Project Overview

The Nueva School recently renovated an existing library building wing to accommodate additional classrooms needed at the Hillsborough campus location. The existing library building utilized the natural cool climate along with operable windows and high thermal mass to provide passive cooling along with in-slab radiant heating. During the renovation, the school staff requested potentially adding air conditioning, citing challenges with maintaining comfort.

Our Role

LMS Architects hired A2 Efficiency to evaluate options for increasing thermal comfort to identify a viable solution which could fit both within the building envelope as well as budget and time. The team evaluated several options including:

1. The existing estimated comfort conditions under recent weather.

2. Utilizing existing ventilation fans to night-flush the mass on a new controller.

3. Utilizing conditioned ventilation air, cooling the fresh air system, only providing approximately 1/3 of the AC traditionally used.

4. Utilizing the conditioned ventilation air + an automated night-flush scheme.

Project Highlights

The team utilized a rapid building energy model to assess the options for passive cooling and suggested a solution to work within the existing duct system and system ventilation airflow. The team presented options to the school, working to articulate the complexities of thermal comfort and benefits the system would provide.