GREEN BUILDING TIP: Test Your HVAC System

Even well-designed mechanical systems can become sources of indoor air quality problems (or can waste energy) if they are incorrectly installed, so it's important to make sure heating and cooling systems work as designed before the house is occupied. It's critical to test the systems (including duct work) before anyone moves into the house. That's almost always cheaper than dealing with the equipment after problems become obvious.

This testing — sometimes called "commissioningProcess of testing a home after a construction or renovation project to ensure that all of the home's systems are operating correctly and at maximum efficiency. " — should follow the "TAB" approach: test, adjust, balance.

For homes with a forced-air system, it's essential to check:

• Air flow at each register
• Overall duct system tightness
• Air flow over the coil
• Refrigerant charge

It's also essential to check the combustion efficiency of the furnace or boiler burner; to check exhaust fan air flow; and to check ventilation system air flow.

—This GREEN BUILDING TIP is from our Strategy Generator. Build a tip sheet for your green building or remodeling project under the Strategies & Details tab.

Green Points

LEED for HomesLeadership in Energy and Environmental Design. LEED for Homes is the residential green building program from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). While this program is primarily designed for and applicable to new home projects, major gut rehabs can qualify. : 3 points for minimizing distribution losses in ducts (EA 5).

NGBSNational Green Building Standard Based on the NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidelines and passed through ANSI. This standard can be applied to both new homes, remodeling projects, and additions. /ICC-700: 3 points for verifying performance of HVAC(Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning). Collectively, the mechanical systems that heat, ventilate, and cool a building. equipment (704.5.3).

FURTHER RESOURCES

Green Building Encyclopedia:
Forced Air
Air Conditioning
Heat Distribution

Blogs:
Duct Leakage Testing
Heating a Tight, Well-Insulated House
How Heat Moves Through Homes
It’s the Little Things

Q&A Forum:
HVAC for Tight Envelope Houses