Baukraft Engineering PLLC provides engineering consultancy for energy-efficient and healthy homes. Services range from basic engineering for HVAC systems up through Passive House Certification for extreme energy efficiency.

The name "Baukraft" is based on the German words for building, "bau," and energy or power, "kraft."

Key Concepts

  • Minimized energy demand

  • Properly-sized HVAC equipment

  • Good ventilation

  • Resilience

  • Durability

  • Architectural integration

Services

Engineering services include:

  • Minimizing Energy Demand: It's not a matter of just using energy-efficient equipment - the building should require a little energy as possible in the first place. Insulation, windows, air tightness, and thermal bridging are all examined in detail for their role in the overall energy use of the building.

  • Heating & Cooling System Design: Once energy demand has been minimized through passive measures, a properly sized heating and cooling system is needed to provide the remaining conditioning. Evaluation of the loads, building type and layout, and occupant preferences are all considered before recommending a system.

  • Ventilation System Design: Supply of fresh air, exhaust of stale/polluted air. Controlled, deliberate, and efficient. Systems typically include a heat/enthalpy (heat + humidity) recovery ventilation unit and a properly designed distribution system which provides fresh air where it's needed most and remove stale air and moisture at the source.

  • Design for Resilience: Buildings shouldn't require 24/7 conditioning just to stay livable. This typically follows from doing a proper job of managing heat losses and gains with insulation, windows and air tightness, but further provisions must be made to allow for natural ventilation.

  • Durability: Water and vapor management for long-term performance. Properly detailed air- and vapor-control layers in conjunction with the thermal envelope can be provided, or coordinated with the architect's drawings.

  • Aesthetics: A building should fit with its surroundings, its occupants, and its function. This one's mostly up to you (or your architect) but the envelope and mechanical systems are designed with aesthetics in mind, not simply dropped into place.