Nursing Home Design Guide
2006
4. Exterior Design Conditions
2.4
Systems Criteria
Exterior design conditions should be
based on the most current edition of the
ASHRAE Fundamentals Handbook.
2.4.1 Heating, Ventilating and Air
Summer design conditions should be
Conditioning (HVAC)
based on the 0.4 percent dry bulb and
wet bulb temperatures indicated under
1. General
"Cooling db/mwb". Where cooling
The HVAC system should comply with
towers are applicable, select the cooling
the most current version of Department
tower based on the wet bulb
of Veterans Affairs (VA) HVAC Design
temperature indicated under
Manuals, VA Design and Construction
"Evaporation wb/mdb". Winter design
Procedures, VA Master Construction
conditions should be based on the 99.6
Specifications and VA Standard Details,
percent dry bulb temperature indicated
where applicable. Deviations from the
under "Heating dry bulb". The A/E may
VA guidelines may be made provided
recommend more severe outdoor
approval is obtained from the VA.
climatic conditions for review and
Where specific VA requirements are not
approval by the VA.
available or indicated in this document,
design criteria from industry standards
5. Indoor Design Conditions
such as ASHRAE, NFPA, and DOE etc.
Indoor design conditions for each space
should be submitted to the VA for review
should be maintained throughout the
and approval.
year. Interior design conditions for all
spaces should be maintained in
2. Energy Economic Analysis
accordance with the most current
The HVAC system should be selected
version of ASHRAE Standard 55. In
based on an economic analysis
addition, the conditions shown in Table
performed in compliance with Public
2.4 should be maintained.
Law 95-619 to determine the most cost
effective system for the building over a
6. Supply Air Requirements
20-year life cycle.
The supply air volume should be
established to meet the cooling load
3. Energy Conservation
requirements of the occupied space.
Energy conservation should be
The supply volume should, however, be
emphasized in all aspects of the building
modified to meet a) minimum air change
design. The building should meet the
requirements, or b) maintain proper
requirements of the most current version
space pressurization relative to room
of ASHRAE Standard 90.1 and the DOE
exhaust requirements. For all air
regulations. These energy standards
systems, the supply air minimum
apply to HVAC systems as well as the
airflows shall be established to maintain
building envelope, service water
the minimum air change rates. See
heating, lighting and energy
Table 2.5. In addition, filtration shall be
management. Certification should be
comprised of a minimum 30% efficient
provided to the VA that the building is
pre-filter and 85% efficient after-filters,
designed in compliance with the
where filter efficiencies shall be based
applicable energy conservation
provisions.
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