Better Filters for Energy Efficiency

HVAC Filters

By using Pall Water’s filters, the University of San Diego has solved an inconvenient, costly, and time-consuming problem for its maintenance team.

In 2014, the University of San Diego began experiencing HVAC issues in several buildings across campus, particularly in the Degheri Alumni Center, a 28,000-square-foot administrative building. Sediment buildup was causing cooling coils to clog, which prevented air conditioning units from operating properly.

As summertime approached, a rapid solution was needed to deliver comfortable temperatures to faculty, staff, and students. Pall Water’s 5-micron Polyfold filter bag was selected due to its strength and reliability. Immediately, the maintenance team noticed the positive impact of Pall Water’s solution, and could see the larger particles collected in the filters.

Previously, technicians had to manually back-flush coils on the roof of each affected building to remove the sediment and restore proper HVAC functionality, a process that took several hours and needed to occur every 4-14 days, impacting the maintenance teams’ time and resources. Now, technicians spend 10 minutes swapping out Pall Water’s filters every 1-2 months. Technicians can even determine when filters are nearing capacity via a gauge and daily measurements, enabling them to replace filters before the sediment buildup impacts building temperature.

“We called upon Pall Water to stop sediment buildup from clogging our HVAC systems and the University of San Diego got exactly what we asked for as Pall Water’s Polypropylene Microfiber bag filters solved our problem. The technicians absolutely love the filters as they no longer waste several hours cleaning out clogged coils on the roof and our building occupants are pleased that they no longer have to file work orders complaining about the lack of air conditioning in the Degheri Alumni Center,” says Steve Glover, facilities engineer, University of San Diego.

By using Pall Water’s filters, the University of San Diego has solved an inconvenient, costly, and time-consuming problem for its maintenance team.

www.pallwater.com

This article originally appeared in the College Planning & Management March 2018 issue of Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • Deferred Maintenance Issues Growing at Universities, Gordian Reports

    U.S. colleges and universities are falling increasingly behind on facilities maintenance and repair, according to Gordian’s 13th annual State of Facilities in Higher Education report. The deferred capital renewal burden has reached $156 per gross square foot, an 8% increase over the previous year.

  • Big Horn Academy

    Big Horn Academy

    Established in 1999, the Education Design Showcase is a vehicle for showing off innovative — yet practical — solutions in planning, design, architecture, and construction. Big Horn Academy has been recognized with an EDS 2026 Project of Distinction award in the category of New Construction.

  • KWK Architects Announces Full Transition to Lawrence Group Branding

    KWK Architects recently announced that it will complete its transition to the Lawrence Group brand effective July 1, according to a news release. The merger marks the end of a three-year strategic integration process that began in March 2023 to unite the firms.

  • USC Launches Major AI Initiative After $200M Gift

    The University of Southern California in Los Angeles, Calif., recently announced that it has launched a “transformational” new AI initiative thanks to a $200M gift, according to a news release. The project will leverage AI toward breakthroughs and innovations in subjects like the health sciences, business, security, and the arts.