DOE Challenge Home Technical Training: The Future is Now: Design Options for Locating Ducts within Conditioned Space
November 15, 2012
Webinar
Locating the forced-air duct system within the home's air and thermal barriers is a "must-have" for high performance homes. Getting this important detail right later on simply isn't an option. But, this mandatory requirement of DOE Challenge Home isn't one-size-fits-all. DOE Challenge Home recognizes several alternate compliance approaches, including locating ducts within insulated vented attics, use of plenum truss systems, encapsulating ducts with spray foam, and burying them in insulation. Done right, these alternative approaches can be cost effective to build and provide highly efficient distribution systems, but getting them right means understanding the details.
The DOE Challenge Home team held a training webinar on Thursday, November 15, 2012, titled “The Future is Now: Design Options for Locating Ducts within Conditioned Space.”
In this training, DOE and team members from Building America research partner Steven Winter Associates will review several possible approaches to locating ducts within the home’s air and thermal barriers, and also examine design considerations and details for the spray foam encapsulation approach. Builders, raters, and contractors will learn about:
1. Challenge Home requirements for duct system location
2. Strategies for locating ducts within conditioned space in new residential construction
3. Key design and installation details for encapsulating ducts within spray foam and then burying them with attic insulation.
View the presentation (PDF 2.2 MB).