EBCx Workshop Series 17

Existing Building Commissioning Workshop Series 17 Materials

As indicated on the main page, the true source for the materials for the existing building commissioning class workshop is the FTP site Ryan maintains. If you need information regarding how to access it, you should contact him via e-mail at R2S2@pge.com. It would be desirable to include the words "EBCx Workshop Series Materials FTP Site Access" in the subject line to catch his attention.

The materials below are the materials I provide for the portions of the workshop that I teach. I am going to keep placing them here so that you can access them before class if you want and also to make it easy for Ryan to pull them back for the FTP site.

Note that most of the time, I include a "READ ME" file in the zip file with the materials and resources that describes what each of the files is about.

June 24, 2021

The files below are the files I will be using in class today.

LECTURE

scoping_and_findings_list_v5.pptx
File Size:	61962 kb
File Type:	pptx

SCAVENGER HUNT

scavenger_hunt_-_ho_v2.pptx
File Size:	21362 kb
File Type:	pptx

cw_system_v11_suv8_ncv.skp
File Size:	10188 kb
File Type:	skp

cooling_towers_v9_suv8.skp
File Size:	33524 kb
File Type:	skp

mechanical_space_v2_suv8.skp
File Size:	43858 kb
File Type:	skp

le_conte_annex_ahu_suv8_v11_ncg.skp
File Size:	161838 kb
File Type:	skp

FOLLOW UP

I will be placing any follow up information here with a week after the class.

.This is the average daily consumption analysis tool that is no longer available online because the California Commissioning Collaborative's website no longer exists. You will find a paper titled Using Utility Bills and Average Daily Energy Consumption to Target Commissioning Efforts and Track Building Performance on the Materials from Classes and Presentations ICEBO page if the website that describes the concepts behind the tool

ucatool_v1.0.xls
File Size:	368 kb
File Type:	xls

For those who want a little SketchUp familiarization tutorial, we are offering two informal 30 minute web training sessions. Here are the links to them:

Wednesday, June 30, 2021 at 6:00 PM Pacific Time - Click here to join the meeting
Thursday, July 1, 2021 at 12:00 Noon - Click here to join the meeting

There are also recordings from the sessions last year that you could review on the SketchUp Resources page at this location:

https://www.av8rdas.com/sketchup-resources.html#Webinar

I mentioned in class that the folks at CERL had shared a "cheat sheet" they made to guide folks to common EBCx opportunities when they were scoping a project and they have generously shared it with us. I have put that on a new Scoping Resources page I created on the website that also includes a couple of other resources that may be helpful for you as you benchmark your facilities, do the average daily consumption analysis, and start your scoping process.

In the course of our discussions, we talked about Triple Duty Valves (TDV) several times. The image to the left below shows how you go about reading one. The images in the center and to the right show what one looks like inside. Note how there is only one valve seat, meaning that when it wears out, unless there is another isolation valve upstream of the TDV, you will need to schedule a system outage to make the repair.

We also looked at a (very scary looking" pressure-enthalpy diagram (ph diagram) and I mentioned a resource that would make it much less scary. That resource is the file below.

p-h_diagram.pdf
File Size:	272 kb
File Type:	pdf

Finally, our outreach seems to be spreading and we now find ourselves with students from different countries; countries where the engineering units are the SI system instead of the British system we are accustomed to. Ryan and I are thinking about how to address that, but as a starting point, I wanted to point out that Excel has a function called CONVERT. I think you can take a formula and put it inside the CONVERT function and it will change the units. The trick is remembering the units codes. This link explains it a bit.

https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/excel/functions/excel-convert-units-function/

I plan to experiment with it a bit and we will include some sort of demonstration as a part of our next class.

September 9, 2021

The files below are the files I will be using in class today.

LECTURE

These are the lecture materials for today.

introduction_to_system_diagrams__v2.pptx
File Size:	41797 kb
File Type:	pptx

variable_flow_plant_discussion_v6.pptx
File Size:	2402 kb
File Type:	pptx

LAB

plant_v41_suv8.skp
File Size:	195397 kb
File Type:	skp

chw_system_v41_suv8.skp
File Size:	22206 kb
File Type:	skp

ballroom_ahu_fly_through_v23_suv8.skp
File Size:	66073 kb
File Type:	skp

plant_v41_components.zip
File Size:	90800 kb
File Type:	zip

October 10, 2021

The files below are the files I will be using in class today. Both of my sessions will be more lab like than lecture like today.

MONITORING PLAN SESSION

These are the lecture materials for today.

00_-_monitoring_plans_v1.pptx
File Size:	11272 kb
File Type:	pptx

02_-_monitoring_plan_break_out_materials.zip
File Size:	3294 kb
File Type:	zip

01_-_monitoring_plans_example_materials.zip
File Size:	124787 kb
File Type:	zip

03_-_monitoring_plan_discussion_materials.zip
File Size:	25628 kb
File Type:	zip

LOGIC DIAGRAMS SESSION

00_-_logic_and_narrative_sequences_v1.pptx
File Size:	7778 kb
File Type:	pptx

logic_diagram_tool_v9.xlsm
File Size:	1656 kb
File Type:	xlsm

light_switch_v2.pptx
File Size:	269 kb
File Type:	pptx

logic_diagram_symbols_v11.pptx
File Size:	1793 kb
File Type:	pptx

point_naming_convention_example.xlsx
File Size:	247 kb
File Type:	xlsx

FOLLOW UP

The files below are files I promised to provide after the class. Note that the description of the logic homework assignment is in the light_switch_v3.pptx file.

class_example.xlsm
File Size:	1674 kb
File Type:	xlsm

light_switch_v3.pptx
File Size:	289 kb
File Type:	pptx

The subject of aliasing came up when we were discussing sampling time for the data logging. If you want to know more about that, you may find the blog post titles Aliasing and Other Factors Affecting the Accuracy of Field Data to be helpful. It also will give you some additional insights into things you should be considering as you develop your monitoring plan and start collecting trend data.

We also briefly looked at how water is distributed in a cooling tower that uses a gravity type distribution strategy. You will find information about that in the blog post titled Cooling Tower Flow Distribution and Variable Flow in Condenser Water Systems. This link will take you directly to that part of the article.

Ryan pointed out how the shift in the data cloud he was using in his demonstration could be attributed to the economizers in the facility started using chilled water. The article I just wrote for the ASHRAE Journal is all about that and illustrates how you can figure out what the perfect cloud would look like and then identify issues and even assign a value to them based one the shape of the cloud relative to perfection and the engineering units associated with the data.

There is a copy of the article posted on the ASHRAE Journal Engineers Notebook page of the site along with some supporting information. You will also find a number of blog posts with informal videos imbedded in them that illustrate some of the techniques Ryan was showing, including how to use VLOOKUP in this string of blog posts.

Finally, I am hoping to record the three videos I mentioned (Control System Building Blocks, Introduction to Logic Diagrams and Narrative Sequences, and How to Retrieve Weather Data) in the next week or two. I will post a link here when I do that. But meanwhile, you will find a pretty detailed description of the process in the blog post titled Hourly Weather Data Website Update. You may also find some of the posts that will come up if you pick Weather and Climate Interactions with Buildings and Systems from the Category drop down.

November 4, 2021

The files below are the files I will be using in class today. Both of my sessions will be more lab like than lecture like today.

INTRODUCTION TO FUNCTIONAL TESTING

introduction_to_functional_testing_v8_short_form.pptx
File Size:	98264 kb
File Type:	pptx

2021-11-04_ft_resources.zip
File Size:	4955 kb
File Type:	zip

1510_6g_1150_rpm_basic_curve_v8.xlsx
File Size:	1057 kb
File Type:	xlsx

PUMP FUNCTIONAL TEST

I have just discovered that SketchUp 2021 has some sort of file management algorithm that appears to make file sizes for large models significantly smaller, like 40-50%. So, I want to strongly encourage you to follow this link and download the free SketchUp 2021 Viewer and use that for working with the models in class.

I will still back-save models to SketchUp version 8 for those who can not use the Viewers because they do not have 64 bit machines. But I will also start including copies of the files in the 2021 format for those who can use the 2021 Viewer because they should be faster and smoother to work with.

The file on the left below is the SketchUp Version 8 file. The file on the right is the SketchUp version 2021 file.

2021-11-04_pec_pump_test_plant_v44_suv8.zip
File Size:	129045 kb
File Type:	zip

2021-11-04_pec_pump_test_plant_v44.skp
File Size:	159165 kb
File Type:	skp

COOLING TOWER LEVEL CONTROL LOGIC

cooling_towers_and_control_logic_-_exercse_v1_-_no_scoping.pptx
File Size:	4806 kb
File Type:	pptx

mechanical_space_v2_suv8.skp
File Size:	43858 kb
File Type:	skp

cooling_towers_v9_suv8.skp
File Size:	33524 kb
File Type:	skp

COOLING TOWER HOT BASIN FLOW MANAGEMENT

This is a "time permitting" session, so if we don't get to it, we will roll it over to a subsequent session. In the session, we will be interactively viewing this video. The benefit of viewing the video at the link vs. watching me play it is that you will get the "full meal deal" with the sounds from the top of the cooling tower. There is also a table of contents feature that lets you jump around in it if you want. If you download the video, you will get the raw MP4 file with sound, but none of other features. The file to the right contains other resources we will reference when we do this module.

resources.zip
File Size:	150165 kb
File Type:	zip

FOLLOW UP

Follow up information will be placed here with-in a week or less of the class date.

November 5, 2021

The files below are the files I will be using in class today. Both of my sessions will be more lab like than lecture like today.

FOLLOW UP DISCUSSION FROM YESTERDAY

I will be using the files below for a follow up discussion regarding the pump test exercise from yesterday.

bell_and_gossett_6__g_submittal.pdf
File Size:	1277 kb
File Type:	pdf

trerice_800b.pdf
File Size:	846 kb
File Type:	pdf

pump_test_v2.xlsx
File Size:	845 kb
File Type:	xlsx

PHOTOS FROM THE FIELD

These are the files to support the photos from the field session. Note that I will use my Poll Everywhere account (different from Ryan's) so you should get set up for that as described in the Connecting to Poll Everywhere slides.

field_trip_findings__no_video_v4.pptx
File Size:	100437 kb
File Type:	pptx

connecting_to_poll_everywhere_v4.pptx
File Size:	2089 kb
File Type:	pptx

APPLIED SYSTEM DIAGRAMS

For this session, in addition to the files below, you will need the model of the plant that we used yesterday (2021-11-04_pec_pump_test_plant_v44.skp or 2021-11-04_pec_pump_test_plant_v44_suv8.zip) and the model of the Ball Room AHU that we used in the September 9th session (ballroom_ahu_fly_through_v23_suv8.skp).

applied_system_diagrams_v1.pptx
File Size:	7650 kb
File Type:	pptx

chw_system_v4_suv8.skp
File Size:	22211 kb
File Type:	skp

FOLLOW UP

Follow up information will be placed here with-in a week or less of the class date.

December 9, 2021

SKETCHUP
We will continue to use SketchUp for all of the exercises in class today, so be sure to have that ready to go.

I want to reiterate that with version 2021, SketchUp has done some work that makes file sizes much smaller. So I have started posting the models in both version 2021 format and version 8 format (the latter have the letters SUv8 appended to the file name). If at all possible, I suggest that you use the SketchUp 2021 viewer so you can work with the smaller file size models as I believe they will be faster and easier to navigate in.

If you happen to have the professional version of SketchUp 2021, that will work also. But the free version, that will not work with some of the models because it runs as a web application and some of the models are too large to upload.

I have also been able to open most of the models in the relatively new SketchUp mobile applications for iPad and Android, but have also found it to be "buggy" with some of the larger ones, at least on my iPad Pro. So, while it is very smooth when it works, I suggest that you not use it - or at least not count on it (i.e. have the viewer or some version of SketchUp on a laptop that you can use) until some of the buts are resolved.

APPLIED SYSTEM DIAGRAMS

I will be continuing the applied system diagrams exercise. So you will want to make sure that you have the following items from the previous session available.

The applied_system_diagrams_v1.pptx and chw_system_v4_suv8.skp file from the November 5, 2021 session.
The model of the Hijend Hotel central chilled water plant that we used in the November 4th and 5th, 2021 sessions (2021-11-04_pec_pump_test_plant_v44.skp or 2021-11-04_pec_pump_test_plant_v44_suv8.zip). Note that the first file is the SketchUp 2021 version and because of improvements made to the way SketchUp handles files in the 2021 version
One of the Ball Room AHU models below, which we will also use for the lab session. Note that there are some improvements to these versions of the Ball Room AHU model relative to the one we worked with previously. So please be sure to download these versions to work with.

LAB
The files below will be used to support the lab session.

ahu_ft_lab_economizer_materials.zip
File Size:	19592 kb
File Type:	zip

rules_of_thumb.zip
File Size:	12151 kb
File Type:	zip

hvac_relationships.zip
File Size:	100 kb
File Type:	zip

ballroom_ahu_v24_-_ahu_ft.skp
File Size:	26998 kb
File Type:	skp

ballroom_ahu_v24_-_ahu_ft_suv8.skp
File Size:	64427 kb
File Type:	skp

FOLLOW UP
Here is the follow up information I said I would provide. For these first few items, I believe the file names are self-explanitory

affinity_laws_with_details.pptx
File Size:	15089 kb
File Type:	pptx

damper_scurves_sizing_schedule_v4.xlsx
File Size:	202 kb
File Type:	xlsx

boiler_purge_cycle_blog_posts.pptx
File Size:	3351 kb
File Type:	pptx

The Engineer's Notebook article that I mentioned that discusses a technique for assessing chiller plant load profile data relative to perfection is here.
I also mentioned a number of resources regarding economizer assessment and related functional tests. You will find a number of resources related to economizer performance and stratification on this page. The economizer evaluation checklist that I mentioned is here, and the Functional Testing Guide, which includes a number of economizer tests, is here.

January 13, 2022

SKETCHUP
We will continue to use SketchUp for all of the exercises in class today, so be sure to have that ready to go. You may want to review my comments about SketchUp from the last session.

That said, some of you have been having issues with SketchUp. So Ryan has dedicated a small spot in the agenda to discuss things you can do to try to understand the issue. The slides below are the ones I will be using to share some resources in this regard.

sketchup_troubleshooting_v1.pptx
File Size:	572 kb
File Type:	pptx

Meanwhile, we will try to include "Plan B" options like screen shots or videos in the class materials where possible to provide an alternate way for you to perform the exercises if you have SketchUp issues. But by far, the best experience for sessions where we are leveraging the models will be to use them via a working version of Sketchup.

AHU FUNCTIONAL TEST AND FIELD ASSESSMENT TECHNIQUES

I will be continuing the lab session we started last time on air handling system field assessment and functional testing techniques. So you will want to be sure you have the resources from the December lab session available to you.

COOLING TOWER/CONDENSER WATER RESET STRATEGIES
The files below will be used to support this session, which will also overlap into tomorrow.

cooling_tower_optimization_v2.pptx
File Size:	129994 kb
File Type:	pptx

2022-01-13_supporting_information.zip
File Size:	431 kb
File Type:	zip

We will also be using the Cooling Tower Level Control Logic files from the November 4, 2021 session for some of this discussion today and tomorrow. So you will want to have them available to you for reference.

Finally, there are several points in the presentation where I reference slides that are available from the Design, Performance and Commissioning issues classes on Pumps and Piping and Chilled Water and Condenser Water Systems.

FOLLOW UP

The files below are items that came up during class or after I posted the materials for today

cooling_tower_approach_temperature.wmf
File Size:	6 kb
File Type:	wmf

cooling_tower_range.wmf
File Size:	10 kb
File Type:	wmf

cooling_tower_efficiency_-_ashrae.wmf
File Size:	13 kb
File Type:	wmf

cooling_tower_ton.wmf
File Size:	5 kb
File Type:	wmf

Here are the new system diagramming resources that I mentioned in class.

January 14, 2022

UPDATED CONDENSER WATER SYSTEM OPTIMIZATION SLIDES

i made a few tweaks to the slide set we were working with yesterday and will continue using today. Please download the file below, which contains the changes.

cooling_tower_optimization_v4.pptx
File Size:	96250 kb
File Type:	pptx

FOLLOW UP

The following items are things that came up during the class that I said I would provide subsequently.

cooling_tower_efficiency_-_range_and_approach_basis.wmf
File Size:	12 kb
File Type:	wmf

February 10, 2022

AHU FUNCTIONAL TEST AND FIELD ASSESSMENT TECHNIQUES

We will conclude the lab session we started last time on air handling system field assessment and functional testing techniques. So you will want to be sure you have the resources from the December lab session available to you.

We will also be working with the cooling tower level control materials from the November 4, 2021 session so be sure to have those materials available.

NEW CLASS MATERIALS

Here are the materials for todays class.

cooling_tower_optimization_mystery_v1.pptx
File Size:	13677 kb
File Type:	pptx

Hijend Images.zip
File Size:	82147 kb
File Type:	zip

cw_system_diagram_sketch_first_draft_v2.pdf
File Size:	397 kb
File Type:	pdf

cooling_tower_level_control_logic_exercise_v2.pptx
File Size:	1647 kb
File Type:	pptx

warrick_circuit_exercise_erector_set_v4.pptx
File Size:	1020 kb
File Type:	pptx

level_control_exercise_images.zip
File Size:	6542 kb
File Type:	zip

04_-_whats_that_thing.zip
File Size:	33811 kb
File Type:	zip

HIJEND HOTEL MODELS
We will continue to use SketchUp for all of the exercises in class today, so be sure to have that ready to go. You may want to review my comments about SketchUp from the December session.

plant_v44r2.skp
File Size:	162670 kb
File Type:	skp

plant_v41_suv8.zip
File Size:	117782 kb
File Type:	zip

ballroom_ahu_v24r2.skp
File Size:	35364 kb
File Type:	skp

cooling_towers_v11.skp
File Size:	52568 kb
File Type:	skp

cooling_towers_v11_suv8.zip
File Size:	20773 kb
File Type:	zip

ballroom_ahu_v24r2_suv8.skp
File Size:	80643 kb
File Type:	skp

March 10, 2022

The materials below will be used in class today.

economizer_logic_lab_v3.pptx
File Size:	20343 kb
File Type:	pptx

m-02_-_equipment_schedule_v8.pdf
File Size:	1527 kb
File Type:	pdf

hijend_hotel_ball_room_ahu_discharge_air_control_logic.xlsm
File Size:	108 kb
File Type:	xlsm

You will also need some of the materials from the previous session as well as your psych chart, so please have those items handy.

April 14, 2022

These are the materials I will be using in class today. The SketchUp file is optional; I will be using it interactively with you, but I am providing it if you wanted to follow along on your own.

introduction_to_pid_v1.pptx
File Size:	4154 kb
File Type:	pptx

2022-04-14_lab_materials.zip
File Size:	5537 kb
File Type:	zip

2022-04-14_pump_optimization_v7.pptx
File Size:	2789 kb
File Type:	pptx

plant_v44r2_pump_test.skp
File Size:	152102 kb
File Type:	skp

2022-04-14_scopes_of_work_v5.pptx
File Size:	1761 kb
File Type:	pptx

plant_v44r2_pump_test1_suv8.zip
File Size:	123572 kb
File Type:	zip

Depending on how things go, we may also finally get to the cooling tower logic exercise. Those materials were uploaded for the February 10, 2022 class, so you should have those handy in case we get to them.

May 5, 2022

The plan is to do the pump optimization assessment lab that we did not have time for last month, so you should have the materials from the last session available. Time permitting, we will also do a "What's that thing? session using the files below.

01_-_whats_that_thing.zip
File Size:	21187 kb
File Type:	zip