Design of air distribution systems for historic buildings.

Number: pap. DEC-04

Author(s) : STEFANUTTI L., BEDENDO B.

Summary

In the past 20 years the design of air distribution systems has seen a growing interest from consulting engineers, manufacturers and end users. Along with comfort conditions and energy efficiency, issues like IAQ, noise and aesthetical impact have become a must, especially in case of refurbishment projects for historic buildings. The design of air distribution requires a peculiar know-how when it is necessary to interact with restrictions of any kind. Such challenges have been the driving force for manufacturers to develop innovative solutions. Consulting engineers have now a broad range of options, suitable for the different kind of application, from mixing to displacement ventilation, from ceiling or wall high induction and VAV diffusers to Under Floor Air Distribution systems (UFAD). For each strategy, design issues such as ventilation efficiency, supply air temperature, cold draft and stratification have to be carefully analysed. The erroneous or superficial choice of the diffuser could affect the optimal design of the rest of the system.
The paper presents some relevant case studies of projects developed in the last 20 years for historic buildings. For each project the design constraints are described as well the solutions and the lessons learned. Special attention is dedicated to the close
relationship with the interior design, which has a strong influence on the actual performance of the HVAC systems.

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Format PDF

Pages: 14 p.

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Details

  • Original title: Design of air distribution systems for historic buildings.
  • Record ID : 30012157
  • Languages: English
  • Source: 49th AiCARR International Conference. Historical and existing buildings: designing the retrofit. An overview from energy performances to indoor air quality.
  • Publication date: 2014/02

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