What Types of Architecture Help Your HVAC Unit’s Workload?

When it comes to home design, many architects are concerned with aesthetics rather than functionality. They don’t design structures with heating and cooling systems in mind. Fortunately, in recent years, that’s begun to change, and HVAC-friendly architecture styles are becoming more common. Here’s how smart architecture choices can help improve your home comfort.

Ductwork

Your ducts are never going to be aesthetically pleasing. That’s why most architects would rather minimize ductwork in their home design as much as possible. In fact, some homes are designed with no ductwork at all. This makes central air virtually impossible without expensive renovations. Instead, heating and cooling are achieved with mini-splits or variable-flow systems.

When looking at new homes, be sure they have an efficient ductwork design, with ventilation that can reach every room effectively. Avoid high ceilings, as they’re often an indicator of either no ductwork or poorly designed ductwork.

Energy Efficiency

One of the main goals in many HVAC architecture styles is to save energy. One way to do that is with passive solar design. The goal is to use the design, materials, and location of a house to minimize its heating and cooling needs and to maximize use of the sun’s natural heat in meeting those needs.

One difficult proposition in passive solar design is window placement. South-facing windows maximize sun exposure, which can help heat your home in winter. Unfortunately, it also heats your home in summer, requiring more energy to cool it. One possible solution is to place deciduous trees outside those windows. In the summer, they provide shade against the sun. In winter, they shed their leaves, allowing more heat into the home.

An energy-efficient home should also be made of materials such as brick, stone, concrete, and tile. In the winter, these materials will absorb heat from the sun to warm your home. In the summer, they’ll absorb heat inside your house to keep you cooler.

To learn about other HVAC architecture styles that are designed to save you energy, contact us at Energy 1 Heating & Air Conditioning. We provide quality home-comfort solutions to Lorain and the surrounding area.