OBJ 3.1B MEP Choices

Question 1

Minimize First Cost

Answer 1

Choose simplest possible all-air system:
1. Single duct, CAV

or choose a system that involves no ductwork or piping:
2. Through-the-wall and packaged terminal units

Question 2

Minimize operating cost and energy consumption

Answer 2

Choose systems that convert fuel to heating and cooling energy with maximum efficiency:

1. VAV
2. Single Duct, CAV
3. Hydronic Convectors

Choose system that uses ambient heat from the surrounding environment
4. Closed-loop heat pump system

Or in medium sized or smaller buildings, consider a passive system:

5. Passive solar heating
6. Natural ventilation cooling
7. Thermal mass cooling
8. Evaporative cooling

Question 3

Maximize control of air velocity and air quality

Answer 3

Choose one of the all-air heating systems:

1. VAV
2. VAV reheat
3. Dual-duct VAV
4. Single Duct, CAV
5. CAV reheat
6. Multizone

Question 4

maximize individual control over temperature

Answer 4

Choose a system that can react separately to a number of thermostats:

1. VAV
2. VAV reheat
3. VAV induction
4. Dual-duct VAV
5. CAV reheat
6. Multizone
7. Air-water induction
8. Fan-coil terminals
9. Through the wall and packaged terminal units

Question 5

Minimize system noise

Answer 5

Choose a system that operates at low air velocities and whose moving parts are distant from the occupied spaces, such as:

1. Any all-air system other than an induction system
2. Hydronic convectors

Or in medium sized or smaller buildings, consider a passive system:

3. Passive solar heating
4. Natural ventilation cooling
5. Thermal mass cooling
6. Evaporative cooling

Question 6

Minimize the visual obtrusiveness of the heating and cooling system

Answer 6

Choosing a system that has minimal hardware in the occupied spaces of the building, such as

1. Any all-air system

Or in medium-sized or smaller buildings, consider a passive system:

2. Passive solar heating
3. Natural ventilation cooling
4. Thermal mass cooling
5. Evaporative cooling

Question 7

Maximize the flexibility of rental space and the adaptability of the heating and cooling system to space reconfiguration over time:

Answer 7

Choose a central air system that has minimal hardware in the occupied spaces of the building and that can provide local or zoned control over temperature, such as:

1. VAV
2. VAV reheat
3. Multizone

or choose an all-water system that allows easy temperature control of individual spaces:

4. Fan-coil terminals
5. Through-the-wall and packaged terminal units

Question 8

Minimize the floor space used for the mechanical system or the floor-to-floor height of the building:

Answer 8

Choose a local system that has no ductwork or piping, such as:
1. Through-the-wall packaged terminal units

or a system that minimizes the size of the ductwork or piping, such as:

2. Induction Systems
3. Hydronic convectors

or in medium-sized or smaller buidings, consider a passive system:

4. Passive solar heating
5. Natural ventilation cooling
6. Thermal mass cooling
7. Evaporative cooling

Question 9

Minimize maintenance requirements of the heating and cooling system

Answer 9

Choose systems that are very simple and have few moving parts in the occupied spaces of the building:

1. VAV
2. Single duct, CAV
3. Hydronic convectors

or in medium-sized or smaller buildings, consider a passive system:

4. Passive solar heating
5. Natural ventilation cooling
6. Thermal mass cooling
7. Evaporative cooling

Question 10

Avoid having a chimney in the building

Answer 10

choose systems that are electrically powered:

1. Any system that can use an electrically powered boiler
2. Through-the-wall and packaged terminal units

Or in medium-sized or smaller buildings, consider a passive system:
3. Passive solar heating

Question 11

Maximize the speed of construction

Answer 11

Choose systems that can be installed by a single trade, such as:

1. Through-the-wall and packaged terminal units