Improved design, installation and commissioning practices lead to a dramatic improvement in building energy consumption, indoor air quality, and comfort. There are six performance factors that can be applied to HVAC design, installation and/or commissioning. In the Optimizing Residential Forced-Air series, we will review how each factor can be specified at design, implemented during installation, and tested/adjusted during commissioning. We will also look at how we can redesign our approach to high performance HVAC systems to support CA climate goals, help manage the peak electrical load on the grid as well as the owners operating cost under the time-of-use billing structure.

The Optimizing Residential Forced-Air series is informed through commissioned systems, where real examples from completed projects are used to support class content. We have designed, built, and commissioned both retrofit and new construction projects that exemplify the concepts covered in class. Course content will include design examples, photos installations, and test results from commissioning.

The HVAC equipment, materials and knowledge required to dramatically improve the performance of HVAC systems is readily available. This class will assist the designer, installer, and rater in their efforts to improve the HVAC systems we build.