Clearing the (Kitchen) Air
It has been a while since I last updated this blog, but it has been a productive winter at 346 Highland. The down time has given us an opportunity to do a considerable amount of testing and to monitor the home’[...]
Certification testing
A few weeks ago I posted about how we commissioned the Zehnder ventilation system. Our commissioning agent measured and adjusted all the airflows to ensure the system is delivering the proper amount of fresh air to each living space and [...]
Commissioning the Ventilation System
We’re in the final few weeks of construction, and our HVAC contractor is busy commissioning the various systems. This is a two-part process: first, the contractor gets each piece of equipment working within its design specifications, and second, for [...]
Building a Healthy Home
One of our primary objectives with the Highland project has been to build a healthy home that minimizes risks to the occupant’s health. This whole topic, called “Indoor Air Quality” (IAQ), is of growing interest amongst both builders and [...]
Interior Detail Work
Most of the work has moved inside now, with many of the trades in every day finishing trim, tile, painting, doors, and mechanical and electrical systems. Our custom-made kitchen range hood arrived last week from the metal fabricator, All Metal [...]
Duct sealing
Our HVAC installer, Boucher Energy Systems, was out Friday to commence duct sealing. The Energy Star rating system specifies a maximum permissible amount of duct leakage from our ventilation ducts. Even though the entire duct system is located within the [...]
Making fireplaces work in a green home
A few weeks ago our two fireplaces showed up and they’re now installed. Fireplaces can be a large source of air pollution in a home (particulates, carbon monoxide, and other noxious gases), so the guidelines for tight homes are [...]
HVAC installation starts
Now that the house is weathertight we have started MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) work. Our HVAC contractor has been out routing ducting and has started installing and connecting up the system components. There are two separate systems: the heating and [...]
Why high-end homes need to think ventilation first.
One of the features of the Highland project will be a whole-house Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV) system. Unlike a typical heating and air conditioning system, which recirculates air within the home, an HRV is a distinct system designed to continuously [...]
