(07-03-2020 07:06 AM)lingerba Wrote:  

(07-02-2020 04:29 PM)NJDuke97 Wrote:  Question for folks who may have expertise in facilities ventilation etc in conjunction with Covid- I just wonder if JMU is in a position based on the status of the new arena to make any tweaks to the ventilation system that would make the arena more pandemic friendly? As an uneducated outsider I know we can’t have a retractable roof arena but are there changes that JMU can make to enable to arena to be state of the art in terms of Covid Or inherently is the arena setup to be “safer“ anyway based on design and the fact that is it new?

This could happen on some days if the outside temperature and humidity are at the right place.

There are code requirements which dictate how much "outside air" needs to be circulated in commercial HVAC systems which is based on square footage and number of occupants. Heating/cooling outside air generally takes more energy to heat/cool than recirculating air (this is why most houses just recirculate and don't bring in any outside air). The arena's HVAC systems where designed over a year ago and probably built the long ago too. The heating and cooling coils would have been designed at a size appropriate for h'burg's climate (history of hi/lo temperatures). They were likely designed heat/cool somewhere close 10% outside air on the hottest/coldest day. Which means on those days, they couldn't possibly handle more outside air and maintain the temperature setpoint in the building.

But, to your question, there are days where the outside temperature & humidity would allow the HVAC system to bring in more outside, but it would greatly increase energy usage. The scale of energy we are talking about for a building like this is not small potatoes. So for what you are asking, it is possible they could do this on some days, but I am thinking it is not likely.

Thanks for your answers. I wonder if in the future we will see an open air arena (somewhere) with a retractable glass roof.