Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) is the technology of indoor and vehicular (that means your car or public transport of your choice) environmental comfort. Basically, its goal is to provide thermal comfort and acceptable indoor air quality. HVAC is an important part of residential structures, office buildings and hospitals, or anywhere where safe and healthy building conditions need to be regulated. But what should you consider when specifying your system?

Noise Control
HVAC components can be loud, both inside and outside. Check local building codes to ensure that your system will not violate noise pollution requirements. It’s also a good idea to discuss noise control with your manufacturers and HVAC consultants.

Thermostats
Thermostats are an important accessory that will contribute to your building’s indoor air quality, and are one the most important points of HVAC control. How you will incorporate thermostats into your design? Thermostats should be located away from the room’s heating and cooling devices, yet exposed to the general airflow of the rooms that it is meant to be regulating. A thermostat should not be located on an exterior wall or in a place where it is exposed to direct sunlight.

Energy Consumption
When specifying an HVAC system, consider the form of energy production that you are relying on and the present and future costs and availability of that resource in your project’s location. Also check if there are any sustainability requirements that your building should abide by. Heat pump systems are some of the most efficient because they extract their heat from either the ground or the air. Other green options include solar heating and natural gas.

Insulation
Effective building insulation can promote proper airflow and decrease the need for active cooling and heating, as well as the unnecessary incorporation of an overly robust system (with overly expensive cost).

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