Project 2.3 - Ducts In Conditioned Spaces

Objectives
To reduce or eliminate energy losses from ducts usually placed in unconditioned spaces in HfH housing.

Prior Research

• Duct systems typically installed in unconditioned spaces (e.g., attics, crawlspaces) allowing unconditioned air to interact with conditioned air wherever duct system or air handler is not well-sealed.
  • Extent of problem and techniques for overcoming it have been widely studied and documented. Exemplary duct leakage and repair studies have demonstrated that duct leakage:
  • Affects indoor air quality by introducing tiny particles from building materials, allergens, toxic fumes, chemical gases, and other particulants from unconditioned and ambient air
    
  • Increases energy use. Average measured energy savings from duct sealing in 150 homes were 20.4% for heating and 17.2% for cooling.
    
  • Creates zonal pressure imbalances that lead to greater infiltration during operation of the air handler
• Removing conditioning systems from unconditioned spaces has benefits with respect to both energy savings and indoor air quality.
  

Task List

• Prepare Design Plans
• Prepare Monitoring Plan
• Construct Twelve Homes
• Install Instrumentation and Monitor Four Control Homes
• Field Test Homes
• Refine Plans and Concepts
• Second Round of Field Testing
• Analyze Results
  

Projected Outcomes:

• Produce findings that improve or validate current methods of installing ducts in conditioned space for houses being built for low-income households.
• Technical goal for this project is to save 200 kWh per house.
• Market penetration goal is 20 percent of newly constructed HfH houses in the first year and 100 percent in the fifth year.

Please visit the Project News and Public Documents page to view updates for this task, and current research activities.

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