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Underfloor Systems
Underfloor Systems
Raised access floor systems are designed to enable the use of underfloor air distribution systems that improve the flexibility, energy efficiency, and comfort of commercial buildings. Because they allow underfloor air distribution, access floors provide significant advantages in boosting indoor air quality, ventilation effectiveness, personal comfort control and energy efficiency.
Virtually all high-performance buildings use raised access flooring because of the many advantages in cost savings, energy use, and overall flexibility. They also achieve many of the goals of sustainable buildings.
Benefits
Organizations can create great spaces that can inspire people and lessen negative environmental consequences. Well-designed spaces lead to strengthened employee, organizational and facility performance. Installing access flooring in conjunction with underfloor air distribution, as well as modular power, voice and data systems in an office area will greatly increase the flexibility and the configurability of the space.
Underfloor air distribution improves energy efficiency through the virtual elimination of ductwork. The significant reduction of ductwork reduces the amount of pressure required to deliver air to the occupied space. This reduced pressure requirement directly correlates to a smaller horsepower fan in the building’s HVAC mechanical equipment. Typical fan horsepower reductions are around 30%, significantly reducing your building’s indirect carbon emissions.
Thermal comfort is one of the most critical elements to increase the satisfaction and thereby work performance of a person. Being able to control the environment in which a person works has been shown to directly affect the productivity of that person. Satisfied employees are more motivated and productive than disgruntled employees. Underfloor Air Distribution (UFAD) helps reduce hot-cold complaints by providing individuals with personal comfort controls in their workspace.
A variable air volume UFAD system increases ventilation effectiveness by providing occupants with the first benefit of outside air. The resulting ventilation can exceed the ASHRAE 62.1-2004 rate by 30% and helps LEED™ buildings achieve EQ credit 2 by delivering fresh air directly to occupants’ six-foot breathing zone.