I am building an 800 sq. ft. ICF house and double triple checking all the details before the walls go up.   Engineer plans include a F.A.U. (forced air unit) in the ceiling.   Is that a heater?   Is that a cooler?   Both?   Neither?   I scouted around the internet.  I didn't see any heater/air conditioner all-in-one products.   With ICF walls it's not like I can cut a hole somewhere for a cooler or heater after the walls are built.   So I need to plan this out now.  

What is the usual standard solution for heating/cooling with ICF houses?    Does it go in the ceiling or should I make provisions in one of the living room walls?  

Any suggestions for product/size for an 800 sq. ft. house?  (I would prefer electric solution)

Do these things come in one unit for heating/cooling or separate?

Environment: High desert.   Winter it gets wicked cold at night.   Summer it gets pretty hot.  

How cold is "wicked cold"?

Heating? Cooling? Electric? 800 sf?

You probably need a ductless minisplit heat pump. Gives you both heating and cooling and filtration.

You will need to plan for the linesets. They go through a 3" hole.

FAU can be both a heater and a cooler.

A conventional split system air source electric heat pump would be one option that does both heating and cooling. The compressor, coil, and fan assembly goes outside. Inside is the air handler (FAU) with coil, fan, and filter assembly and backup electric heat strips if necessary. The inside and outside components are connected together via two refrigerant lines and control wiring. You need a 3" or 4" PVC pipe through the wall for the refrigerant line set, control wiring, and power wiring for the outside unit.. You also need a penetration for the condensate drain off the air handler when operating in air conditioner (cooling) mode. Sometimes you can use the same penetration as for the line set. Just remember that condensate (water) flows downhill unless you install a condensate pump (just one more thing to fail). Plan for gravity condensate drain if possible. Air handlers come in many different configurations: vertical up flow, vertical down flow, horizontal, etc. One mounted in the ceiling would typically be a horizontal model. The vertical units are usually mounted in closets in the living area and flow up or down depending on where your ductwork is located (above ceiling or in crawlspace).

A one ton (12,000 BTU) unit would generally be sufficient for a well insulated 800 sq ft living space unless you have a ton of glass area.  But with many conventional split system heat pumps, the smallest size is 1.5 tons.  Typical well known brands in my area are Trane, Carrier, Rheem, Ruud, Bryant, Coleman, etc.

This is where the high efficiency mini-split ductless heat pumps may be the better option as they can be had in sizes down to 3/4 ton.  The variable speed units offer exceptional efficiency.  They work better with open type floor plans since there is no ductwork.  Typical brands are Mitsubishi, Fujitsu, etc; although, some of the big name HVAC companies listed above are now getting into mini-splits.  Google [mini split heat pump] for more info.

Ask the person who made the plans

Google [mini split heat pump] for more info.

BINGO!!!

Many thanks I know what to look for now.

Just a thought, but could the forced air unit be a ventilation system? Most ICF is tight enough on the air barrier that you need planned ventilation.

You may also want to look at some of the research done on desert climates and massive walls. The idea is that the massive concrete wall absorbs the heat during the hot day and then releases it in the cold night.

It's not a matter of what I want. It's a matter of what is normally done to satisfy the inspectors. My engineer told me to look at the Title 24 documents. Grumble grumble! Last I looked at those docs they were a quagmire of useless information. I suppose I'll have to chew on them again. What I'll probably end up doing is proposing something to the local inspector and then watch and see if he gets spasticated about what I plan to do. I like this idea of mini-split ductless because you just need a 2" conduit hole in the wall to connect to the outside unit. You can probably insulate that hole with Great Stuff to seal it. At the same time I don't like the idea because we have tweekers (meth heads) in the area. Anything that is outside and not bolted down could disappear when you take a drive somewhere for a few hours and return.

Unico has a good system and I put mine in a pit with a lockable steel grate over it.

Near my ranch the tweekers will take the steel grate along with the HVAC in the pit and sell it for scrap metal.  The sheriff is pretty clear about things.  If somebody steals your stuff, it's your fault since you gave them the opportunity.  He only makes an arrest when there is domestic violence against a woman involved.

Anyway, I looked at this Unico business.   They seem to be in the same business model as everyone else.  Purchase cheap junk made in China.  Then take outrageous prices for selling it and installing it.   They want to be my guardian angel and do it all for me so that my head doesn't hurt.  Only problem is I already packed $95K into my construction project (land included).  Foreclosure house two doors down the road sold for $81K.  When I started neighboring houses were going for $150-200K.  I am building using my own cash, not loan.   I am looking to purchase the cheap junk made in China myself.    Even if I install it myself wrong and redo it 5 times and waste a little material in the process I am still way ahead of what I would pay a business like Unico to do it all for me.    I'm looking to buy bargain basement (or clearance) or craigslist.  I just need to know what to look for.   I am doing it this way to cut my losses and adjust my spendings to my earnings.   Not that I'm going to sell my place right after construction.  I plan to rent.  It's the principal of the thing.   If neighboring houses go for what they are going for you're not going to pack a whole lot of money into having businesses like Unico do it all for you.   You cut your losses.   Finish what you have started.  Don't start anything new until the market rebounds.

If you bracket-mount a mini-split high enough on the wall where it's visible from the street and would require ladders to steal take it away, it may cut down on the likelihood of it disappearing quickly. Using something other then hex-head bolts for both the bracket and for bolting the mini-split to it can help too. Mount it higher than this, if you can:

http://www.buildinggreen.com/live/images/IMG_1557.jpg

It depends on just how ambitious the tweakers in the 'hood are, and how awkward/obvious the theft effort can be made.

There are discontinued model mini-splits that would still meet Title 24 efficiency requirements available online, and DIY installation is possible (a hobby for some) if not recommended for warranty reasons. See:

http://ecorenovator.org/forum/geothermal/683-sanyo-24khs72-ac-hp-diy-install-project.html

I would wonder how many tweakers are selling "lightly used" HVAC components on craigslist...

JAC:
  Contractorsfrom Minnesota of the copper on copper $20 more than shelf wholesale everywhere. I agree there is junk and we now are avoiding fused compressor contactors on most HVAC. etc as we can ....making change reg. at 7-8 years , but offering the Cu contactors at change-outs..

You may have seen there are simple consoles, GeoThermal 3/4ton and up also, but would construction allow for all your HVAC to be a 28x28 footprint next to a water heater with the very few ducts you need?
or a 62" high unit over a 35 gal tank on a 1"l-channel frame set above the tank only requiring a 32x32 footprint with 2 spaces of 20" away from/ or framed access wall panels built?

How much would you save if the 30% tax credits kicked in on all the 100% instant Priority GT HW system with tanks, to GT plumbed, duct and related electrical as what conditionally is appropriate with a 2-Compressor-Ton, (rated's size 2.1/2, you need to ask about) for hast HW recovery, over-sized cooling may be fine for fresh air venting , mix in to the return systems a bit.

I have not yet seen talk of the little heat pump HW tanks a @ under 1500 delivered (here) that might add to freezing your basement, so sometimes are supplemented by little additions.

~ heat loaded -10, 20,000 btuh? under 400 ft Horizontal boring has dropped in price here, to ~ below $7/ft , grouted pipe, pit , finished through wall and 1600-2300 connected w/ little wall style and tiny 2.1/2gal reservoir (buying your own: on unit-mount before they get there, if no tax credit available. any more detail to see a fit?