Big Green: Series vs. Parallel VAVs - opinions please

[Neal Fiorelli]

Hi all, I'm hoping anyone with experience or a technical opinion on what has
become a reasonable debate between the use of series vs. parallel VAV boxes
in a typical office building (multi story 50k sf and larger) would be
willing to weigh in.

 

The opinion of our mechanical engineers (and energy modelers) on several
different projects seems to vary widely, and from what I can tell, none of
these opinions seem to be based on any uniqueness in the projects
themselves. Generally the decision doesn't appear to be based on other
variables in the design, and we've been unable to identify any rule of
thumb. Instead we find that one engineer always designs series, and another
always parallel, all with their arguments for doing so well in tact.  

 

ASHRAE stipulates parallel in the budget (base) building which presents us
with an immediate energy hit when the design calls for series, but more
importantly we're more interested in the actual benefits of energy saving
and any other issues such as cost, noise etc. Essentially, what is the
preferred solution as opposed to what gets us a more favorable model and
subsequently more LEED points, or in what instances would one approach be
preferable to another. 

 

Thanks ahead of time, and if anyone is interested in any of the arguments
either way I can share that.  

 

 

 

Neal Fiorelli 

Principal

Lorax Partnerships, LLC

8601 Robert Fulton Drive

Suite 120

Columbia, Maryland, 21046

 

443-276-2220 office

410-715-2589 fax

443-756-0346 mobile

 

"Building Solutions for a Healthy Environment"

 

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