51 GUIDES / 8 EQUIPMENT FAMILIES
Meet the equipment.
Understand the job.
Furnaces to freezer rooms. Heat pumps to building controls. A permanent library for the products and systems behind comfortable, working buildings.
Explore the library ↓01 / Heat starts here.
Furnaces, boilers & radiant heat
Start with the building heat loss, available energy supply and the way warmth reaches each room. Ask whether existing ducts, piping and emitters can support the proposed equipment. A replacement is an opportunity to investigate cold rooms and noisy operation rather than simply copying the old nameplate.
Gas furnaces
Warm air through a ducted home.
Equipment guide ↗Electric furnaces
Resistance heat for a ducted system.
Equipment guide ↗Condensing boilers
Hot-water heating with a new set of design questions.
Equipment guide ↗Electric boilers
Electric heat for a water-based system.
Equipment guide ↗Combi boilers
Space heating and domestic hot water in one appliance.
Equipment guide ↗Hydronic radiant floor heating
Plan comfort before the floor goes down.
Equipment guide ↗Hydronic radiators & baseboards
Room heat is only as good as its emitters.
Equipment guide ↗Garage & warehouse unit heaters
Heat for spaces with doors, height and changing use.
Equipment guide ↗02 / Move heat. Change seasons.
Heat pumps & electrification
Ask for the proposed equipment combination, its capacity at your design outdoor temperature and a written backup-heat strategy. Compare electrical work, distribution changes, condensate handling and controls alongside the outdoor unit. A brand name alone does not describe the complete system.
Ducted air-source heat pumps
Heating and cooling through central ducts.
Equipment guide ↗Single-zone mini-split heat pumps
One indoor zone. One focused comfort project.
Equipment guide ↗Multi-zone mini-split heat pumps
Several rooms, one coordinated equipment selection.
Equipment guide ↗Cold-climate heat pumps
Winter performance needs more than a label.
Equipment guide ↗Dual-fuel heating systems
A heat pump and fuel-fired backup working together.
Equipment guide ↗Ground-source heat pumps
The ground loop is part of the equipment decision.
Equipment guide ↗Air-to-water heat pumps
Outdoor air connected to a hydronic heating plan.
Equipment guide ↗03 / Comfort under pressure.
Air conditioning & room cooling
Cooling selection begins with the rooms, glazing, occupancy and humidity conditions. Request a load assessment and ask how airflow, drainage and noise will be addressed. The installation scope should identify the indoor and outdoor equipment together, including any changes to electrical service or distribution.
Central air conditioners
Cooling the house as a connected system.
Equipment guide ↗Ductless air conditioners
Room cooling without a central duct network.
Equipment guide ↗Packaged terminal air conditioners
Through-wall comfort for individual rooms.
Equipment guide ↗Evaporative coolers
A climate-dependent approach to cooling.
Equipment guide ↗04 / The air between everything.
Ventilation & indoor air
Describe the actual concern: moisture, stale rooms, particles, odours or an exhaust requirement. These are different problems. Ask the designer to explain what the proposed equipment addresses, what remains outside its scope and how the result will be measured. Include filter access and regular maintenance in the plan.
Heat recovery ventilators
Fresh air with heat exchange between airstreams.
Equipment guide ↗Energy recovery ventilators
Ventilation with heat and moisture exchange.
Equipment guide ↗Whole-home dehumidifiers
Moisture control with a drainage plan.
Equipment guide ↗Whole-home humidifiers
Add moisture with the building envelope in mind.
Equipment guide ↗Media air filtration systems
Capture particles without ignoring airflow.
Equipment guide ↗Bathroom & general exhaust fans
Remove air where moisture and odours originate.
Equipment guide ↗Make-up air units
Replace the air a building exhausts.
Equipment guide ↗05 / Behind better buildings.
Commercial & building systems
Bring operating hours, occupancy patterns, tenant constraints and existing equipment schedules to the first discussion. Agree who owns design, electrical work, structural review, roof penetrations, controls and commissioning. Plan shutdowns around the building rather than discovering access restrictions when replacement equipment arrives.
Packaged rooftop units
A replacement reaches beyond the roof curb.
Equipment guide ↗Variable refrigerant flow systems
Many zones need one coordinated design.
Equipment guide ↗Air-cooled chillers
Chilled water with outdoor heat rejection.
Equipment guide ↗Water-cooled chillers
A plant decision involving two water circuits.
Equipment guide ↗Cooling towers
Heat rejection with water and service access to manage.
Equipment guide ↗Air handling units
Air treatment assembled around a building's needs.
Equipment guide ↗Fan coil units
Local comfort connected to a central system.
Equipment guide ↗VAV terminal units
Zone airflow is part of a larger control sequence.
Equipment guide ↗Dedicated outdoor air systems
Treat ventilation air as its own design job.
Equipment guide ↗06 / Make the system work together.
Controls & distribution
Control and distribution projects need a clear description of the equipment they serve. Document current comfort problems, operating schedules and access arrangements. Ask for settings, balancing results, diagrams and administrator access at handover so the building can be operated without depending on an unexplained configuration.
Smart thermostats
Compatibility comes before connected features.
Equipment guide ↗HVAC zoning controls
Different rooms need a system that can respond.
Equipment guide ↗Building automation systems
Turn schedules and alarms into an operable building.
Equipment guide ↗HVAC ductwork & air distribution
Comfort depends on the route air takes.
Equipment guide ↗Hydronic circulator pumps
Move the design flow through the heating circuit.
Equipment guide ↗07 / Protect the cold chain.
Commercial refrigeration
Describe the product being stored, temperature requirements, loading patterns and hours of operation. Ask how the design accounts for stock arriving warm, frequent door openings and heat released into surrounding areas. Establish alarm responsibility and an outage plan before the equipment goes into service.
Walk-in coolers
The enclosure and refrigeration must match the load.
Equipment guide ↗Walk-in freezers
Frozen storage requires a complete enclosure plan.
Equipment guide ↗Reach-in refrigerators & freezers
Food-service cabinets with real operating constraints.
Equipment guide ↗Refrigerated display cases
Merchandising and temperature control share the same space.
Equipment guide ↗Commercial ice machines
Ice production begins with water and peak demand.
Equipment guide ↗Refrigeration condensing units
Select for the application and the complete system.
Equipment guide ↗Evaporators & unit coolers
Heat removal inside the refrigerated space.
Equipment guide ↗08 / Hot water has its own brief.
Water heating & storage
Bring the number of users, simultaneous fixtures and any commercial process demand. Ask for a sizing explanation, available energy options and a complete connection scope. The proposal should address placement, service access, drainage and coordination with the plumbing contractor, not just the heater itself.
Heat pump water heaters
Hot-water storage that draws heat from surrounding air.
Equipment guide ↗Tankless water heaters
Size for simultaneous demand and incoming water conditions.
Equipment guide ↗Indirect water heaters
Stored hot water connected to a boiler system.
Equipment guide ↗Storage tank water heaters
Match the tank and recovery rate to the daily routine.
Equipment guide ↗