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I’m working on a project that has transient occupants. How does the IEQ space matrix address transients, and are transients required to have access to the controls?

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The categories given in the IEQ space matrix don’t really fit how some of the rooms in my project will be used. What should I do?

In some areas, individual fan coil units can be adjusted through the BMS, which can be accomplished by the occupant phoning the building manager. As each unit can be controlled, is this sufficient for occupant controllability? A benefit is that the BMS ca

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NC-2009 IEQc6.2:Controllability of Systems—Thermal Comfort

Dorm - shared FCU and Controls

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Patrick MacPherson
Senior Consultant
Sustainable Design Consulting
LEEDuser Basic Member
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We have a University Dorm project and it is understood that we would be required to have at minimum 1 control for each dorm room. The mechanical system provided has 1 FCU for every 2 dorm rooms. The question is that within v2.2 there has been projects having this credit approved by using a shared/averaged controls set up with with this same mechanical system and the narrative as follows: “Student dormitory rooms are provided with a four-pipe fan coil units with a space thermostat. Where a single fan coil unit serves two adjacent student rooms, a space temperature sensor is provided in each room. EMCS programing will allow for independent selection of the method of control for each of these fan coil units. Control method 1 (average) - control space temperature based on average of space temperature and an average of space temperature set points. Control method 2 (select sensor 1) - ignore space temperature sensor 2 and control from space temperature sensor 1. Control method 3 (select sensor 2) - ignore space temperature sensor 1 and control from space temperature sensor 2.” Does this type of controls set up comply with v2009? Thank you,

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Patrick MacPherson
Senior Consultant
Sustainable Design Consulting
LEEDuser Basic Member
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Mon, 04/29/2013 - 17:47

Can I please get a response to my question from almost a month ago? Thank you,
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Tristan Roberts
Representative
Vermont House of Representatives
LEEDuser Expert
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Mon, 04/29/2013 - 18:03

Patrick, please see our forum FAQs. That said, I will ask around.
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John McFarland
Director of Operations
WorkingBuildings, LLC
LEEDuser Expert
39 thumbs up

Mon, 04/29/2013 - 18:39

Patrick, Are the dorm rooms single occupancy or double occupancy? In other words, does the FCU that serves the 2 rooms serve 2 occupants or 4 occupants?
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Dylan Connelly
Mechanical Engineer
Integral Group
LEEDuser Expert
342 thumbs up

Mon, 04/29/2013 - 18:40

Probably need to do a CIR - have you checked the LEED Interpretation data base?

Mon, 04/29/2013 - 18:44

Patrick, Is the quoted area you have provided from a narrative you have submitted form a LEED-NC v2.2 project before and, if so, what was the language from the reviewer when they accepted it? I reviewed the Interpretations database and did not find any specific guidance on your question. You might want to take a look again and make sure I didn't miss it: http://www.usgbc.org/leed/developing-leed/interpretations In principal if it worked for a NC v2.2 project it should also work in this case. They key is in proving that controllability - per room - exists. Based off of your description it does sound like controls exist in each room. I agree with Dylan that the way to know for sure is to submit your own CIR to the USGBC.

Mon, 04/29/2013 - 19:24

In looking at this closely it is not clear actually that real controllability ever exists for both rooms simultaneously. It sounds like controllability is an either/or scenario with one room having control and then the other not having control. The average scenario also does not seem to provide controllability that meets the intent of the credit either. I would be happy to hear everyone's thoughts on this approach and to keep the conversation going.

Tue, 04/30/2013 - 16:21

It's possible that this approach passed previously when dorm rooms were considered individual workstations and when compliance was based on controls for 50% of the individual workstations. Do the dorm rooms have operable windows?
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Patrick MacPherson
Senior Consultant
Sustainable Design Consulting
LEEDuser Basic Member
12 thumbs up

Wed, 05/01/2013 - 15:45

Thanks for all the feedback! John - there are 3 occupants, for every FCU there is 1 single occupancy & 1 double occupancy dorm room side by side. Dylan - we did check interpretations and didn't see anything with regard to this type of set up, and we are considering a CIR but wanted to check LEED user first. Lauren - the narrative language was from a V2.2 acccepted credit, there wasn't a response from the reviewer - it was just accepted. Lauren - your point is why we are asking the question, wanting to be sure it will work for V2009. Lauren - the dorms do have operable windows but they are limited to an 8" opening therefore they will not comply.
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John McFarland
Director of Operations
WorkingBuildings, LLC
LEEDuser Expert
39 thumbs up

Wed, 05/01/2013 - 18:24

Hi Patrick, I don't think you comply with the requirements that 50% of the occupants have the ability to control their thermal comfort. With 3 residents (1 in one room and 2 in another room) and 1 FCU, you really only are providing for 33% of the occupants. I think some confusion may come from the LEED Online form where in Table IEQc6.2-1. Individual Controls, it has one list the spaces with no reference to the number of occupants in each space. The table is really setup for an office situation. The table should include a column for the number of occupants in each space. The credit requirements are clear...it's based on number of occupants having control, not number of spaces, and I don't think your scenario meets the 50% threshold for control. All the best, John

Thu, 05/16/2013 - 15:52

Hi Patrick, I agree with John, this approach does not meet the credit requirements and will not be approved for v2 or 2009 projects. I would recommend submitting a CIR if you would like to use this strategy.

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