Are one or more spaces in your home or office building uncomfortable—too hot? too cold? too humid? too dry? It’s likely you are suffering needlessly from poor distribution of conditioned air from your HVAC system or related building air leaks.
HPB professionals are experienced in the identification, assessment, and solution of such comfort problems. We use a variety of techniques to investigate and quantify the problem, including:
Temperature and Humidity Mapping: Using hand-held temperature and humidity sensors, we develop a map of conditions in the area of complaints as well as near-by areas. These conditions can also be mapped as a function of time-of-day if comfort problems appear to come and go.
Air Flow Mapping: HPB professionals use either a smoke pencil or theatrical fog machine to evaluate the direction of air flows into and out of the area of concern. Outside air infiltration rates can also be determined using a Blower Door Assembly, as shown for Energy Efficient Buildings.
Ventilation System Assessment: We can evaluate the condition of the air being supplied by the HVAC system to the area of concern. These measurements include air flow rate, temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide (CO2) content (an indicator of the effectiveness of the ventilation system).
HVAC Leaks: A frequent cause of personal discomfort is leaks in the HVAC system which prevent conditioned air from reaching its intended destination. Moreover, HVAC leaks can pull unconditioned air (such as hot air from an attic or damp air from a crawl space) into a home or office, with expected results. HPB professionals can measure and locate such leaks in duct systems using a theatrical fog generator in combination with a Duct Blaster Assembly, as shown for Healthy Buildings.
Right-Sizing of HVAC Systems: Frequently, HVAC systems are sized based on industry rules-of-thumb rather than detailed calculations of heat gains and losses. HPB professionals can determine if your system is undersized or oversized for your home or building. Although over-sizing sounds safe, it can result in poor humidity control during summer months. Following analysis, HPB can recommend modifications to right-size your system for maximum comfort, as well as energy efficiency.
Lighting Assessments: Poor lighting can result in headaches and eye strain. If these are a concern, we can evaluate existing lighting conditions using hand-held light meters and make recommendations to bring light levels into the ranges recommended by the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America.
LEED for Buildings and Homes
As a LEED Accredited Professional, Mr. Aul is available to assist building owners and architects to measure and document success in the five LEED performance areas and prepare LEED applications for a variety of building projects, including:
New commercial building construction
Major commercial building renovations
Existing building operations and maintenance
In addition, Mr. Aul is following the development of new LEED programs, including LEED for Homes (expected in Summer 2007) and LEED for Schools, and will be in an excellent position to implement these programs when launched by the US Green Building Council.
About LEED
The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ is a nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings. LEED gives building owners and operators the tools they need to have an immediate and measurable impact on the performance of their buildings. LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human and environmental health:
HPB professionals are experienced in the identification, assessment, and solution of such comfort problems. We use a variety of techniques to investigate and quantify the problem, including: