Buildings are one of the largest energy end use sectors in countries around the globe. Concerns for the availability of energy supplies and the impact of energy use on the environment are driving a worldwide focus on energy end use reduction. In this push for dramatic changes in the energy use intensity of the building sector, it is essential that the fundamental importance of indoor environmental quality, particularly indoor air quality, not be lost. This presentation addresses: 1) the significance of indoor air quality in terms of its impact on health and productivity and associated costs; 2) the inseparable linkage between indoor air quality and building energy demands, including examples of efficient technologies for maintaining good indoor air quality; and 3) the need for an approach to building research, design, and operation that recognizes this connection.

Germicidal radiation produced by low pressure mercury vapor lamps and other sources is seeing increasing application both for air disinfection and for control of biological growth on surface.  This presentation provides an overview of the fundamentals of ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) including principles of operation, component characteristics, system types, applications, and published evidence of effectiveness.

Variable primary flow is being adopted in chilled water system design with increasing frequency as a lower cost, more efficient alternative to primary/secondary design that is not as susceptible to low delta T syndrome.  Subtopics include a review of variable primary flow and primary/secondary system types; causes and effects of low delta T syndrome and potential remedies; design considerations for variable primary flow, and, comparisons of variable primary flow and primary/secondary flow taken from case study and research literature.

Concern regarding the risk of airborne infectious disease transmission indoors is increasing. HVAC designers and building operators need to understand how infectious diseases are transmitted, how HVAC system characteristics affect probability of infection, and what HVAC-based infection risk mitigation measures are available. These topics are presented and discussed using a variety of ASHRAE resources including position documents, standards, and best practices guidance. Pertinent results from research on transmission and control are summarized. General recommendations for reducing risk are provided and key knowledge gaps are identified.

Interest in protection of building occupants from airborne chemical and biological agents was strongly stimulated by several terrorist incidents early in the 21st century. The discussion generated by these incidents brought to the forefront the concept of formal risk assessment for airborne hazards, which few building designers or owners undertake. Over time, the discussion of HVAC security has declined without significant changes having been made to either design requirements or procedures, yet the issue remains and is more important than is generally acknowledged, since accidental exposures have the potential to be just as harmful as intentional ones. This presentation provides an overview of the key issues relating to protection of building occupants from chemical and biological releases including: HVAC system and building characteristics that affect exposure, the spectrum of available countermeasures and their characteristics, risk assessment processes, and metrics for describing the level of risk and degree of improvement achieved by a risk reduction strategy.

During the 1980s and 1990s, cool thermal energy storage (TES) was a key technology in US utility demand-side management (DSM) programs.  Interest in TES declined steeply as incentives disappeared during utility deregulation.  Today, the focus of design has shifted from energy cost savings toward sustainability and it is reasonable to ask whether TES has anything to offer in this environment.  This presentation will review the essentials of cool thermal energy storage and examine its relevance to sustainable design.  Specific issues examined will include the impact of TES on site and source energy consumption, the economic case for TES without the incentives of the DSM era and the role of TES in achieving net zero energy buildings and communities.