Identify any special space types

If there are space types that operate differently from the main building type, they will need to be given special design considerations and, in turn, modeling approaches. These types of spaces will vary from building to building, but some examples may include:

• Office or other building with a data center, or heavily-loaded equipment room
• Building with a fitness center
• Multi-story atrium
• Mechanical rooms
• School building with laboratory space

Be sure to generate a list of these special space types, or highlight them on the plans.

Relevance to BEM Practitioner During Early Stages

These special space types are likely to have design or operational conditions that differ from the rest of the building. Things to note during the data gathering phase:

• Very high (or low) internal gains, usually from high plug loads
• Schedules of operation that differ from the main building type. E.g. a 24/7 data center within a 9-5 office building
• Spaces with chemical processes or other contaminants that need high levels of ventilation and exhaust
• Spaces with heating or cooling setpoints that are higher or lower than the rest of the building
• Spaces with special humidification or dehumidification requirements

These space types are often served by separate HVAC systems, so they will need to be modeled accordingly during later phases. The BEM practitioner may be able to provide guidance to the mechanical engineer on the implications of serving these spaces with dedicated HVAC systems rather than attempting to serve them with the main HVAC system.

During the early stages, if you're working on a simple-box model or other simplified approach, be mindful of these special space types. Some energy efficiency measures that may be impactful to the building type may be more or less effective when these special space types exist. For example, building envelope improvements may show significant savings in an office building, but would have minimal impact to a high-load space like a data center. So, if that space accounts for a reasonable amount of area in the building, you should include it in the model, otherwise you may overestimate savings associated with a particular energy efficiency measure.