Date of Award

3-2005

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Department of Operational Sciences

First Advisor

Jeffery D. Weir, PhD

Abstract

Because of potential cost and energy savings, military decision-makers may want to consider the use of energy-efficient heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems at their installations. Ground source heat pumps (GSHPs), in particular, show great promise because of their low energy requirements and low life-cycle costs. However, there currently exists no design guidance or established criteria for HVAC selection. Consequently, military decision-makers have no basis for comparing conventional HVAC systems and GSHPs. The Value-Focused Thinking (VFT) methodology was used to create a multi-objective decision analysis model that measures the value of different HVAC systems. Consisting of five bottom-tier values and twelve measures, the model captures the Air Force's objectives regarding its selection of HVAC systems. Using data collected from three different Air Force bases, the model was used to evaluate four HVAC alternatives (three conventional and one GSHP alternative) at each location. Sensitivity analysis was also conducted to provide additional insight into the HVAC selection process. The results of this research indicate that GSHPs are a viable option and should be considered at military installations. Further, the results prove that the VFT model can be an effective decision analysis tool for HVAC selection.

AFIT Designator

AFIT-GEM-ENS-05M-11

DTIC Accession Number

ADA434373

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