Webinar – Heat Pump Mastery: From Design to Commissioning

Mastering Design Principles 

As the HVAC landscape rapidly evolves, air-source heat pumps (ASHP) are at the forefront, signaling a shift towards sustainable and efficient technologies. This session dives into the intricacies of ASHPs, aiming to demystify their design principles and ensure proper applications.

Enter our well-regarded host for the series, Bruce Manclark, Senior Technical Advisor at Earth Advantage. An emblem of expertise and wit in the energy efficiency realm, Bruce’s storied career spans over four decades, touching 10,000s of homes through his conservation programs, energy audits, and impactful technical training. Renowned for his engaging presentation style, Bruce combines profound knowledge with liveliness, making even complex topics engaging and relatable.

Later in the session, Greg Davenport from Mitsubishi Electric’s Performance Construction Team, will take the helm. An authority on energy-efficient Variable Capacity Heat Pump systems, Greg will shed light on the meticulous system design and equipment selection intrinsic to ASHPs. Attendees will gain valuable insights into essential load calculations, along with the critical components of Manuals J, S, and D.

Join us, under Bruce and Greg’s collective guidance, to traverse the world of ASHP system design. Equip yourself with knowledge and steer your projects towards a more efficient HVAC future.

The Ultimate Installation Guide

Following our first webinar on system design, this session is dedicated to one of the most critical aspects of HVAC – the installation. A proper installation ensures the longevity and efficiency of the system, bridging the gap between design and commissioning.

This training is a result from collaboration with a group of industry partners, ensuring a relevant and practical guide to HVAC installation challenges. Bruce Manclark will host our lead speaker, Matt Ryan of Petra Heating & Cooling, who is an HVAC contractor with decades of experience. He brings practical insights and solutions to common and complex installation challenges that are relevant to a variety of building industry audiences.

Matt will cover key areas such as:

• Optimal setups for both outdoor and indoor units.
• Piping details, from choosing the right bend to ensuring solid connections
• Essential start-up procedures to ensure efficient and durable system operation

Benefit from industry-vetted knowledge and Matt’s many years of experience in order to enhance your HVAC installation process.

The Art of Commissioning

Our series concludes with a focus on the pivotal role of heat pump commissioning, ensuring you have a complete end-to-end understanding of HVAC systems. After considering design and real-world applications, commissioning is an imperative final step to ensure optimal system operation, longevity, and client satisfaction.

Our veteran hosts, Bruce Manclark and Matt Ryan, will once again steer us through this intricate process and provide insights into why commissioning is paramount. Waylon White from Earth Advantage will introduce the RESNET Standard 310 as an alternative pathway to meet ENERGY STAR requirements and unlock the 45L Tax Credit. And, bringing a final holistic perspective to the table, Mike Frey of Noyes Development will share a builder’s view on the benefits of a well-commissioned system, emphasizing ENERGY STAR compliance and the consequential tax credit advantage.

With foundational design tools such as Manuals J, D, and S serving as the blueprint, the importance of commissioning centers on verifying the installation adherence to this design. The process goes beyond mere checks; it’s about quality control, reducing callbacks, and achieving a heightened standard across the board – from installers and designers to commissioners and verifiers. The end goal? Satisfied customers basking in the efficiency of a well-commissioned system.

Delving deeper, Matt will touch upon specific tools integral to commissioning and discuss the:

• Significance of TruFlow plates and manometers in measuring equipment airflow
• Role of velometers for granular room-by-room air assessments
• Indispensability of refrigerant scales, gauges with temperature clamps, and thermometers for accurate indoor/outdoor temperature readings

Matt will then elaborate on the differences in commissioning Unitary systems versus Mini Split systems:

• Unitary – expect insights into airflow verification, refrigerant charge validation, equipment-specific TruFlow tests, room-by-room balancing, and more
• Mini Split – differentiate between ducted and ductless systems, shedding light on system charge verifications, the importance of diligent record-keeping from rough-in to finish, and the nuances of temperature splits, among other key processes