JOURNAL OF APPLIED ENGINEERING SCIENCES VOL.

6(19), ISSUE 2/2016

ISSN: 2247-3769 / e-ISSN: 2284-7197 ART.NO. 204, pp. 15-20

ENERGY EFFICIENT SCHOOL BUILDING HVAC SYSTEMS MONITORING PLAN

I. Boros a, *, D. Stoian a, V. Stoian a, T. Nagy-Gyorgy a

a
Politehnica University of Timisoara, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Civil Engineering and Services Department, 2 Traian Lalescu
Street, Timisoara, Romania

Received: 16.10.2016 / Accepted: 20.10.2016 / Revised: 26.11.2016 / Available online: 15.12.2016

DOI: 10.1515/jaes-2016-0012

KEY WORDS: Energy efficiency, Monitoring system, Renewable energy, School

ABSTRACT:

The paper presents aspects regarding the component of the HVAC system and their monitoring system of a school building, which
use both energy efficient concepts and renewable energy solutions.

1. INTRODUCTION

It is well known that the maintenance and the operation costs of

a school are very important, thus it can be serious financial
burden (Stoian 2013). In 2014, when it was decided that an
energy efficient school is to be built in Salonta (Romania, Bihor
county) a team was gathered to design a solution which is better
than a traditional one by using both the Passive House Planning
Package (Feist, 2007) and the national methodology (MRDT,
2005). The global number of energy efficient school buildings
is low and the most are located in Western Europe (Passive
House Database, 2016). The preliminary costs turned out to be
greater than the initial investment (10%), but with a return Figure 1. Site plan
period of 6 years, due to the significantly reduced maintenance
cost (Boros, 2015a). This was a significant factor in selecting The energy efficient version of the proposed building design,
the adopted solutions. The construction of the 4000 m2 multi- resulted in 565 EUR + VAT/m2 expended costs. The entire
purpose building (Figure 1) began in October 2014. The ground structure was completed in September 2015, with approximately
floor contains the main entrance, a library, a garage, storage 10% additional costs as the framework and the masonry had a
rooms and a 500 meals / day capacity canteen. The first and higher cost than foreseen. The building is expected to be
second floors are dedicated for classrooms, laboratories and finished in March 2017. The building has a reinforced concrete
administration offices, while the third floor represents the frame structure, a pitched roof and two perimeter firewalls. The
housing area, which can accommodate 60 students. The school exterior walls are made of autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC)
total capacity is 450 students, 65 teachers, plus staff (Boros, masonry and mineral wool insulation. The floors are made of
2015b). concrete slabs and extruded polystyrene towards the ground,
and concrete slabs with mineral wool towards the roof. The
design of the structural elements was realised with a great
emphasis to reduce and eliminate all possible thermal bridges.
The windows have PVC frames and three-layer glazing. An
important measure for obtaining energy efficiency is obtaining a

* Corresponding author: Iosif BOROS, Politehnica University of Timisoara, email: [email protected]

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JOURNAL OF APPLIED ENGINEERING SCIENCES VOL. 6(19), ISSUE 2/2016
ISSN: 2247-3769 / e-ISSN: 2284-7197 ART.NO. 204, pp. 15-20

good air tightness of the building (Rolfsmeier), thus installing system. As a backup, for the situation when the pumps cannot
the windows had to be carefully done using special tape on both reach the energy demand, there is a 100 kW gas based system
sides (Relander, 2008). provided. Hot water is prepared with a 3000 l boiler.

2. CASE STUDY The soil / water heat pump is powered by 10 wells with 120 m
depth placed with a 6 m distance apart, and the thermal agent
To provide comfort and utilities necessary for the designed used is realized with a distilled water mixture with 25%
function (table 1), heating and cooling equipment, cold and hot monoethylene glycol. The water / water heat pump is powered
water supply, ventilation and equipment required by the kitchen with water from 2 extraction boreholes and is provided with a
were installed. heat exchanger, the rest of the circuit closes in 2 injection
boreholes.
Name Q heating [W] Q cooling [W] Tmax
Ground floor 44201 47381 12
First floor 36527 37483 10
Second floor 35046 40476 16
Third floor 31051 18837 19

E x haus t

Fres h
Total 146825 137916

R eturn

S upply
Table 1. Heating and cooling demand

The heating (Figure 2) is provided by 1.2 / 1.4 kW and 2.5 / 3.5 po arta sec ti onatati pgaraj

kW ceiling and floor fan coils, with thermostatic valves, except

the bathrooms from the students housing area, where steel
radiators are installed. The equipment activation for rooms with Figure 3. Ground floor ventilation system
more than one unit is executed by the wall fixed thermostats,
respectively individual command points installed on the fan
coils in the rooms with only one unit. The agent temperature is 3. MONITORING SYSTEM PLAN
45 / 35°C for heating and 10 / 15°C for cooling.
To determine the real-time behaviour of the equipment installed
Heat recovery ventilation units (Figure 3) were provided for in the building and also to calibrate de designed model, a
reducing the energy use and assuring the fresh air demand. The monitoring system was provided (Boros, 2015c), with over 200
building is divided, in distinctive areas based on building sensors the measure the temperature of all parameters that
functions: a unit for each of the 3 superior floors with 4000 define their functioning. Taking into account that the thermal
m3/h debit, a unit for the ground floor canteen with a 4000 m3/h systems represent complex equipment networks and system
debit, a unit for the ground floor library area with a 1000 m3/h distribution from the source to the consumers (Sarbu, 2014),
debit and a professional hood with energy recovery for the several temperature sensors were placed in various relevant
kitchen on the ground floor with a 10000 m3/h. The ventilation points of the circuits.
units are provided with heating batteries of 21 kW and 7 kW, as
the indoor environment can be adjusted, for the winter season, To determine the detailed behaviour of the vertical boreholes
from 15 °C to 22 °C, respectively cooling batteries of 8 kW and that correspond to the soil / water pumps, temperature sensors
5 kW, as the indoor environment can be adjusted, for the (Figure 6) were placed each 20 m, in 2 drills from opposite
summer season, from 32 °C to 26 °C. Heat recovery systems sides of the network (Nyers, 2009). In the distributor – collector
with 75 % efficiency are used and the ventilation equipment of the network, sensors are placed on the tour and retour pipes
automation is handled by placing CO2 monitoring sensors on of each borehole, thus offering an overview of the whole
the suction tubing, thus providing a proper indoor environment. systems functioning.

The monitoring of the heating / cooling system in the equipment

room is made by placing temperature sensors (Figure 7, 8 and
9) in each case, on tour and retour in places like: between
borehole and pumps, between heat exchanger and pump,
between pump and buffer tank, between buffer tank and
distributor, gas station and distributor, on each distributor
circuit and on the height of the buffer tank, etc. This part of the
monitoring system offers important data regarding the
contribution of each subassembly of the heating / cooling
p oart a s ecti onata tip garaj

system, respectively the energy use in different areas of the

building. In the interior of the building there are sensors placed
Figure 2. Ground floor heating / cooling system on each fan coil and radiator distributors (Figure 10 and 11),
both on tour and on retour tubing. The same placement strategy
The heating / cooling thermal agent and hot water are prepared is used also on the ventilation equipment supply (Figure 14). By
in an individual building trough the water / water and soil / reading the supplied data from these subassemblies of the
water heat pumps with an approximate power of 75 kW for each monitoring system, energy use values for heating and cooling

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can be estimated on different areas and functions of the

building. Their fitting is done on the exterior of the tubing,
under the insulation.

STTPR_18
STI_CT Vara
SUI_CT
SCI_CT
Rezervor tampon 3000 l

STTGR_3 STTPR_20 Iarna

CDTGT_1
Iarna
STTPR_17

STTPT_19
STTGT_2 VEI 500 l

STTGB_5 Vara
STTPR_16
BE
STTGR_4 DN 200

STTGT_1
STTC1R_22

STTC2R_24

STTC3R_26

STTC4R_28

STTC5R_30
STTC1T_21

STTC2T_23

STTC3T_25

STTC4T_27

STTC5T_29

Figure 4. Equipment room monitoring plan (part 1)

Regarding the hot water, sensors were provided in the following

positions: tour – retour between the pumps and the boiler, on
each recirculation circuit and on the cold water tour distributors, Figure 7. Equipment sensors
hot water retour and boiler height. The information provided by
the subassemblies refers to usage of hot water preparation and
losses on the distributor circuit.
STTP1R_13 CDTP1T_4

STTP2R_15 CDTP2T_5

STAPB_37
CDAP1T_6

CDAP2T_7

Apa calda menajera STAP1R_32 STAP2R_34

STAP1T_31

STAP2T_33
STTP1T_12

STTP2T_14

CDAPR_8

STAPB_36

Circulatie apa calda menajera STAPDT_38 STTP1R_8

Debit nominal = 4 l/s
Boiler 3000 l
CDART_9 STARDT_43
CDTP1T_2 PC1 PC2
CDTP2T_3
STAPB_35 STTP1T_6
STAC1R_39

STAC2R_40

STAC3R_41

STAC4R_42

STTP1T_7
STTP2R_11

STTP2T_10
De la pompele din forajele de apa

STTP1R_9
Foraje verticale 12 bucx100m
Spre foraje infiltratie
Apa rece

de caldura verticale
De la schimbatoare

Figure 5. Equipment room monitoring plan (part 2)

Figure 8. Equipment sensors

Figure 6. Borehole sensors

Figure 9. Equipment sensors

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Figure 10. Distributors sensors Figure 13. Ventilation unit sensors

Figure 11. Distributors sensors

Figure 14. Ventilation supply sensors

Figure 12. Ventilation unit sensors

Figure 15. Discharge port sensors

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contribution and the energy produced by the boreholes, heat

pumps and gas stations for assuring the heat, cooling and hot
water demand.
Temperature, humidity and CO2 level measuring systems
(Figure 18) of the exterior and indoor climate are also provided
(Földváry, 2015), in every room type: library, hallways, dining
area, laundry, and garage, offices, classrooms, bathrooms,
rooms, attic and equipment room.

Figure 16. Equipment room flow meters

Figure 18. Indoor climate sensors

The electric energy use is also monitored separately (Sabău,

2013) on each ventilation unit and each heat pump, respectively
the gas use separately for ensuring the heat demand and kitchen
equipment supply.
Figure 17. Equipment room flow meters
Centralizing all the sensors and measuring systems is done with
a number of data-loggers (Figure 19.) placed in the high-school
The ventilation system is fitted with 5 temperature sensors on building and technical room. By assuring internet supply for the
each unit. Sensors (Figure 12 and 13) are placed before and data collector devices, also the use of personalized automatic
after the heat exchanger, both on the discharge circuit as on the data processor software will provide relevant information
suction circuit, respectively a sensor after the heating and regarding energy efficiency. Specialists, together with the
cooling battery. This measuring system indicates the suction administrator, will be able to adapt the utilization patterns of the
and discharge temperature to exterior and interior, recovered building so that the energy use is reduced to a minimum (Boros
energy by the exchanger and the contribution of the batteries. 2015d).
Also to determine the losses on the ventilation circuit, sensors
are placed on the farthest discharge ports of each system (Figure
15). The installation of the sensors in the air treatment systems
is done the perforating the equipment metal sheet and their
further sealing but using airtight closing.

A number of 7 flow meters (Figure 16 and 17) were installed on

the tour circuits of the heat and hot water sources: between drill
holes and pumps, between pumps and buffer tank, between
pumps and boiler, respectively gas station and distributor. Also,
another 2 flow meters were placed on the tour circuit of the cold
water supply and on the retour circuit of the hot water. The flow
meters provide relevant information (Sarbu, 2016) about the

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Ministry of Regional Development and Tourism, 2005,

Normativ privind calculul termotehnic al elementelor de
construcţie ale clădirilor, C107.

Passive House Database, Passive House Institute,

http://www.passivhausprojekte.de/index.php?lang=en#s_11689
274162bb6a500321feaf383ea40 (viewed at 15 Sep. 2016).

Boros I., Nagy-György T., Dan D., 2015, Energy efficient

school building concept and constructive solutions,
International Review of Applied Sciences and Engineering 6
(2), pp. 101-110.

Boros I., Tănasă C., Stoian V., Dan D., Thermal studies of
specific envelope solutions for an energy efficient building, Key
Engineering Materials, Vol. 660, pp 192-197.

Rolfsmeier S., Air tightness in Passive Houses, BlowerDoor

GmbH, Energie- und Umweltzentrum 1, D-31832 Springe.

Relander T.O., 2008, The influence of different sealing methods

Figure 19. Data loggers
of windows and door joints on the total air leakage of wood-
frame buildings, Nordic Symposium on Building Physics.
4. CONCLUSIONS Boros I., Nagy-György T., Floruţ C., Dan D., 2015, Monitoring
Strategy for an Energy Efficient School Building, 2nd Int. Conf.
Energy-efficient buildings have gaining more attention due to
On Advances in Civil, Structural and Mechanical Engineering,
internal comfort benefits and financial reasons. The presented
pp. 52-56.
building is unique in Romania, with a significant research
potential, because of renewable energy use, a non-continuous Sârbu I., Sebarchievici C., 2014, General review of ground-
occupancy factor, energy efficient design and construction. The source heat pump systems for heating and cooling of buildings,
monitoring system helps to find the right set of parameters for a Energy and Buildings, 70, pp. 441-454.
better use of the building, including energy, heath and comfort
for the users. The measured parameters obtain important Nyers J., Nyers L., 2009, Monitoring of Heat Pumps, Towards
information, which can be used in the design and construction Intelligent Engineering and Information Technology, V, pp.
of new buildings and thermal rehabilitation of existing ones, 573-58.
thus promoting a sustainable future and raising environmental
awareness. Sârbu I., Sebarchievici C., 2016, Performance evaluation of
radiator and radiant floor heating systems for an office room
connected to a ground-coupled heat pump, Energies, 9 (4), 228.
5. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Földváry V., Bukovianská H. P., Petrás D., 2015, Analysis of
This work was partially supported by a grant of the Romanian energy performance and indoor climate conditions of the
National Authority for Scientific Research, CNDI – UEFISCDI, Slovak housing stock before and after its renovation, Energy
project number PN-II-PT-PCCA-2011-3.2-1214 – Contract Procedia 78, pp. 2184-2189.
74/2012.
Sabău C., Stoian D., Dan D., Nagy-György T., Floruţ C., Stoian
POSDRU/159/1.5/S/137516 financed from the European Social V., 2013, Partial results of monitoring in a passive house,
Fund and by the Romanian Government, respectively. Journal of Applied Engineering Sciences, Vol. 1 (16), pp. 107-
110.

Boros I., Nagy-György T., Fülöp L., 2015, Energy efficient

6. REFERENCES school in Salonta, 19th International Conference on Civil
Engineering and Architecture, pp. 27-32.
Stoian D., Dan D., Stoian V., Nagy-György T., Tănasă C.,
2013, Economic impact of a passive house compared to a
traditional house, Journal of Applied Engineering Sciences,
Vol. 1 (16), pp. 135-140.

Feist W., 2007, Passive House Planning Package 2007,

Technical Information, PHI-2007/1, Darmstadt: Passivehouse
Institut.

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