Project Overview

McQuillen Interactive was hired by the non-profit Institute for the Sustainable Performance of Buildings ( SU-PER-B ) to develop a Flash-based desktop learning tool for HVAC (Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning) engineering students at community colleges.

Teaching the theory and practice of HVAC engineering to students is tough. It's a lot of science, math, hands-on engineering, critical thinking and troubleshooting. The Institute for Sustainable Building Performance wanted to provide students with a real-time, simulated HVAC system as a learning tool.

Furthermore, the end product had to provide a scientifically accurate simulation. A key part of the project was to integrate a simulation tool created by project partner Lawrence Berkeley Labs (LBL) and present an intuitive, realistic and interesting environment within which to display simulation data.

Learn HVAC Desktop Learning Tool

Working closely with SU-PER-B and 3D specialist Killer3D, McQuillen Interactive developed a Flash-based desktop tool that simulates a complete HVAC system. The tool allows students to select "scenarios" created by instructors that reflect certain HVAC systems and contexts (e.g. a winter day, and tenants are complaining of cold air in the space).

A Screenshot from Learn HVAC
Learn HVAC provides a realistic and scientifically accurate simulation of an HVAC system.
 

As a student moves through the simulated system, they can change input parameters and system "faults" in order to observe system behavior. An instructor can limit this behavior, such that a student can only change certain parameters and access certain pieces of information as part of a troubleshooting exercise.

A Screenshot from Learn HVAC
Students can analyze behavior at each of the system's components, using their knowledge and the system's output to troubleshoot realistic problems.
 

Learn HVAC is still in development, and we are currently working on a number of performance improvements and eLearning feature enhancements.

Technologies employed:

  • Alpha version: Flash Player 8.0, ActionScript 2.0
  • Beta version: Flash Player 9.0, ActionScript 3.0, Flex 3.0, Flash CS3
  • Cairngorm Framework
  • Multidmedia's Zinc application
  • WebORB for Ruby on Rails
  • Ruby on Rails 2.0
  • MySQL