peer critique

This report was prepared by students as part of a university course requirement. While considerable effort has been put into the project, it is not the work of licensed engineers and has not undergone the extensive verification that is common in the profession. The information, data, conclusions, and content of this report should not be relied on or utilized without thorough, independent testing and verification. University faculty members may have been associated with this project as advisors, sponsors, or course instructors, but as such they are not responsible for the accuracy of results or conclusions.

[Use your word processor to delete the following Table of Contents and insert a new TOC. Include front matter (except for the cover page), body of the report, and all appendices. The Table should include four levels of headings, e.g., down to 2.2.1.3, as illustrated below.]

Table of Contents Disclaimer i Executive Summary ii Acknowledgements iii Table of Contents iv Table of Contents iv 1 Introduction 1 1.1 Introduction 1 1.2 Project Description 2 1.3 Original System 2 1.3.1 Original System Structure 2 1.3.2 Original System Operation 2 1.3.3 Original System Performance 2 1.3.4 Original System Deficiencies 2 2 Background 3 2.1 Literature Review 3 2.2 Existing Designs 3 2.2.1 Design Research 3 2.2.2 System Level 3 3 Requirements 4 3.1 Customer Requirements (CRs) 4 3.2 Engineering Requirements (ERs) 6 3.3 Testing Procedures (TPs) 6 3.4 Design Links (DLs) 6 4 Designs Considered 8 4.1 Design #1 – Sliding Doors 8 4.2 Design #2 – Intelligent Thermostat 8 4.3 Design #3 – Air Curtain 9 4.4 Design #4 – Window Tinting 9 4.5 Design #5 – Flexible Solar Panel Shades 9 4.6 Design #6 – Hybrid Design 9 5 Design Selected 11 5.1 Rationale for Design Selection 11 5.2 Detailed Design Description 12 6 Project Implementation 14 6.1 Deliverables 14 6.2 Budget 15 6.3 Team Qualifications 15 6.3.1 Existing Team 16 6.3.2 Additional Desired Team Members 16 References 18 Appendices 19 Appendix A - Complete Gantt Chart 19 Appendix B - Résumés and work experience 19 Appendix C 19

Energy consumption is a growing trend in our global society. A convenience that is often taken for granted, energy production is one of the leading contributors to increased greenhouse gas emissions [1]. An unchecked increase in these emissions will eventually destabilize the climate; however, a proactive approach to using energy more wisely, by reducing energy consumption, using more energy efficient devices, and regulating energy production, we can offset these emissions and reduces their overall effect on the environment. Climate control systems consume between 35 and 50 percent of total energy produced [2]. Colder climates require more energy to sustain a comfortable temperature than hot climates [2]. By utilizing more efficient methods of reducing thermal leakage from buildings, the amount of energy needed will be reduced, which will lower the overall greenhouse emissions caused by power generation. Looking at the major causes for thermal losses in buildings will give insight into what can be changed with current construction methods to allow for more efficient buildings; this also allows for older buildings to be updated as necessary to reduce the energy required to sustain comfortable temperatures. Northern Arizona University (NAU) is an ideal location to research which methods of increasing thermal efficiency in buildings, due to the campus experiencing both hot and cold weather. NAU would benefit from increasing the thermal efficiency of its older buildings; these upgrades would reduce costs to climate control and reduce the carbon footprint left on the environment. Many methods are available to increase efficiency in climate control systems.

Extensive updates on an older building often require a process that is intrusive and destructive. For example, replacing fiberglass insulation with silica gel insulation requires removal of the existing interior walls and possibly the electrical wiring within the building. Replacing window glass with more efficient glass can also be costly, especially if the glass being replaced is a structural part of the building. There are methods available which can incorporate the initial design and construction of the building to help offset losses when people enter or exit. Many of the buildings on campus utilize a double door set up; this is where two doors must be opened and closed sequentially to allow access to the inside of the building. By adjusting the weight of the door closing springs/hydraulics, it can be ensured that one door is fully closed before a person can open the second door; likewise, the automatic doors can have their timers adjusted so only one door is open at a time. This prevents direct exposure of the controlled area to the outside, which reduces thermal transfers. Other options include the use of air curtains, which use interior air to act as a thermal barrier, and intelligent thermostats can be installed which are capable of constantly adjusting inside temperature. Risk management must be considered for the project to succeed.

Risk management will need to be considered for this project. Ensuring that people visiting the building will be free of injury and health risk is necessary for the longevity of the project. Determining the objectives of this project assists in assessing the risks involved with changing new construction methods and retrofitting existing buildings. The objectives chosen for maximizing efficiency and reducing risk include, increasing thermal efficiency, reducing costs of building operation, minimizing injury to occupants, and reducing energy consumption within the building. The benefits of project completion explain how sustainability can be maximized.

The benefits of completing this project will allow more sustainable operation of the buildings on NAU’s campus. Sustainable operation is important, it allows for less impact on the environment and lower costs of operation. From the business perspective, this increases profitability which allows for continued business operation. Conserving resources assists in reducing inflation and the effects of supply and demand. Accounting for a standard increase in cost of operations, sustainable operations offset these and allow for continued operation. A description of the project guidelines shows where the selection of reducing climate control power consumption is a necessity for sustainable operation.

This project was done for the purpose of a class assignment. It was also done to assist the Northern Arizona University (NAU) Green Fund with offering ideas to improve sustainability on campus, with the possibility of using the Green Fund funds to implement these ideas on campus as a trial to see if further retrofitting of older buildings would increase sustainability and reduce overall costs of operation.

Not entirely sure what is supposed to go here.

Current designs being implemented to reduce climate control costs vary depending on the general climate of where the building is being constructed. Some designs are useful for hot and cold climates, while other designs are used specifically for hot or cold climates. The common design that fulfills the requirements for both climate types include insulation, dead space separation, and programmable thermostats. Extremely cold climates utilize additional dead space and architectural design to encourage natural heating options, while hot climates design for lower sun exposure and use tint to mitigate heat transfer into the building.

Dead space is an area within a building that is used to reduce the amount of direct atmospheric exposure to the building. These spaces are often seen between sets of double doors and inside structural glasses. Air acts as an insulator, it does not transfer heat efficiently by itself, so the extra space helps to reduce thermal transfer when people enter and exit a building [3].

The research process for this project requires investigation into different aspects of thermal losses within a building. There are areas of a building that experience greater thermal transfers than others, and there are different variables that need to be considered for each area. Construction method, construction material, window type, insulation type, and era of construction are some of the variables that need to be taken into account when determining where the losses are the greatest [4].

Cost increases can also occur depending on the type of equipment being used for climate control purposes. For instance, a wood burning stove will have different hazards and maintenances than a natural gas burning furnace for heating purposes. Air conditioning systems have different maintenance requirements than swamp coolers. While each equipment type has its own advantages, they also carry disadvantages. The advantages and disadvantages need to be weighed to determine the best option for the specific climate the building is located in.

Intelligent Construction

Intelligent construction methods are based on the premise of maximizing efficiency of the exterior and interior design of a building. Taking the climate type for the design into account, buildings can be designed to maximize or minimize thermal transfer from sunlight. The inside of the building should incorporate a design to maximize efficiency of the distribution of the climate control system. This is why most office buildings utilize a cubicle set up, the workspaces are divided, however the divisions do not reach the ceiling and allow for easier distribution of climate controlled air within the office [4].

Maintenance Requirements

Climate control systems require periodic maintenance to perform at optimal efficiencies (i.e., a dirty or ill-maintained system will have to use more energy to produce the same results as a clean or well-maintained system). Choosing a climate control system that has lower maintenance requirements will save money on maintenance costs. These costs vary depending on the type of maintenance required and the amount of time it takes to complete the maintenance. Systems with low maintenance requirements often have more complex maintenance routines than systems with more frequent maintenance intervals [5]. To determine the appropriate system for the application in mind, the maintenance requirements would ideally be able to be completed by staff already employed at NAU, this option is less expensive than hiring an outside contractor to complete maintenance on the climate control equipment. The average maintenance interval for air conditioning and central furnace systems is 1500 hours of operation, which depending on the building type is typically 90 days [6]. Developing a way to extend this interval would allow for less periodic maintenance, which would reduce costs of operation.

Thermal Leakage Properties

Thermal leakages are what cause buildings to need almost constant operation of the climate control system in use (i.e., the heater runs throughout the day because the heat makes its way to the cold air outside, similarly the air conditioning will run often because heat is making its way inside). Thermodynamics shows how nature is communistic; everything wants to be in balance. This means that temperature will always transfer from hot to cold, and it desires to be equal when an inequality is present [7]. These thermal transfers can be offset by different means; the two most used methods are insulation and dead space utilization [8]. Air curtains also provide a means to allow for open access to the inside of a building while reducing the amount of energy transferred by the open air contact.

Insulation

Insulation is the process of using materials that are thermally inert; they do not transfer heat well. By lining the surface area that is in contact with the outside atmosphere, the process of thermal transfer can be slowed down by as much as 90%, depending on the insulation medium that has been chosen [9]. The most common type of insulation used is made of airyated fiberglass; this material is available and offers between at 45% and 55% reduction in thermal transfers. Standard fiberglass insulation costs $35/roll and each roll offers approximately 65 square feet of coverage [9].

An emerging technology for insulation is the use of Aerogels; these materials are 97% air and offer 75% to 90% reduction in thermal transfers. The drawback of this material is it is much more expensive than fiberglass insulation and the material is hydroscopic, so it degrades quickly in humid climates. Prices for Silica Aerogel Insulation depend on the amount needed and the location of the building, because it requires specially trained personnel to install. Refrasil is one manufacturer of Silica Aerogel insulation, the sales representative explained the costing process, indicating that prices range from $3.00 to $15.00 per square foot; these costs do include installation on a building that is already prepared for insulation installation.

Air Curtain

An air curtain utilizes climate-controlled air and a fan to create a thermal barrier that allows people to enter and exit a building. This practice is commonly used in grocery stores that have open access to outside atmosphere. The ‘curtain’ of air reduces thermal transfer by generating a turbulent flow; the air in motion prevents direct atmospheric access. This process reduces thermal transfers by up to 40%, and allows for unrestricted access to a building. The motor that drives the fan, depending on the model, uses 25 watts of power; this is comparable to a laptop that is being charged. The low electrical draw and the reduction of thermal transfers are what make air curtains appealing to buildings that prefer to leave doors open for easier access.

This section of the proposal will review how the team determined which design aspects were most important and how does the team make the final decision. This was accomplished by comparing and combining the customer requirements with the engineering requirements. The team first came up with five solution ideas: 1. Tint. 2. Wind Blower. 3. Flexible Solar Panel. 4. Automatic sliding door. 5. Intelligent Thermostat.

There were total 72 customers took part in the survey: Which solution ideas you are most interested in? 32 of them are 20 to 35 years old, and the rest are older than 35. And here is the result of the survey.

Which solution you are most interested in? Why?

Table 1: Survey Results

Reason:

1. Advantage: Solve power; low maintenance fee; Easy to implement Disadvantage: difficult to control; No sunlight at night; May cause light pollution

2. Advantage: Existing technology; easy to control; Low prime cost

3. Advantage: Environment friendly; use the resource wisely; Disadvantage: High maintenance fee; Difficult to build; Need long time; Weak feasibility

4. Advantage: Low prime cost; Need short time; Easy to control; Strong operability; Easy to build; Strong Feasibility; Nowadays, power loss is a large proportion, and it’s difficult to improve the utilization of power with the technology now, but it’s easy to reduce the loss; Achieve the climate control inside directly

5. Advantage: No influence by external factors

These two charts show more clearly.

Figure 1: Survey Results

Figure 2: Survey Results

Totally, no matter how old the interviewees are, they show a big interest in Tint and Flexible Solar Panel. They think that they are more environmental friendly, and change the resource like solar and sunlight as energy well. And of course, these two methods sound very cool and novel. However, they also have some big disadvantages that are difficult to control, need high prime fee, and more maintenance requirements. What worse, they are limited by sunlight. Therefore, they might do more harm than good especially in Flagstaff where often snow heavily after September. For the Wind Blower, Automatic sliding doors, and Intelligent Thermostat, people also show some interests. And they think they are easy to control, need lower maintenance requirements, less installation time and prime fee.

The team considerd the requirements through the categories of Geometry, Material, Safety, Ergonomics, Assembly, Operation, Maintenance, Recycling, Costs, and Schedules.

Table 2: Engineering Requirements

1. The Wind Blower can prevent the warm/ cold air inside or outside mixing together. The Automatic Sliding Doors can reduce it through reducing the time interval of normal doors opening and closing.

2. The Wind Blower and Intelligent Thermostat are both operated inside of the building and protected well. Therefore, they don’t need many maintenance requirements.

3. The Intelligent Thermostat can help to reduce the interval temperature gradient and control the temperature difference less than 5 degree ©.

4. The Automatic sliding doors need to be fit the size of the old door so that during the installation, it won’t cause other construction.

5. All the design ideas can meets the requirement that artifact can’t be moved without outside assistance.

6. All the design ideas won't cause heat, or have sharp shape. Therefore, they are all safe to use and can cause less than two injures per year.

7. The Wind Blower, Automatic Sliding Doors, and Intelligent Thermostat are controlled by program and can be updated by program, and they are all inside of the building and be well protected. Therefore, they can last at least one calendar year.

8. The Intelligent Thermostat and Tint can’t make noise while using it. The Wind Blower and the Automatic Sliding doors will make some normal frictional sounds and sounds of wind within the normal range. The Flexible Solar Panel is outside the building. Therefore, the noise they make can’t influence people’s life.

9. The Wind Blower, Automatic Sliding Doors, Wind Tint and Intelligent Thermostat can be installed within more than 30 days.

The team discussed and ultimately agreed upon the selected automatic door design because it fulfills several essential needs for both the customer, Greenfund and Northern Arizona University (NAU)—as well as the student, faculty and staff populations, who will serve as the beneficiaries of the automatic door upgrades that are installed throughout NAU’s main Flagstaff campus. The following subsections will discuss and describe in detail each individual component of the automatic door assembly: The Sliding Doors, the Intelligent Thermostat, and the Door Air Blower. The final subsection will provide a comprehensive summary of the entire door assembly based on the combination of each individual component, and it will also discuss the tangible benefits of installing these doors throughout the campus.

The entire door assembly our automatic door design employs, both its glass panes and its accompanying metal componentry, is environmentally friendly in both its manufacture as well as its end product. The sliding double doors specifically are made from energy efficient safety glass, which as we will discuss further in section 4.4 will greatly aid in reducing annual energy costs where Green fund and NAU are concerned. The door assembly also features two-way motion detector sensors that intelligently control the sliding door assembly.

The motion detector sensors result in the doors intuitively knowing when to open for foot traffic, and also when to close safely so that pedestrians are not harmed by doors shutting on them accidentally—as happens with manual doors.  Additionally, the motion detector sensors minimize the exposure and encroachment of the outdoor, unregulated climate to the internal, climate-controlled atmosphere.

Each door assembly will include the installation of an accompanying intelligent thermostat. The purpose of the thermostat is to facilitate a hospitable, stable ambient air temperature for pedestrians entering the building’s climate-controlled environment from the outside’s unregulated climate. The intelligent thermostat accomplishes this by sensing the outdoor air temperature and automatically adjusting the airflow temperature of the overhead Door Air Blower, which we will discuss in depth in section 4.3.

The intelligent thermostat serves a separate summer and winter function in this regard. In the warmer summer months, the thermostat will adjust the indoor temperature commensurately with the outdoor temperature, in order to provide both entering and exiting pedestrians with a similar indoor/outdoor mean temperature range. In the winter months however, the thermostat will adjust itself so that the Door Air Blower provides a constant stream of warmer air. The temperature control our intelligent thermostat facilitates results in a homeostatic environment, which reduces the client’s energy costs that are associated with wide temperature variances between indoors and outdoors climates. It will also provide the beneficiaries with temperature acclimation in the summer months, andphysical warmth-based comfort in the winter months

The Door Air Blower is affixed directly overhead of the door assembly and its accompanying motion sensors. The blower provides an ambient stream of kinetic airflow. This stream of airflow moves downward in a constant manner, and the intelligent thermostat we discussed in section 4.2 controls the temperature of the airflow stream. The Door Air Blower serves multiple purposes. First, it normalizes the assimilation space (or entryway) between the indoor and outdoor climates, which are constantly in flux every time the automatic sliding door is ajar due to pedestrian traffic. It also can help keep certain small creatures, as well as trash and other debris from the outdoors from entering the inside of the building.

Although powerful enough to perform its main functions continually and successfully, the Door Air Blower is also engineered to have a low volume signature. In addition, it is designed to not upset the physical homeostasis of the human pedestrian foot traffic passing through it. Its thoughtful design engineering results in a product that performs its job duties maximally and constantly, while leaving a minimal conscious footprint where its beneficiaries are concerned.

The automatic door assembly design is a revolutionary upgrade where both clients and beneficiaries alike are concerned. For our beneficiaries, the automatic door assembly is more convenient, safe, and also more hygienic than manual doors; because a pedestrian does not need to touch a door handle hundreds or thousands of other pedestrians have touched before them. In Flagstaff during the winter cold and flu season, such a preventative measure can result in decreased absences due to illness, lower healthcare costs, and increased overall wellness of the student, faculty and staff populations.

For our clients, the automatic door assembly design greatly increases energy efficiency through the employment of higher quality glass and metal components that comprise the motion sensor activated, automatically opening and closing door, as well as the Intelligent Thermostat and Door Air Blower. The new automatic door design is incredibly environmentally friendly in both its manufacture and operation, is easy to install with a brief installation and down time, is both low maintenance and easily maintained once installed, and is also very energy efficient—meaning that heating, cooling and related energy expenses will be significantly reduced from day one for each building that installs and utilizes these new automatic door systems.

Specifically regarding energy costs and expenditures, and as we have already documented in Section 1 of this proposal, Green fund and NAU should expect an annual decrease in heating and cooling expenses of approximately 10%, and an annual decrease in operation costs of between $2500.00-$5000.00. Additionally and with proper installation, these automatic door assemblies enjoy over 1500 hours of operation duration before reaching a maintenance interval.

The clients will of course incur product costs for each door assembly, as well as labor costs to have each door assembly installed by certified technicians—such a financial realitycannot be denied nor subverted. In addition, a slight disruption of pedestrian traffic will result during the installation process of each door assembly. However and as you can now see, any applicable product and installation costs, as well as pedestrian traffic disruption, are more than made up for by the long-term economic, ecological/environmental, and overall convenience benefits of installing the new automatic doors throughout the Northern Arizona University Flagstaff campus.

We have selected this automatic door design because of its ability to significantly and positively affect the customer, Green fund in representation of Northern Arizona University (NAU), as well as its many beneficiaries—including the NAU student, faculty and general staff populations. Functional Model Image (Fig. 1 Below) displays and demonstrates the various system inputs and outputs of this automatic door device in support of our selection.

Figure 3: Functional Model

In addition, the tangible benefits Green fund will realize through the replacement of manual double doors with the selected automatic door design are many fold. The Quality Function Deployment (QFD) Model Image (Fig. 2 Below) provides more in-depth information regarding this—specifically including the materials, electricity-energy requirements, as well as various signals involved in, and affected by, the proposed automatic door system.

Figure 4: Quality Functional Deployment (QFD) Excerpt

As was introduced in section 1.1, the selected automatic door design model is very cost and energy efficient compared to the manual double doors that are currently installed throughout the buildings on Northern Arizona University’s main Flagstaff campus. The current manual double doors are not energy efficient, nor are they automatically timed to reduce elongated exposure of the regulated indoor climate controlled environment to outdoor unregulated climactic conditions. The selected automatic door design solves both of these problems.

This is due to not only the energy efficiency of the construction materials used in the creation of the doors and door assemblies, but also to the employment of a climate control overhead air stream included with each door assembly. This air stream combats outdoor climactic elements because it creates a kinetic buffer between the indoor controlled climate and the outdoor unregulated climate. In addition and to its benefit, the air stream remains completely unobtrusive to human sensory perception, and therefore will not upset the physical or perceptual homeostasis of the students, faculty and staff entering or exiting through the automatic doors.

These automatic doors are the perfect solution for buildings including the Dubois Center, Business Department, Engineering Department, Education Department, Science Department, Recreation Center—as well as any other campus buildings that experience heavy foot traffic regularly. Installing these new automatic doors in academic, social and other miscellaneous buildings throughout campus will result in a marked increase in efficiency, and therefore a significant decrease in annual costs.

The Functional Model Image (Fig. 3) demonstrates the technical specificities supporting the need for these new automatic doors. Specifically, sub-functions are identified and detailed to further explain the progression of the various inputs to the outputs, and based on the black box model of the product. The four inputs include electricity, hand, human energy, and weight. By following the outline to understand the multiple processes of each input, the following outputs are produced: Visual/auditory, sound, heat, torque, hand, and weight.

In layman’s terms and values, and for the purpose of your consideration here, the Functional Model Image shows that by replacing the current older, inefficient manual double doors with our selected door design, Green fund and NAU will be able to better control the interior climate of campus buildings, as well as the increased efficiency of foot traffic, in each building featuring the new door design.

As you can also see in the Quality Functional Deployment (QFD) Model Image (Fig. 4), both the customer and beneficiary needs heavily factored into our decision to select these automatic doors. The entire model is based on a format called the ‘House of Quality’ (HOQ). The HOQ explains the intricate and interdependent relationship between the quality of the product, and the needs of the customer said product adequately addresses.

The new automatic door design is incredibly environmentally friendly in both its manufacture and operation, is easy to install with a brief installation and therefore down time, is low maintenance and easily maintained, elicits a low operation noise, is aesthetically pleasing, and is also very energy efficient—meaning that heating, cooling and related energy expenses will be significantly reduced from day one for each building that installs and utilizes these new automatic door systems.

Specifically regarding energy costs and expenditures, Green fund and NAU should expect an annual decrease in heating and cooling expenses of approximately 10% [ 9], and an annual decrease in operations cost of between $2500.00-$5000.00 [10 ]. Additionally, with proper installation, the selected automatic doors enjoy over 1500 hours of operation duration before reaching a maintenance interval. As you can now see, any applicable installation costs are more than made up for by the long-term benefits of installing the new automatic doors throughout campus.

The timeline for completion of this project depends on whether new construction methods are being implemented or if an existing structure is being retrofitted with the suggested updates from this project. If the methods for new construction are being implemented, the timeline for installation of these updates would coincide with the general construction of the building (i.e., the updated insulation materials would be installed at the same point in time as the standard insulation would be). For retrofitting options, the project time-line weighs heavily on whether a complete or partial retrofit is being completed. The general timeline for the research and compiling of the data for this project is best explained using a Gantt Chart.

The Gantt Chart for the project was compiled using a program called GanttProject. The Gantt Chart serves as a timeline for the completion of the research and design for this project. The timeline for the project was broken down into four major tasks: Project Idea's Chart, Research, Testing/Analysis, and Conclusion. Each major task was broken down into smaller sub-tasks; these allowed for equal distribution of the workload and the assignment of responsibility for completion of the tasks. The task due dates inform the client(s) of when specific portions of the project have been completed and when results will be available for review. The timeline for this specific project has been broken down to accommodate the entire class the project is being done for. The date range for the project is from 1 June, 2015 to 4 August, 2015. Figure 1 shows an excerpt of the Gantt Chart. The complete Gantt Chart is available in Appendix A.

Figure 5: Gantt Chart excerpt for the project. Sections with bars indicate the task has been completed.

Utilizing the project timeline, completion of significant tasks, which could be attributed to milestones, would allow for the design team to keep the clients up to date on project progression.

The milestones for this project, aside from the research and design based portions, are theoretical as we are not implementing any builds or prototypes for this class. Depending on whether the project consists of new construction , or retrofitting an existing building, the milestones for each would be different.

For new construction, the first milestone would be completion of the research and design process. The milestones would follow with the start of construction, completion of the framing of the building, installation of the electrical systems, exterior finish and insulation, interior finish, and completion of the construction. For a retrofit, the milestones would include completion of the research and design process, start of the removal of existing construction (i.e., removing the old insulation), replacement of the removed medium (i.e., installation of the new insulation), and completion of the construction. As part of the research and design process, a budget for the project would need to be drafted and approved before any physical tasks could be started.

This proposal includes using a partial retrofit to an existing building as a testing method to see if a total overhaul of an existing building is necessary. It also serves to determine whether a partial retrofit would be effective. The partial retrofit would include replacing the existing thermostat with an intelligent system which would allow for real-time monitoring of the climate control system on a single floor of the building. The remaining retrofit would include replacing existing doors with electric sliding doors using an air curtain to reduce thermal losses due to environmental exposure. Table 1 has the list of requested items for the partial retrofit. Unfortunately, the only figure missing from this list are the costs for labor, removal of existing components, installation, and programming of the new components. To receive accurate costs for the installation of the new equipment, contractor bids would need to be collected and assessed for determination of a final budget. Determining eligibility of the design team is necessary to ensure the correct people for the job have been selected.

Team Power #1 consists of multi-disciplinary engineering students including one civil, one environmental, and two mechanical engineers. Along with the team’s different fields of study, each member has completed different design classes to prepare for professional applications. The team members have also taken classes on structures, thermodynamics, and mechanics of materials, which provided the knowledge needed to conduct this project. Appendix B includes Team Power #1’s resumes and work experience.

Mohammad Almousawi is a junior in the Environmental Engineering program. He has taken several classes, including Organic Chemistry, Math, Physics, and Biology, in addition to the Engineering core classes. Mohammad possesses skills in several computer programs such as Excel, GanttProject, and AutoCAD. He also has excellent communication skills and works well in group settings.

Fawaz Alenezi is a Mechanical Engineering student who will graduate in Spring 2016. He is an expert in Microsoft Word, Power Point, Excel, generating ideas, project management, leadership skills, and research skills. Fawaz has experience in SolidWorks, Matlab, strategic planning, and negotiating skills. Some of the advantages that he has are open availability and being punctual to team meetings. Motivation and knowledge on the subject are also skills that he uses to ensure projects are completed efficiently. He also possesses many useful skills for the design process. He is a leader in Flagstaff Kuwaiti Students, so he has great responsibility factors, great time management skills, and great organizational skills.

Jeremy Cook is a junior in the Mechanical Engineering program; he is minoring in Mathematics and Electrical Engineering. Jeremy also has skills from his previous career as an automotive mechanic, which greatly assist due to his vast knowledge on how to find information. His innate understanding of various mechanical systems allows for a reduction in overall time resources that are required in the research of this project. He also carries HVAC certifications for automotive climate control systems. Other skills include proficiency in the Microsoft Office Suite, SolidWorks, MATLAB, Physics, Mathematics, and Thermodynamics.

Xiaoyi Tan is a junior in the Civil Engineering program. Skills include: excels at math and physics, proficient in Microsoft Word, Power Point, Excel, and AutoCAD. Being organized and hardworking assists in completing tasks on time and in a logical order; these skills also ensure that she is punctual to team meetings and does her best to assist in the processes that are required to complete the project.

While the team is comprehensive and can meet the project requirements, additional staff would be effective in assisting to offer solutions that don’t require off the shelf components.

For a more comprehensive solution, additional staff would be required to handle different design elements for the completed solution. The extra staff would also assist in filling knowledge gaps and with the design element for portions of the project the current team is not well versed in.

An electrical engineer would be an effective addition to the team. The electrical engineer would be tasked with any circuit design portions of the project, as well as the power connection mechanisms that would be required to power the solution. They would also be an effective team member due to their knowledge in how signal processing works for making the installed pieces fully automated (i.e., completely hands free).

A business or finance professional would be an asset to the team. They would have the necessary skills to compile a complete budget and probably also the skills necessary to reduce product costs via negotiation. Business skills are often necessary in project development because the financial side of the project is often a determining factor in whether or not the project is going to make it out of the design phase.

The last requested member would be someone with a background in construction management. Their skills are desirable because they would be able to assist in the construction timeline planning, as well as having an input on the logical order to proceed with a retrofit or a new construction project.

[1]M. Sivak, 'Air conditioning versus heating: climate control is more energy demanding in Minneapolis than in Miami', Environ. Res. Lett., vol. 8, no. 1, p. 014050, 2013.

[2]A. Saari, T. Tissari, E. Valkama and O. Seppänen, 'The effect of a redesigned floor plan, occupant density and the quality of indoor climate on the cost of space, productivity and sick leave in an office building–A case study', Building and Environment, vol. 41, no. 12, pp. 1961-1972, 2006.

[3]M. Bozchalui, C. Canizares and K. Bhattacharya, 'Optimal Operation of Climate Control Systems of Produce Storage Facilities in Smart Grids', IEEE Trans. Smart Grid, vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 351-359, 2015.

[4]Y. Ham and M. Golparvar-Fard, Calculating the Cost of Heating and Cooling Loss for Building Diagnostics using EPAR - Energy Performance Augmented Reality Models, 1st ed. Pamona: California State Polytechnic University, 2013.

[5]E. Boyle, 'Humidification Feature Systems', PRIMEDIA Business Magazine, pp. 58-59, 2005.

[6] Inspectapedia.com, 'How to Measure & Correct Unwanted Building Heat Losses', 2015. [Online]. Available: http://www.inspectapedia.com/insulation/Heat_Loss_in_Buildings.php. [Accessed: 30- Jul- 2015].

[7] Cement.org, 'Insulated Concrete Forms', 2015. [Online]. Available: http://www.cement.org/think-harder-concrete-/homes/building-systems/insulated-concrete-forms. [Accessed: 30- Jul- 2015].

[8] archtoolbox.com, 'R-values of Insulation and Other Building Materials - archtoolbox.com', 2015. [Online]. Available: http://www.archtoolbox.com/materials-systems/thermal-moisture-protection/rvalues.html. [Accessed: 30- Jul- 2015].

[9] Currentresults.com, 'Flagstaff AZ Average Temperatures by Month - Current Results', 2015. [Online]. Available: http://www.currentresults.com/Weather/Arizona/Places/flagstaff-temperatures-by-month-average.php. [Accessed: 30- Jul- 2015].

[10] Commercial.daikin.com.au, 2015. [Online]. Available: http://commercial.daikin.com.au/sites/default/files/commercial_solutions/product/control_systems/itouch-anager/sliding-temperature.jpg. [Accessed: 30- Jul- 2015].

Solution Survey

6 2 10 7 7

18 2 11 4 5

Solutions

Number of people

Solution Survey

24 4 21 11 12