Could this work without the beams or the floors sweating in the summer? Perhaps, but was it worth the risk? Because the concept was relatively new in this climate zone, we weren’t presented with many successful examples from the few projects that had already implemented this. (It is important to consider the building enclosures as well, but that is for another day.)Īctive and passive chilled beams, radiant heating and cooling floors, radiant heating and cooling ceiling panels – these HVAC strategies for localized temperature control can’t function in humid climates, right? The last thing we want is for the beams and floors to start sweating in the summer, causing it to essentially start raining inside. In order to make significant energy savings, more ambitious HVAC strategies must be explored. We’re just moving the dehumidification burden. Where does radiant cooling fit in? Using DOAS units to handle ventilation is helpful in dehumidifying, and, in my opinion, are a no-brainer for most Southeast buildings, but this approach does little to shrink the building’s energy footprint. Those localized units can include rooftop units, fan coil units, variable refrigerant flow cassettes, air handlers with reheat terminal units, etc. DOAS units dehumidify the hot and humid summer air, then distribute it to localized cooling and heating systems, or directly to occupied spaces. A trend has emerged where ventilation air is separated from the main source of cooling and heating, generally via dedicated outside air systems (DOAS). Commercial buildings have used a variety of methods to provide dehumidification, but a common approach involves mixing air through air handling systems and rooftop units with chilled water or direct expansion cooling coils that perform cooling and dehumidification. Southeastern climates require robust dehumidification to ensure adequate ventilation and comfortable indoor environments. The HVAC system designs on these projects often diverge from standard approaches deployed on most buildings due to low energy use targets. Our company, however, places sustainability at its core and aspires to work on challenging and ambitious projects, particularly in the Southeast. As such, I loudly conveyed my pessimism when we were first approached about providing commissioning services for radiant cooling buildings. Being a lifelong Atlanta sports fan first and a commissioning authority second, I am skeptical by default.
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