Air systems and air distribution
Air handlers, fans, ductwork, terminals and diffusers: moving the right air to the right place. 20 guides.
- Air handling unit components and configurations
Learn what each section of an air handling unit does, how common configurations compare, and what owners and designers should check for performance, freeze protection and maintenance.
- Chilled beams: active and passive systems
Learn how active and passive chilled beams deliver cooling, why dew point control is essential, and which buildings and spaces suit chilled beam systems.
- Constant volume vs variable air volume systems
Learn how constant volume and VAV systems control temperature, how they differ in energy use, comfort and complexity, and how to decide which suits a building or a retrofit.
- Dedicated outdoor air systems (DOAS) explained
Learn what a DOAS is, how it separates ventilation from space conditioning, the main design choices, and how to make it work well in cold Canadian climates.
- Diffuser and grille selection for comfort and low noise
A practical guide to choosing diffusers and grilles that mix air well, avoid drafts and stay quiet, including throw, ADPI, NC ratings and common mistakes.
- Displacement ventilation in commercial spaces
Learn the principles of displacement ventilation, which spaces benefit most, the key design parameters and the limitations designers must plan around.
- Duct design methods: equal friction, static regain and more
A practical comparison of the main duct sizing methods used in commercial HVAC, with typical design values and guidance on choosing the right method for a project.
- Duct sealing classes and SMACNA leakage standards
Understand SMACNA duct seal classes and leakage classes, how allowable leakage is calculated, and how to specify and verify duct sealing on commercial projects.
- Duct static pressure and how to reduce it
Learn what static, velocity and total pressure mean in a duct system, how to diagnose high static pressure, and which fixes deliver real reductions in fan energy and noise.
- Economizers: types, controls and common failures
Learn the types of economizers, how high-limit controls decide when to use outdoor air for cooling, and how to find and fix the failures that quietly waste energy.
- Exhaust system design for commercial buildings
A practical overview of commercial exhaust systems: required exhaust rates, fan types and locations, discharge and re-entrainment, makeup air and code requirements.
- Fan arrays and fan wall technology
Learn how fan arrays replace a single large fan with multiple smaller direct-drive fans, the benefits and trade-offs, and what to consider when designing or retrofitting.
- Fan coil units in commercial buildings
An overview of fan coil units: configurations, two-pipe and four-pipe piping, how to provide ventilation, and the design and maintenance issues that affect comfort and cost.
- Fan laws and how to apply them
Learn the fan affinity laws, how to use them to predict fan performance after speed or density changes, and why real VAV systems save less energy than the cube law suggests.
- Fan selection: curves, efficiency and system effect
Learn how to read fan and system curves, choose an efficient fan type and operating point, and avoid the installation details that rob fans of performance.
- HVAC noise and vibration control
Learn where HVAC noise and vibration come from, how they travel to occupied spaces, what targets to design for and the most effective ways to control them.
- Mixing boxes, stratification and freeze protection
Learn why air streams fail to mix in air handlers, how this leads to frozen coils and freezestat trips, and the design, control and operating practices that prevent it.
- Return air plenums: benefits, risks and code limits
Learn the advantages of ceiling return plenums, the combustibility and fire separation rules that govern them in Canada, and the common performance problems to avoid.
- Underfloor air distribution design
An overview of underfloor air distribution (UFAD): how it works, its benefits and risks, key design parameters and the details that decide whether a system performs.
- VAV box types and selection
Learn the main VAV terminal unit types, how to choose between them, and how to size boxes for controllability, low noise and efficient minimum airflows.