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AUGUST 2016 | 35 PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY SEMCO HVAC Mechanical & HVAC Systems SEMCO is another company that successfully pushes the envelope of traditional HVAC design for the sake of superior energy savings and efficiency, and one of the more recent examples of this is its work on The University of Findlay's new $11-million Davis Building. Instead of a conventional HVAC system of heat pumps or unitary air handlers, the 42,000-square-foot facil- ity is equipped with a geothermal system that sup- plies 58- to 62-degree fahrenheit closed circuit ground source water to ceiling-mounted, active chilled beams provided by SEMCO for handling between 70 and 80 per cent of the sensible load. These chilled beams reduce fan energy by up to 50 per cent versus conventional air handling technolo- gies, and each beam requires only 100 to 125 cubic feet per minute (cfm) from the project's 19,000-cfm dedi- cated outdoor air system to prevent condensation. The outdoor air supplied through the active chilled beams also prevents potential floor condensation from the radiant system. Vibration and the attendant noise is a perpetual challenge in the design and installation of HVAC and mechanical systems, especially if secondary path con- nections to electrical, gas and mechanical have not been addressed. Vibra-Sonic Control was established in 1980 on the premise that a company specializing solely in noise and vibration control products would fill a significant void in the market – and this has proven to be the case, with the company providing an extensive range of products for noise and vibration reduction as well as seismic restraint. Many of Vibra-Sonic's solutions are deceptively simple, one case in point being its Mason SFDEJ Flex Connectors, specifically designed to address vibra- tion induced noise associated with HVAC piping, and that are able to deal with large expansion/con- traction movements and non-parallel mating-flange interfaces. This series is amongst the very few elas- tomeric connectors that have been truly engineered, with Mason Industries working closely with the raw material suppliers and keeping a close eye on the man- ufacturing process; as a result, the SFDEJ series has the lowest failure rate of any elastomeric connector, practically nil. Finally, in the realm of geoexchange, Trak Interna- tional can help clients utilize ground energy for heat- ing purposes for less than half the cost of natural gas, and return heat energy to the ground during the cool- ing season for less than 10 per cent of the cost of tradi- tional cooling systems. The Trak GeoExchange system incorporates vertical buried pipes that circulate water or an environmentally safe antifreeze solution; the fluid absorbs heat from the ground during the win- ter and transfers it to distribution systems inside the building. In the summer, the process is reversed, with heat from the building being returned to the ground. Although Trak's vertical loops are more expen- sive to install, they require less piping than horizontal loops, because the earth's temperature is more stable farther below the surface. Trak president Jeff Maxwell calls 2016 "a very busy year," but he adds that he is unwilling to elaborate on what's coming down the turnpike – other than to sug- gest it is exciting: "We have big developments in the works, a lot to look forward to – and hopefully we'll be able to reveal more as the year progresses." A Roof mounted ice tanks and chiller make up part of the SEMCO geothermal system installed at the University of Findlay's Davis Building. Outdoor air supplied through ceiling-mounted, active chilled beams.

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