News and Resources: Article

Home BUILDER Magazine, September/October 2003

Easy Energy

Bright new heating systems are easy for pros to install.

by Dermot Mack

Advances in heating and cooling technology may change house designs and will certainly change energy use. As Canada continues with the Kyoto accord and Climate Change initiatives, it may be a good time for new home builders and renovators to consider two new products inspired by the Advanced Integrated Mechanical Systems (AIMS) project of Natural Resources Canada that combine low energy use with easy installation.

Ultimate combo system

The first eKOCOMFORT ultimate combo heating system is now being offered by a consortium formed by Vebteck Research of Markham, Ontario; Nutech Energy Systems of London; and Fleetline Mfg. of Brantford, Ontario. (The eKOCOMFORT Project is a consortium initiative involving manufacturers, the Government of Canada, the Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada, utilities and other stakeholders.) The Aquamaster Q100 combines space heating, hot water and mechanical ventilation in one energy-efficient package about the size of a fridge.

The Aquamaster Q100 is being installed in both new and retrofit applications across eastern Canada. The unit can run on natural gas, propane or oil. Featured components are a low mass boiler, blower coil module with heat recovery ventilation core, the Innex instantaneous domestic hot water (DHW) heat exchanger and the Shirvent MVP 100 direct wall-mounted induced draft blower with integral outside air dilution system for the flue gases.

“We know that installation appears a challenge,” said Vebteck spokesman Jeff Culp, “because it requires running a gas line, electrical power, water pipes and ventilation ducts to a single unit.”

In fact, the biggest problem most contractors will face is getting rid of all the equipment – the furnace, the air conditioner, the HRV and the boiler – that the Aquamaster replaces. By removing the old units, there is a considerable space savings as well.

Installation is actually simpler and faster with a single gas connection, one venting system and a water hook-up on some units.

“Because the system is pre-engineered, the lines linking the domestic hot water, air handler and HRV are pre-piped,” Culp added.

In a retrofit application, the DHW tank is replaced by the eKOCOMFORT system, with water-in/water-out connections. In the case of the Aquamaster unit, that’s the only water fitting necessary since the coil and the expansion tank are pre-piped. The gas fitting to the DHW burner is no longer necessary, and a licensed gas fitter is needed to dead-end the fitting.

The gas fittings to the old furnace are simply connected to the burner on the unit.

Existing ducting from the old furnace is disconnected, and appropriate adaptors, collars and transition pieces are connected to the Aquamaster. The HRV is integrated into the system, so once the supply and return air ducts are connected, the job is complete.

Only one electrical connection with cut-off switch is necessary, replacing at least two connections or, in the case where there is an existing HRV, three electrical connections.

From Home BUILDER Magazine, Vol. 16 No. 5, September/October 2003 p.30. Used with permission.

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