The Lauren Condominium Association

Agenda

HVAC Committee Meeting

March 16, 2006
7:00 PM
Unit 812

Meeting Objective: 

  • Review and discuss" Preliminary Report- Professional Engineering Assessment-HVAC Issues” re The Lauren Condominium, which was assembled by Michael Moore, P.E. of MOORE ENGINEERING & ASSOCIATES in response to his site visit and meeting at ‘The Lauren’ on January 24, 2006
  • This is the “2nd opinion” solicited by the Board of Directors.
  • Discussion of options accordingly

In Attendance:

  • Michael Moore: Engineer Consultant re “2nd Opinion”
  • Jim McNabb: Lauren Condominium Engineer Consultant
  • Lauren Board of Directors
  • HVAC Committee Members
  • Open to Lauren Owners and other interested parties

Agenda

  1. Introduction by John Filice
  1. Overview from Michael Moore and discussion of report per items below:

1.  Long Term Overview

a.      The existing Whalen units have been in service for over 34 years. 

b.      In all probability the Whalen units are reaching the end of their useful operational life. 

c.      It is probable that the convective water tubing in the Whalen units could begin to experience failures and should this happen significant water damage could result. 

d.      At present the fact that there have been condensate drain pan failures is indicative of the fact that the Whalen unit life expectancy may have been reached or exceeded. 

e.      Your consultant, Mr. Jack McNabb, has noted this in his reports and has provided some guidance in response to the aging of the Whalen units.

2.  Recommendation-Short Term

It is my opinion that the following steps should be followed in the short term by the Lauren HVAC committee:

·         Conduct baseline performance testing on all Whalen units that are underperforming. 

·         Data taken should include air in and air out temperature measurements, air flow using an anemometer or hood.  (A condo dweller that is not satisfied with his/hers HVAC system performance can be assumed to have an underperforming unit.)

a.      Verify the proper piping configuration of each water supply/return tier to the Whalen units.  Reverse the piping configuration if it is determined that the piping is reversed.

b.      Those underperforming Whalen units that demonstrate significant low airflows in relation to manufacturer performance data should have their convective heat exchangers cleaned out.  Units should then be retested.

c.      Conduct performance testing on the Cleaver Brooks boiler.

d.      Blanket relining of all condensate drain pans.

e.      Destructive testing of one Whalen unit.*

 f.        Refine the plan for resolving the corridor ventilation issue. 

g.      Should an existing Whalen unit be removed from service that unit could be taken apart and thoroughly examined.  -  Of significant value would be to perform a metallurgical examination on the copper convective water tubing for pitting, cracking, hardening, or any other factor that could result in future tube failures and coolant leakage.

3.  Recommendation-Long Term

a.      In my conversations with the Whalen representative, Tom Brown, the concept of predicting the true life expectancy of the Whalen units was discussed.  Generally, failure of the convective tubing would be the most serious problem anticipated, especially if the failure occurred on the higher or highest floors. 

b.      The damage caused by the coolant (water) leaking would be extensive.  However, The Whalen Company has no definitive predicative information on the total hours to failure of the convective tubing. 

c.      The Whalen representative noted that once failure of drain pans is experienced then it should be assumed that all pans of the same age are in jeopardy of failure over the short term.   

d.      Also experience in other sites with temporary epoxy pan repairs has been less than successful unless extreme care is taken by the applicator...This type of repair should be performed under the guidance of a Whalen representative

e.      The Lauren HVAC committee should work with your design professional in the development of a long term HVAC system upgrade plan. 

f.        The implementation of the short term and temporary repairs will buy the time necessary for the HVAC committee team to look at and evaluate the best HVAC system upgrade. 

g.      Fortunately available future HVAC system upgrades are not limited to a single system or concept, and some upgrade options have been duly presented previously in this report. 

h.      Now the challenge is to decide which technology is the overall most cost effective/comfort effective HVAC system for the future of The Lauren Condominium.  

C.  Summary

  • The efforts underway by your consultant, Mr. Jack McNabb PE, have made significant progress in identifying many issues associated with the existing HVAC system at The Lauren. 
  • His work is very thorough and professional and he will deliver an excellent final product.

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