Energy efficiency is integral to a “state-of-the-art” system. The heating and cooling at Luminato will be provided by a Variable Refrigeration Flow (VRF) system. A refrigerant solution will flow to each unit, providing either heating or cooling at any time, on demand. The returning refrigerant will be “tempered,” which means heated or cooled as necessary by an individual heat pump located outside of the building. This is one of the most energy-efficient ways available today to mechanically heat and cool a building.
The one-bedroom units will have one individually controlled zone and the larger units will have two separately controlled interior zones. Heating and cooling are delivered by a forced-air duct system; in some one-bedroom unit and the larger units the ducts are in the ceiling and the select one-bedroom units have exposed spiral duct running above the entrance hall.
When discussing heating efficiency, it is necessary to consider the building “envelope.” The energy code, a thermal insulation rating, only requires R-13 in the exterior wall of a typical house. Since Luminato is a commercial building, R-19 (more insulation) is required. Luminato is providing even more insulation than required by code; R-21 in the exterior wall cavity, and R-12 continuous insulation under the building siding. This, in combination with tripled-glazed windows, makes a super efficient building envelope, and reduces the energy necessary to heat and cool the building.
Air sealing is another factor that contributes to the quality of Luminato’s building envelope. There will be virtually no air infiltration through the exterior walls. As a result, the building code requires the mechanical introduction of outside air into the units to assure excellent indoor air quality. Frequently, this is accomplished by exhausting interior air through fans in the bathroom and introducing outside air into the corridors or directly into the units. But this process exhausts “conditioned” air – heated in the winter and cooled in the summer – and brings in outside air that then needs to be heated or cooled. To help prevent this energy loss, Luminato will have an Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV) system, which will run the air being exhausted through a heat exchanger to transfer energy to the outside air being introduced. This pre-conditioned outside air is then ducted directly into the units and mixed with re-circulated interior air before being introduced into the living spaces.
The image above demonstrates an ERV system during the winter months.
