Panasonic Brochure

46 47
Green Building Programs
Green building is the practice of
increasing energy efficiency while
promoting economic health for people
and the environment. Effective green
building can reduce operating costs
through less energy consumption;
improve occupant health by enhancing
indoor air quality and lessening the
impact on the environment.
ASHRAE 62.2-2010
There are several green building
programs within the United States and
nearly all adhere to the standards set
by the American Society of Heating,
Refrigerating, and Air Conditioning
Engineers (ASHRAE) for the HVAC
industry. ASHRAE Standard 62.2 is the
national ventilation standard of design
for low-rise residences up to three-story
multi-family buildings. 62.2 requires
continuous mechanical ventilation for
the entire house to be 7.5 CFM per
bedroom (master bedroom x 2) plus 1
CFM per 100 sq. ft. with sone level not
to exceed 1.0. Panasonic’s full
line of ventilation fans including
WhisperGreen and WhisperComfort are
affordable and are an efficient way to
meet this ventilation standard.
LEED and LEED for Homes
The US Green Building Council (USGBC
www.usgbc.org) offers the Leadership
in Energy and Environmental Design
(LEED) program for commercial
buildings and the LEED for Homes
program for residential buildings.
Neither program offers specific
product certification, but both require
mechanical ventilation adopted after
ASHRAE 62.2
ENERGY STAR
®
Homes Program
The US Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) operates the ENERGY
STAR program, including the ENERGY
STAR
®
Homes Program. This program
offers certification of the home as
energy efficient based on an evaluation
of energy use and construction
features. Even though it does not
require a full ventilation strategy, EPA's
Indoor airPLUS (IAP) is an option to help
builders meet the growing consumer
preference for improved indoor air
quality. The IAP requires compliance
with ASHRAE 62.2, so Panasonic’s
WhisperGreen is the product of choice.
California Title 24
As the required code for California,
Title 24 is the shorthand name for the
Building Energy Efficiency Standards
for Residential and Non-Residential
Buildings. Developed by the California
Energy Commission and first published
in 1978, the standards were recently
updated for 2008 and will be effective in
2009, including the requirement to meet
ASHRAE Standard 62.2.
National Association of Home
Builders (NAHB) Green Building
Standard
A voluntary standard developed by
NAHB to provide a design guide and
rating system for houses. Similar to
the LEED for Homes program but less
stringent, it has both required and
optional measures that help show a
house is "green". The more options
utilized such as fulfilling ASHRAE 62.2
provides a higher rating.
Green FAQs
What does Built Green or other
builder program certification
mean how can Panasonic help?
Programs like LEED for Homes and
ENERGY STAR
®
IAP, all require various
levels of insulation, use of renewable
building and finishing products. They
also require compliance with the
ventilation requirements of 62.2.
ASHRAE 62.2 allows the designer or
builder to choose the method that
fits their project, climate, or budget.
It only sets the continuous rate and
provides guidance on how to increase
the flow to allow for intermittent
operation. Essentially, the higher rate
is the reciprocal of the run time. If
it operates one-third of the time, it
must be increased to three times the
continuous rate in the table. The easiest
way to meet the requirements is to
use a WhisperGreen fan operating
continuously. Most of the single speed
Panasonic fans under 1.0 sone can be
used to meet 62.2, but the rated flow at
0.25 inches of water gauge must meet
the required flow. So WhisperGreen
models are the preferred choice.
Where is my make-up air coming
from if the house is airtight?
All houses leak to some extent.
ASHRAE 62.2 assumes an average
new construction tightness level that
is based on national testing and that
will allow some leakage. Air leaks in (if
exhausting) or out (if supplying) of the
house when the fan operates, through
the cracks and holes in the building
between building materials, around
windows and doors, and through
utility penetrations. While not required
by 62.2, through-the-wall inlets from
Panasonic and others can be installed
to ensure some of the leakage happens
through those inlets.
Am I creating a negative pressure
when exhausting air all the time?
The low exhaust rates required
by 62.2 will virtually never create
enough negative pressure to cause a
combustion device to backdraft. High
flow fans, such as large range hoods
and clothes dryers, can create enough
negative pressure to create a backdraft
if natural draft combustion devices are
used in a tight house. ASHRAE 62.2
sets a limit on how much total exhaust
can be tolerated.
What makes a WhisperGreen fan a
Green product?
The Green concept is a combination
of energy efficiency, sustainability,
improved interior environment (IAQ),
and operating cost. WhisperGreen
fans are the most energy efficient and
quietest products on the market and
the six year warranty and low energy
use ensure sustainability.
Why can’t I turn the WhisperGreen
models with built-in controls off?
Your fan is designed to run 24 hours
a day, 365 days a year using very little
electricity. Your new home has been
built to be very “tight” and energy
efficient. While this helps on your
energy costs, it can also lead to poor
indoor air quality. By having a fan run
constantly at a low speed, stale indoor
air is continuously being ventilated and
replaced by fresh air.
If the fan is running all day, aren’t
I wasting electricity?
The WhisperGreen fan features a DC
motor, which makes very efficient use
of electricity. Your fan, operating at 50
CFM continuously, uses 6.6 Watts of
electricity. Using the national average
kWh rate of $.1105, it costs $6.39 per
year to have a fan that provides indoor
air quality.
What does the motion sensor
or the switch on WhisperGreen
models with built-in controls do?
When the motion sensor senses
motion, or when the switch is turned on,
the fan boosts from its low, continuous
ventilation speed to its high “spot”
ventilation speed. The WhisperGreen
fan has a high speed of 80 Cubic Feet
per Minute. When the fan is in this mode
it is operating as a traditional bathroom
exhaust fan.
When I turn my switch to the
“on” position or when the motion
sensor is blinking green, I don’t
hear a big boost in speed.
Another feature of the WhisperGreen
fan is “SmartFlow” technology. Static
pressure, the resistance that lies within
the duct system and point of exhaust,
can severely inhibit a standard bath
fan’s performance. For example, a
fan designed to deliver 50 CFM of
airflow might only be operating at
31 CFM due to high static pressure.
“SmartFlow” technology allows the fan
motor to react to higher static pressure
situations, so that when set at 50 CFM,
you might not hear a big boost in speed,
but the fan is delivering 50 CFM of air
flow.
When I turn the switch to the
“off” position or when the motion
sensor is not in use, why doesn’t
the fan slow down right away?
Your WhisperGreen fan features a built-
in delay-low timer. This allows the fan to
operate at the higher speed for a longer
time to help remove excess moisture
from the bathroom, for example, after a
shower.
Sizing example (based on ASHRAE 62.2):
Two Bedrooms at 1600 SQ. FT.
Master Bedroom (7.5 CFM X 2) = 15 CFM
Second Bedroom = 7.5 CFM
1600 SQ. FT. X .01 = 16 CFM
______________________________________________________
Total 38.5 CFM
Floor area 0-1 BR 2-3 BR 4-5 BR 6-7 BR >7 BR
<1500 30 45 60 75 90
1501-3000 45 60 75 90 105
3001-4500 60 75 90 105 120
4501-6000 75 90 105 120 135
6001-7500 90 105 120 135 150
>7500 105 120 135 150 165
Required Continuous Ventilation Rate (CFM)
To comply with ASHRAE 62.2, a
WhisperGreenFV-08VKM3setat
40CFMprovidestheidealsolution.
Or to keep air pressure balanced
insidethehome,WhisperComfort
provides supply air and complies
with 62.2 by setting the exhaust
fanat40CFM.Forlargerhomes
or whole house ventilation, a
combinationofWhisperComfort
and/orWhisperGreencontinuous
ventilationfanscanbeutilizedtofulll
the standards set by ASHRAE 62.2.
Green Building Programs & Green FAQs