Has anyone used an HVAC design service that they can recommend? This is for a new home and I'm looking for a company familiar with designing systems for tight houses. Thanks in advance

Try to find a local company with a good reputation that independently does just the heat gain/loss analysis (e.g., ACCA Manual J or ASHRAE) and the HVAC design and NOT the actual HVAC installation. Hopefully, your State also requires HVAC companies to be bonded, licensed and insured to give you some consumer protection. Companies that do HVAC installation often do not do a very good job with the analysis or the design. The result is an often oversized system using equipment they get best commission. In a tight house, plan on having an ERV/HRV system and preferably one that uses dedicated intake and exhaust duct work or no duct work at all. Uncontrolled air infiltration is typically the most difficult building envelope performance variable to accurately quantify, so tight houses can actually be designed with a higher degree of confidence.

Yes I'm hoping to hire an installer independent of the design company. And i agree, having the hvac installer integrate the hrv/erv and bath/kitchen fans with the hvac design will be key. I'm not sure that there are any local companies that I would trust on the design end. Around here it seems like efficiency is secondary.

I have found some online design services - energy vanguard is one- where I can send my floorplans and have them design the system for me.

We've had our customers use Energy Wise Structures in Houston. The results have been great. Their cost estimate for the structures have been on the money. They've been doing it quite a while. Started recommending them in 2006.

Sorry. Double tap.

Exactly what I was looking for. I shot them an email, thanks!