ASHRAE HBDP case studies
ASHRAE HBDP · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The ASHRAE High-Performance Building Design Professional (HBDP) credential is an ASHRAE certification aimed at professionals who design and deliver high-performance buildings. ASHRAE describes its overall mission as serving humanity by advancing the arts and sciences of heating, ventilation, air conditioning, refrigeration and their allied fields, with a vision of a healthy and sustainable built environment for all; the HBDP sits within ASHRAE's certification program under professional development. The ASHRAE HBDP case studies are 5 cases and about 2,810 words.
1Chilled-Water Plant Staging After a Retrofit Adds a Small High-Efficiency Chiller
A 1,200-ton central plant has three equal 400-ton constant-speed centrifugal chillers (CH-1, CH-2, CH-3) and a new 150-ton variable-speed screw chiller (CH-4) added in parallel. All machines share a common primary loop with a single VFD secondary pump and a differential-pressure sensor at the far end of the distribution.
584 words, about 3 min2Daylighting Credit vs. Glare Complaints in a South-Facing Open Office
A 30,000 ft² open office in a hot-dry climate has a fully glazed south facade (U-0.28, SHGC 0.25, VLT 0.40) with no exterior shading. The design team claims a daylight autonomy above 55% of occupied hours for the perimeter zone and is pursuing a daylighting credit.
555 words, about 3 min3Value-Engineering a Heat-Recovery Chiller Out of a High-Performance Design
A 90,000 ft² mixed-use building (60% office, 40% hotel) is in design at the 90% CD phase. The HVAC concept uses a heat-recovery chiller to serve simultaneous heating and cooling, with a dedicated outdoor-air system (DOAS) and a low-temperature hot-water loop (130°F supply).
558 words, about 3 min4Commissioning a VAV System That Passes Functional Tests but Fails in Operation
A new 200,000 ft² office building completed commissioning six months ago. All functional performance tests passed, including terminal-box minimum/maximum airflow verification and AHU static-pressure control.
537 words, about 3 min5Rainwater Harvesting Sized to a Drought That the Code Does Not Require
A 120,000 ft² distribution warehouse in a semi-arid region (annual rainfall ~14 in., high summer evaporation) is pursuing a water-efficiency credit. The design team proposes a 150,000-gallon rainwater cistern to supply toilet flushing and irrigation, sized to the largest single storm on record, with no makeup water connection.
576 words, about 3 min