Learn about how HVAC can make a sick building and how variable refrigerant flow (VRF) HVAC systems can fix the health of the building. More at https://www.femoran.com

1. Variable Refrigerant
Flow (VRF)
Is the HOT TOPIC in High-rises

2. From Sick Building to Silver Certified
In 2002, a 15-story
high-rise in Maryland
became vacant.
It sat vacant for 10
years and was
declared a sick
building.
In 2012 Caves Valley
Partners bought the
building and brought
it back to life.
The building got a
new electrical
system, glass curtain
façade, and variable
refrigerant flow
(VRF) HVAC system.
The VRF system gave
is LEED points
toward a silver
certification.
The building is now
happily occupied by
Towson University
and MileOne
Automotive.

3. What do
high-rises
need from
HVAC?
Properly
controlled HVAC
is essential for
high-rises.
There are
multiple tenants
with different
comfort needs.
The HVAC needs
to be quiet, low
maintenance,
and healthy.

4. What HVAC issues do high-rises have?
Multiple tenants
with different
comfort needs.
Inefficiently
designed HVAC
systems.
Poor Indoor Air
Quality (IAQ).
Inconsistent
airflow.
High HVAC
costs.

5. Sick Building Syndrome

6. What is a sick building?
Sick building syndrome is a
condition that affects office
workers, giving them
headaches and respiratory
problems due to poor
ventilation and air quality.
01
Up to 30% of high-rises and
other office buildings have
poor IAQ, according to the
World Health Organization
(WHO).
02
Sick buildings become sick
due to flawed HVAC design.
03
Common issues are mold,
improper exhaust
ventilation, or lack of
adequate ventilation.
04

7. Wrong Sized
Ducts
• The wrong sized ducts causes the majority of sick
building issues.
• Noise is caused by ducts that are too small. The
ducts rattle because of airflow restrictions.
• Uneven heating is caused by ducts that are too big.
• Improperly sized ducts can cause 60% less efficiency.
• Lost efficiency will increase utility costs and make
the system work harder, causing higher
maintenance bills.
• Wrong-sized ducts will decrease the lifespan of the
HVAC system.

8. HVAC Systems Account for 40-60% of
utility costs.

9. What do high-rises need in an HVAC system?
Minimized maintenance
costs
Personalized control per
unit
Flexibility to accommodate
changing tenants
Reliability

10. Variable
Refrigerant
Flow (VRF)
• Benefits of VRF systems
• Mostly ductless, saving space.
• Uses a condenser unit that works with multiple
units.
• No need for water piping, requiring only refrigerant
piping.
• Lower utility costs.
• Less space used.
• Better individual temperature control.

11. How does a VRF
system work?

12. Like a Ductless Multi-split System, But Better
• How does a VRF system work?
• VRF’s have multiple indoor evaporator units connected to one outdoor
condensing unit.
• The condensers work only as needed, providing energy savings from partial
load conditions.
• VRFs are predicted to provide 50% energy savings on average over the
lifetime of the system.

13. VRF Systems = Low Maintenance
Generally, VRF systems
only need filters
changed and coils
cleaned.
They are easier to
install because they are
modular, lightweight,
and smaller.
They are ideal for new
construction or retrofit.
Smaller piping, allowing
the system to fit into
standard size walls with
more usable space

14. What can you expect when you have a VRF
HVAC system?
Georgia Institute of
Technology (2013) found
that Chicago office
buildings save 46.5% on
energy bills with a VRF
system.
VRF HVAC systems are
3.2% cheaper than regular
HVAC systems over the
lifetime of the system.

15. Slide deck by:
Sarah Noel Block, Director of
Marketing at Education with
The Moran Group
1
Read more about Variable
Refrigerant Flow (VRF) HVAC
systems and sick buildings
here.
2