American Chamber of Commerce in Romania

PBW2 – Showroom and Service for Audi and Seat cars was commisioned in august 2006.
The HVAC system is based on reversible heat pumps (heating – cooling) with geothermal source manufactured by Florida Heat Pump – USA. The water-to-water & water-to-air heat pumps work with R410A ecological refrigerant and electric powered compressors.

The technical data are the following:
„ Conditioned surface                3.507 m²
„ Heating load                              308 kWt
„ Cooling load                              313 kWt
„ Total HVAC Power System     375 kW

The construction data are the following:
Metallic construction with unfolded area of 3.507 m² structured in four distinctive parts:
„ SEAT Showroom of 360 m², made of steel and glass;
„ AUDI Showroom a total of 795 m² (650 m² - area of cars presentation + 145 m² - office area, on two levels);
„ Middle section of metal and glass in an area of 421 m², linking the metallic constructions of the two showrooms;
„ Assembly room with wide dimensions - 1931 m², with thermally insulated lateral walls.
Medium thermal resistance of the building is 2,13 (m2K)/W and the specific thermal loss is 0,209 W/(m3K).

The calculation data for winter situation are:
„ Outdoor air temperature -15°C
„ Outdoor air relative humidity 80%
„ Indoor air temperature for public areas, showrooms, offices, sanitary facilities 20°C
„ Indoor air temperature services areas 18°C

The calculation data for summer situation are:
„ Outdoor air temperature 33°C
„ Outdoor air relative humidity 47 %
„ Comfort assurance 98 %
„ Maximum indoor air temperature for public spaces, showrooms, offices, sanitary facilities 26°C
„ Indoor Air Temperature in production spaces and in the warehouse 27°C

The thermal and ventilation data are the following:
„ Fresh air flow                 3000 m³/h
„ Heating load                  308 kW
„ Cooling load                  313 kW
„ Domestic hot water      200 kWh/day

The HVAC concept is the following:
„ 750 m2 of area of Radiant Hydronic Panels, for heating and cooling;
„ Ventilation Ducts - some visible, some hidden - connected to several water-to-air heat pumps, located mainly in the false ceilings of the building;
„ 17 Water-to-Water GSHP & 12 Water-to-Air GSHP
„ 128 Vertical Boreholes of 72 m depth installed on a field of 3.500 sqm
„ 475 MWh/year - Thermal Energy for Heating (including domestic hot water), produced with ground source heat pumps
„ 393 MWh/year - Thermal Energy for Cooling.

Compared with the classic HVAC solution in PBW1 (identical building as construction, size, activity, week program, cardinal orientation and position), HVAC Specific Annual Costs are represented below:
The 12 month survey of the two buildings revealed a specific yearly cost of 17.39 Euro/sqm for the classic solution using natural gas to produce heat and domestic hot water, and using the last generation of a VRV (Variable Refrigerant Volume) multisplit systems for ventilating and conditioning the building during winter and summer and a specific yearly cost of 5.80 Euro/sqm For PBW2 geothermal HVAC solution.
In Romania, the Building Performance Certification is settled by the Law 372/2005. The quality rank depends on the specific yearly consumptions of heat and cold in the building. According this regulation, the two buildings under survey have the following energy rank: PBW2 – high C energy rank (between 259 and 389 kWh/m2, year), PBW1 – low D (between 389 and 557 kWh/m2, year).

The efficiency and environment conclusion are:
„ The ENERGY used by a GSHP HVAC system is 5 times smaller than in a technically equivalent classic HVAC system.
„ The Utilities Costs for the cold season of the year in the case of GSHP HVAC system are 3 times smaller than in the case of classic HVAC system.
„ The CO2 pollution in the case of GSHP HVAC system - is 10 times smaller than in the classic HVAC System, based on natural gas.
„ The GSHP HVAC system properly designed and implemented brings important economical and ecological advantages, compared to classic HVAC system.

„ National training and certification system for all engineering specialties involved in GSHP HVAC applications (22 specialties according IGSHPA);
„ National coherent incentive system for renewable solutions depending on the specific performance level of each application;
„ National long term strategy on RES and national yearly programs separated from the long term strategy;
„ Transparent and detailed reporting national system regarding functional applications (data bases, solutions, performances, available technologies, certified designers, installers and entrepreneurs etc.);
„ National education and information network regarding RES through schools, media and NGO network.

The management of ASA Holding team was realized by:
„ Radu Hanganu-Cucu, Eng. – Project Manager, IGSHPA & AEE Certified Geoexchange Designer, ASHRAE Member;
„ Radu Polizu, PhD, Eng. - HVAC Consultant, Certified Energy Auditor, ASHRAE Member;
„ Dorin Harabagiu, Eng. - IGSHPA Certified Installer, ASHRAE Member
„ Doina Cucueteanu, Eng. – SRAC Certified Auditor for Quality and Environment, member in EGEC – European Geothermal Energy Council Board