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How TherMOOstat Helps With Thermostats & Setpoints

  • by Karen K Dang

Rock Hall

"It feels like we're on an Arctic Tundra."
"It is very cold. It feels like the AC is on."

Intro

Rock Hall is a large lecture auditorium that can host over 200 students at once. We don't receive a lot of feedback from Rock Hall compared to the rest of the classroom spaces on campus. In January, we received feedback reporting abnormally cold temperature. Although our system didn't report any alerts of mechanical failure, the comments prompted us to dig a little deeper.

 

Hypothesis
 

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Actual room temperature ranged from 56-68 when the temperature should be 75.


The setpoint for Rock Hall room 194 is typically at 75°F, but the actual temperature ranged from 56 to 68°F. This influx of responses and the significantly low recorded room temperature kicked off our investigation. We found a heating hot water pump malfunctioning, which meant the air supplied to the room wasn't being heated but in fact, remained cool.

Our team alerted a Facilities HVAC technician, who checked on the issue and it was resolved quickly.

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 "Even Dr. Owens, who is in shorts, thinks it is too hot."
 "It's way too hot. A lot of us are wearing long sleeves and pants because we have a mock client scenario so we are even hotter."

Intro

As part of an energy project at VM3A and VM3A Multi Purpose Teaching Building, we examined the four large teaching laboratories in MPT that used a lot of ventilation and HVAC energy. We worked really closely with facility managers in the building , and the safety department, to understand the operational needs and safety requirements.

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Hypothesis

A new programming sequence was developed for the HVAC system that would reduce the airflow and let the temperature setpoints relax when people weren't in these teaching labs.

This new sequence was tested in the summer months and we learned through TherMOOstat feedback that the spaces were getting a little too warm.

Your TherMOOstat feedback was used to revise the programming sequence to better balance energy efficiency and comfort. It was a textbook 'win-win'.

 

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What's Really Going on in Your Classroom

Let’s take a closer look into Wellman Hall and the processes affecting comfort level that occur in every building on campus. We begin at 6 AM and end past 7 PM, learn how the temperature changes throughout the day and why!