Scientific Environmental Design (SED) Provides Steps Homeowners Can Take to Prevent Poor Air Quality and High Energy Bills
HIGH POINT, N.C. — Nearly half of the custom homes built in the United States—four in 10—contain improper heating and air conditioning (HVAC) designs and equipment, according to multiple studies by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Yet alarmingly, while homeowners are allowed to give their builder input on nearly everything from their choice of appliances to paint colors, countertops and cabinet materials, plumbing fixtures and more—they are typically kept in the dark about the design of their HVAC system.
“One of the most important decisions for the construction of new custom homes is typically left up to multiple subcontractors who are not looking at the whole picture,” said Neal Kearney, VP of Marketing for Scientific Environmental Design, Inc. (SED). The North Carolina-based company makes sure all aspects of a home’s environmental system work properly and efficiently.
“The environmental system for your home is critical to your family’s health, comfort, safety and energy costs,” Kearney continued. “But there is a high probability your beautiful new home will not be comfortable, could cause health problems and will cost you a lot more to heat and cool than it should.”
SED has focused on designing optimal home environmental systems for almost 40 years. It is the only company in North America to guarantee energy savings for the lifetime of the system—with average savings of up to 60% on the cost of heating and cooling.
Many Factors to Consider for Healthy, Cost Efficient Home Environments
According to SED, there are many factors homeowners need to be aware of before building their new home.
First, homeowners have a right to request to see installation plans for their HVAC system, which should meet minimum standards established by the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA).
“Homeowners should ask to review and approve a design that properly sizes the HVAC equipment. They need to know that the thermal envelope of the home will be sealed correctly and provide an air distribution system that is clean and stays that way,” Kearney said.
Taking the Mystery Out of Home HVAC Systems
Kearney said that like the Wizard of Oz, many building contractors work “behind the curtain,” with homeowners unaware of what they are doing.
“A builder who cares will ‘pull back the curtain’ and educate his or her customer about the entire process,” he explained. “Although there is a lot of science behind designing proper home environmental systems, it can and should be explained in clear terms to the homeowner—with full transparency and disclosure.”
SED works with home builders and their contractors to control indoor air quality, provide unsurpassed comfort and guarantee the lowest energy cost. The company offers free evaluations of custom home designs to ensure the environmental design meets building code standards.
About SED
Founded in 1980, Scientific Environmental Design (SED) is a leading provider of advanced design and managed installation of heating and cooling systems for residential and commercial buildings. The company developed the Total Design Approach which incorporates the patent-pending Total FlowTM Technology and proprietary software to assist designers, architects and builders in designing the most energy efficient HVAC systems on the market. SED introduced the industry’s first and only cost guarantee for the lifetime performance of their HVAC systems.
For more information about SED, visit www.sedefficiency.com.
