Better Building Systems

Welcome back to the Better Building Systems podcast! In this weeks episode the Building Hotrodders cover VRF (Variable Refrigerant Flow) HVAC systems in detail. With a recent push to electrify HVAC systems we felt it was a great time to bring this discussion to the podcast. We outline the two different types of VRF (2 pipe and 3 pipe) and breakdown the pro's and con's of this technology. Our resident experts cover where VRF excels and where it faces challenges. We also cover some key regulations to be aware of when it comes to VRF system design in facilities. If you have not experienced VRF yet you are bound to in the future. Tune in to hear our thoughts on VRF and see where the Building Hotrodders stand on this old but up and coming technology!

Welcome to the Better Building Systems throwback series. In this episode we are recovering another great past podcast episode from the archives to bring to you! This episode is originally from our Building Management Systems podcast. We discuss the importance of proper control loop tuning. We discuss the three different closed control loops P (proportional), PI (proportional and integral), and PID (proportional, internal, and derivative) and the tuning aspects of each along with the characteristics of each control loop. Ultimately, a control loop should function like the cruise control on your car, smooth and steady and able to respond to changes such as hills and speed changes with ease. Our industry experts Mark and Rich also dive into the evolution of the control loop and give some personal and professional experiences on the good, bad, and ugly of control loop tuning.

Welcome to the Better Building Systems throwback series. In this episode we are recovering a great past podcast episode from the archives to bring to you! This episode is originally from our Building Management Systems podcast. We cover the physics behind mechanical refrigeration and cover the positives and negatives of all different types of chillers utilized in industry (Centrifugal, Screw, Reciprocating, and Scroll). Our subject matter expert Mark covers these technologies in depth with the help of Rich and Nick and outlines his favorite type of chiller...the magnetic bearing centrifugal chiller. Join our team for a great discussion on the technology and application of many different chillers in the HVAC world!

If you enjoyed the podcast check out the other episodes from the Building Management Systems podcast series here! https://building-management-systems.captivate.fm/listen.

In this podcast episode the Building Hotrodders take a dive into a very complex topic, Renewable Energy. We start off by defining what we consider to be "renewable" vs "sustainable" energy sources which was very thought provoking. After defining what was considered renewable vs sustainable energy, the Building Hotrodders began to assess the various renewable energy sources such as Wind, Solar, and Nuclear. Overall, there were some very convincing pros and cons towards renewable energy and its application residentially and at a utility scale. Do you see the U.S. and the World functioning on 100% renewables in the future? If so how long will this transition take? What is the holy grail to renewable and sustainable energy? If you are an advocate or adversary of renewables, we hope you tune in to hear our thoughts and questions. Stay tuned for follow up episodes regarding this topic! As always, we want to hear your thoughts in the comments! For more information on us check out our webpages:

https://www.vsenergy.us/

https://www.appliedfacilityscience.com/

https://dipasquale-eng.com/

In this podcast episode the Building Hotrodders take a dive into some unthinkable ways to save time and increase productivity. We review 5 possible ways presented in a recent article, give our thoughts and opinions on them, and provide our own insight into the subject. Tune in to hear our thoughts and let us know what you think in the comments! For more information on us check out our webpages:

https://www.vsenergy.us/

https://www.appliedfacilityscience.com/

https://dipasquale-eng.com/

In this podcast episode the Building Hotrodders take a dive into the question "Has Mediocrity increased in todays society and professional world?" We try our best to answer this complex question and in doing so cover what we believe Mediocrity is, what it may stem from, and some rules to live by to not be Mediocre. We even jump into the time machine to review some very challenging questions from an 1895 8th grade final exam. Tune in to hear our thoughts.......hopefully you don't find this podcast to be mediocre and let us know what you think in the comments! For more information on us check out our webpages:

https://www.vsenergy.us/

https://www.appliedfacilityscience.com/

https://dipasquale-eng.com/

Welcome back to the Building Hotrodder's podcast! We are opening Season 2 by discussing what it means to hotrod a building. We discuss the origin of our podcasts name, take a dive into what hot-rodding really is, and how the roots of hot-rodding come into play with todays facilities. This is a very long overdue discussion that we are excited to have with our listeners.

Some key takeaways from the episode are:

• Building hot-rodding has many similarities with car hot-rodding. Some hot-rodding tasks can be simple, while others should only be done by professionals.
• A key aspect of hot-rodding is having an end goal in mind before you start. By clearly defining facility performance requirements such as energy conservation, redundancy in critical systems, reliability, etc., hotrodders can develop a tailored approach to ensure a "hot-rodded" building preforms as specified.

Tune in to hear more about these key takeaways/others and let us know your thoughts in the comments! For more information on us check out our webpages:

https://www.vsenergy.us/

https://www.appliedfacilityscience.com/

https://dipasquale-eng.com/

In this weeks episode the Building Hotrodders Nick, Jim, Mark, and Clayton discuss the Engineering Quandary. What exactly is this? We believe the Engineering Quandary is how much practical knowledge is needed before one becomes an Engineer. We start with what we consider practical knowledge to be in our industry, discuss some of our own thoughts/experiences, and try to boil down this complicated topic.

Tune in to see if we can solve the Engineering Quandary and let us know your thoughts in the comments! For more information on us check out our webpages:

https://www.vsenergy.us/

https://www.appliedfacilityscience.com/

https://dipasquale-eng.com/

Welcome to the Better Building Systems podcast! In today’s episode we will be discussing the importance (or not) of increased filtration/ventilation/disinfection of supply air in facilities as we re-open in 2021. As you all know, COVID-19 has caused some substantial changes in 2021. In the building world, there is increased visibility in OA intake, filtration, and disinfection in our buildings HVAC systems. The thought is these measures are making our buildings safer for occupants. We discuss the viability in these measures, and see where the Building Hotrodders stand as facilities begin to open back up. Do we keep these measures in place? Or are the current minimum standards adequate? That is the 1,000,000 dollar question. Tune in to hear our thoughts! As a disclaimer, we are only providing our thoughts for the podcast. Always refer to your local and state codes/guidelines for operational requirements. For more information on us check out our webpages:

https://www.vsenergy.us/

https://www.appliedfacilityscience.com/

https://dipasquale-eng.com/

In this weeks episode the Building Hotrodders talk about the importance of getting small. What does that mean you may ask......to the Building Hotrodders, getting small means multiple things. Overall, to have the ability to get small means you can take the tour from the boiler room to the board room. It also means an individual or a team can break down complicated calculations/tasks to clearly identify the foundational elements. This can mean raw data, operating principles, and much much more. Another outfall of this episode is we were able to outline what we feel are the 10 (off the cuff) commandments to getting small.

1. Slow down
2. Take accountability
3. Document everything
4. Do error checking
5. Dont assume
6. Be humble
7. Check your work (big and small)
8. Provide a sensitivity analysis of your outcome
9. Check continuity continuously
10. Be consistent

Tune in to hear our thoughts! For more information on us check out our webpages:

https://www.vsenergy.us/

https://www.appliedfacilityscience.com/

https://dipasquale-eng.com/