Emerging Computing Applications
ASHRAE Technical Committee 1.5

The ASHRAE Handbook is published in a series of four volumes, one of which is revised each year, ensuring that no volume is older than four years.

The Handbook can be purchased at the ASHRAE Bookstore by clicking on this link.

TC 1.5 is responsible for the following chapter in the HVAC APPLICATIONS Handbook:
Computer Applications
Computer are used in a wide variety of applications in the HVAC industry. Rapid technological advances and the decreasing cost of computing power, memory, and secondary storage have changed many aspects of the HVAC industry. New HVAC design tools allow optimal solutions to be found in engineering applications. Building operations benefit from low-cost networking to achieve multivendor control system interoperability. Consulting engineers can search manufacturers’ equipment and specifications interactively over the Internet. Designers can collaborate from remote locations. More powerful applications that are also easier to use are now affordable by a wider segment of the industry; many HVAC calculations, such as heating and cooling loads, can be performed easily and automatically.

This chapter contains the following sections:
      • Computer System Components and Technologies
      • Networking Components
      • Internet and Applications
      • HVAC Software Applications
      • Monitoring and Control
      • Wireless Communication

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Technical committees develop and sponsor technical sessions at the winter and annual conferences. Information about their future technical program is discussed at each TC meeting and at the TC’s Program Subcommittee meeting

ASHRAE publishes papers and transactions from presentations at its conference events. In addition, ASHRAE records most of the seminar sessions from its conferences on DVD. These DVDs are ideal for use at chapter meetings, in university courses, or company lunch and learns. Products available from the most recent conference may be found here.

Technical Committees are responsible for identifying research topics, proposing research projects, selecting bidders, and monitoring research projects funded by ASHRAE. Information about their specific research program is discussed at each TC meeting and at the TC’s Research Subcommittee meeting.

The objective of TC 1.5’s research program is to capture state-of-the-art advancements in computer-related technology that relate to HVAC&R research, design, manufacture, operation and maintenance and the dissemination of this information.

To accomplish this objective, the TC 1.5 research program has two goals:
     • To identify and promote projects designed to demonstrate the efficacy of emerging computer applications with
     potential impact on the practices of the heating, ventilating, refrigerating and air-conditioning industry. Potential
     application domains include (but are not limited to) controls, diagnosis and design.
     • Identifying and promoting projects designed to advance the Society's internal and external operations. Potential
     application domains include society, chapter and TC operations, standards development, and publication/software
     enhancement.

Examples of research aligned with the first goal include development of advanced software applications such as knowledge-based systems designed to provide building owner/ operators with maintenance and diagnostic insights or neural networks designed to predict building energy consumption patterns. Examples of research aligned with the second goal include development or refinement of societal software standards and exploration of techniques for advanced computer-related communication with the membership.

ASHRAE writes standards for the purpose of establishing consensus for: 1) methods of test for use in commerce and 2) performance criteria for use as facilitators with which to guide the industry. ASHRAE publishes the following three types of voluntary consensus standards: Method of Measurement or Test (MOT), Standard Design and Standard Practice. ASHRAE does not write rating standards unless a suitable rating standard will not otherwise be available. ASHRAE is accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and follows ANSI's requirements for due process and standards development. Standards may be purchased at the ASHRAE Bookstore.

TC 1.5 is cognizant for the following guideline:
Guideline 20: Documenting HVAC&R Work Processes and Data Exchange Requirements

The TC 1.5 Emerging Application Subcommittee focuses on new and emerging computing technologies that have potential for significant impact on ASHRAE.  Its primary mission is to identify and educate the society on these technologies through research and articles published in the ASHRAE Journal and, where appropriate, to demonstrate their applications to the needs of the HVAC industry. The range of activities of this subcommittee covers is expected to be quite broad and continuously evolve as technologies change and as member interests change. The Emerging Applications Subcommittee will be responsible for developing and taking program and research ideas forward to the Program and Research subcommittees.

SCOPE
Application areas that are of interest to this subcommittee as they apply to the HVAC industry include but not limited to:
     • Advanced Design Tools
     • Contracting and Business
     • Education and Training
     • Engineering Design Productivity
     • HVAC System, Equipment, and Component Optimization
     • Operating Procedures and Diagnostics
Examples of current computer technologies that are of interest to this subcommittee include
     • Augmented Reality, GPS & GIS Application
     • Building Information Modeling (BIM)
     • Cloud-based Computing
     • Data Exchange and Interoperability
     • Game Theory
     • HVAC Applications for Smart Phones and Tablet Computers
     • HVAC System Modeling Using Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery
     • Optimal Control Using HVAC System Model based on Data Mining Approach
     • Multi-disciplinary Design Optimization
     • Multimedia
     • Virtual Reality / Virtual BIM

Check the links page for information on Cybersecurity that has been compiled by the subcommittee.

The TC 1.5 Cybersecurity Subcommittee was formed with the goals of increasing awareness of the importance of Cybersecurity and to provide guidance on issues relating to Cybersecurity. Due to increased interest, this group has shifted into MTG.CYB - Cybersecurity for HVAC Systems and Related Infrastructure.

Below are useful links to webpages with relevant Cybersecurity information.  Note that the presence of a link does not imply an endorsement of a company or product.
     • Many CEOs Are Using These Ridiculously Simple Passwords, Cybersecurity Report Shows
     • 21 Steps to Improve Cyber Security of SCADA Networks
     • Homeland Security- Cybersecurity
     • Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency
     • Computer (Cyber) Security on Wikipedia
     • SCADA Security on Wikipedia
     • A Systems Approach to HVAC Contractor Security
     • Cyber Security in the HVAC Building Controls Industry
     • The NIST Cybersecurity Framework.
     • National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE)

Links with information about personal security:
     • US-CERT Security Tips: includes information on a wide range of topics. Look here first.
     • How to protect your PC from Meltdown and Spectre
     • How to protect your PC from the Intel chip flaw
     • Is your PC vulnerable to the Meltdown and Spectre CPU exploits?
     • The Anti-Phishing Work Group
     • SANS ICS Security Awareness Posters
     • FTC Consumer Information: Identity Theft

News stories about HVAC Cybersecurity:
     •  HVAC Cybersecurity news stories

TIP: If MTG involvement add here otherwise leave blank.

TC 1.5 participates in the following multi-disciplinary task group:

Building Information Modeling
MTG.BIM will coordinate the activities of multiple TC/TG in the area of standards and approaches to support the implementation of BIM within ASHRAE products and within the industry workplace.  MTG.BIM will also represent ASHRAE interests within the BIM marketplace outside of ASHRAE and provide a conduit for funneling information about the BIM industry to ASHRAE members.

ASHRAE Technical FAQs are provided as a service to ASHRAE members, users of ASHRAE publications, and the general public. While every effort has been made to ensure their accuracy and reliability, they are advisory and provided for informational purposes only, and in many cases represent only one person’s view. They are not intended and should not be relied on as an official statement of ASHRAE. Technical questions not addressed may be submitted to the ASHRAE Technical Services department at tse@ashrae.net.