“Environmental Comfort” In Today’s Idiom

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31657, 18 April 1968, Page 18

“Environmental Comfort” In Today’s Idiom

Since the dawn of time, man has concerned himself with the problem of keeping warm. Sometimes the problem has been coupled with survival, at other times it has been merely a matter of comfort. In today’s idiom it is environmental comfort that we seek to provide, so that leisure may be enjoyed, well-being enhanced and perhaps most important, that productivity be increased. From the open fire, there has been a gradual development and improvement in methods of heating. Today, fully-automatic central heating, whether at home or at the workplace, is quite common. Even in the more temperate zones such as New Zealand,

coming more comfort people are rapidly beconscious. The New Zealander’s strong inclination to travel has brought him to see the many benefits of comfortable surroundings which may be had regardless of outside conditions, and he is now promoting these within his own country. In this article we are mainly interested in the developments taking place in heating in the commercial sector. This is an all-embracing title, including heating in shops, office blocks and administrar tive centres, factories, church and school organisations, hotels and motels, hospitals, multistorey appartments and flats, and leisure-time activity centres such as clubs, swimming pools and theatres. It should also be remembered that animals thrive on warmth, and many pig breeders and poultry farmers are increasing production by the use of space-heating. The firms that sell heating fuel in New Zealand have sales and technical forces, backed up by heating engineers, available to advise, guide and assist in all heating problems. Today it is esential to be on the spot at the building blue-print stage or even earlier. New concepts in heating are constantly emerging, and each of these must be considered before a final decision is reached. Central Oil Storage Although not new, the idea of common oil storage facilities in the commercial sector is well worthy of consideration. It is proving successful in the domestic field where an underground reticulation system is used, and oil metered to the individual dwellings. The same system could provide for the requirements of a compact area of individually owned factories. With the development of town planning and the necessity to use all available industrial-zon-ed space to the maximum, the use of underground storage could become essential. District Heating

This is a central heating system to provide heating for a pre-deter-mined number of consumers in separate buildings. Here, the end-user gains the convenience of buying heat in the form of a public service similar to water, gas and electricity supplies, He does not need to concern himself with the problem of buying fuel and converting this into heat in his own installation.

These systems often provide the full airconditioning load, and not just heating. The result is a considerable saving in space by the

elimination of individual boiler-houses, attendants and the associated equipment. District heating systems will undoubtedly come, although they are fraught with administrative problems and require considerable capital outlay. As midcity areas become more closely crowded, the advantages of introducing this system into New Zealand grow. Total Energy Similar to the previous concept described, a system of total energy includes the electricitygenerating load with full air conditioning. It has been used for many years in the United States and is under consideration for a development in Auckland. The problems accompanying the growing demand for electricity in this country must necessarily accelerate the need for this type of system. Nowadays in a modern mid-city building, not only heating but a full air-conditioning system is provided. It is necessary to set aside a large area for the plantspace and savings would be considerable if district heating could be used as described above. Factories Most New Zealand factories employ fewer than 20 people. Suitable small boiler plants are readily available but today more and more factories are turning to warm air as a heating medium. Provided building design is suitable and heat loss is not excessive it is an ideal medium for providing comfortable working conditions. Churches and Schools The new St Paul’s Cathedral in Wellington is heated by a network of smallbore piping set into the concrete floor. It is a fine example of modern heating trends in churches. The typical school also tends to use oilfired heating. The ease, cleanliness and ready availability of oil is a distinct advantage here, where limited staff poses maintenance problems. Hotels and Motels Oil has been accepted for many years as an ideal fuel for heating hotels. Most systems consist of a boiler house and a series of hot water or steam radiators, the modern radiators being attractive, slim models. Other hotels are following the trend in office buildings and including full airconditioning with a warm-air heating system.

Motels are also using oil to heat their units and often swimming pools as well. Hospitals

Until recently most hospitals also used a boiler and radiator heating system. Many are now installing full

air-conditioning systems, with sensitive control through rapid changes of air and electronic air filters. The replacement of mid-city private dwelings by high density housing projects has made popular the use of oil-fired central heating systems to serve all the tenants. These systems are fully-automatic, easily controlled and clean, and ideal for luxury apartment living. Leisure Activity Centres Wellington’s contemporary Freyberg Tepid Swimming Pool is an example of a modem leisure activity centre. In pools of this nature, water temperatures of 80 deg. F are common. Heat losses from pools can be considerably reduced by heating the enclosed air above the water as well as the water itself.

Such heaters operate on various fuels including electricity, gas or modern heating oils. All are efficient units and all are readily acceptable in today’s concept of home heating. The greatest consideration, therefore, is necessary to ensure that the best possible operating costs are achieved. In a climate such as ours the average family home would require each year some 350 to 550 "therms” of heat actually delivered into the rooms, for the home to be comfortable throughout the winter period.

As most heating appliances must lose some heat up the chimney the rated efficiency of the unit must be taken into account in working out the comparative costs of fuels. Electricity is the only source where all the heat in the fuel is delivered into the room. As a means of instant on-the-spot heating it has many advantages. The smaller portable heaters have proved very convenient to use, but, of late, there has been a marked trend towards the more permanent type installations of wall radiant panels. However, electricity costs some 29 cents per “therm” (based on a low average rate of 1 cent per kilowatt) and today much cheaper fuels are available. Gas tariffs are often complex, because of the inclusion of service and meter charges and this makes calculation of operating costs more difficult. However, based on an average rate of $1.25 per 1000 cubic feet—generally a low low rate—the cost per useful “therm” is about 37 cents.

Much more economical heat is available from the modern alternative of home heating oil. The cost per useful “therm” of oil today is still only 17.3 cents.

This then is the all important figure that has to be compared with the previous fuels. A formula to calculate cost is below. When the outside temperature is 45 degrees F., 550 therms output, per 20 week season, will heat about 8000 cubic feet of enclosed “uninsulated" space to 70 degrees F. for eight hours a day or 4000 cubic feet for 16 hours a day. Actual costs will vary according to temperature difference between inside and outside, the area in cubic feet to be heated, whether or not the home is "insulated” and the efficiency of the appliance. However, each factor would affect costs similarly, regardless of the type of fuel being used. EXAMPLE I—OIL An 1100 sq. ft house with a normal Bft stud has 8800 cubic feet of air space. Assume 8000 cubic feet of this required to be kept heated. To maintain 70 degrees F. for at least eight hours per day will require 550 therms. 450 gallons of oil will produce an output of approximately 540 therms. The cost on oil therefore is 450 by 21c per gallon equals $94.50. An alternative means of calculation is to multiply the required therms by the cost per useful therm—e.g. 550 therms by 17.3 cents equals $95.15. EXAMPLE 2 ELECTRICITY As in Example 1, 550 therms are required to satisfy heating requirements. Then with 3412 B.T.U.s per kilowatt some 16,410 kilowatts are required to produce the 550 therms. The cost on electric heating is 16,410 by 1c per kilowatt equals $164.10. An alternative means of calculation is to multiply the required therms by the cost per useful therm of electricity: e.g. 550 therms by 29c equals $159.50 In providing all these services you will normally want to consider such aspects as cleanliness, convenience and cost. You would certainly consider safety for yourself and your family as an essential requirement.

Various alternatives are now available to

the house owner, and a little careful thought can pay handsome dividends in enabling you to ensure that you achieve the best possible standard of comfort and health for your family, at the most reasonable operating cost. YOUR HOMEHEATING Perhaps the greatest advance in home comfort over the last few years has resulted from the New Zealander’s growing appreciation of the need for some form of space heating in the winter months. The advent of television has accentuated this need, since people now expect to be able to sit and watch in com-

fort without having , to huddle around the oldfashioned. fireplace. When sitting still, the human being begins to feel cold if the temperature drops below 70 degrees F. The living room / lounge requirement, therefore, today is for about this temperature. Bedrooms are quite comfortable at lower temperatures. However, with the availability of true central heating a greater utilisation of available space is made possible and we see bedrooms now used as study rooms for teenagers. Temperature requirements are therefore, tending to rise to fulfill this need. Again, architectural design

tending more to the open living concept is dictating an over-all steady temperature requirement of about 70 degrees F. The old - fashioned fireplace, whilst looking attractive, is hopelessly inefficient at providing room comfort let alone whole house heating. It draws up vast quantities of cold air—creating daughts, and sends most of its warmth up the chimney. Most householders, therefore, now demand the comfort, health and convenience of a more modem form of space heating—a room, a part of the house, or, more likely, the whole house if budgets will permit.