AC-2330 -- Comfort with Economy PDF

A recent govemmental request has established as a reasonable room temperature 68 F in the winter and 78 F in the summer. These readjustments of room set points can reduce the amount of raw materials required to operate an office building at the expense of personnel comfort. The challenge confronting the design engineer or building manager is keeping 95% of the personnel within an environment comfortable while minimizing electrical and mechanical inputs. Such a goal is possible when desire promotes innovation.

Presidential Member Kirkwood in ASHRAE JOURNAL, May 1974, wrote "ASHRAE members have an opportunity to see that this point is brought home to their clients: We can save energy in existing buildings; we can reduce the energy requirements by providing an improvement in the utilization of energy in existing buildings by applying our present technology not something yet to be developed - we can save half [of our present energy use.]"

A practical application of Mr. Kirkwood's challenge is presented in three parts: the original system, modifications, and performance results.