Advancing Infection Prevention and Sterility in Critical Environments
Healthcare-associated infections remain a persistent challenge, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimating that 1 in 31 US patients acquired at least one infection during care in 2024. This reality underscores the critical role of environmental control – particularly room pressurization – in safeguarding both patients and healthcare staff.
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Topics:
Controls,
HVAC,
Engineering,
Design Engineering,
Critical Environments,
ASHRAE 170
Identifying Ideal Applications for Performance and Efficiency
As HVAC systems evolve to meet increasingly demanding energy codes and sustainability goals, chilled beams are emerging as a compelling solution. Their popularity is driven by their ability to deliver long-term energy savings, reduce duct sizing, lower noise levels and minimize maintenance requirements.
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Topics:
Beams,
Thermal Comfort,
HVAC Fundamentals,
HVAC,
Engineering,
Design Engineering,
Architecture
Underfloor Air Distribution and Mass Timber Construction
As the architecture and construction industries pivot toward energy efficiency and renewability, two innovations are reshaping how we think about building performance and occupant well-being: mass timber construction and underfloor air distribution (UFAD) systems. These technologies work in harmony to create environmentally responsible spaces that are both comfortable to be in and stunning to look at.
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Topics:
Underfloor,
Thermal Comfort,
HVAC,
Engineering,
Design Engineering,
Architecture
Control Strategies to Optimize Your System
VAV diffusers help keep rooms comfortable using an individual thermostat and a built-in damper to create small zones of control. The amount of air provided by the VAV diffuser is based on three factors: the temperature in the room, the room’s set point and the temperature of the supply air.
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Topics:
Diffusers,
Thermal Comfort,
HVAC Fundamentals,
HVAC,
Engineering,
Design Engineering,
VAV Diffusers
Stepping into the World of Fluid Dynamics
The most challenging class from my university days was a grad-level course on thermal convection. For four months, our professor rederived our favorite fluid mechanics equations using partial differential equations. (I scraped by with a C+ and learned just enough about Navier-Stokes equations to sound pretentious.)
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Topics:
Static Pressure,
Terminals,
HVAC Fundamentals,
HVAC,
Engineering,
Tech Tip