Making schools more resilient through classroom ventilation

School administrators were looking for ways to ensure that the restoration of in-person instruction happened as securely as possible as schools got ready for it. The HVAC system must be supplying the right volume of outside air to guarantee that classrooms are healthy and have the best ventilation possible. These systems frequently haven't been examined by an HVAC expert in decades. Facilities employees may be contacted periodically throughout the years to replace out the air filters or fix minor air-conditioning problems, but setting the outside air is often only done when the building is originally built. Today, several agencies, including the CDC and the WHO, frequently use HVAC jargon when speaking about ASHRAE ventilation tables, outdoor air, and air changes per hour. To ensure your facility is operating as it should when dealing with something you can't see—air—you need an expert in the field with the necessary tools and knowledge.

Studies of classroom ventilation

Because we at NWESI understand how crucial a properly working HVAC system is, we examined our office systems in April 2020. Midway through 2020, healthcare facilities also launched this initiative. Many educational institutions are now making an effort as they try to get students to come back. And it's fortunate that they are because there is generally a lot of potential for growth when we visit these institutions.


We've been busy this summer working with a school district in Oregon that is now examining the outdoor air intake for each campus. The goal is to increase ventilation in the classroom and school to lower the risk of COVID-19 transmission between personnel and students. See the Resources section below for more information on the rules that these districts are adhering to.

I will always be grateful to the medical professionals, nurses, support staff, and educators who are fighting this pandemic on the front lines. I hope they are aware that many of us engineers are working diligently behind the scenes to improve ventilation and lessen the spread of COVID-19 in an effort to make their duties a little simpler.

Area of the district-wide ventilation survey

For a school district with 350 different HVAC systems spread across 36 buildings with a combined square footage of 2.8 million, NWESI performed facility tune-ups and ventilation inspections. Let's examine what the overall structure of this project was.


HVAC system commissioning for good indoor air quality:

Role of ventilation and exterior air controls
Examine equipment schedules and occupancy information. SOO
Suggestions for modifications and improvements
TAB scope for a few locations included:

determining and modifying the minimal outside air intake
airflows are changed to address ventilation and air quality issues.

finding older ventilation problems

The work we do to improve the airflow in the classroom frequently leads to the discovery and resolution of other HVAC problems. As an illustration, one of our main objectives was to modify the airflow in the schools in order to lower the danger of COVID-19 transmission. But after that, we discovered further concerns, such serious internal air conditioning problems. In these situations, we offer a report that pinpoints the underlying reason for the system's flaws so that employees and site facilities staff can fix them. The awareness that the system issue is not simply a comfort issue but also a health danger due to the epidemic gives building managers more influence.


Another illustration is when we went to a school where we had previously worked and had a solid foundational report from the early 2000s. We could clearly see what had changed over the years because we understood exactly how everything had been put up back then. We ended up taking a long time to configure the terminal units' airflow coefficients. Strangely, only half of the flow coefficients were slightly to drastically different from the previous balance from 20 years prior. I believed that my work will significantly improve the comfort and health of elementary school students and their teachers.

I will always be grateful to the medical professionals, nurses, support staff, and educators who are fighting this pandemic on the front lines. I hope they are aware that many of us engineers are working diligently behind the scenes to improve ventilation and lessen the spread of COVID-19 in an effort to make their duties a little simpler.

THE WORTHWHILENESS OF DEVELOPING A FIRE PREVENTION PLAN FOR YOUR ESTABLISHMENT

Every year, fires strike tens of thousands of businesses, causing bodily harm, a reduction in client trust, and property destruction. You can help prevent accidents to your employees and visitors, costly damages, and potential fines to your organization by developing a fire prevention and preparedness program. The following is a list of some of the best practices that can help you get your facility ready for a fire emergency.

Establish a Fire Emergency Evacuation Plan - It will make dealing with an emergency much simpler if everyone is aware of their individual roles. Create a comprehensive fire emergency evacuation plan that specifies how to react, when to react, and outlines a route out of the building. Include consideration for employees' unique requirements and requirements for particular attention in the strategy, if applicable.

Establish a Fire Prevention Plan A fire prevention plan provides facilities with documentation describing the personnel responsible for identifying combustible items, fire dangers, and heat-producing equipment. This documentation should be kept in a secure location. In addition to this, it details the protocols that must be followed in order to prevent any potential emergencies. It is imperative that the fire prevention plan be conveyed to each and every employee, as well as made available in written form for anytime review.

Employees are required to receive training on fire extinguishers on a yearly basis by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) as well as the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Every worker is responsible for receiving the mandatory training and being briefed on any new or revised legislation.

Maintain Emergency and Exit Lights — In order to guarantee that all exits and routes of egress are illuminated at all times, you should put in place a routine maintenance plan that will check the lights and replace any bulbs that are defective or that have burned out. In addition, make sure that the emergency backup power and exit lights are tested on a regular basis to ensure that they are operational.

Techniques of Good Housekeeping Should Be Practiced - In order to keep buildings free of potential fire threats, the routine chores of housekeeping play a crucial role. Make sure that the garbage and the items for packing are contained in metal containers with lids that fit securely. To lessen the likelihood of there being a fire, flammable items, such as oil and chemical spills, should be cleaned up as soon as possible. In a similar vein, supplementary storage and equipment ought to be positioned in appropriate storage areas, which should be free of aisles and fire exits and should not obstruct automatic sprinkler systems.

Establish a Fire Emergency Response Team – Develop a team of individuals who are trained and educated in the procedures of the fire emergency plan and are willing to enforce fire safety and prevention methods throughout the building. This team will be responsible for creating a fire emergency response team. During the event of a fire emergency, the members of the team will aid those around them and help guide people to safety.

Facility managers can receive quality inspections, safety tests, and repairs to fire protection equipment when they choose a qualified and certified fire protection provider. Preventative Maintenance The producer of the equipment and the local authority having jurisdiction are responsible for establishing the frequencies in accordance with the NFPA code (AHJ).

If you follow these suggestions, you can be confident that your establishment and your staff will be prepared for an emergency fire situation and will be able to react in a manner that is both safe and effective.

COMMISSIONING: LIMITED BY DESIGN

What exactly is the point of the commissioning process? And why are commissioning agents required to refrain from providing solutions to the problems they uncover? A response from one of our Commissioning agents to some of the most frequently asked questions regarding commissioning restrictions is presented here.

What are the benefits of putting in a commission order?

Building commissioning refers to the process of bringing in a third party that was not involved in the design or construction of the project in order to verify that the systems and equipment that were installed live up to the expectations of the design. Building owners generally collaborate with architects and engineers in the beginning phases of a project to develop a plan for the construction endeavor. The contractors are responsible for putting that plan into action. It is the responsibility of the commissioning agent to ascertain whether or not the final product of the project complies with the plans that were designed and meets the objectives that the owner set for the undertaking.

What advantages does it provide to have commissioning as part of a project?

The level of attention to detail—or lack thereof—that everyone participating in a project demonstrates can have a significant impact on the project's overall level of success. In the end, the owner is the one who pays the price if there are mistakes in the design elements or if the contractors do not follow the plans. Commissioning service providers contribute value by recognizing and diagnosing these faults, as well as by facilitating communication between the design team and the installing contractors, with the goal of reducing the amount of problems that the owner inherits upon completion of the project.

Why don't those in charge of commissioning just address the problems they uncover?

After the highlighted problems have been discussed, the commissioning provider may be asked for their stamp of approval or for some direction by the contractors. It would be irresponsible for me, as a commissioning provider, to take responsibility in making decisions that lie within the expertise of the design team or other specialists, despite the fact that I am eager to assist in finding a solution. In the event that the purpose of the design does not appear to be met, it is essential that the appropriate individuals be included in the process of decision making. The commissioning process has been restricted on purpose.

TESTING OF THE FIRE AND SMOKE DAMPER

The installation of fire and life safety (FLS) systems is an essential part of both new and existing building. Fire Smoke Dampers (often abbreviated as FSD) are among the most important of them. These devices are installed wherever a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) duct penetrates a fire-rated wall, ceiling, or floor. In the event of a fire, these devices should be able to stop flames and smoke from spreading through the HVAC ductwork, allowing occupants more time to evacuate the building and contributing to the reduction of the amount of damage caused by the fire. However, as buildings and systems age and as physical, mechanical, or electrical problems emerge, dampers can become inoperable. This leaves the duct as an open channel for fire and smoke in the event of a fire, and the facility runs the danger of being shut down owing to a lack of compliance. Verifying and documenting that essential FLS building systems perform as expected is accomplished through the process of testing and maintaining fire smoke dampers.

Who requires testing for their fire smoke damper?

Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) at the federal, state, and municipal levels have expanded their FSD testing code enforcement efforts beyond the healthcare industry to include the following:

facilities for assisted living as well as acute care

Facilities for both transition and rehabilitation purposes

Buildings used for businesses

Establishments devoted to education

The year 2003 marked the beginning of NorthWest Engineering Service Inc.'s work on FLS systems. Because of our extensive experience in Commissioning (Cx) and Testing, Adjusting, and Balancing (TAB), we are in a truly unique position to carry out audit surveys of HVAC systems, identify and functionally test all Fire Smoke Dampers, and offer documentation to meet the standards of the AHJ.

Testing for FSD in the states of Oregon, Idaho, and Washington

The following are some of the ways in which we can assist building owners, operators, and facility staff:

Investigation in the field and labeling of devices

Building heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system drawings that document the positions of fire smoke dampers

Excel file for testing dampers that lists access requirements

Components of the photo log FSD and damper functions have been sorted.

a list of corrections that can be implemented in the plan

Local authorities, in addition to national organizations such as the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the International Code Council (ICC), are the ones responsible for defining the standards and norms that apply to FLS systems. The owners of the facilities are the ones who are responsible for testing their systems at the right intervals and ensuring that they have the proper paperwork to demonstrate that their systems are functional.

Testing, Changing, and Balancing is an acronym that stands for Testing, Adjusting, and Balancing, and it refers to the process of monitoring and adjusting the flow of air and water to satisfy design criteria. The TAB process involves employing test instruments, sensors, and monitors to check suitable temperatures, airflow, and other parameters inside the HVAC system. This is done in order to complete the TAB process. In order to ensure that heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are optimized for occupant comfort, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and manufacturing processes, testing, adjusting, and balancing is a crucial step for complex air and hydronic systems found within buildings and throughout campuses.

The majority of the work performed by the TAB consists of testing, measuring, and determining performance benchmarks. Among the most important examples of these operations are determining the air and hydronic volumetric flow rates, determining the level of heat transfer performance, and modifying the air exchange and ventilation rates.

Testing, Adjusting, and Balancing (TAB) carried out across the entirety of the Pacific Northwest

NorthWest Engineering Service, Inc., which has locations in Tigard, Eugene, and Boise, Idaho, is committed to maintaining the best standards in the Testing, Adjusting, and Balancing of sophisticated air and water systems. Since 1958, we have been assisting building owners, engineers, and other experts in the design industry to achieve the optimal balance of flow distribution. We are one of the few businesses in the country that has earned certification from both the National Environmental Balancing Bureau (NEBB) and the Associated Air Balance Council. In addition to being a founding member of the nation's first independent TAB apprenticeship, we are also one of the few companies to receive certification from both of these organizations (AABC). We give services that are technically sound, as well as cost-effective, and are based on the procedures that they require.

In addition to enhancing environmental performance and occupant comfort, the TAB services we provide contribute to a reduction in operating expenses for your property. Our team has over six decades of expertise, which allows them to grasp even the most complicated HVAC building systems. They also use the most up-to-date techniques and technology in order to properly and efficiently balance the entire system.

Among the services we offer at HVAC TAB are HVAC system surveys.

Analyses of the quality of the air inside

Fixing problems with the exhaust system

Testing for sound and vibration in HVAC systems

The verification of the temperature control system

Performing balance and troubleshooting on air and hydronic systems

Leak testing and investigations on the pressurized and ducted systems

Building Commissioning

Building Commissioning

The Commissioning (Cx) process applies to new buildings and major renovations or to existing buildings (Retro-Cx).  Commissioning is a systematic process for ensuring building systems (mechanical, electrical, plumbing, envelope, etc.) not only function and perform as intended, but will perform efficiently for the long term. Commissioning includes the review of designs, verification of equipment installation and validation of modes of operation. Software data analytics can also be set up to continuously monitor operations and flag potential issues (Monitor-Based or Ongoing Cx).

ASHRAE Standard 202-2013, The Commissioning Process for Buildings and Systems, and ASHRAE Guideline 0, The Commissioning Process, define commissioning as:

“A quality-focused process for enhancing the delivery of a project. The process focuses upon verifying and documenting that all of the commissioned systems and assemblies are planned, designed, installed, tested, operated, and maintained to meet the Owner’s Project Requirements.”

Benefits of Commissioning

Commissioning benefits owners through improved energy efficiency, improved workplace performance due to higher quality environments, and prevention of business losses. In other words, commissioning minimizes costs of corrective maintenance and helps optimize the facility’s operation—benefits that continue long after the building is complete.

NWESI as a Commissioning leader

Commissioning in Portland, Oregon: NWESI has performed commissioning for 25 years, proving equipment systems and facilities operate as designed and perform as required. Experience in fine-tuning and troubleshooting building systems gained by our team through complex TAB projects, laid the foundation for what our Commissioning Services Division is today.

Our firm was among the first in the industry to join the Building Commissioning Association (BCxA), dedicated to advancing best practices and education throughout the building industry. Additionally, NWESI is a member of AABC Commissioning Group (ACG), which focuses on the advancement of independent, third-party commissioning professionals. They provide the Certified Commissioning Authority (CxA) and Certified Commissioning Technician (CxT) certifications for individuals. Experience and dedicated professionals, coupled with industry training and certifications, set NWESI apart from other firms.

NWESI’s Commissioning professionals add value from design review through on-site, post-occupancy verification. In many cases, NWESI conducts an ongoing monitor-based commissioning program for the life of the building. In Portland, building commissioning has quickly become common practice as owners and developers demand more from their investments.

COMMISSIONING: LIMITED BY DESIGN

COMMISSIONING: LIMITED BY DESIGN By Erik Rottman, CxA

What exactly is the purpose of the commissioning process? And why are commissioning agents required to refrain from providing solutions to the problems they uncover? A response from one of our Commissioning agents to some of the most frequently asked issues about commissioning restrictions is presented below.

What are the benefits of putting in a commission order?

Building commissioning refers to the process of bringing in a third party that was not involved in the design or construction of the project in order to verify that the systems and equipment that were installed live up to the expectations of the design. Building owners generally collaborate with architects and engineers in the beginning phases of a project to develop a strategy for the construction endeavor. The contractors are responsible for putting that strategy into action. It is the responsibility of the commissioning agent to ascertain whether or not the final product of the project complies with the plans that were created and meets the objectives that the owner set for the undertaking.

To what extent does the inclusion of commissioning in a project provide value?

The level of attention to detail—or lack thereof—that everyone participating in a project demonstrates may have a significant impact on the project's overall level of success. In the end, the owner is the one who pays the price if there are mistakes in the design elements or if the contractors do not follow the blueprints. Commissioning service providers contribute value by recognizing and diagnosing these faults, as well as by facilitating communication between the design team and the installation contractors, with the goal of reducing the amount of problems that the owner inherits upon completion of the project.

Why don't those in charge of commissioning simply address the problems they uncover?

After the highlighted problems have been addressed, the commissioning provider may be asked for their stamp of approval or for some instruction by the contractors. As a supplier of commissioning services, you should be eager to assist in the search for a solution; but, it would be irresponsible of you to take authority in making judgments that are better left to the design team or other specialists. In the event that the purpose of the design does not seem to be met, it is essential that the appropriate individuals be included in the process of decision making. The commissioning process has been restricted on purpose.

Do you have a commissioning project question? For more information, please get in touch with us at Connect.

FIRE SMOKE DAMPER TESTING: WHY IT MATTERS

Fire smoke damper (FSD) testing is a branch of Fire Life Safety measures—codes that are applied to buildings to mitigate the damage done to facilities and occupants in the event of a fire. Fire smoke dampers are devices that sit within HVAC ductwork and are key components in compartmentalizing fire and smoke. Properly functioning dampers prevent harmful fire and smoke from propagating rapidly through a building and give occupants necessary time to exit a facility safely in such an event.

Fire Damage: People and Buildings

It may be surprising to know that many fire related deaths come not from direct contact with fire itself, but from smoke inhalation.1 The question is then, how do you control smoke circulation? Fire smoke dampers attempt to do this by shutting off specific pathways and limiting the amount of smoke that spreads throughout a building, thus limiting the inhalation amount by people who may not be in a safe area yet. These mechanisms with the potential to deter preventable injury make FSD testing necessary for most facilities. Beyond this, properly functioning dampers can help minimize the amount of damage and financial loss in a facility due to fire. The number of fires occurring in a built environment highlight the unpredictability of fire related accidents, as the NFPA reports that “A fire occurs in a structure at the rate of one every 63 seconds” to the cost of billions in damages.2 Testing the functionality of dampers installed in older buildings and new construction is a preventive care that can keep a rare, but not unheard of event, from turning into a catastrophe.

“A fire occurs in a structure at the rate of one every 63 seconds”

Codes, Fines, & AHJs

In new construction all facilities are required to have fire dampers tested one year after certificate of occupancy, and every four years thereafter—except in hospitals where that time frame is  every six years. Due to increased scrutiny of code enforcement of NFPA codes 80 and 1053, FSD testing has become a more in-demand service as owners are becoming aware of the legal and potentially deadly ramifications that come from having inoperable dampers. A number of these oversights and their fixes have become public, as safety concerns become paramount for schools, healthcare facilities, and others. Failing to produce documentation for verified damper functionality for the local Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs) during building inspections can be accompanied by fines, the facility being shutdown, or a halt in receiving federal and state funds.

Who Needs FSD testing?

Code enforcement of FSD testing by federal, state, and local AHJs has broadened from the healthcare sector to:

• Assisted Living and Acute care facilities

• Transitional care and Rehabilitation facilities

• Commercial buildings

• Educational institutions

Fire Smoke Damper testing is a service that seems superfluous until it’s necessary. Verifying these devices work in buildings can make a difference in fire-related events not only for the buildings themselves, but for the people who live and work in them.

Sources

1 NFPA Reporters Guide, ABA Burn Incidence Fact Sheet  2 NFPA Fire Loss 2017    3 NFPA 80, 105

https://sites.google.com/view/fire-smoke-damper-testingt6a