Cold climates present unique challenges that are often not well understood by those responsible for designing, constructing, and operating buildings. Affordably optimizing building functionality, energy efficiency, durability, indoor environment, and occupant comfort in cold climates, while minimizing environmental impact, requires collaboration and a sharing of ideas and information between scientists, designers, engineers, architects, manufactures, facility managers, and policy makers. In an effort to encourage this interchange, the Scandinavian Federation of Heating, Ventilation, and Sanitary Engineering Association (SCANVAC) hosted the first in a triennial series of cold climate HVAC conferences in Finland in 1994. With assistance from the Federation of European Heating, Ventilation, and Air Condition Associations (REHVA), subsequent conferences have been held in Iceland, Japan, Norway, Russia, Greenland, and, in 2012, with support from ASHRAE, in Canada.
In all, more than 50 papers originating from more that a dozen countries on 3 continents were presented at the 7th International Conference on Cold Climate—HVAC, held in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, November 12–14, 2012. The four articles presented in the following pages were selected from those 50 papers, then revised and expanded, to give a sense of the depth and breadth of topics addressed. Three of the articles relate to the intersection of the building envelope, occupant comfort and health, and HVAC systems. In cold climates, humidity and air leakage control are essential for maintaining occupant comfort, preventing mold growth, and preventing condensation induced damage in the building envelope. The fourth article examines using cogeneration with an adsorption heat pump to improve the efficiency of a district heating system.
For details on the 8th International Cold Climate HVAC Conference planned for Dalian, China, October 2015, go to http://www.coldclimate2015.org/.
Bert Phillips, PEng, MBA
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