2016 HVAC Systems Selection

For students at schools completing a dedicated HVAC or building environmental systems curriculum. The
project encourages students with a solid HVAC base to use a life-cycle cost process to compare and
select the building HVAC system(s) as well as incorporate the sustainability process promoted by
ASHRAE by integrating ASHRAE Standard 189.1-2011 - Standard for the Design of High-Performance
Green Buildings.
The HVAC Systems Selection Category should be viewed as an "advanced" version of the HVAC Design
Calculations Category. This is appropriate for students in a multi-course HVAC curriculum of study. The
student design team is required to perform a life cycle cost analysis to compare and select a mechanical
system that provides the lowest life cycle cost, all while staying within a set construction budget.
Similar to the HVAC Design Calculations category, each team is required to determine the building's
cooling and heating loads in order to determine the required capacities of the building's HVAC systems:
cooling and heating plants, air distribution system and equipment, and hydronic/steam piping systems as
determined by the team.
Refer to HVAC System Design Calculations section for design assumptions to be used for both the
System Selection category and Design Calculations.
Each student team should conduct an analysis that includes at least these elements:

Three (3) different HVAC Systems excluding the baseline system as defined by ASHRAE 90.12014 Appendix G, must be compared and teams must demonstrate how well they meet the needs
of the owner by showing multiple examples.

Teams must show that they understand the criteria of evaluation and explain how they will
rank the three different systems.

Teams will then have a maximum of 15 minutes to present and sell the owner on why the design
they have chosen best meets their requirements.

Student teams should demonstrate how the building complies by explaining and showing
multiple examples related to ASHRAE Standard 90.1, 55 and 62.1 or any other standard used.

Remember that all the discussions such as Life cycle cost, environmental impact or any other
subdivision mentioned in the judging criteria must be done for all 3 systems and must include
multiple examples.

ASHRAE student teams must locate the building in Beijing, China.. DO NOT MOVE THE BUILDING TO
ANOTHER CITY or COUNTRY, IT MUST BE LOCATED IN Beijing, China. Teams that relocate the
building to another location will be disqualified. Student teams should determine whether the buildings
envelope as designed complies with ASHRAE Standard 90.1, 55 and 62.1.
Assume the building envelope meets the recommendations of ASHRAE 189.1. All internal loading is as
described in this OPR. We suggest that the Student Design Team work together with a local consulting
engineer or other industry as mentor on this project. All competition work must be performed by the
student design team. Your local ASHRAE Chapter Student Activities Chair) will support you in this
endeavor by providing willing mentors from its ranks in the consulting community to assist you, at your

request. If you need assistance locating your local Chapter Chair, please contact Katie Thomson
(Assistant Manager of Student Activities) at kthomson@ashrae.org.

HVAC System Selection Submittal Requirements

The submission for HVAC System Selection Category is limited to 15 minute visual aid (PowerPoint,
Youtube, etc.) ALONG with a 30 page maximum technical report, using 11 point Arial or Times New
Roman font submitted in PDF format.
The following topics should be covered:

Executive Summary

Description of Systems Considered

Life Cycle Cost Analysis of 3 mechanical systems

Evaluation Criteria used to Select your Recommended System

Schematics of Each System

Project Sustainability Analysis

Conclusions and Recommendations