"Wisdom begins in wonder" – Socrates
LEED for Cities
01/29/25
“How can we certify cities that achieve high sustainability?”
Buildings that achieve high sustainability can apply for LEED certification. But can cities do the same? Well, cities (or any place with a governmental jurisdiction such as a county or town) can evaluate themselves using LEED for Cities. LEED for cities uses criteria ranging from energy and greenhouse gas emissions to water efficiency to quality of life to quantify a city’s sustainability.
HVAC Supply Subloop
01/28/25
“How can we model the energy supply sections of an HVAC system?”
HVAC systems typically use energy to produce heat. There are components of an HVAC system where energy is supplied, such as chillers or heating coils. We can model these as part of the HVAC Supply Subloop in an HVAC loop system.
HVAC Demand Subloop
01/27/25
“How can we model the energy-extraction sections of an HVAC system?”
HVAC systems typically use energy to produce heat. There are components of an HVAC system where energy is extracted, such as radiators, under-floor heating, and fan-coil heating units. We can model these as part of the HVAC Demand Subloop in an HVAC loop system.
HVAC Loops
01/26/25
“How can we model how distribution works in HVAC?”
HVAC systems distribute heat throughout buildings. This is usually modeled through HVAC Loops to show how heat is cycled through.
Single-Pipe District Loops
01/25/25
“How can we use a single pipe for a thermal energy distribution system?”
Geothermal thermal energy networks are a marvel to behold. Their ability to provide carbon-free heating to many buildings makes them a valuable tool in the energy transition. One setup they use is Single-Pipe District Loops. This involves using one pipe to move a heating fluid from building to building. These designs are affordable and can be useful in many different situations.
Image credit: cdnassets.hw.net
Hydronics
01/24/25
“How can we heat and cool buildings using water?”
Heat transfer can happen between all types of substances. Hydronics uses liquid or gaseous water (or a water-based solution) to cool and/or heat buildings. These setups come in several different forms classified by flow generation, temperature, pressurization, piping arrangement, and pumping arrangement.
Exhaust Manifolds
01/23/25
“How do cars collect all of their emissions in one place?”
Cars burn in engine cylinders. To make sure they’re effectively transported to the exhaust system, special manifolds called Exhaust Manifolds collect them from their emission sources and funnel them into a single pipe to the next stage of the exhaust system.
Reversing Valves
01/22/25
“How do heat pumps change the direction of refrigerant flow?”
One of the best features of heat pumps is their ability to switch from operating as a cooler to operating as a heater and vice versa. But what makes this happen? Well, heat pumps have a component called a Reversing Valve. This piece of machinery allows for direction change in refrigerant flow. Reversing valves are a vital part of heat pump machinery, and should serve as an inspiration to engineers all over the world.
Borehole Thermal Energy Storage
01/19/25
“How can we use the Earth for seasonal thermal energy storage?”
Thermal energy can be difficult to store. No matter how you shield it, heat transfer will take place. This can make operating a highly efficient full-year heat pump thermal energy network system more difficult. But what if we were to run used cooling water in the Summer to heat a piece of Earth, and then draw upon that heat for the winter time? This is the base idea for Borehole Thermal Energy Storage. This technology can revolutionize the building heating sector.
Image credit: http://www.underground-energy.com
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