Enter the AHU (36th Chamber of ASHRAE): A Multi-site Field Study of ASHRAE G36

Deshpande, Reva; Casillas, Armando; Velmurugan, Guhan; Granderson, jessica

doi:10.20357/b77g80

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Enter the AHU (36th Chamber of ASHRAE): A Multi-site Field Study of ASHRAE G36

Deshpande, Reva·Casillas, Armando·Velmurugan, Guhan·Granderson, jessica

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Abstract

Despite being recognized as the best practice for advanced building controls, ASHRAE Guideline 36 (G36) has seen slow adoption in retrofit cases. Decisionmakers lack credible field evidence to justify the time and person-power investment. Most prior analyses have relied on software simulations, which overlook implementation challenges and fail to persuade owners to move from models to real-world deployment. This paper presents a multi-site field study of G36 performance, drawing on measured results from 17 projects across diverse building types and climate zones. The analysis disaggregates outcomes by the most widely adopted air handling unit (AHU) based G36 strategies, including trim-and-respond approaches to supply air temperature (SAT) and duct static pressure (DSP) reset, and economizer controls. Results for controls re programming implementations are encouraging, with HVAC savings ranging from 2% - 49%, with a median of 18%. The range aligns with simulation study findings showing 1% - 46% savings through these three strategies. These findings show that even without capital investment in control infrastructure upgrades, existing building owners are reaping significant benefits from updating HVAC sequences of operation to industry best-practice solutions. The results give practitioners and decisionmakers a reference point on what to expect, which strategies deliver, and how field performance may compare to simulation.

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Deshpande, Reva, Casillas, Armando, Velmurugan, Guhan, Granderson, jessica. 2026-08-03. Enter the AHU (36th Chamber of ASHRAE): A Multi-site Field Study of ASHRAE G36. https://doi.org/10.20357/b77g80

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