On Air Summer / Fall Edition Available Now

The Summer / Fall edition of Titus’ On Air magazine is available now. Detailing information about Titus, our products and how we impact the HVAC industry, On Air provides useful content that can be utilized in current and future projects.

A leading focus within Titus for 2014/2015 is an emphasis on our innovative healthcare solutions, this issue of On Air examines HVAC requirements within healthcare spaces, with its article “Planning and Designing for Hybrid Operating Rooms.” The story addresses 2014 FGI Guidelines for Design and Construction of Hospitals and Outpatient Facilities as well as the challenges design teams face when planning these rooms.

Big changes are happening at Titus as well, and On Air discusses how we’re making an impact within the HVAC community with our new interactive resources. As an innovator and thought-leader within the HVAC community, Titus has focused on delivering technologically advanced products that provide the highest degree of comfort. With that, the 2014-2015 Titus Product Catalog is the next tool poised to lead our customers into a new era of air distribution. The interactive catalog is designed to be the best source of HVAC information and includes product descriptions and performance data of our complete product lines. In addition, with our company website recently being given a makeover, Titus has a new digital face. As the company changes and develops, the need for our website to reflect this growth became a reality. Launched this summer, our new website surpasses its predecessor with new and improved functionality, design and response time.

Titus’ mission is and always has been to exceed our customer’s expectations. We will continue to do so by offering updates on our current tools, information and solutions to industry trends and developments – all while striving to provide a more comfortable, safe and sustainable world. For more information about our healthcare solutions, interactive resources and additional On Air articles, please visit www.titus-hvac.com to request a copy or read the digital edition.

End Reflection Calculation and the New Titus Catalog

My new Titus Catalog

The new 2014-2015 Titus catalogs started shipping last week! It's a whole new look and has quite a few new products, but the biggest change may be in the terminal units discharge sound data.

On January 1, 2012, AHRI 880 started requiring that discharge sound power data for terminal units from all manufacturers be adjusted to include end reflection. Everyone in the industry has updated their catalog data when they printed their new catalog. This change is reflected in the new 2014-2015 Titus catalog.

End reflection is sound that is reflected back to the source from the discharge duct termination in the sound chamber. This sound cannot be measured, it can only be calculated. According to ASHRAE research, the end reflection loss can be calculated based on the dimensions of the discharge duct. This calculated end reflection loss (not to exceed 14 dB) must then be added to 1/3 octave band sound data in order to make the correction.

This change was made to correct the fact that room noise criteria (NC) ratings based on AHRI 885 include an end reflection deduction, when in fact the end reflection losses were never included. The end result is that catalog discharge sound levels (both sound power and NC) on all ducted terminal units increased even though the products have remained unchanged. The changes are most noticeable on units with smaller discharge ducts.

So as you look at terminal unit discharge data, be aware that the change in AHRI 880 has changed the sound numbers. If you are comparing catalog sound data from two different manufacturers, it is especially important that you make sure both catalogs have made the update (or both have not) so that you are not comparing one unit's pre-update data to another's post-update data.

Changes in LEED v4 that Affect Air Distribution

Last fall at the Greenbuild show in Philadelphia, the USGBC rolled out the latest version of the LEED rating system, called LEED v4. There are some significant changes in LEED v4 from the credit categories to the specific credits themselves.

First, the credit categories were changed a little. Two new categories were created: Integrative Process and Location & Transportation. Many of the Location & Transportation credits came from the Sustainable Sites section of the previous version of LEED. The Water Efficiency section did not change much, but did get a couple new credits and prerequisites.

Many of the credits that pertained to Titus products were eliminated or combined with other credits to form new credits. The Materials and Resources section was changed the most of all the sections. Only the Storage and Collection of Recyclables prerequisite and the Construction Waste Management credit were not changed much.

For instance, the most common questions we receive with respect to LEED is whether we meet the requirements of the Recycled Content and Regional Material credits. These two credits are replaced with Building Product Disclosure and Optimization—Environmental Product Declarations and Building Product Disclosure and Optimization—Sourcing of Raw Materials.

Both Building Product Disclosure and Optimization credits are designed to encourage the use of products and materials for which life-cycle information is available and that have environmentally, economically, and socially preferable life-cycle impacts. The Environmental Product Declarations covers the old Regional Material credit, but instead of defining regional as a 500 mile radius, it uses a 100 mile radius. The Sourcing of Raw Materials covers the old Recycled Content credit. This new credit requires that 25% of the building products meet one of several requirements, one of which is that it is recycled.

Many of the credits in the new Materials and Resources section are based on disclosing information related to environmental and health impacts of products going into the building and the life cycle of these materials.

Several credits in the Indoor Environmental Quality section were combined into new credits. We frequently received questions about the paint on our diffusers and the glue for our VAV box liners and whether they complied to the Low Emitting Materials Paints and Coatings and Adhesives and Sealants credits. These are now combined into one credit called Low Emitting Interiors. The new credit is more specific about the paints and adhesives being applied on site, so the paint and adhesives applied to our products at the plants are more clearly not applicable now.

The Controllability of Systems - Thermal Comfort and Thermal Comfort – Design credits have been combined and the Thermal Comfort – Verification credit has been eliminated. To achieve the new combined credits, a building must be designed to ASHRAE Standard 55-2010, Thermal Comfort Conditions for Human Occupancy, (or ISO 7730 or CEN Standard EN 15251) and provide 50% of the occupants with individual comfort control. Underfloor systems and VAV diffusers are still a good way to achieve the individual comfort control portion of this credit.

A new credit for Acoustic Performance has been added to the Indoor Environmental Quality section as well. This credit states that room noise levels from building mechanical systems must be within the sound level ranges shown in 2011 ASHRAE Handbook, HVAC Applications, Chapter 48, Table 1, AHRI Standard 885-2008, Table 15 or a local equivalent. It also has requirements for sound isolation, reverberation time and reverberant noise buildup, and paging, masking, and sound reinforcement systems. There are additional acoustic requirements for schools and healthcare. For schools, it states that the background noise level must be 35 dBA or less from the HVAC systems in classrooms. For healthcare, the building must meet the sound and vibration criteria adapted from the 2010 FGI Guidelines for Design and Construction of Health Care Facilities.

The Energy and Atmosphere section is still the section with the most possible points, primarily due to the Optimize Energy Performance credit.  The previous version of LEED had a prerequisite of meeting ASHRAE 90.1-2007. This has been updated to require a minimum energy performance based on ASHRAE 90.1, 2010. The Optimize Energy Performance credit is also now based on ASHRAE 90.1, 2010. You can achieve up to 20 points for improving the building’s energy usage from 6% to 50%. Another method of achieving this credit is to design using the ASHRAE 50% Advanced Energy Design Guide.

LEED v4 was a dramatically updated version of LEED. Possibly as a response to criticisms that LEED buildings were not performing as designs, LEED v4 has a more performance based focus than previous versions requiring energy monitoring and reporting. It also has a stronger focus on material transparency because, as Beth Heider, USGBC’s 2012 chair, said, “If you create a really tight, energy-efficient building and fill it full of noxious materials, you’ve created the perfect gas chamber.”

Titus has three LEED APs and several LEED Green Associates to help you navigate through your customers’ questions about this new, improved version of LEED.

Titus HVAC AHR Expo - Day 2 Coverage

We return with coverage of day two at AHR Expo 2013. Tuesday was filled with award presentations, educational sessions, networking, training facility tours and showcasing our latest products with the HVAC community.

We kicked off the day by proudly accepting the AHR Expo Green Innovation Award for Solar Plexicon. It was a proud moment as Titus HVAC’s Rob Copeland accepted the award on behalf of the entire Titus team.  

Our dedication to innovation has led to some truly exciting launches at AHR Expo 2013, including the LSC Terminal Unit that provides an alternative solution to addressing ASHRAE 62.1 ventilation requirements. The Low Profile Series (LSC) is a fan powered terminal unit that features a sensible cooling coil and is designed to work as part of a dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS).

In addition to sharing the latest products, we attended educational sessions to learn about the latest trends affecting the industry. We entered a full room during Retro-Commissioning for Existing Facilities, presented by National Environmental Balancing Bureau (NEBB).

The session began by highlighting the importance of the topic. Nearly 66 percent of buildings were constructed between 1960-1999 – stressing why retro-commissioning is important as there is less new construction occurring today.

The NEBB presenter shared that all forms of building commissioning share the same goals, including developing a building that meets the unique needs of its owners and occupants while operating as efficiently as possible, in addition to providing a safe, comfortable work environment.

According to the presentation, building performance is dependent upon ‘four legs of a stool,’ including design, construction, commission and operation. Unfortunately, the ‘stool’ becomes unbalanced as most buildings are not operated properly after turned over to the owners, and because construction is driven by schedule and costs, not performance.

The presenter shared that retro-commissioning process should include an initial site review, pre-site investigation, thorough plan and a post analysis to be effective in optimizing building systems, so that comfort and costs (energy, maintenance and reliability) are optimal for occupants and owners. Some tips include:

• Find the cause and fix it instead of reacting to symptoms

• Document any temporary measure taken and change them back as soon as the issue is resolved

• Measure performance often, includes energy and comfort

• Collect data consistently, such as utility bill or submeter data

• Compare data to baselines, including last year’s data and national database (Energy Star)

Along with attending education sessions at the show, it is fitting that we had the opportunity to highlight our new training center and 2013 training schedule during AHR Expo. Our new facility and classes will provide engineers with training resources and CEU credits.

The Titus HVAC training schedule contains a mix of free webinars, as well as Consulting Engineer Seminars, both of which give engineers the option to earn CEU credits. As a focal point for the classes, instructors will use the Titus Research Laboratory, dubbed “The Comfort Zone” to enhance the learning experience with hands on demonstrations.

We wrapped up the day by sharing the new Comfort Zone with members of the trade media, who were eager to see how we will foster training interactivity with the use of touch screen technology and live demonstrations of the latest innovations in air management.

Check out photos of the tour and other show highlights on our Twitter (@TitusHVAC) and Facebook pages to keep abreast of all things HVAC at AHR Expo 2013.

Titus HVAC Live Coverage of #AHRExpo 2013 Begins!

We had a great first day at AHR Expo 2013. The crowd was eager to see the latest in HVACR technology. Titus booth visitors were excited to learn more about the newest Titus HVAC advancements in air distribution. The new Titus chilled beam displacement ventilation unit, Temperature and Ambience Optimizer (TAO), captivated visitors and kept conversations rolling between attendees and members of the Titus team.

Booth guests also had the opportunity to experience the new Titus HVAC Augmented Reality App that unlocks hidden content in printed Titus HVAC documentation. The free Titus AR app allows smartphones or tablets to recognize images in Titus HVAC literature and printed documents and augments it with hidden content like video, animation, GPS and drawings.

For example, users can snap a picture of a piece of literature with the incorporated Titus AR logo and view video of how to use engineering tables or watch smoke videos of specific diffusers in print catalogs.

In addition to sharing the most recent product advancements at AHR Expo, we spent much of the day soaking in the latest trends, thoughts and direction of the HVAC industry during several AHR Expo educational sessions.

We started off AHR Expo by attending, “Our Changing Industry and Connection Communities for BAS,” presented by AutomatedBuildings.com. Jim Sinopoli from SmartBuildings and Ken Sinclair of AutomatedBuildings.com discussed the latest HVACR trends since AHR Expo 2012.

Sinclair kicked off the session by stating, “Cloud computing will replace the personal computer as the ‘device’ of choice by 2014.” He went on to explain that it has never been clearer that the true convergence and ‘anywhere’ collaboration that we all seek will be found in the cloud, not on individual devices.

The trend is that personal devices will be powered from the cloud, including commercial and residential HVAC systems in the near future.

He went on to share how he sees the future of HVAC as becoming more open and less proprietary – meaning the industry will grow faster as a community than it could in a segmented state. Sinclair envisions shared applications and open standard drivers that together will help propel the industry forward.

Jim Sinopoli built on Sinclair’s presentation by sharing how he sees a future of smarter grid communities with increased software applications to better manage buildings.

For example, he sees a boost in software programs such as fault detection, energy management, mobile applications, alarms, asset management, and preventative maintenance, among many others to help optimize building operations.

He explained that new buildings are increasingly becoming more complicated as training and education for operating these complex structures lags behind.

Sinopoli believes that the training and education community need to catch up or connected buildings will lack their ‘smart’ benefits such as solar panels, geothermal sources, wind turbines, electrical switchable glass, exterior shading system, sun tracking systems, energy dashboards and many others.

This wraps up our first day of AHR Expo 2013 coverage. Continue to stay tuned on our blog and make sure you are following us on Twitter (@TitusHVAC) and Facebook for live updates, photos and coverage direct from the show!

Titus HVAC’s Live Coverage Agenda for #AHRExpo 2013

AHR Expo is less than a week away! We are busy prepping and finalizing our attendance at the show in Dallas during these last few days. As you know, we will be covering educational sessions and events live from the show floor. Below, you’ll find the sessions we plan on attending each day. If you can’t attend, this is the perfect way for you to stay abreast of the breaking technologies and trends in HVACR at AHR Expo 2013.

            Monday, January 28, 2013 Sessions:

Our Changing Industry and Connection Communities for BAS, presented by AutomatedBuildings.com

·     Jim Sinopoli from Smart Buildings and Ken Sinclair of AutomatedBuildings.com will discuss the latest HVACR trends since AHR Expo 2012.

Retro-Commissioning for Existing Facilities, presented by National Environmental Balancing Bureau

·     This session will cover the optimization of HVAC Systems, electrical system evaluation and improvement, system performance and operations evaluations, and operator instruction and training.

Optimize Energy Savings with the use of Variable Ventilation Systems, presented by LonMarkInternational

·     LonMark and Engenuity Systems will share ways to achieve optimum performance and energy savings with ventilation systems – ranging from restaurants to large institutions.

Tuesday, January 29, 2013 Sessions:

Basics of HVAC Noise Control, presented by ASHRAE

·     Members of ASHRAE will address three common issues to improve acumen for sound and vibration, along with explaining the physics of sound to help optimize acoustic and energy performance.

Buildings Industry Leadership Organizations Expert Panel Discuss the Future of HVAC, presented by LonMark International

·     Experts from key industry associations, including LonMark International, BACnet, CABA, EnOcean Alliance, OpenADR Alliance and ClimateTalk Alliance will share challenges facing the building automation market today, how the industry can address the latest trends and what’s next for the future of open systems.

Stay tuned, January 28-30! Make sure you are following us on Twitter (@TitusHVAC), Facebook, and Google+ for the latest coverage of AHR Expo 2013.

Titus HVAC to Attend #AHRExpo in Dallas

AHR Expo is upon us and we are incredibly excited to be hosting the world’s largest HVACR event right in our home state of Texas. More than 1,800 HVACR manufacturers are getting ready to descend on our great state, right in our backyard, Dallas.

January 28-30, industry pros will be gathering to discuss the latest in HVACR technology, networking with partners, and meeting to share successes to help drive the industry forward.

We will be exhibiting our latest innovations in HVAC, including 2013 AHR Expo Innovation Award Winners: SolarPlexicon and EOS. Both have the unique ability to heat and cool using one displacement ventilation unit, all while reducing costs and easing design and installation challenges.

In addition to our award-wining product lines, we’ll be showcasing new groundbreaking products set to debut at the show. Be sure to stop by booth 1833 to view our featured products and say “hello” to the Titus HVAC team!

If you can’t attend the show this year, be sure to follow along on Twitter (@TitusHVAC), Facebook and Google+. We’ll be sharing live updates from the floor and education sessions, along with posting videos and photos direct from the show floor. Also, don’t forget to follow our blog for more AHR Expo live coverage.

See you in the “Big D!”