Current thoughts on Mechanical systems:
- HRV: Draw from bath and kitchen, fresh air to living and bedrooms. Duct in lowered ceiling in hallway by pantry, master bath, and entry bath. Concerns about HRV ability to function in cold temperatures (although if we are not home in the winter - doesn't matter so much). Some tried ground-tempered systems but that has added complexity and risk for mold issues.
- Stove vent: Not needed, use HRV
- Dryer: Condensing electric dryer - no vent required
- Heating: The house energy models show a heat loss of 6500 to 8000 btu/hour at -20. So, standard heating systems do not apply. Here's our plan:
- Ductless Multi-zone mini-split heat pump for light heating and cooling - one head placed in main living area. May allow for more in the future if not happy with performance. Thermostat will be accessed via internet.
- Electric backup heat - Include some wiring to allow for electric baseboard heat if it would be needed. A simple eco-heater can be plugged into any outlet without any extra wiring.
- In-floor heat with small boiler: This would also be a good backup plan, so may run radiant tubes under slab - however, the designers don't think it would run much and may not perform well in a highly insulated structure. Hunt's were able to use a water heater element to run their floors. Others have used a very small electric boiler.