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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-CA link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Hello,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I’ve got a question about the NECB Reference Building heating system type for Multi-Unit Residential Buildings.  Specifically what should it be when you have water-loop heat pumps connected to a fossil fuel boiler?<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Table 8.4.4.7.-A of the 2015 NECB states that Reference Building HVAC systems for Multi-Unit Residential areas are:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>“Where the proposed building or space is heated as well as being cooled with an air-cooled unitary, packaged terminal or room air conditioner (or heat pumps), or fan coils, the reference building or space's HVAC system shall be modeled as being identical to that of the proposed building or space; otherwise, the reference building or space shall use through-the-wall systems.”<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I’d consider water-loop heat pumps to be in the “through-the-wall systems” category so the cooling would be air-cooled DX.  It doesn’t describe the heating source for “through-the-wall systems” but 8.4.4.9.4 says that the energy type of the reference building’s heating system shall be identical to the energy type of the proposed building’s heating system.  The code considers heat pump to be an energy type so I think it should be an air-source heat pump.  I’m just not sure about the auxiliary heat – electric resistance or hot water?<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I tried running this in CAN-QUEST but got some errors.  When I run a 4-storey office building with WLHP, the reference building is coming out as air-source heat pump with electric resistance heat so I’m leaning toward using that.  I can see there being an argument for hot water auxiliary heat though based on the proposed building having a fuel-fired boiler (to avoid fuel switching).<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Thanks,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Aaron<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div style='mso-element:frame;mso-element-wrap:around;mso-element-anchor-vertical:paragraph;mso-element-anchor-horizontal:column;mso-height-rule:exactly'><table cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 hspace=0 vspace=0 align=left><tr><td valign=top align=left style='padding-top:0cm;padding-right:0cm;padding-bottom:0cm;padding-left:0cm'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-element:frame;mso-element-wrap:around;mso-element-anchor-vertical:paragraph;mso-element-anchor-horizontal:column;mso-height-rule:exactly'><b><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'>     Aaron Smith,<span style='color:navy'> </span></span></b><i><span style='color:gray;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'>P.Eng<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-element:frame;mso-element-wrap:around;mso-element-anchor-vertical:paragraph;mso-element-anchor-horizontal:column;mso-height-rule:exactly'><i><span style='color:gray;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'>    Principal, Mechanical Engineer<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-element:frame;mso-element-wrap:around;mso-element-anchor-vertical:paragraph;mso-element-anchor-horizontal:column;mso-height-rule:exactly'><span style='font-size:1.0pt;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></td></tr></table></div><p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:gray;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'>   </span></i><i><span style='color:gray;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'>LEED® AP BD+C, BEMP, BEAP, CGD</span></i><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'><img width=170 height=35 id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image001.jpg@01D4C6E3.AAB8CA60" alt="cid:image004.jpg@01D045E5.C57CEB70">       <img width=50 height=33 id="Picture_x0020_2" src="cid:image003.jpg@01D4C715.F424A570" alt="webCertified_logo_colorRGB72DPI"><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style='mso-element:frame;mso-element-wrap:around;mso-element-anchor-vertical:paragraph;mso-element-anchor-horizontal:column;mso-height-rule:exactly'><table cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 hspace=0 vspace=0 align=left><tr><td valign=top align=left style='padding-top:0cm;padding-right:0cm;padding-bottom:0cm;padding-left:0cm'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-element:frame;mso-element-wrap:around;mso-element-anchor-vertical:paragraph;mso-element-anchor-horizontal:column;mso-height-rule:exactly'><span lang=FR style='color:gray;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'>     t: (902) 422-7393</span><span lang=FR style='color:navy;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-element:frame;mso-element-wrap:around;mso-element-anchor-vertical:paragraph;mso-element-anchor-horizontal:column;mso-height-rule:exactly'><span lang=FR style='color:gray;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'>     f: (902) 423-4945</span><span lang=FR style='color:navy;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'><o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr></table></div><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=FR style='color:gray;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'>     e:</span><span lang=FR style='color:navy;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'> </span><span style='color:navy;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'><a href="mailto:asmith@mreng.ca" title="blocked::mailto:asmith@mreng.ca"><span lang=FR>asmith@mreng.ca</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><i><span style='color:#833C0B;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'>     </span></i></b><b><span style='color:navy;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'><a href="http://www.mreng.ca/">www.mreng.ca</a> <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:navy;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style='mso-element:frame;mso-element-wrap:around;mso-element-anchor-vertical:paragraph;mso-element-anchor-horizontal:column;mso-element-top:.05pt;mso-height-rule:exactly'><table cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 hspace=0 vspace=0 align=left><tr><td valign=top align=left style='padding-top:0cm;padding-right:0cm;padding-bottom:0cm;padding-left:0cm'><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-element:frame;mso-element-wrap:around;mso-element-anchor-vertical:paragraph;mso-element-anchor-horizontal:column;mso-element-top:.05pt;mso-height-rule:exactly'><span style='font-size:6.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:#777777;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'>The electronic message contained herein is private and confidential, intended only for the recipient(s) specified. If you have received this message in error, please delete it and notify us immediately.  Any accompanying files are supplied as a matter of courtesy only.  The data are without warranty of any kind.  Any person or business making use of the data is responsible for confirming its accuracy and completeness.  M&R Engineering Ltd. is not responsible for edited or produced versions of this digital information.</span><span style='color:navy;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'> </span><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Verdana",sans-serif;color:navy;mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'><o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr></table></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-fareast-language:EN-CA'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>