Commercial
Our Services
Heat Gain/ Heat Loss Calculations
Complete heat loss and heat gain calculations are required for all heating and cooling distribution systems designs. These calculations ensure that the mechanical system is tailored to the requirements of each zone in a building and provide the information required for the optimal sizing of the mechanical system for your specific project’s scope and budget.
Complete Forced Air Ducted System Design
Used with a heat gain / loss calculation, a complete forced air ducted system design will size a system so that each room will not only get the precise heating and cooling required, but will also do so quietly. Properly sizing the forced air system also helps to ensue you aren’t wasting your money on equipment that has more capacity than you need or wasting your space by installing ductwork larger than required.
Hydronic & Hybrid Mechanical System Design
Acacia Engineering offers hydronic mechanical system designs that are standalone or hybrid systems that tie hydronic heating into domestic hot water systems by using a combi boiler. This use of one boiler for two systems cuts down on space usage and initial equipment cost.
Hydronic systems provide the ultimate in comfort, but only if they are designed properly: poorly designed hydronic systems lead to uncomfortable temperature swings for the occupants as well as reduced energy efficiency.
Properly designed and installed hydronic mechanical systems provide improved comfort, easy controllability, and efficient energy performance over forced air heating systems. When hydronic systems are combined with forced air, buildings achieve air-conditioning, zoned heating control, filtration and humidity control.
We design hydronic systems to fit your project’s needs for maximum value and performance, and it can also be included as an all-building HVAC design. We also design snow and ice melt systems to provide safe ice-free entrances to buildings and parkades. Acacia Engineering designed hydronic and hybrid mechanical systems provide the ultimate in energy efficiency and building comfort.
Building & Mechanical Ventilation Design
Our building and mechanical ventilation design will determine the most appropriate ventilation levels for optimal air quality, moisture control, and energy efficiency. We can provide a ventilation system that uses the proper controls and energy-saving options, such as energy recovery systems and economizers, to reduce your operating costs.
National Energy Code for Buildings (NECB)
The NECB became mandatory on November 1, 2016. As of December 1, 2019, new buildings must meet the requirements of NECB 2017. Meeting the NECB 2017 will help to ensure a high level of energy efficiency in new buildings, save on energy bills, reduce peak energy demand and improve the quality and comfort of your building’s environment.
Incorporating energy efficiency measures into a building during the design and construction stage is more cost-effective than retrofit later. NECB focuses on five key building elements typically considered during the design phase:
- Building envelope
- Lighting
- Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC)
- Service water heating
- Electrical power systems and motors
Compliance Paths:
The following paths are available under NECB to demonstrate compliance with Code:
Prescriptive Path – follows the prescriptive requirements of each section of the code. You may be required to submit a checklist as part of your building permit application. This path is rarely used for new buildings as the building envelope requirements make this path nNaot economically viable. Tenant improvement may need to meet prescriptive requirements for lighting and HVAC.
Trade-off Path – provides some flexibility by allowing certain elements within the same part of the code to be traded.
Performance Path – also known as NECB Part 8, the Performance Path offers the most design flexibility. The proposed building must demonstrate that it will not consume more energy than an equivalent building built to prescriptive requirements of the Code. For this path, a building energy simulation tool compliant with ANSI/ASHRAE 140 “Evaluation of Building Energy Analysis Computer Programs” must be used. Both of the modelling programs we use meet these criteria.
HAP and eQUEST are the typical energy modelling software that we use to complete energy evaluations for Part 8 compliance. Included in our modelling fee are the reference model, the proposed model, and consultation, if required, to assist with ensuring code compliance and meeting the required energy performance.
To complete the NECB code compliance model, we will require the following:
- Building plans
- Equipment specifications including the following:
- Window details
- Mechanical systems
- Wall construction type
- Orientation of the building
- Foundation construction details
- Roof construction details
The details required are typically found on architectural, mechanical, electrical, and sometimes structural drawings.
Commercial Energy Audits
If you want to make your building more energy-efficient, then an energy audit is the first step in identifying energy-savings and energy cost reduction opportunities, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve the comfort, health and safety of the occupants.
An energy audit takes a detailed look at your building’s energy consumption data as well as energy-using systems and equipment, such as lighting, mechanical systems, electrical loads and building envelope.
The American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) has defined three levels of energy audits:
ASHRAE Level I: Walk-through assessment
If you are looking to prioritize energy efficiency projects and want to determine if a more detailed audit is necessary, then this audit may be right for you. An ASHRAE Level I audit includes an analysis of the building’s utility bills, operating data and a walk-through of the facility. The Level I audit identifies and provides savings and cost analysis of low-cost/no-cost measures and potential capital improvements.
ASHRAE Level II: Energy Survey and Analysis
This audit builds on the findings from the Level I audit and provides more detailed information and analysis of individual building systems, their operation and interaction with other systems. A detailed report will include Energy Efficiency Measures (EEMs), modifications to system controls and building automation, operational changes and potential capital upgrades and will include cost and performance metrics. An ASHRAE Level II is helpful for validating project implementation.
ASHRAE Level III: Detailed Analysis of Capital-Intensive Modifications
For major capital investments, an ASHRAE Level III audit may be required. This is the most comprehensive energy audit and will provide detailed technical engineering information, costs, energy savings and economic indicators for the energy conservation methods studied.
To find out which audit is right for you, contact us and speak to one of our energy consultants.
Contact Us
Acacia Engineering - Alberta
Acacia Engineering Head Office
#514, 3208 8 Avenue, NE
Calgary, AB, T2A 7V4
Phone: 403-245-2200
Office Hours: 8 am to 5 pm, Mon - Fri
Edmonton: 587-991-8257
Medicine Hat: 403-251-0683
Central Alberta: 403-251-0683
Acacia Engineering - BC
Vancouver Island: 778-441-3838
Lower Mainland: 1-866-241-6804
Okanagan: 1-866-241-6804
Smithers: 1-866-241-6804
Acacia Engineering - Ontario
Greater Toronto Area: 1-866-241-6804
Head Office Address
Acacia Engineering
#514, 3208 8 Avenue NE
Calgary, AB
T2A 7V8