughout the installation and commissioning stages, ensuring the entire system was balanced in accordance to the initial design. As such, the building was granted the Gold Prize LEED Green Building award in recognition of the greatly reduced energy consumption levels.”
Similarly, Jaromír Kačer, Engineer from ENVIROTECH, S.R.O said: “The aim of this project was to design a reliable and efficient heating and cooling network that at the same time operates in an environmental friendly way. Based on our long-term and close cooperation and proven quality record, TA Hydronics was the obvious choice ensuring that we successfully reached project targets.”
By employing a systemic approach to the Hydronic balancing of this system, a consistent, design temperature can be maintained throughout the building ensuring the comfort of those inside the building, meaning subsequent energy costs can be kept to a minimum as the system is fully controllable.
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