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Do I need an Energy True Performance Design and Test Protocol Custom Load Calcs and System Design House Performance Testing and Remediation Carbon Monoxide and Combustion Air Quality Air Conditioning 3rd Party Training for Quality Contractors
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People
have awakened to how complex our world has become. Choices we make
every day affect our environment and our quality of life. Important announcement concerning humidity! If you have a tightly built house in East, Central, South, South Central or North Central Texas, you need to talk to us about humidity and dehumidifiers. According to ASHRAE, high efficiency air conditioners might not remove humidity adequately in our climate in a tightly built house. This is especially true for spray foam, ICF and SIP homes, but it is also true for homes built to the ENERGY STAR™ guidelines or even the 2004 IECC code. If you feel warm or clammy when the thermostat says you should be cool and comfortable, check your humidity levels. Go to the Air Quality page for a discussion on humidity. Remember, ventilation alone is not enough in our climate! |
Carbon Monoxide poisoning goes undetected until there is a health crisis, or worse.
Fuel burning appliances are not adjusted for safety or efficiency at the time of installation because few technicians have the certification or the proper tools to do so.
The Answer
The good news is, adherence to sound building principles and proper HVAC design have easily resulted in savings of energy up to 30% to 40% and the elimination of sickening environments in the home. Energy efficiency, comfort and safety are not only important goals, but are routinely attained in homes that follow these common sense designs.
We chose our company name based on the philosophy that appropriate technologies, simple, readily available technologies—easily applied—without resorting to radical techniques or exotic materials, can make a huge difference in your health, comfort and finances.
These technologies are used together to accomplish
what some people call green building.
Green Building?
Are you confused about what "Green Building" is?
Is is very easy to be confused because it means a lot of different things to different people. It is our job as energy consultants to help you be as "green" as you want to be with your home or business energy use and not break the bank to do so.
In
a nutshell, Green Building is finding the best way to use energy efficiently
in a building and by doing so, to be ecologically friendly.
Unfortunately, if you don't have an energy consultant, you can spend a lot of "green" trying to do Green Building.
It just doesn't make sense to throw money at your building and hope you can make it "green".
We believe that you should actually save money and improve comfort levels as you make energy efficiency improvements.
The cost of the improvements should not take more than a reasonable time to be recovered by the savings. It is not ecologically wise to waste money and resources trying to be a good steward of the planet.
It is the job of our energy and comfort consultants to find the right solutions for the best cost possible.
To accomplish that task, we apply many building science, diagnostic and air conditioning design skills.
Our energy and comfort consultants
are
competent in a wide range of skills and expertise.
Exciting NEW developments!
Read about the new True
Performance Home protocol.
We design and specify the HVAC systems and then
test to
make sure the contractors deliver according to the specs
Click here to see the True Performance protocol
Tradewinds has developed
a certification for spray foam installations.
We inspect and test the quality of the installation
before the
walls are covered so you know that you are getting what you paid for.
Click here for the spray foam protocol
the 2009-2010 online
CEU courses for Alabama and Texas
are up and serving HVAC
Contractors 24/7
See our new
teaching modules
Get CEU credit for HVAC contractors for your
state
Be sure to read the Indoor
Air Quality page for important information
about your comfort and healthy indoor environment
Important
announcement concerning We have seen that designers do not realize that the new super-insulated homes cause a strange phenomenon for our location in Texas. Builders do not design for heating loads primarily here. However, the super-insulated homes with a slab floor need to take into account the heating load of the slab. The slab becomes the largest energy hog in these homes. The designer needs to specify an insulated slab to overcome this problem. Call or write us for more information. |
Tradewinds Appropriate Technologies
Energy, Comfort and Indoor Air Quality Solutions
Consulting, Testing, ENERGY STAR®
Ratings,
Custom Load Calculations, HVAC System Design,
Spray Foam Insulation, Remediation and Training:
Call 254-799-1326
Click here to learn more about the low-level Carbon Monoxide Monitor
email: info@tradewinds-at.com
© 2009 Tradewinds Appropriate Technologies