Case StudiesCustom HVAC Configurations for Custom Spaces

When Eric and Jo Ann decided to build a new home in Ann Arbor, Michigan, they set their sights on building a Passive House as a testament to the benefits of high-performing homes. To meet the stringent PHIUS+ requirements, as well as design a home that could stand up to frigid winter temperatures, the couple selected Mitsubishi Electric Zoned Comfort Solutions®. Upon moving in, Eric and his family have been impressed, not only with the system’s comfort but its performance. The home has attained a HERS Index® score of 14, is ENERGY STAR® Certified, EPA Indoor airPLUS certified and is also projected to meet DOE Zero Energy Ready Home status.

Each year, The New American Home showcases the latest innovations and efficiency advancements in homebuilding. The New American Home 2020 is a 6,428-square-foot high-performance home overlooking the Las Vegas Strip. Its 10 comfort zones are efficiently heated and cooled by Mitsubishi Electric Zoned Comfort Solutions®. The Mitsubishi Electric units offer whisper-quiet sound levels, simplified maintenance and tasteful design appeal, perfectly complementing the home's luxurious aesthetics.

This year marks the 36th edition of The New American Home® (TNAH). Sponsored by the Leading Suppliers Council (LSC) of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), every TNAH showcases the best in residential design and construction practices, while promoting the latest technological advances and efficiencies the housing industry has to offer.

Joel Hicks and Megan Nesbitt recently bought an 1895 4,000-square-foot brick house in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. After a few months in the home, cold weather moved in and their outdated boiler system couldn’t keep up. Within five weeks, the boiler had burned through $650 worth of fuel oil, causing Hicks and Nesbitt to search for a new system. After much research and consideration, the couple selected Zoned Comfort Solutions® from Mitsubishi Electric.

Cpl. Jonathan Dowdell served in the U.S. Marine Corps for eight years. After being severely injured by an explosion while on deployment in Afghanistan, he returned home, receiving a Purple Heart for his courage in combat. “It’s been several years now, and I’ve recouped well. I’m very active. Our new house has been instrumental in that; it was designed so everything is very accessible.” That house is an 1,800-square-foot, single-story home in League City, Texas. Operation FINALLY HOME (OFH), a national nonprofit organization that assists wounded veterans and their families, built the house mortgage free for Jon and Rebecca Dowdell, their daughter and their two dogs. Mitsubishi Electric has an ongoing partnership with OFH, and was honored to donate Zoned Comfort Solutions® to the Dowdells’ home.

For over 20 years, Brian—a homeowner and business owner—has brought his heating and cooling needs to Floyd Nealey, owner and operator, All Weather Mechanical Inc., Jacksonville, North Carolina. About 10 years ago, the two installed Zoned Comfort Solutions® from Mitsubishi Electric in Brian’s old home. When they recently set out to condition Brian’s new, 6,700-square-foot house in Jacksonville, Mitsubishi Electric’s P-Series systems were the obvious solution. They would provide extreme efficiency and the discreet look of a ducted system.

In 2008, Amy and Rodney Lumpkin moved their family into a 3,000-square-foot home in Limerick, Pennsylvania. As the years passed, the home began to feel cramped for the couple and their five children. The Lumpkins decided to complete a 1,000 square foot addition; this would create two new bedrooms, a bathroom and a variety of other functional spaces. It would also necessitate getting a new HVAC system, since the old system didn’t have enough capacity to cover the new spaces. During the planning phase, the couple realized the project could be an opportunity to address a handful of comfort issues in the home’s original spaces. What system could offer everything they wanted? Only Zoned Comfort Solutions® from Mitsubishi Electric.

Brad and Marian Loomis have live in their 726-square-foot beach cottage in Morro Bay, California, for over 30 years. In 2013, they decided to revamp the cottage and double its size. By August 2015, they’d added an additional 724 square feet to transform their tiny cottage into a comfortable and roomy 1,450-square-foot home. During the renovation, the Loomises realized they needed an efficient way to cool their house during the summer and gain more personalized comfort year-round. To achieve these goals for their home, they selected Zoned Comfort Solutions® from Mitsubishi Electric.

In 2013, when Kirsten and Joseph decided to build a new 2,600-squarefoot, resilient home in the coastal town of Margate, New Jersey, for their family, they wanted to ensure that every feature in the house was energy-efficient. Therefore, when it came time to select the home’s cooling and heating system, the couple needed to find a system that would save energy while also providing comfort and blending in aesthetically. The solution: Zoned Comfort Solutions® from Mitsubishi Electric.

Hurricane Sandy made landfall in October 2012, damaging or destroying hundreds of thousands. of homes. One of those homes was a 1940s cottage that belonged to Kim Erle, LEED® AP, founder and president, Sunset Green Home, LLC, New York. When it came time to rebuild, Erle didn’t just set out to build a new home, she set out to build the coastal home of the future—a highly efficient, resilient house that would stand up to future storms and serve as a model for responsible building practices. In practical terms, that meant high-performance subfloors to weather-resistant aluminum roofing and a multi-zone Hyper-Heating INVERTER® (H2i®) system from Mitsubishi Electric. The result: a place to call home for years to come. The goal now: to have LEED certification in hand.