Author: Steffen Peuker

For this ASHRAE Student Design Competition project, students were challenged to select an optimized HVAC system for a new three-story medical office building in Manchester, England. The team evaluated three system options—two VAV systems with reheat (paired with water- or air-cooled chillers) and a VRF system with heat recovery and dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS). […]

Read More… from HVAC System Design for a Medical Office in Manchester, England

This project focuses on improving student understanding of air-handling systems and psychrometric processes through two newly developed lab experiences for ME4456. In the physical lab, students use a custom-built air-mixing apparatus connected to a DX refrigeration trainer to measure and observe mixed air conditions and their affect on cooling coil performance. The practical lab explores […]

Read More… from Enhancing HVAC&R Education Through Experimental Psychrometric Labs

This project supports the transition to semesters by creating a new load calculation labs for ME 3355, a course focused on the fundamentals of HVAC&R systems. Working with industry-standard software platforms like DesignBuilder/EnergyPlus and HVAKR, students developed a three-part lab series exploring building envelope modeling, zoning, and sensitivity analysis and the differences between the radiant […]

Read More… from Developing a Load Calculation Lab for ME 3355: Hands-On HVAC&R Learning at Cal Poly

This project explores a novel retrofit approach to carbon capture in HVAC&R systems, with the goal of reducing building-related CO₂ emissions. Students worked with guidance from faculty advisor Dr. Steffen Peuker to design a modular system that captures carbon from natural gas boiler exhaust using a combination of temperature swing adsorption and potassium hydroxide scrubbing. […]

Read More… from Post-Combustion Carbon Capture for HVAC&R: A Retrofit Module for Building Sustainability