21st Century High Efficiency Air Conditioning Systems with Flexible Zoning

DESIGNING ULTRA-HIGH EFFICIENCY COOLING SYSTEMS

    There are several things we believe need to be accomplished when designing an effective cooling system. 

• Air movement needs to be gentle and evenly distributed throughout the room.

• Cool air must be directed toward the walls and objects in the room.

• The construction needs to be designed to prevent heat from entering the house.

• Losses from ductwork must be reduced or eliminated.

• The system needs to be quiet.

• Circulated air must be clean and healthy.

• The system must be easy to install properly.

Our priorities when designing a cooling system are:

COMFORT: As with in-floor radiant heating systems, we need to make comfort the first consideration. Installing an air conditioning system that does not deliver the highest level of comfort, fresh air, and cleanliness is something you will have to live with for as long as you own your house. There is also a necessity to control dust and the growth of bacteria, fungus, and other nasty critters associated with present ducted delivery systems.    

EFFICIENCY: Efficiency in a cooling system is affected by two primary factors, the chiller and the delivery method.  Energy losses from un-insulated ductwork account for a large percentage of inefficiencies in cooling systems.  Secondarily, insulation and construction practices affect the overall energy required to remove heat once it has infiltrated your home.  Although the efficiency of heat pumps has increased greatly, houses are still being built to keep heat in, not out.  During the energy crunch of the seventies the government encouraged energy efficiency through tax breaks and subsidies.  This resulted in many improvements in heating and cooling equipment; this also changed building practices, particularly in colder climates.  Although many advances were seen in construction to help keep the heat in a house during cold weather, little was done to keep heat out of houses in southern climates.  Most houses being built today in southern climates are simply copying northern energy construction practices.

ZONE FLEXIBILITY:  Traditional air conditioning systems are operated by a single thermostat.  In a smaller, single level home that's practical.  However, larger, multi-level homes have varying degrees of heat loss/gain for different areas.  If comfort is truly a priority, flexible zoning has to be a consideration.  Zoning flexibility greatly increases the efficiency and effectiveness of a cooling system.  The areas that require cooling get cooled, while the areas with less heat gain receive only what they need.  Unused areas of the house can be shut down completely if desired.

NOISE LEVEL:  Let's face it, an air conditioning system needs to be quiet as well as comfortable.  The measured sound level of the fan coil units will be in the range of 40-48 db depending on the fan speed selected.

INSTALLATION EASE: There have been many advancements in materials and products in the last few years that need to be taken advantage of in the designing of a new cooling system.  Owner/builders and do-it-yourselfers can utilize these improvements which result in more flexible and efficient cooling systems while adding value to their home.

COST: It does no good to build a new air conditioning system if it’s comfort and efficiencies are not made available to the average home owner.  By designing with the do-it-yourselfer in mind, we can make a comfortable, efficient, zone-able cooling system available at an affordable price.   

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Last modified: 03/25/08