Higher Diploma in Building Services Engineering

2015-2016, Semester 1
Subject: BSE2701 System Design I
Dr. Xiao, F. Linda
Office: ZS851; Tel: 2766 4194; Email: linda.xiao@polyu.edu.hk

Cooling Load Calculation & HVAC System Design

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
Based on the design information given for the building development, this design exercise aims to develop
the ability of students to:

Apply appropriately regulations, codes, criteria and rule-of-thumb in design of air conditioning
(A/C) systems;
Manipulate the process and procedures for preliminary cooling load estimation;
Make use of computer software for cooling load calculation;
Size and select major A/C equipment, ducts and pipes; and
Produce schematic and layout design drawings for air conditioning system.

DESIGN TASKS
At this stage of the project, the client would like to know the approximate cooling load and to have an
overview of the water-side and air-side HVAC system arrangements. Meanwhile, in order to facilitate the
architectural design further, the architect would like to see if the current typical floor arrangement can
suit your HVAC design. Being the building services consulting engineer for the project, you are thus
required to carry out the following tasks:
1. Estimate the cooling load using rule-of-thumb for the whole building with breakdowns according
to different types (if any) of space usage;
2. Use the computer software (HvacLoadExplorer) to calculate the cooling load of the building.
(Note: Each typical floor must accommodate at least one director room of 15m2 and one
conference room of 40m2. Students are free to determine the location and function of the rooms.
Students may assume that all typical floors are identical.)
3. Prepare one water-side schematic and one air-side schematic drawings of the HVAC system for
the building;
(Note: No dimensions of equipment/fitments are required to be shown on the schematic drawings,
but the quantity of major components (e.g. chiller, pump, AHU, etc.) should be indicated on the
drawings.)
4. Prepare one schematic (single-line, not to scale) HVAC layout drawing for the typical floor.
(Note: No capacities and dimensions of equipment/fitments are required to be shown on the
schematic drawing.)

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5. Prepare one 1:50 HVAC layout drawing for the Conference Room, with indication of the sizes
of ductwork and pipework.
(Note: Assume that a fan coil unit (FCU) system is used and the ceiling grid size is
600mm600mm. The assumption is only applied to this task. You may use different types of air
conditioning system in your design.)
General notes:
Your design/calculations should make reference to relevant regulatory requirements and
recommended best practices.
Clear legends should be provided on the drawings.
State any reasonable assumptions that you have made.
REQUIREMENT ON SUBMISSION
Each design team is required to submit the e-copy of your design report to the Blackboard on or before
12:00 noon on 19 October 2015. Your report should comprise the following parts:
1. Calculations for estimating the cooling load for the building and computer software calculations
for the typical office floor;
(No more than two A4 pages for elaborating the design criteria, steps of the calculations and
assumptions made; print computer calculation on no more than four A4 pages should be attached
as appendix.)
2. Two Schematic design drawings for the water-side and air-side HVAC systems for the building,
and one schematic HVAC layout for the typical floor; and
(Not more than three A4 pages for explaining the design criteria/considerations for your
proposed system and three sheets of A3 size drawing.)
3. One 1: 50 HVAC layout (with clear legend and dimensions of essential fitments) for the
Conference Room.
(No more than one A4 page for explaining the design criteria/considerations for your proposed
layout and one sheet of A3 size drawing.)
Note: The body of the report, including the cover page and a brief introduction and a concise
summary, should contain no more than seven A4 pages.
Format of e-report:
Students should submit a single pdf file (size limited to 10MB) containing the main body of the
report, appendixes of calculation etc. and drawings to the Blackboard.
Drawings should also be submitted to Blackboard in ACAD files, separately.
Files should be named as: Group_xx_HVAC report.pdf, Group_xx_air side.dwg, etc. xx is your
group number.
REFERENCE:
You may refer to the following references for you design:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Design guides from CIBSE/ASHRAE

Local regulations and code of practices, such as EMSD
User manual for HvacLoadExplorer
BS1553 Part 1, Graphical symbols for piping, heating and ventilation installations.
BS1192 Part 2, Recommendations for architectural and engineering drawings.
Relevant manufactures catalogues.

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