Section 15954 HVAC TESTING, ADJUSTING AND BALANCING

Section 15954

HVAC TESTING, ADJUSTING AND BALANCING

PART 1 - GENERAL

1.1 THE REQUIREMENT A. General:

1. The CONTRACTOR shall provide all tools, supplies, materials, equipment, and all labor necessary for testing, adjusting and balancing of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, in accordance with the requirements of the Contract Documents.

1.2 RELATED WORK SPECIFIED ELSEWHERE

A. Submittals shall be made in accordance with the General Requirements, Additional

General Requirements and as specified herein.

B. Materials and equipment furnished and installed under other Specification sections in the Contract Documents.

1. Division 01, Additional General Requirements

2. Division 15, Mechanical

3. Division 16, Electrical

4. Division 17, Instrumentation and Control

1.3 REFERENCE SPECIFICATIONS, CODES AND STANDARDS

A. All Work specified herein shall conform to or exceed the applicable requirements of the referenced portions of the following publications to the extent that the provisions thereof are not in conflict with other provisions of these Specifications.

B. Comply with the latest editions of the following:

1. Codes and Regulations:

NEC National Electrical Code (National Fire

Protection Association, NFPA 70)

CCR California Code of Regulations, Title 8, Industrial Relations, Subchapter 5, Electrical Safety Orders

2. Other Standards:

AABC Associated Air Balance Council - National Standards for Field Measurements and Instrumentation, Total System Balance, and Air Distribution-Hydronic Systems

NEBB National Environmental Balancing Bureau - Procedural Standards for Testing, Adjusting and Balancing of Environmental Systems

SMACNA Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association, Inc. - Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning Systems - Testing, Adjusting and Balancing

ASHRAE American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers – Standard 111, Practices for Measurement, Testing, Adjusting, Balancing of Building Heating, Ventilation, Air- conditioning, and Refrigeration Systems

1.4 TESTING, ADJUSTING, AND BALANCING WORK REQUIREMENTS

A. Procure the services of an independent air balance and testing firm belonging to and holding a current certification from the Associated Air Balance Council or the National Environmental Balancing Bureau. The firm shall perform air and hydronic balancing, testing, and adjustment of building and process air conditioning, heating, and ventilating air systems.

B. Perform balancing of new air and hydronic systems installed as part of this contract and existing air and hydronic systems affected by the installation of new equipment.

C. Perform testing of heating, ventilating and air conditioning equipment, balancing of distribution systems, and adjusting of air terminal units and ductwork accessories to ensure compliance with the Contract Documents. Perform tests for the following:

1. Air conditioning units.

2. Air handling unit.

3. Fans.

4. Odor control fans.

5. Condensers.

6. Air terminal units.

7. Ductwork accessories.

8. Ducting.

9. HVAC controls; Examples include limit control, linear control, PID control, feed- forward control, fuzzy logic, and advanced or non-linear controls. Limit control establishes set points or limits that, when reached, cause the HVAC controller to send a signal to stop or start a process variable. Linear control matches a variable input signal with a correspondingly variable control signal. Proportional, integral, and derivative (PID) control requires real-time system feedback.

10. Other HVAC equipment as may be specified elsewhere in the Contract

Documents.

D. Test hydronic systems and adjust and record liquid flow at each piece of equipment to ensure compliance with the Contract Documents. Perform test for the following:

1. Circulating pumps.

2. Circuit setting valves.

3. 3-way mixing valves.

4. Chilled water coils.

5. Other hydronic system components as specified elsewhere in the Contract

Documents.

E. Verify the size of the circuit breaker, overload relay heaters, and contactor for each fan motor and the motor current during startup and balancing when the maximum current draw of the fan’s motor can be determined.

F. Test each mode of operation of thermostats, electronic controllers, pneumatic, electric, or electronic heating, ventilating, and air conditioning instruments to ensure operation as specified.

G. Test and adjust room distribution patterns at air outlets.

H. Provide instruments required for testing, adjusting, balancing operations, retain possession of instruments, and remove instruments from site at completion of testing. Make the instruments available to the ENGINEER to facilitate spot checks during testing.

I. Provide test holes for pressure and pitot flow measurements and provide plugs for all test holes after testing.

J. Test the interface signals to the OCSD SCADA System. This includes signals such as HVAC Unit “ON” and Room Air Temperature (High).

K. Test and or verify any interfaces to/from the Fire Protection System.

1.5 SUBMITTALS

A. Submit the following to the ENGINEER:

1. Resumes of proposed companies, supervisor and personnel indicating certifications, training, and qualifications.

B. The reports shall be as specified below and shall be on SMACNA, NEBB or AABC forms that indicate information addressing each of the testing methods, readings and adjustments.

C. Interim Reports: At least 30 days prior to starting fieldwork, submit the following:

1. Deficiency Report: Following examination of installed systems and prior to balancing, submit a report indicating system deficiencies that would prevent proper testing, adjusting, and balancing of systems and equipment to meet specified performance.

2. Schematics: Develop heating, ventilating and air conditioning system schematic similar to Figure 6.1 in SMACNA “Testing, Adjusting and Balancing”. In addition, the CONTRACTOR shall also develop schematics of the FRP and metal ducting systems including odor control, general ventilation, HVAC units, and associated ducting. The schematics shall show the condensate drains and traps, their locations in the ducting systems, and their routings. Include hard copy and electronic file of the schematics using latest version of AutoCAD.

3. Complete list of instruments proposed to be used and organized in appropriate categories, with data sheets for each indicating the following:

a. Manufacturer and model number.

b. Description and use when needed to further identify instrument. c. Size or capacity range.

d. Latest calibration date.

D. Final Testing Report: At least 15 days prior to CONTRACTOR's request for final inspection, submit three copies of final reports on applicable reporting forms. Include the following information:

1. Set of report(s) submit 3 copies of the completed testing report including the following:

a. The design flow values and installed equipment pressure drops. b. Required cubic feet per minute for air terminals.

c. Testing, adjusting, and balancing report, including drawings indicating air outlets, thermostats, and equipment identified to correspond with the associated data sheets.

2. Identify instruments that were used and last date of calibration of each.

3. Procedures followed to perform testing, adjusting and balancing.

4. Identification and succinct description of systems included in the report.

5. Initial balance test results made with all dampers and air control devices in full open positions.

6. Description of final locations and sizes, including opening area and dimensioned configuration of orifices and other restrictions used to achieve final balanced flows.

7. Description of final location and opening positions of dampers, registers, louvers, and valves.

8. Schematics of systems included in the report; use schematics as part of the testing, adjusting and balancing report to summarize design and final balanced flows.

9. Testing, adjusting and balancing report forms.

10. Final field results established for system balancing including air flow, fan speeds, and fan static pressures at the fan inlet and outlet.

11. Include appendices for the following:

a. Raw field data taken during testing.

b. Sample calculation sheet for each type of calculation made to convert raw field data to final results.

c. Initial air balance results with dampers and registers in full-open position; include air flow at all inlets and outlets, initial fan speed, and fan suction and discharge pressures.

12. Proposed schedule for testing and balancing.

1.6 QUALITY ASSURANCE

A. Test, balance, and adjust environmental systems in accordance with either:

1. AABC: National Standards for Field Measurements and Instrumentation, Total

Systems Balance, and Air Distribution-Hydronics System.

2. NEBB: Procedural Standards for Testing, Adjusting and Balancing of

Environmental Systems.

B. Perform services under direction of AABC-certified or NEBB-certified supervisor.

C. Calibrate and maintain instruments in accordance with the requirements of AABC or

NEBB standards. Make calibration histories of the instruments available for examination.

D. Make measurements in accordance with accuracy requirements of AABC or NEBB

standards.

1.7 SITE CONDITIONS

A. Prior to start of testing, adjusting and balancing, verify that the following is true:

1. Systems installation is complete and in full operation.

2. Outside conditions are within reasonable range relative to design conditions.

3. Lighting fixtures are energized.

4. All equipment such as computers, laboratory equipment and electronic equipment are in full operation.

5. Requirements for preparation for testing and balancing have been met for elements of each system that requires testing.

6. All Fire Protection System Equipment has been bypassed as directed by OCSD. B. Prior to start of testing, adjusting and balancing, perform the following:

1. Air Handling Systems: Adjust to within plus 10 percent of outlet total, plus allowable leakage rate.

2. Air Outlets and Inlets: Adjust total to within plus or minus 10 percent of design for the space.

3. Hydronic Systems: Adjust to within plus or minus 10 percent of design flow.

4. Hydronic Terminal Devices: Adjust to within plus or minus 10 percent of design flow.

1.8 SPECIAL WARRANTY

A. Provide warranty for a period of 90 days following submission of completed final testing report, during which time OCSD may request a recheck of up to 10 percent of total number of terminals, or/and resetting of any outlet, coil, or device listed in the test report.

B. Warranty shall meet the requirements of the following program(s):

1. TABB – International Quality Assurance Program.

2. AABC – National Project Performance Guarantee.

3. NEBB – Conformance Certification.

PART 2 - PRODUCTS (NOT USED) PART 3 - EXECUTION

3.1 FIELD QUALITY CONTROL

A. Testing, Adjusting and Balancing Acceptance Criteria: Consider testing, adjusting, and balancing procedures successful and complete when heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems and components are functioning properly and system air and water flows are within specified tolerances of design flows.

3.2 TESTING, ADJUSTING AND BALANCING

A. Test, adjust and balance separate complete heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems.

B. Testing, adjusting and balancing shall include the related existing heating, ventilating and air conditioning components.

C. Perform testing, adjusting and balancing cycles until air flows meet acceptance criteria specified above.

D. Ascertain air flow balance between overall requirements and flow in individual supply and exhaust grills.

E. Initial Testing, Adjusting and Balancing: Perform first test on each system with dampers, grills, orifices, and other variable air flow devices in their full-open position; measure and report initial air flows, fan speed, and fan static pressures at fan inlet and outlet.

1. Adjust total system flow downward or upward by adjusting fan speed until one inlet or outlet is at indicated flow and all other flows exceed indicated flows.

2. Adjust fan speed by changing fan drives or sheaves as necessary.

F. Subsequent Testing, Adjusting and Balancing: Perform adjustments in subsequent testing, adjusting and balancing by adjusting dampers, louvers, or size of orifices or plates.

1. Measure and record air volume discharged at each inlet and outlet and adjust air inlets and outlets to design air volumes within 5 percent to 10 percent over design rates.

2. Adjust fan speeds and motor drives within drive limitations, for required air volume.

3. Measure air velocity and static pressures and adjust air supply and exhaust fan units to deliver at least 105 percent to 110 percent of the design air volume.

4. Measure and record static air pressure conditions on fans, including filter and coil pressure drops, and total pressure across the fan.

5. Evaluate building and room pressure conditions to determine adequate supply and return air conditions.

6. Evaluate space and zone temperature of conditions to determine adequate performance of the systems to maintain temperatures without draft.

7. Permanently mark final balance positions of balancing dampers.

G. Accurately record the required data on Associated Air Balance Council or National

Environmental Balancing Bureau test and balance report forms.

H. Measure voltage and amperage draw of fan and pump motors for final balance.

I. Following completion of balancing procedures for air systems, test, adjust, and balance hydronic systems:

1. Measure flow and adjust circuit setter valves so pumps deliver at least 100 percent of the design water flow.

2. Measure and adjust water flow at coils for design conditions, within 10percent. Check conditions at cooling and heating coils for required performance at design conditions.

3. Lock balance valves in the adjusted position and permanently mark the design set point. Record valve settings in the design report.

J. Test primary source equipment in accordance with AABC or NEBB procedures:

1. Primary source equipment shall include the items listed in Part 1 not previously tested as part of this testing, adjusting and balancing work.

2. Complete appropriate AABC or NEBB equipment test forms for each piece of equipment.

3. Calculate cooling and heating capacities to show conformance with specified capacities.

4. Adjust equipment as needed to deliver specified cooling and heating loads.

5. Record final equipment performing characteristics and adjustment settings in the final design report.

3.3 ADJUSTING

A. Recorded data shall represent actual measured or observed conditions.

B. Permanently mark setting of valves, dampers, and other adjustment devices allowing for settings to be restored. Set and lock memory stops.

C. Leave systems in proper working; replace belt guards, close access doors, close doors to electrical switch boxes, and restore thermostats to specified settings.

D. Return Fire Protection System Equipment to back to the normal operating condition.

3.4 TRAINING

A. Comply with the requirements of Specification section 01820, Training of OCSD

personnel.