HVAC Design Course

Lesson 1 • Heat Transfer Mechanisms

Examines conduction, convection, and radiation as they occur in building envelopes and HVAC components. Provides calculation methods used in load estimation and equipment sizing.

Lesson 2 • HVAC System Types and Applications

Surveys all-air, all-water, air-water, and refrigerant-based systems with their typical applications. Enables informed system selection based on building type and occupancy requirements.

Lesson 3 • Codes, Standards, and Design Criteria

Reviews ventilation standards, energy codes, and indoor air quality requirements that govern HVAC design. Establishes compliance benchmarks applied in every subsequent design chapter.

Lesson 4 • Psychrometrics and Moist Air Properties

Introduces moist air properties including humidity ratio, dew point, and enthalpy. Students use the psychrometric chart to analyse air-conditioning processes central to system design.

Lesson 1 • Envelope Heat Gain and Loss

Calculates conductive and solar heat transfer through walls, roofs, windows, and floors. These envelope loads form the largest component of most building heating and cooling calculations.

Lesson 2 • Internal Heat Gains

Quantifies heat released by occupants, lighting, and equipment within conditioned spaces. Accurate internal gain data prevents oversizing and ensures proper latent load accounting.

Lesson 3 • Block and Zone Load Analysis

Aggregates zone loads into block loads and identifies peak coincident demand for central plant sizing. Students learn to use load calculation software and validate results manually.

Lesson 4 • Ventilation and Outdoor Air Loads

Determines the thermal impact of required outdoor air on system capacity. Ventilation loads are calculated separately to support economiser and energy recovery design.

Lesson 1 • Airflow Requirements and Space Conditioning

Establishes supply airflow rates needed to offset zone loads and maintain comfort conditions. Correct airflow determination is the starting point for all duct and terminal sizing.

Lesson 2 • Duct Pressure Loss Calculations

Calculates friction and dynamic losses through straight ducts, fittings, and transitions. Accurate pressure loss data is essential for fan selection and system balancing.

Lesson 3 • Air Terminal and Diffuser Selection

Selects supply diffusers, return grilles, and exhaust registers to achieve target throw, spread, and noise levels. Terminal selection directly affects occupant comfort and acoustic performance.

Lesson 4 • Duct Leakage and Insulation

Addresses duct sealing classes, leakage testing, and thermal insulation requirements for energy compliance. Proper sealing and insulation prevent significant capacity and energy losses.

Lesson 1 • Hydronic System Configurations

Compares constant-flow, variable-flow, primary-secondary, and primary-only distribution arrangements. Configuration choice affects control complexity, energy use, and part-load performance.

Lesson 2 • Pump Selection and Parallel Operation

Selects centrifugal pumps by matching pump curves to system curves and evaluates parallel and series configurations. Pump efficiency and variable-speed operation are analysed for energy savings.

Lesson 3 • Pipe Sizing and Material Selection

Sizes piping using velocity and pressure drop criteria for chilled water, hot water, and condenser water. Material selection addresses corrosion, pressure rating, and installation cost.

Lesson 4 • Expansion, Pressurisation, and Water Treatment

Designs expansion tanks, air separators, and fill systems to maintain safe system pressure. Water treatment requirements prevent corrosion, scale, and biological growth in hydronic loops.

Lesson 1 • Vapour Compression Refrigeration Cycle

Analyses the standard and modified vapour compression cycle using pressure-enthalpy diagrams. Cycle analysis provides the basis for evaluating chiller performance and efficiency metrics.

Lesson 2 • Cooling Tower and Condenser Design

Sizes cooling towers and condenser water systems to reject heat from water-cooled chillers. Tower approach temperature and range directly affect chiller efficiency and energy consumption.

Lesson 3 • Refrigerant Selection and Safety

Compares refrigerant options by global warming potential, safety classification, and system compatibility. Refrigerant choice affects equipment design, regulatory compliance, and long-term serviceability.

Lesson 4 • Chiller Types and Performance

Evaluates centrifugal, screw, scroll, and absorption chillers by capacity range, efficiency, and part-load behaviour. Performance data interpretation guides chiller selection for specific plant requirements.

Lesson 1 • Steam System Design Principles

Covers steam generation, distribution, condensate return, and steam trap selection for low- and high-pressure systems. Steam system design requires careful attention to condensate management and safety.

Lesson 2 • Hot Water Distribution and Terminal Units

Designs hot water piping networks and selects fan coil units, unit heaters, and radiant panels. Terminal unit selection determines comfort delivery and system controllability at the zone level.

Lesson 3 • Boiler Types and Combustion Efficiency

Evaluates fire-tube, water-tube, and condensing boilers by capacity, efficiency, and fuel type. Combustion efficiency analysis identifies opportunities to reduce fuel consumption and emissions.

Lesson 4 • Heating System Types and Selection

Compares hot water, steam, electric, and heat pump heating systems by efficiency, cost, and application. System selection criteria are linked to building type, climate, and energy source availability.

Lesson 1 • Ventilation Standards and Requirements

Applies occupancy-based and area-based ventilation rate procedures to determine minimum outdoor air quantities. Compliance with ventilation standards is verified through zone and system-level calculations.

Lesson 2 • Laboratory and Critical Environment Ventilation

Addresses high-exhaust-rate ventilation for laboratories, cleanrooms, and healthcare spaces with stringent IAQ needs. These environments require specialised airflow patterns, filtration, and pressure control.

Lesson 3 • Energy Recovery Ventilation

Selects and sizes heat wheels, plate exchangers, and run-around coils to recover energy from exhaust air. Energy recovery reduces outdoor air conditioning loads and improves overall system efficiency.

Lesson 4 • Indoor Air Quality Contaminant Control

Identifies common indoor pollutants and selects source control, dilution, and filtration strategies. Contaminant control decisions directly affect occupant health, productivity, and system energy use.

Lesson 1 • Zone-Level Control Strategies

Designs thermostat, VAV box, and fan coil control sequences to maintain zone comfort with minimal energy use. Zone control strategies must coordinate with central plant and air-handling unit operations.

Lesson 2 • Control System Fundamentals

Introduces sensors, actuators, controllers, and control loops used in HVAC automation. Understanding control hardware and signal types is prerequisite to designing effective control sequences.

Lesson 3 • Air-Handling Unit Control Sequences

Develops control sequences for mixed air, cooling, heating, and supply fan operations in air-handling units. Sequences are documented as written narratives and control diagrams for construction use.

Lesson 4 • Building Automation System Architecture

Designs BAS network architecture including field controllers, supervisory controllers, and operator workstations. Communication protocols and cybersecurity requirements are addressed for modern BAS deployments.