Emergency Cooling Needs? Questions to Ask
When working with vendors, managers must be prepared to know what they want.
Maintenance and engineering managers need to ask a series of important questions when considering facilities’ portable cooling needs, says Brandon Elliott, mechanical technical director with Henderson Engineers:
- What is the function of each space?
- Are the cooling needs for people, equipment or products?
- What is the occupant load during normal operation?
- Will there be spikes in occupants if the facility is used during an emergency?
- What are the consequences if those areas lose cooling, such as servers overheating, unsafe conditions for occupants or spoiled food?
- How long can different areas tolerate higher temperatures with no cooling?
- Do certain areas require 24/7/365 cooling no matter the situation?
- Do certain areas require humidity control?
- Is it acceptable to reduce or stop ventilation during emergencies?
- What length of time does temporary cooling need to operate?
- Will lighting and other equipment operate during that time?
- How will the placement of the portable cooling equipment impact acoustics?
- How does the heat rejection from the units impact the space, and how is that heat removed?
Managers have a lot to consider when faced with bringing in extra options to meet additional cooling needs. Being prepared and better informed about the issues and concerns will help overcome potentially life-threatening situations for occupants.
Related Topics:
