International. VRF (Variable Refrigerant Flow) air conditioning systems or variable capacity systems are recognized for being highly energy efficient equipment, so it is not surprising that different types of properties are betting on equipment of this type in their facilities. In this case, Mitsubishi Electric shares with Building Management readers its experience with the application of these systems in educational institutions.
Pacific University, located in Forest Grove, Oregon, for example, is an institution that always seeks to establish sustainable practices, including a bicycle rental program and organic food options, as well as a master project that seeks to have a green campus, for which they developed five LEED-certified buildings.
After successfully performing several installations of VRF systems, the university chose this technology for a new 60,000-square-foot, 26-apartment student residence building called Gilbert Hall. Brian Shea, project manager at American Heating, Inc., the HVAC contractor for the Gilbert Hall project, notes that "zoned VRF air conditioning systems are a great option for today's buildings where space is increasingly scarce."
In addition to the above, the university has achieved, both in this building and in others on campus, high energy efficiency rates thanks in part to the air conditioning system. The Energy Use Index (EUI) is a standard measure of a building's energy consumption, which compares the energy consumed by similar buildings in identical climates. By monitoring the actual performance of the university, Gilbert Hall achieved an EUI of 46 KBTU per square foot per year.
The average EUI number for student housing projects in the Northwest United States is 80 KBTU per square foot per year. Similarly, other campus buildings that feature VRF zoning technology also have an EUI of 46 KBTU per square foot per year.
According to Chuck Carpenter, Facility Engineer at the university, the building not only achieved LEED Gold certification, but also met the objectives of the institution's energy efficiency master plan. In addition, due to the good performance of the facility, the university decided to make VRF technology its standard for future student accommodation projects.
