Multi-Unit Residential Design Strategies

Tags: Aldes, Constant Airflow Regulators, Energy Recovery, Fire-Rated Air Distribution, Vertical Fan Coils, Zone Register Terminals

Massachusetts’s adoption of IECC 2018 has created design challenges to how we traditionally approach multi-unit residential buildings such as apartments, condos, hotels, and dormitories. We will discuss why standards are pushing the market towards new design concepts involving demand control ventilation, energy recovery, and compartmentalization of living spaces.

Specifically, IMC2015 Section 401.2 states that in buildings where the infiltration rate in a dwelling unit is less than 5 air changes per hour each dwelling unit shall be ventilated by mechanical means.

The implication of these changes pose challenges on traditional systems that can be easily overcome by incorporating compartmental energy recovery into your designs.

Technical Agenda

• Review current codes as they relate to multi-unit residential market (IECC 2018, CMR 780, IMC 2015, IBC 2015, and ASHRAE 90.1)
• Central vs Compartmentalized Mechanical Systems
• Indoor Air Quality and Demand Control Ventilation (DCV)
• Code-Compliant Air Distribution for Fire-Rated Floor to Ceiling Assemblies (Wood Truss Construction)

Product Solutions

• Low-Profile Multi-Family Energy Recovery Ventilator for use in decoupled indoor air handling systems
• Vertical Fan Coils with Integrated Energy Recovery Core
• Constant Airflow Regulators
• Zone Register Terminals and their DCV capabilities
• Fire-Rated Air Distribution and Pre-Fabricated UL-Approved Diffuser/Boot Assemblies