So I have been perusing the forums here, and have discovered only one thing for sure-I am not understanding a lot of what most are saying. I don't understand the acronyms, and I sure as he11 don't follow when someone who is good at what they do, explains it in industry talk. This is what I do know. I am planning on building my new home here in North Central AB, and want the following: ICF to the rafters, with a SIPS or similar product in the ceiling. The most efficient windows and doors that are sanely priced. In floor radiant-I know enough about this to say it uses hot fluid to make my tootsies warm and a HVAC that can double as a back up furnace with a HRV in the fresh air. This is where I start to ask my many (possibly useless) questions. Feel free to mock me if I ask questions that point out my ignorance. Quick FYI the home is a bi level approx 1480 sq/ft main floor, master up is 530 sq/ft basement is undeveloped, but same sq/ft as main. Will have good ole coal electrical power(Alberta advantage) and Natural Gas (methane). No solar in the immediate future, and electricity is high here-higher than gas for heating. 1. What are the recommendations for the boiler? I want an AFE as high as possible on NG. I also want to know, is there any boilers that will double as a DHW supply? Why run 2 hot waters? 2. HE Furnace HVAC- does anyone have a furnace that accepts a "radiator" from the boiler? This only makes sense to me, rather than using MORE NG to heat a heat exchanger. Am I smart or not so smert? 3. Heat recovery ventilator, we have a building at work that runs a large copper flow through heat disc for this, what is used in a residential settings? 4. I have heard some bad things about in floor radiant, such as it can take hours for the room to catch up to the outside if there is a large drop in temps (which happens weekly in Alberta winters) or that if the temp outside goes way up-the inside is too hot for hours after? I am hoping that because I plan on using enough proper building techniques, I won't experience these issues the same. 5. Any other suggestions?? If my questions/ideas are half-tarded let me know. I do not offend easily. BTW-I tried to type this with paragraphs, spaces, etc. but thanks to windows 7 my PC can't figure out how to properly load this site! Sorry. Shoulda bought another MAC.

No worries;

We regulars try to keep the "mocking" to one another.

Just got back from Vancouver so I speak a little canook, (how bout those Canooks anyway!aye?)

You will start with an accurate heat load analysis. Size a high efficiency natural gas-fired condensing boiler to the heat load. Add a 40 gallon single-wall indirect-fired water heater and all your heat and domestic hot water needs are now at 95% AFUE.

You will need an HRV (Canadian code for some time now) and it can stand alone controlling winter time humidity, air filtration and fresh air all at once. Back up scorched air is almost never needed in Canada.

I have designed many integrated radiant floor heating systems for Canadians, but don't tell Mr. Bean.

His advice - as posted on this site previously - I copy here without permission. hehehehee



"In Ontario - your designer is required to have his/her BCIN number as per this link… http://www.obc.mah.gov.on.ca/Page143.aspx
In additions, designers of radiant systems should also have their RHDT designations as per this link:
http://www.hrai.ca/designations.shtml
The LEED™ program in Canada is relatively new ( 2008 course were delivered across Canada )…I had the owner of one of Canada’s first LEED™ Homes in my class in 2007 ( it was registered under the U.S. program) and a LEED™ Home instructor in my class last week in Ottawa.
Message: regardless of what good information you harvest online…if your house follows protocol in Ontario you will need a certified designer who also has his/her BCIN number to obtain a permit.
Names of registered designers can be obtained online from the HRAI of Canada website.
Regards,
RB"

Most of my experience is with wood heating systems using heat storage, but I know a bit about radiant and heat exchangers. You are right that radiant floors do not respond quickly to large swings in temperature. I have often seen it suggested that to compensate for this you can have baseboards or radiators for quick recovery.

There are DHW coils that can be installed in boilers to handle domestic hot water. Another option is an indirect hotwater tank that transfers heat from the boiler through a coil in the tank.

I am not sure I understand why you want to have both a furnace and a boiler, but yes there are water to air heat exchangers (like a radiator) that can use the boiler water for the forced air. This is done frequently when wood boilers are added as a secondary heat source in houses that have an existing forced air system. Ideally, if you are going to use radiant, you should design the whole system to use hot water and then only have to have a single heat source.

I hope that helps a bit.

Thanks! This is helpful. I am trying to stay away from the baseboard radiants, as I dislike their looks. Is there anything that is less "fugly"? Am I wrong in believing that the house should be less susceptible to Mother Nature's mood swings if it is properly insulated? I want to incorporate as much insulation as possible and hope that the performance alone keeps these elements within tolerance.

Thanks for your advice, I appreciate it.

Oh look, paragraphs and spaces!- Windows 7 finally WORKED CORRECTLY- THAT WAS MY IDEA! LOL

radiant can respond quickly if a low mass method is used (not a full concrete slab) with responsive water temperature control (such as a "TekmarNet4" control system, admittedly high tech but very nice). also, fast response is possible with low mass and a high, fixed temperature, but you lose efficiency and comfort that way.

fast response is not really important though. Even with fast outdoor temperature swings, the apparent load in the home does not vary that quickly. Any system with an outdoor sensor should be able to react more than adequately in tight modern construction to handle 'natural' temperature swings. However, it may not be able to adjust to rapid solar gain or changes in the thermostat setting., if you have a high mass system (concrete). That's a bigger deal in some houses than others. Passive solar design, for example, can make that tricky.

I'm designing a system (with a local PE for code compliance assurances) in Canmore AB right now actually. nice folks up there but inspection in Canmore is no joke and following the laws of the land is not optional there. I think my client there is finding that the Viessmann Vitodens 100 gas boiler is competitively priced in his area. but the boiler you should choose is the one that can be supplied and serviced locally with great confidence. I second MA's recommendation for an indirect water heater off of the boiler for domestic usage.

If supplemental is needed, a water to air heat exchanger might do it. However, if all you need air for is an HRV, you don't want to upsize to deliver heat that way probably. I would shoot for radiant ceiling as a backup heat if possible. it's cheap, low temp, and effective in flat ceiling areas. But if you do a great job with the envelope... hopefully supplemental won't be necessary. It usually isn't. There are some nice panel radiators out there that are much less "fugly" than baseboards if needed. or maybe something could be done in an air system sized for IAQ if supplemental requirements were low.

lots of options!

Thanks Rob. I was able to follow that entire post. It all makes sense, and I like many of your suggestions. I agree, that using a local dealer for serviceability is important. I will look into the flat panel radiant, this sounds intriguing. I will start to look into the various options supplied by local dealers/contractors.

All of these suggestions are greatly appreciated, I thank you all. I will possibly start a topic dedicated to the build, detailing the individual green technologies that I encompass in my new home. Then possibly run a spreadsheet that tracks all the costs, during the build and op costs-to determine the rate of return on each item.

please do, it's always fascinating to hear other experiences. we learned a lot about overall building science building our shop. it's a lot of work but have fun

My hope (not to hit below the belt Rob) is to take experience and ignorance and "meld them" together, in an effort to save us ignorant folk little money by posting what "I" experience. This includes cost, benefit and HEADACHE! I really believe that the proper combo's produce happiness.

I again thank all of you, as your knowledge is golden. As a broke SOB with the opportunity to build what I think is the proper envelope, is a dream come true. I spent a small substantial amount of money, getting my 30+year old house to a Energy Rating of 74, (which is comparable to some current builds BTW), and spent years helping a friend take a very old and poorly built house from f*&cked, to livable and beyond. These skills have established what I consider a "contractors nightmare", as I know enough to complain, but not enough to do it myself. I like the idea of partial slab in floor. Does this entail a quick set on top of the typical subfloor? Or is it much more complicated (other than the math, I get that it takes lots of math to properly heat a house with in floor).I haven't spoke with any builder in particular, so options are wide open, but the more I know, the more it should cost!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!LOL