Dear community,
My wife and I are currently working with a general contractor to dive into the detailed building planning.
One of our main concerns is a proper air conditioning system for the house.
The project currently includes about 300m2 (3,230 sq ft) of living space plus a basement (ground floor + first floor + attic); KFW 55 standard plus photovoltaic system (sizing still to be decided).
We both have previous negative experience, having lived for over 10 years in apartments where indoor temperatures in summer uncontrollably reached 32-35°C (90-95°F). This has to stop.
Therefore, our original idea was to plan for air conditioning units in the key rooms right from the start (individual air conditioning units). Now I also understand that a heat pump can cool a few degrees below the outdoor temperature. At summer temperatures above 30°C (86°F), that would not be enough for me.
So my question is: do you have any experience with this? Does this thinking make sense, or would you say that a proper heat pump with cooling function is definitely sufficient?
Of course, we are aware that whole-house air conditioning adds extra costs. But is the investment worthwhile?
My wife and I are currently working with a general contractor to dive into the detailed building planning.
One of our main concerns is a proper air conditioning system for the house.
The project currently includes about 300m2 (3,230 sq ft) of living space plus a basement (ground floor + first floor + attic); KFW 55 standard plus photovoltaic system (sizing still to be decided).
We both have previous negative experience, having lived for over 10 years in apartments where indoor temperatures in summer uncontrollably reached 32-35°C (90-95°F). This has to stop.
Therefore, our original idea was to plan for air conditioning units in the key rooms right from the start (individual air conditioning units). Now I also understand that a heat pump can cool a few degrees below the outdoor temperature. At summer temperatures above 30°C (86°F), that would not be enough for me.
So my question is: do you have any experience with this? Does this thinking make sense, or would you say that a proper heat pump with cooling function is definitely sufficient?
Of course, we are aware that whole-house air conditioning adds extra costs. But is the investment worthwhile?
G
gregman228 Jul 2022 19:47i_b_n_a_n schrieb:
If this topic is that important, I would reconsider the summer heat protection even more, especially the roof and wall construction. Also, maybe build a passive house instead of a KfW55 standard.
My bedroom (facing north and WITHOUT any heating, so no PC) still stays tolerable in summer. But 2-5°C (4-9°F) less wouldn’t hurt during longer heat waves.
Everyone who claims that only an air conditioner can achieve what you’re looking for is probably right, but from my experience, the 2-3°C (4-5°F) of passive cooling provided by our ground-source heat pump in our passive house definitely brings noticeable relief in summer. There have already been several days hot enough outside to judge that.
If I were to build again, I would still add a central air conditioning system AND an earth tube ventilation system. Simply because I never realized how little electricity air conditioners use when you already have surplus power in summer from suitable photovoltaics. Thank you for this contribution.
I haven’t really looked into the implications of a “passive house” yet. I’ll add that to my list.
Again here: central air conditioning and earth tube ventilation sound very appealing together. I just need to find a way to make these topics more tangible for myself.
Reading, reading, reading helped me a lot. Everyone has 24 hours in a day; you just have to use them 😉 Unfortunately, it can be quite dry and technical at times. Topics like photovoltaics, heat pumps, and "our" smart home system were extremely time-consuming 😳 to get a clear idea of what is truly "right" for us. Some of the advice or quotes from certain trades were actually quite "wrong."
A lot of time was also spent on ideas that ultimately were not implemented (horizontal ground collector, infrared heating, weather station).
If only I had more time... But life is always a compromise...
A lot of time was also spent on ideas that ultimately were not implemented (horizontal ground collector, infrared heating, weather station).
If only I had more time... But life is always a compromise...
i_b_n_a_n schrieb:
From my experience, I can say that the 2-3°C (4-5°F) of passive cooling provided by our brine-to-water heat pump in our passive house is clearly noticeable. Passive house and brine-to-water heat pump don’t really go well together.
i_b_n_a_n schrieb:
My bedroom (facing north and WITHOUT any heating, and therefore without passive cooling) still remains bearable in summer. However, 2-5°C (4-9°F) less heat during longer heat waves wouldn’t hurt. Conclusion: it still gets too warm...
G
gregman229 Jul 2022 07:22i_b_n_a_n schrieb:
Reading, reading, reading really helped me. Everyone has 24 hours in a day; you just have to use them 😉 Unfortunately, sometimes the material is quite dry and technical. Especially topics like photovoltaics, heat pumps, and "our" smart home system were extremely time-consuming 😳 to get an idea of what is "right" for us. The advice and offers from some trades were sometimes completely "wrong."
A lot of time was also spent thinking about solutions that ultimately were not implemented (horizontal trench collector, infrared heating, weather station).
If only I had more time... But life is always a compromise... There is a lot of information available on split units, but quite little on centralized HVAC ventilation systems. Do you have any recommended literature on this?
G
gregman229 Jul 2022 07:30Understood… So the central ventilation unit goes into the basement? What is the technical difference compared to a split system?
How can I expect the price comparison to be, including construction work and installation?
2 x multi-split systems (each with 3 indoor units) versus a central ventilation system with ducts for 250-300m2 (2700-3200 sq ft)?
How can I expect the price comparison to be, including construction work and installation?
2 x multi-split systems (each with 3 indoor units) versus a central ventilation system with ducts for 250-300m2 (2700-3200 sq ft)?
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