Robert Bean + HeatSpring = Integrated HVAC Engineering Training

The way a building functions represents an incredibly complex intersection of numerous fields, including architecture, design, engineering, environmental and health sciences, and construction. As each field evolves, it becomes increasingly necessary, but also difficult, to understand how they are interrelated. If you find yourself looking for a way to marshal the knowledge from each of these fields into a comprehensive and  comprehensible framework, look no further: “Integrated HVAC Engineering: Mastering Comfort, Health, and Efficiency” is a multidisciplinary online design course based on thirty years of data and experience. The course goes beyond ASHRAE and LEED standards to the heart of HVAC engineering: integrating comfort, health, and efficiency to the maximum benefit of the building occupants.

The course is capped at 50 with 30 discounted seats available. View a full course outline for Integrated HVAC Engineering: Mastering Comfort, Health, and Efficiency

The course is taught by Robert Bean, R.E.T., P.L.(Eng.), a registered engineering technologist in building construction and a professional licensee in mechanical engineering. Robert is president of Indoor Climate Consulting Inc. and director of www.healthyheating.com. He is a volunteer instructor for the ASHRAE Learning Institute and serves ASHRAE TC’s 6.1, 6.5, 7.4 and SSPC 55 Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy. He is a special expert on IAPMO’s new Uniform Solar Energy and Hydronics Code committee.

This integrated design course, based on thirty plus years of data-driven experience, goes beyond ASHRAE and LEED standards to the heart of HVAC engineering. ASHRAE 55 addresses comfort. ASHRAE 62 addresses ventilation. ASHRAE 90 and 189 address efficiency. LEED and others attempt to address the entire universe. You cannot understand these dogmatic systems without truly understanding first how to integrate comfort, health, and efficiency to the maximum benefit of the building occupants. This course is crafted for the select few who thirst for comprehensive knowledge. Those who desire a deeper understanding of the fundamental principles of designing great indoor environments, buildings, and HVAC systems. Includes numerous field-ready calculators and design tools. Scroll down this page for the course outline.

This course is for working design practitioners (who may be a recent graduates from architectural, mechanical engineering, or interior design programs) as well as those from the manufacturing, distribution, contracting, and inspection professions. Experienced professionals who may want to expand their knowledge of building science, indoor environmental quality, systems controls, radiant heating and cooling, and fluid hydraulics will also benefit from the program. This course will help students understand the principles behind: ASHRAE Standards 55, 62, 90, 189, ASHRAE Guidelines 10 and 24; and IEA Annex 37, 49 and 59.

Graduates of the class will be able to:

• Assess materials of construction, buildings and systems from a thermal comfort, indoor air quality, energy, eXergy, entropy, efficiency and efficacy perspective.

• Assess buildings from a durability perspective.

• Understand how building enclosures act and serve as a filter, sponge and capacitor.

• Make enclosure recommendations to improve IEQ whilst conserving energy and maximizing eXergy efficiency.

• Explain thermal comfort and indoor air quality from a human physiology perspective and communicate how the outdoor and indoor environments affect occupants in subjective and non subjective ways.

• Assess and recommend HVAC systems based on characteristics which enable acceptable IEQ, and maximum energy efficiency using less heat of a lower temperature in heating and of a higher temperature in cooling.

• Use heat transfer principles to define loads and operating conditions for building and HVAC systems

• Explain effectiveness coefficients for temperatures used in HVAC systems.

• Explain the characteristics of different heat terminal units and the associated percentile splits in heat transfer mechanisms (radiation, conduction, convection).

• Assess the difference between the safe, acceptable, good, bad and ugly in mechanical rooms and systems.

• Describe the various components, sub assemblies and systems in radiant based hybrid HVAC systems.

• Convert heating and cooling loads into flows; select pipe and ducts based on velocity and pressures, and determine differential pressure requirements in the distribution system.

• Assess control valve selection and perform a control circuit pressure authority calculation.

• Assess fluid and operating characteristics and size expansion tanks and air separators.

• Select circulators and pressure control options based on system head losses.

• Explain control theory and approaches including non-electric and electronic using PI, PID and fuzzy logic.

• Design a radiant-based hybrid HVAC system for a reversible surface (heat/cool) in parallel with a dedicated outdoor air system for dehumidification, deodorization and decontamination of incoming air.

• Perform thermal comfort calculations to comply with ASHRAE Standard 55.

This is a unique and incredibly valuable opportunity to become Robert’s student for 10 weeks and learn from his decades of experience. He’ll provide all the resources you need to understand integrated hybrid HVAC design and answer all the questions that come up along the way. In the final week of the course, you’ll submit a capstone project that incorporates everything you’ve learned. This will include running thermal comfort calculations and designing a radiant-based hybrid HVAC system with a dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS).

In the capstone project, students will:

1. Perform thermal comfort calculations.

2. Design a radiant-based HVAC system with a dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS).

3. Make recommendations to improve IEQ and energy efficiency through architectural, building, and interior systems.

The course is capped at 50 with 30 discounted seats available. View a full course outline for Integrated HVAC Engineering: Mastering Comfort, Health, and Efficiency