An arrangement of multiple environmental control systems for a multi-unit structure has a first environmental control system installed in a first unit, a second environmental control system installed in a second unit, a system monitor in communication with each of the environmental control systems and a firewall. Each environmental control system has a control unit coupled to the system monitor through the firewall that prevents unauthorized devices from accessing the respective control unit and a HVAC system device coupled to the respective control unit through the firewall. For each unit, a local user device that is located inside the unit is coupled to the control unit through a local communication interface, and an external user device that is located outside the unit communicates with the control unit through the firewall.

A zoning system for a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system includes a temperature control device configured to monitor a temperature in a zone of a structure for conditioning by the HVAC system and configured to send a wireless control signal including data based on the temperature, and a damper actuator configured to be associated with the zone and configured to adjust a position of a damper to control an airflow into the zone, where the damper actuator is configured to receive the wireless control signal from the temperature control device and configured to adjust the position of the damper based on the data.

An HVAC system is described having components of a variable refrigerant flow (VRF) outdoor compressor unit connected to an indoor fan coil unit. The indoor fan coil unit supplies air to ducts that condition a plurality of zones. Each zone has a volume modulating air damper that can maintain a predetermined volume of air flowing through it. As the dampers for some zones vary between open and close positions, the air pressure in the ducts changes. The volume modulating dampers compensate for these pressure changes, ensuring that only the predetermine volume of air is passing into the zones. By regulating the volume of into each zone, the volume modulating air dampers can restrict the air volume through the fan coil causing the outdoor unit to reduce compressor speed, thereby saving energy.

An HVAC system includes an evaporator coil disposed between a supply air duct and a return air duct. A re-circulation duct fluidly couples the supply air duct and the return air duct. A damper is disposed in the re-circulation duct and is moveable between an open position and a closed position. A controller is operatively coupled to a variable-speed compressor, a variable-speed circulation fan, and the damper. Responsive to a determination that the variable-speed circulation fan is operating at the minimum speed and the suction pressure is above the pre-determined threshold, the controller signals the damper to move to the open position. Responsive to a determination that the variable-speed circulation fan is not operating at the minimum speed or the suction pressure is below the pre-determined threshold, the controller signals the damper to move to the closed position.

A method for air conditioning including installing an air conditioning unit at a desired location. The air conditioning unit includes a housing that has air supply inlets and exhaust air outlets. The housing encloses a mode control unit that switches a zone coil associated with a zone from a cooling mode to a heating mode by switching from a cooling medium to a heating medium flowing through the zone coil. The zone coil receives the heating or cooling medium and conditions incoming air from a supply fan to be exhausted in a zone associated with the zone coil. A variable refrigerant flow cooling/heating unit provides a cooling medium or a heating medium at varying rates to control a temperature of a zone.

An air conditioning system is provided and includes a unit receptive of refrigerant having a moderate-to-low global warming potential (GWP) value for thermal interaction with a fluid, an enclosure, a fan disposed and configured for urging a flow of the fluid through the unit, a refrigerant detection sensor and a controller. The refrigerant detection sensor is disposed in the enclosure to be operable in a first mode in which a baseline response is established and a second mode in which refrigerant leak detection is executed based on the baseline response. The refrigerant detection sensor is further configured to generate a binary output of leak and non-leak signals in accordance with a result of the refrigerant leak detection. The controller is configured to control operations of the fan and the vent based on the binary output.

An HVAC system includes an evaporator coil disposed between a supply air duct and a return air duct. A re-circulation duct fluidly couples the supply air duct and the return air duct. A damper is disposed in the re-circulation duct and is moveable between an open position and a closed position. A controller is operatively coupled to a variable-speed compressor, a variable-speed circulation fan, and the damper. Responsive to a determination that the variable-speed circulation fan is operating at the minimum speed and the suction pressure is above the pre-determined threshold, the controller signals the damper to move to the open position. Responsive to a determination that the variable-speed circulation fan is not operating at the minimum speed or the suction pressure is below the pre-determined threshold, the controller signals the damper to move to the closed position.

Various embodiments are described herein for an environmental control system. In one example embodiment, the system is an HVAC system including an HRV or ERV unit, a first distribution system, and an ambient energy distribution system. The first distribution system has a first end in thermal communication with the HRV or ERV unit and a second end in thermal communication with the interior of a domicile. The ambient energy distribution system extends between first and second locations in the domicile and is isolated from fluid flow communication with the first distribution system. The ambient energy distribution system transfers heat between the first and second locations.

The present disclosure relates to a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system that includes a return air section of an HVAC unit configured to receive a return airflow from a conditioned space. The HVAC system also includes an outdoor air section of the HVAC unit configured to receive an outdoor airflow from an environment surrounding the HVAC unit. Furthermore, the (HVAC) system includes a panel dividing the return air section and the outdoor air section. The panel includes a bypass damper actuatable to enable mixing of the return airflow and the outdoor airflow to produce a mixed airflow in the outdoor air section.

A method for air conditioning including installing an air conditioning unit at a desired location. The air conditioning unit includes a housing that has air supply inlets and exhaust air outlets. The housing encloses a mode control unit that switches a zone coil associated with a zone from a cooling mode to a heating mode by switching from a cooling medium to a heating medium flowing through the zone coil. The zone coil receives the heating or cooling medium and conditions incoming air from a supply fan to be exhausted in a zone associated with the zone coil. A variable refrigerant flow cooling/heating unit provides a cooling medium or a heating medium at varying rates to control a temperature of a zone.