[Equest-users] How to Claim Credits for Natural Ventilation in Multifamily High Rise Residential?

[Dahlstrom, Aaron]

Omer - 

A few questions - 
What do the mechanical codes require at the project site?
What is common industry practice for this style building?
Based on the climate and loads, would natural ventilation over mechanical ventilation be considered an occupant amenity or a downgrade in indoor air quality?
Does natural ventilation meet the requirements of EQc2 - (eg climate is favorable for nat vent year-round, spaces served do not have internal loads that exceed the OA conditioning capacity)?

In the Mid-Atlantic, natural ventilation for dwelling units is a common, if not predominant case, and the mechanical codes require either natural ventilation or mechanical ventilation systems to be provided in buildings. Since it's required by code, both the baseline and the design would be required to have a ventilation plan, whether natural or mechanical. And as LEED requires the ventilation quantities to be the same in the baseline and the design, I would expect the ventilation strategy to match between the two cases. In addition, since our climate isn't favorable for natural ventilation at winter and summer peaks, the indoor air quality may suffer (shut windows!) compared to a mechanical system that treats the outside air fully.

There may be some exemptions or CIRs I'm not aware of, but my intuition tells me that Multifamily buildings (at least in the Midatlantic USA) would have a hard time classifying natural ventilation as an ECM.

Any contrary experience/perspectives out there?

Aaron

Aaron Dahlstrom , PE, LEED® AP
In Posse - A subsidiary of AKF| 1500 Walnut Street, Suite 1414, Philadelphia, PA 19102 
d: 215-282-6753| m: 267-507-5470| In Posse: 215-282-6800| AKF: 215-735-7290
e: ADahlstrom at in-posse.com | in posse web: www.in-posse.com | akf web: www.akfgroup.com




-----Original Message-----
From: equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org [mailto:equest-users-bounces at lists.onebuilding.org] On Behalf Of Ömer Moltay
Sent: Thursday, January 12, 2012 5:25 PM
To: equest-users at lists.onebuilding.org
Subject: [Equest-users] How to Claim Credits for Natural Ventilation in Multifamily High Rise Residential?

Dear All,

What is the methodology for LEED projects to claim credits (if
possible?) for natural ventilation in dwelling units? In the building I am working on, only openable windows are used for natural ventilation, there is no engineered system. Cooling / heating will be provided by VRF units. Can one make an assumption that occupied spaces will be ventilated by natural means during the times they are occupied in the proposed case, while for the baseline case mechanical ventilation will apply?

Thank you,

Omer Moltay
Mimta
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