NightBreeze Automates Ventilation Cooling

Though retrofits are possible, the system is intended for installation in new homes as part of an integrated design. Performance can be enhanced by improving the thermal envelope, shading windows from direct solar gain, and providing distributed thermal mass by using 5⁄8” (1.6 cm) drywall and hard-surface floorcoverings over concrete slabs.

Within the bounds of user-defined temperature thresholds, the system uses a highly efficient, variable-speed electronically commutated motor (ECM) to quietly circulate naturally chilled night air to cool a home during off-peak hours. The home’s cooled mass has an improved capacity to absorb heat the following day, keeping living-space temperatures more comfortable, longer. Using stored information about prior conditions, NightBreeze adjusts both the airflow and the low-temperature cutoff to accommodate the next day’s anticipated cooling requirements. Stale air exhausts into the attic or directly outside. Unlike most whole-house fan systems, NightBreeze does not require that the home’s windows be open, and the ventilation air is filtered.