The latest Tech Set from PATH (the Partnership for Advancing Housing Technology) provides information on forced air HVAC systems that can reduce callbacks and speed construction.

The third in a series of quarterly technical sets of information developed by the NAHB Research Center, “HVAC Package for New Construction — Forced Air System,” provides guidance to:

* Reduce initial costs by properly sizing the mechanical equipment * Improve energy efficiency by installing the ductwork in conditioned space * Improve the comfort of the occupants through properly sized equipment, air sealing and appropriate duct placement * Enhance indoor environmental quality by reducing the spread of pollutants and controlling moisture * Reinforce best practices

“The key is to bring the mechanical contractor into the house’s design process to ensure both the easy installation of ductwork in conditioned space and the proper sizing and design of the HVAC equipment and duct placement,” the Tech Set says.

Designed to encourage a systems approach to technology integration in construction, PATH’s Tech Sets are geared to helping home builders take the guess work out of choosing cost-effective technologies that can improve the quality of their homes and provide them with a distinct advantage in the marketplace.

Tech Set 1 and Tech Set 2 provide information on resource-efficient plumbing and improving the durability of the building envelope, respectively.

Nation's Building News Online is produced and distributed by the National Association of Home Builders (c) 2005. Reprinted with permission from Nations Building News.