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Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning
Find out more about heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems used by builders and remodelers. Technologies include heat pumps, radiant heating, ventilators, coolers and air conditioners.
Consider using the products below to take advantage of their potential to provide one or more of the following in the homes you build: Affordability, Energy Efficiency, Quality & Durability, Environmental Performance, and Safety.
Guides for designing and building various types of construction
Evaluation of how products and systems perform in real life applications
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Air of Importance: A Study of Air Distribution Systems in Manufactured Homes
This study analyzed the performance of air distribution systems in 24 manufactured homes and compared them with the results of 9 homes built to the more stringent MAP specifications.
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Enerjoy Case Study: An Evaluation of Thermal Comfort and Energy Consumption for the Enerjoy Radiant Panel
Radiant heating systems, such as a ceiling, surface mounting system used in this study, have the potential for significant energy savings by warming objects and occupants and only indirectly heating air. An Enerjoy radiant heating system, an air-to air heat pump system and electric baseboard system were evaluated in an occupied research home. The report includes tables and houseplans.
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Field Test of Advanced Duct-Sealing Technologies within the Weatherization Assistance Program
A field test of an aerosol-spray duct-sealing technology and a conventional, best-practice approach was performed in 80 homes to determine the efficacy and programmatic needs of the duct-sealing technologies as applied in the U.S. Department of Energy Weatherization Assistance Program.
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Improving Air Distribution System (ADS) Performance in Manufactured Homes
Building scientists were sent to 16 manufactured home plants to develop and demonstrate techniques
to build tighter duct systems and to train production personnel in these techniques.
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Measured Performance of Five Residential Geothermal Systems
Data of the performance of five residential geothermal systems in northeastern Ohio was collected and analyzed to characterize performance of the systems in occupied homes and to compare the measured output at design conditions to standard sizing methods.
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PATH Technology Inventory Review
This report describes the process and results of a short-term activity initiated by the Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH) to review and identify technologies in the 162-item PATH Technology Inventory that should be high-priority candidates for a concerted PATH technology transfer or diffusion effort.
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Preliminary Assessment of Ventilation Requirements for New Single-Family Homes
This 1990 study reviews the ventilation requirements of codes and standards, and develops a method to estimate supplemental ventilation and associated costs.
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TechPractices: Baycliffs, Johnson's Island, Lake Erie, OH
How can you keep homes comfortable and economical when the thermometer can plunge to -10º F in the winter and soar to100º F in the summer? The developer of the planned 375-unit development solves the problem using a steel/rigid insulation panelized system with airtight, superinsulated walls, conditioned by a highly efficient geothermal heat pump drilled into rock.
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TechPractices: Bentley Residence, Steamboat Springs, CO
This 3,000 sf custom home is for a client who desires to showcase resource efficiency and recycled materials.
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TechPractices: Carl Franklin Homes, Kensington Park, Dallas, TX
Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs), Geothermal Heating and Cooling units, and other PATH program technologies were used to produce houses that cost significantly less for low-income homeowners to operate and maintain than conventionally constructed units.
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TechPractices: EcoVillage at Ithaca, Ithaca, NY
By using an inventive arrangement of distribution systems, homes can be designed and constructed to generate low energy bills but maintain high indoor air quality.
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TechPractices: Environmental Showcase Home, Phoenix, AZ
The intent of the Environmental Showcase Home (ESH) is to demonstrate that products available on the market can make a resource-conserving home without compromising comfort or aesthetics.
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TechPractices: FBC Infill Housing, Louisville, KY
Durable yet inexpensive, these houses are planned with energy- and cost-saving features that make them affordable to would-be home buyers with marginal resources.
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TechPractices: Greenlee Park, McStain Enterprises, Boulder, CO
Greenlee Park, completed in 1997, is the first environmentally sustainable development built by McStain Enterprises, and has since had a big impact on how this company (which averages 250 units a year) builds homes.
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TechPractices: Grove at Patuxent Woods, Patuxent City, MD
In this project for seven affordable houses, it was possible to concentrate shared wastewater treatment systems in areas of the site with adequate soil conditions, allowing four houses to route their septic to a fifth lot, while two other houses shared a septic field.
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TechPractices: Healing House, BBH Enterprises, Dallas, TX
Located in a moderate income Dallas neighborhood, this house achieves its health and energy goals on a moderate ($65/SF) budget by pairing an innovative mechanical and ventilation system with a novel floor plenum design.
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TechPractices: Hillside Oaks, Carl Franklin Homes, Dallas, TX
What happens when you combine the technology of structural insulated panels with a geothermal heat pump system that costs less to operate and maintain than conventional HVAC systems?
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TechPractices: Home Front, Inc., Brian Bishop, Venice, FL
The panelized housing system developed by Brian Bishop of Home Front, Inc. gives homeowners the durability of a non-wood exterior system, the energy efficiency of full thickness foam insulation, and the lower cost of a panelized system that erects quickly without the need for heavy-lifting equipment.
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TechPractices: Island Presentation Partnership, Dewees Island, SC
Combining local climatic responses with new materials, Dewees Island contains a growing population while protecting its sensitive ecosystems.
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TechPractices: Keith Swilley House, Koehnemann Construction, Panama City, FL
This single-family Florida house uses a horizontal loop geothermal heat pump system and an array of energy-saving strategies.
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TechPractices: NEDCO, Field of Dreams, Eugene, OR
The Field of Dreams residential community, completed in Eugene, Oregon, combines ingenuity at several levels of project delivery.
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TechPractices: Northern Enterprise Homes, Hartford, CT
Northern Enterprise Home Manufacturing, a new company located in Hartford Connecticut, is a pioneer in constructing homes with pre-cast foundations walls.
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TechPractices: Palm Harbor Homes, Dallas, TX
Palm Harbor Homes has a line of HUD-Code homes that is the first to qualify for the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Energy Star Homes Program label.
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TechPractices: RBG Residence, Kingston, NY
Energy efficient, comfortable, quiet, and convenient, geothermal heat pumps are an improvement over conventional systems because they use the soil's energy storage instead of relying on fossil fuels.
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TechPractices: Solar Townhouses, Philadelphia, PA
A builder in Pennsylvania is taking advantage of a new solar mortgage program and coupling it with government grants to make high technology affordable.
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TechPractices: Stone Ledge, Leakwood, KS
With "totally maintenance-free living," this small developer went after a small but discriminating market to show there's always a demand for well-built homes.
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TechPractices: Warren Builders: Albertville, Alabama
Comparison of three mechanical ventilation systems.
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Evaluation of how products and systems perform in real
life applications
Frequently asked questions, answered by home building professionals
Recommended Web resources for additional information
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AC Doctor
Get the facts about energy efficiency and indoor air-quality, compare central air conditioning and heating systems from leading manufacturers, and connect with contractors rated and reviewed by homeowners.
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Affordable Comfort
Through national and regional conferences, and a range of training and education initiatives, Affordable Comfort seeks to improve excellence in home construction, remodeling, repair, and operation by promoting a systems approach.
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Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA)
The Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) strive to help HVACR contractors acquire, serve, and satisfy customers. This site has news, technical papers, consumer information, and more.
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Air Diffusion Council (ADC)
The Air Diffusion Council represents North America's manufacturers of flexible air ducts and air connectors.
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Air Infiltration and Ventilation Centre
The Air Infiltration and Ventilation Centre (AVIC), inaugurated by the International Energy Agency (IEA), provides technical support to those involved in the research and development of ventilation technology. This site offers numerous publications for purchase, and a comprehensive FAQ.
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Air Infiltration Measurement Techniques
This report will summarize the methods and the relevant error analyses of tracer gas techniques which have become widely used to measure the ventilation rates in buildings. This report will also review the current effort in multizone infiltration measurement techniques.
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Air Movement and Control Association International, Inc.
The Air Movement and Control Association (AMCA) International, Inc. manufacturers of related air system equipment - primarily: fans, louvers, dampers, air curtains, airflow measurement stations, acoustic attenuators, and other air system components for the industrial, commercial and residential markets.
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Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute (ARI)
ARI develops and publishes technical standards for industry products. ARI standards establish rating criteria and procedures for measuring and certifying product performance.
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American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)
The Society is organized for the sole purpose of advancing the arts and sciences of heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration for the public's benefit through research, standards writing, continuing education and publications.
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American Supply Association
The American Supply Association is the national organization serving the Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, and Piping (PHCP) industry. ASA has provided the forum for PHCP wholesale distributors and their vendors from around the country to discuss critical issues facing them.
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An Introduction to Residential Duct Systems
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's site about Residential Thermal Distribution Systems.
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Associated Air Balance Council (AABC)
The Associated Air Balance Council (AABC) is a non-profit association of qualified, independent test and balance agencies for the HVAC industry.
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Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating
The Canadian Institute of Plumbing & Heating consists of manufacturers, distributors, manufacturers' agents and allied companies who manufacture and distribute plumbing, hydronic heating, industrial, waterworks and other mechanical products.
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Cooling Technology Institute (CTI)
The Cooling Technology Institute (CTI) advocates and promotes the use of environmentally responsible Evaporative Heat Transfer Systems (EHTS).
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Energy Efficient Rehab Advisor
Programmable thermostats offer savings, comfort and convenience. A programmable thermostat costs $85-$125 and can save $100-$300/household/year on heating and cooling costs and make your home more comfortable. You can set a program for your thermostat to follow, so you don't have to think about adjusting the temperature manually.
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ENERGY STAR® Heating & Cooling Equipment
Learn about energy efficient and cost saving heating and cooling equipment and where to find ENERGY STAR® products.
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EnergyCAP Free Weather Data Tools
EnergyCAP provides free climatological data for various locations in the U.S. useful for HVAC system sizing.
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GHPC - Geothermal Heat Pump Consortium
The Geothermal Heat Pump Consortium (GHPC) focuses on increasing the use of GeoExchange technology for both commercial and residential heating and cooling.
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Ground Source Heat Pump Design
A website for technical information and other resources related to ground source heat pump systems.
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HARDI - Heating, Airconditioning & Refrigeration Distributors International
Heating, Airconditioning & Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI) is a not-for-profit trade organization dedicated to advancing the science of wholesale distribution in the HVACR industry.
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Heating Help
HeatingHelp.com has a lot technical information about residential heating systems. Check out the Hot Tech Topics and Heating Q & A.
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Home Energy Magazine
Home Energy Magazine disseminates objective and practical information on residential energy conservation, performance, and comfort. Content includes residential comfort issues, covered by the people researching and employing innovative design, building, and remodeling practices and products.
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HVAC Books
HVACBooks.com, in association with Amazon.com, has a comprehensive list of publications for the HVAC industry.
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IEA Heat Pump Centre
The International Energy Agency's information centre for heat pumping technologies, applications and markets.
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Indoor Air Quality
The Environmental Protection Agency site contains information on many indoor air quality topics - specific contaminants and pollutants, exposure, risk, and mitigation.
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Indoor Air Quality Publications - CPSC
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has reports and tips for improving the air quality in residential homes.
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Leakage Diagnostics, Sealant Longevity, Sizing and Technology Transfer in Residential Thermal Distri
This report documents the technical results of a larger study conducted by Lawrence Berkeley Labs. Issues covered include field testing of duct leakage diagnostics, duct sealants and longevity testing, duct system interactions with system sizing and capacity, and technical transfer and support activities.
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Leakage Diagnostics, Sealant Longevity, Sizing and Technology Transfer in Residential Thermal Distri
This report builds on and extends previous efforts described in "Leakage Diagnostics, Sealant Longevity, Sizing and Technology Transfer in Residential Thermal Distribution Systems". New developments include defining combined duct and
equipment efficiencies in a concept called "Tons At the Register" and on performance issues related to field use of the aerosol sealant technology.
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Life Cycle Cost Estimate for 1 ENERGY STAR Qualified Programmable Thermostat(s)
Programmable Thermostat Savings Calculator
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MeMate HVAC: Engineering, Design, Drafting, Estimating HVAC Software
With MeMate HVAC software, you can calculate heating and cooling loads, design piping and ductwork, estimate costs, and more.
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National Air Duct Cleaners Association (NADCA)
The National Air Duct Cleaners Association is dedicated to the continuous progression of the Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) hygiene industry.
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National Comfort Institute
National Comfort Institute (NCI) serves the HVAC and plumbing industry with advanced training and certification rooted in testing, mesurement, and proven performance.
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National Propane Gas Association
The National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) promotes the safe and increased use of propane, as well as a favorable environment for propane production, distribution and marketing. This site has news, governmental information, and more.
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Natural Gas Supply Association
The Natural Gas Supply Association (NGSA) represents U.S. producers of natural gas. This website has white papers, news, reports, and other resources regarding natural gas supply.
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PHCC - Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors National Association
The Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors-National Association (PHCC) is dedicated to the promotion, advancement, education and training of the industry for the protection of the environment, and the health, safety and comfort of society.
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Plumbing & Mechanical Magazine
Plumbing & Mechanical Magazine is a publication for plumbing, piping, and hydronics contractors.
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PM Engineer Magazine
PM Engineer Magazine is a publication for pluming, piping, and hydronics engineers and specifiers.
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Procedures for HVAC System Design and Installation
HVAC information from the California Energy Commission.
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Propane Education and Research Council
Information for home builders about using propane fueled appliances in residential construction projects.
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QuoteExpress: HVAC and Mechanical Cost Estimating Software
For HVAC contractors and fabricators, QuoteExpress offers real time takeoff data to show you the exact labor and material for each takeoff item as it's being input.
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Radiant Floor Heating and Cooling Systems
Reference brief from the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Clearinghouse (EREC).
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RPA - Radiant Panel Association
Radiant Panel Association (RPA) strives to advance the radiant panel heating and cooling in North America. This site has radiant panel standards and technical notes.
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RSES - Refrigeration Service Engineers Society
Refrigeration Service Engineers Society (RSES) offers educational and certification programs to service professionals of all experience levels engaged in heating, ventilation, air conditioning or refrigeration.
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Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association (SMACNA)
Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors' National Association (SMACNA), represents contractors in commercial, institutional, industrial and residential heating, ventilation and air conditioning; architectural sheet metal; industrial sheet metal; kitchen equipment; manufacturing; testing and balancing; service; energy management and maintenance; and siding and decking.
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The Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration News
The Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration News is a weekly newsletter for the HVACR industry. This site offers stories featured the newsletter, and other industry resources.
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Thermal Energy Distribution, Lawrence Berkeley Labs
Information about residential duct systems, including information about duct leakage testing, duct sealant testing, calculating duct efficiency.
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UHMA - Underfloor Heating Manufacturers' Association
Underfloor Heating Manufacturers' Association (UHMA) is the UK trade association for all forms of radiant heating.
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WarmAir.com
A portal of information, calculators, and resources about heating and cooling systems.
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