HVAC & Comfort
Controlling heating, ventilation, air conditioning and other conveniences.
Controlling heating, ventilation and air conditioning is an excellent compliment to any integrated system.
We have many years of experience working with all forms of residential and commercial HVAC systems. We strongly support and recommend geothermal but we can also improve the efficiency of a standard system with a well designed control system.
In new construction and renovations we do not use thermostats. We install hidden temperature sensors and simplify the users controls so that all one has to do is select the temperature they want. If you like 21.2°C, that is what you select with the touch screen. Our control system looks after everything else such as set points, timing, nighttime setbacks etc.
In older homes the entire house is typically one zone. For example, if there is only a single main floor thermostat in a 3-storey home you will probably find that the top floor is too hot, the lower floor is cold and the main floor is at the desired temperature. In the summer time, this situation is exacerbated.
We have helped many people with this scenario. We install a system of motorized dampers and temperature sensors that allow for zoned heating and cooling (if you have AC). In most homes this system can be installed without any major renovations as we are very good at retrofit (post construction) installations.
We calibrate all of the temperature sensors and take the time to measure the rates at which the house reacts to heating and cooling requests. This ensures that the temperatures are accurate and that there are never large swings in temperature.
Properly set up, we can achieve extremely stable temperatures throughout the home or office.
Other Comfort & Conveniences
Towel wamers, steam showers, automatic fans and more.
HRV's (Heat Recovery Ventilator), towel warmers and steam showers are often added to our systems as well. For example, when we see the humidity in the Master Bathroom go over the ambient humidity, we know that someone is having a bath or a shower so the system turns the HRV on high and turns on the towel warmer. If there is an exhaust fan, we turn that on as well.
When the humidity returns to normal levels, the HRV goes to lowand the towel warmer turns off. Simple yet effective. Another useful example is that whenever a washroom light is turned on and stays on for a certain length of time the exhaust fan will turn on and stay on for a predetermined amount of time. Not only are these types of automation convenient, but it also ensures that moisture is always taken care of and can prevent mold and moisture damage.
Adding vacation settings is also a great feature. If you are going to be away for any amount of time, on the touch screen HVAC page you push the “vacation” button twice, then select the amount of time you're going to be away. That's all there is to it.
The system will remain off and automatically return to normal mode (typically we make it the day before your return). When you get back you will not even know that anything was different except that you will have saved energy while you were away.
A properly controlled and calibrated HVAC and comfort system can maximize the efficiency of your home and make it comfortable at all times.
