Right-Sizing HVAC Part 2: Equipment Selection and Sizing

September 7, 2011 11:00am-noon (Eastern)

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Who led the discussion?

Presenter: Arlan Burdick, Building Performance Specialist, IBACOS
Host: Brad Oberg, CTO, IBACOS

What was it about?

In today's homes, following the old HVAC rule of thumb – 1 ton per 500 square feet – is like trying to kill a fly with a bazooka. It's simply more firepower than you need, and will actually backfire in terms of the comfort you're delivering to your homeowners.

Even if your estimates are more conservative, are you getting it right and taking full advantage of investments in the home’s enclosure?

During the second in our three-part webinar series on right-sizing HVAC systems, we discussed best practices for equipment selection and sizing. Specifically:

• Types of equipment (traditional furnace and A/C units, air source heat pumps, ground source heat pumps, etc.)
• How to take load calculations into account
• Efficiency ratings to consider, including SEER, AFUE, HSPF, Energy Star
• How to estimate CFM
• Sizing for cooling, then heating
• Alternative modes of operation to get the most from your equipment and consistently deliver comfort