The credit language says "in", but could it mean "for". Temperature sensors in each zone makes sense, but I just read an article in ASHRAE journal completely trashing humidity sensors as being grossly inaccurate (+- 20%).
Surely humidity sensors only make sense where the humidity is controlled, i.e. at the central AHU? My collegues have never heard of humidity sensors in occupied spaces in offices.
Does this credit only make sense if one has terminal units that regulate humidity?
Don't forget that humidity in a locker room is expected and the thermal comfort expectation there (percentage dissatisfied) would adjust.
Marcus Sheffer
LEED Fellow7group / Energy Opportunities
LEEDuser Expert
5909 thumbs up
March 12, 2011 - 12:59 pm
Humidity sensors are not necessarily inaccurate but they do require frequent calibration to be useful.
They are more useful where humidity is being controlled but humidity is a significant contributor to thermal comfort and that is why they are required. One could certainly make the case that they only make sense in a retrofit if they regulate humidity.
Jeremy Kuhre
Sustainable Buildings & Operations ManagerSustainable Solutions Corporation
37 thumbs up
March 13, 2012 - 1:39 pm
Has anyone successfully earned this credit by installing humidity sensors at the AHU returns (as opposed to in occupied spaces)? We are considering each floor a single humidity zone, so it makes more sense for us to install the sensor at the AHU (one per floor) to get the most accurate picture of humidity on the entire floor.
I'm not questioning the validity of the credit here, just the particulars in meeting the requirements.