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ecoflair®

A Case History:

FARAM S.P.A. (PARMA , ITALY)

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A significant example from

a recent Italian newspaper

(3rd February 2010)

Controversy over modern buildings: a recent case

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The Council building is making us ill !

Deluge of complaints from

employees about the new

headquarters

Some areas are freezing

whereas others are boiling,

encouraging illnesses

The building was designed

as an open space but was

then subdivided

Controversy over modern buildings: a recent case

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FARAM S.p.A. Headquarters

Project: Renovation and extension works

Location : Parma (Italy)

Architect: Claudio Manni

Total internal area: 1700 m2

•Offices: 850 m2

•Show-room: 350 m2

•Service: 500 m2

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Existing building

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Needs, Requirements and Objectives

Corporate image:

implementing innovative and high-

quality solutions

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Needs, Requirements and Objectives

Employee comfort

•Visual comfort

•Acoustic comfort

•Thermohygrometric comfort

•Air quality

•Ergonomics

•Electromagnetic pollution

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Strong emotionalwork commitment

Slight emotionalWork commitment

No emotional work commitment

Year 2007

Needs, Requirements and Objectives

18 %

69 %

13 %

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Wo

rk d

ed

ica

tion

Staff costs

Building costs

Others

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

1

Annual costs for an office building (2008)

Employee comfort

•Company attachment

•Quality of work

•Performance and productivity

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Employee comfort

•Air quality

•Thermohygrometric conditions

Needs, Requirements and Objectives

% Dissatisfied due to air quality

Pe

rfo

rma

nce

%

Re

lativ

e p

erf

orm

an

ce

Temperature (°C)

10

Needs, Requirements and Objectives

Flexibile solutions

•During design phase

•During installation

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Adaptabilty

•During the life of the building

Needs, Requirements and Objectives

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

1960 1980 2005

Off

ice

bu

ildin

g s

pa

ce

Communal areas, meeting rooms…

Closed offices

Open plan offices

Outside

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The Council building is making us ill !

Deluge of complaints from

employees about the new

headquarters

Some areas are freezing

whereas others are boiling,

encouraging illnesses

The building was designed

as an open space but was

then subdivided

Controversy over modern buildings: a recent case

13

Needs, Requirements and Objectives

Source: F.M.A.

0102030405060708090

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Time [years]A

nnua

l co

st

[M€]

Project cost

Management cost

Total management cost

T.C.O. (Total Cost of Ownership):

assessing the life cycle of a solution

•operating costs (energy, maintenance..)

•“adaption” costs (change in the intended

use of the building, norms, ..)

•downtime costs

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Needs, Requirements and Objectives

Building Costs [%]

Maintenance costs [%]

External improvements

4 3

Equipment 4 11

Electrical systems 12 13

Fire prevention systems

3 0,25

Air conditioning systems

16 21

Plumbing systems 5 16

Lifts 5 4

Internal finishings 15 19

Roof 1 1,5

External walls 12 10

Structure and foundations

23 1,25

T.C.O. (Total Cost of Ownership):

assessing the life cycle of a solution

•operating costs (energy, maintenance..)

•“adaption” costs (change in the intended

use of the building, norms, ..)

•downtime costs

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Needs, Requirements and Objectives

Energy efficiency and sustainability

•Lower energy consumption

•Reducing refrigerant

•Low impact on global warming

•Sustainable materials

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Needs, Requirements and Objectives

Energy efficiency and sustainability

•Lower energy consumption

•Reducing refrigerant

•Low impact on global warming

•Sustainable materials

•2002/91/CE

“Energy performance of buildings” Energy certification label for buildings

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Proposed Solution

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Htwh – Heat transfer unit

Modular access floor

INSTALLATION SCHEME Supervisory system

Unitile – Terminal units

ecoflair® - Integrated solution patented by Uniflair

Energy Provider - Multifunctional unit Accv – Air Handling unit

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14°C35°C

Cold and Hot Loop

• Heating and cooling simultaneously

• Water based (no refrigerant indoors)

• Water Temp. : 14°C cold / 35°C hot

high comfort

energy saving (high C.O.P.)

compatibility with alternative energy

sources (geothermic, solar, ..)

Separation of sensible/latent load

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• Coil + fan: allows cooling or heating of

the area in which it is installed

• Modular dimensions (600x600 mm): for

integrated installation in a raised floor

• Connected with flexible pipes, these units

can be moved according to layout

changes

Unitile – Terminal unit

230

mm

600

mm

600 mm

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(*) Designed with the Physics Department, Architecture University of Venice

Directional grille (*)

• The discharge grille directs the air-flow to

follow a “bell” path, creating a sort of

“climatic bubble” between the Unitile and

the suction grille.

• The air-speed is reduced in order to

obtain a high level of comfort for users.

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• To connect Unitiles to the main pipes

• Increasing flexibility: with a local pump and

“plug and play” connections, it allows to

move and to add Unitile units, increasing the

cooling capacity.

• Simplicity and speed of installation

Hydraulic Kit

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CoolingHeating

Hydraulic Kit

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• User setting for temperature and air-

speed (1,2,3, auto)

• Stand-alone operation

• Integrated ambient temperature sensor

• Easy connection in TLan with Utat units

Wall installation

Table support installationTLan

Local User Terminal

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Wireless control

• Advanced technology

• Simplicity and speed of installation

• Reduced cost of installation

• Increasing flexibility in moving Unitiles

• Captivating design

• No visible wires on desks

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• Commercial buildings often require

heating and cooling simultaneously

during the year

• Transferring energy is much better

rather than creating it: this is the

basic idea of the ecoflair® system

• The Heat Transfer Unit (HTWH)

balances the simultaneous opposite

thermal loads within the building

Energy efficiency

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• Commercial buildings often require

heating and cooling simultaneously

during the year

• Transferring energy is much better

rather than creating it: this is the

basic idea of the ecoflair® system

• The Heat Transfer Unit (HTWH)

balances the simultaneous opposite

thermal loads within the building

Energy efficiency

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Cooling: some heat is

“removed” from the air, and

it is transferred to the cold

loop (water T. increases)

Cooling: some heat is

“removed” from the air, and

it is transferred to the cold

loop (water T. increases) In the HTWH this q.ty of

heat is “moved” from the

cold to the hot water

In the HTWH this q.ty of

heat is “moved” from the

cold to the hot water

Heating: the heat which

has been cumulated in the

hot loop (water) is given

back to the air in another

building area

Heating: the heat which

has been cumulated in the

hot loop (water) is given

back to the air in another

building area

Heat Transfer Unit - HTWH

• Restores the water set-point temperature in the 2 loops, transferring excess

energy from the cold to the hot loop

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HEATING LOAD (kW)

COOLING LOAD(kW)

TRANSFERRED BY THE HTWHTRANSFERRED BY THE HTWH

PROVIDED BY THE E.P.

PROVIDED BY THE E.P.

Energy Provider - external multifunctional unit

• Integrates the unbalanced thermal energy

• Production of hot and cold water

independently or simultaneously

• Independent cold/hot water circuits (no

cycle inversion)

• Reduced footprint (1 unit only)

• Free-cooling operation available

• High energy efficiency (recovering heat)

• Outdoor and easy installation

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• Managing the quality of internal air:

Humidity

(humidification/dehumidification)

Adequate air exchange

Air filtration

Monitoring of the CO2 and VOC levels

• Cross flow heat exchanger to exchange

heat between exhausted discharged air and

incoming fresh air.

ACCV – Air handling unit

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Ground Floor

Ground Floor1st Floor

FARAM Headquarters – Project description

ecoflair® system

Fan coil / underfloor system

Integration with a boiler available in

production

Supervisory System

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Building work on site

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Building work on site

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Finished project

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Finished project

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Finished project: 2nd step

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Finished project: external

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Comfort

Flexibility

Cost

€

Benefits obtained

• Representative headquarters

• Integration of systems in the modular

access floor

• High comfort conditions (individual

control, air quality, low noise)

• Spatial flexibility and modularity

• Energy saving

• Reduction in operating costs

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ecoflair® - some references

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Padova University Refectory

Area: 350 m2

Typology: 2 pipe-system (external heat-pump)

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Restaurant in Catanzaro

Area: 250 m2

Typology: 2 pipe-system (external heat-pump)

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Extension works “Traspolare S.p.A.” Headquarters

Area: 700 m2

Typology: different water based systems

• Ground floor: hydronic cassette

• First floor: ecoflair UTAT units in a 4-pipe system

• Loft floor: cold beams

• Bathrooms: ceiling radiant installation

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FIRST FLOOR OFFICES

DETAIL

FIRST FLOOR:

ecoflair UTAT units

in a 4-pipe system

Extension works “Traspolare S.p.A.” Headquarters

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Extension works “Traspolare S.p.A.” Headquarters

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Restoration of the Church of San Francesco in Naples

Typology: 2 pipe-system in a traditional floor

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Restoration of an office building in Bologna

Area: 1000 m2

Typology: ecoflair® system in office area

Traditional fan-coils in refectory area

3-way co-generation plant

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Restoration of an office building in Bologna

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ecoflair ®