The Opportunity to Improve Residential HVAC Quality Installations with Connected Diagnostic Tools and Commissioning

The Department of Energy (DOE) has documented research spanning several decades that indicates 70–90% of air conditioners and heat pumps in homes contain at least one performance-compromising fault due to improper installation or maintenance. Program measurement and verification (M&V) of quality installation can also be challenging. Past industry experience has revealed checklist-based commissioning guidelines to be unreliable and ineffective and M&V site visits are expensive.
Smart diagnostic HVAC tools combine a set of real-time measurements from digital sensors, gauges, and probes with a mobile diagnostic application to support technicians with real time fault diagnosis and verification of core operating parameters. Connected commissioning refers to a process that uses data from smart diagnostic HVAC tools to verify core operating parameters, such as airflow and refrigerant charge, and generate a system performance validation report that can be digitally shared with the building occupant, the installation team, or a program.
Presenters will provide an overview of the diversity of connected diagnostic tools and applications for connected commissioning residential heat pumps and air-conditioners. The presentation will share results from a contractor field study. Attendees will understand key contractor barriers and opportunities and how the power of connected commissioning can be leveraged to improve contractor training and workforce development efforts and quality install verification.