Key Benefits:

• Open it, use it and close it. The science need not be reviewed again.
• Finally be able to rationalize air leakage control and the air barrier criteria.
• Design energy efficient exterior walls.
• Learn how to minimize the risk of condensation, mold and wetness in exterior walls.
• Understand stack effect and other air pressure induced problems.
• Analyze your wall design for hot or cold, humid or dry, climate conditions.
• Customize the main library with your own climate design data.
• Customize the main library with your preferred construction material specifications.
• Undertake a true value engineering assessment.
• Become the office building science expert.
• Save staff time and fees, and optimize the envelope design quickly.
• Support your wall design concept with instant analysis reports.

 

The Toolbox

	The "R" Value Analysis Tool is used to design the thermal attributes of a wall assembly evaluate the nominal "R" value of the assembly illustrate the temperature gradients through the assembly determine the location of the winter and summer dewpoint temperatures. Each wall design is evaluated against the specific climatic and indoor conditions selected. open tool view...
	The Condensation Analysis Tool enables the user to undertake a vapour diffusion analysis of a wall assembly and to determine the sensitivity of the wall design to cavity condensation. By an appropriate selection of materials, the user may optimize the vapour barrier performance of any wall design for any indoor humidity condition and any outdoor climatic condition. open tool view...
	The Air Leakage Analysis Tool enables the user to determine the air leakage rates through any size opening, for 3 types of flow paths and for a wide range of operating air pressure differences. It can also be applied to whole building analysis. The air barrier tool also analyses the loss of moisture by air leakage and the energy gain or loss through air leakage. The results are presented as flow rates, per second, per hour and per month. open tool view...
	The Building Pressure Tool allows the user to determine stack effect pressures at any building height and for any temperature difference within prescribed limits. The fan pressurization effect is caused by the selection of the makeup air rate, the exhaust air rate and the air leakage properties of the building envelope. open tool view...
	The Psychrometric Tool. The humidity, temperature and pressure of ambient air are also known as the psychrometric properties of the air. The Psychrometric Tool facilitates the analysis of ambient air conditions. By selecting 3 properties of air, 2 of which are known, the program determines the 3rd property and displays it on the psychrometric chart. For example, the Psychrometric Tool may be used to determine dewpoint temperature of air from a known dry bulb temperature and indoor relative humidity. open tool view...

 

Weather and Material Databases Also Included in the Toolbox

In addition to the above, the H.A.M. Toolbox includes a library of climatic data and a list of generic construction materials with basic properties. The user may edit the library to expand the climatic database to include any city of choice and to broaden the material database with any manufacturer’s data. Each tool prints a single page report, project specific, for easy reference to project specific decisions.

The Wall Library is used to store your exterior wall designs for quick retrieval and further development or analysis. When a wall system is designed within one tool it may be recalled in the other. There is no limit to the number of wall design projects stored.

The Weather Database is included and is derived from ASHRAE and Environment Canada data sources.

Convert Metric Data to Imperial and vice versa

The H.A.M. Toolbox is available for use in metric or imperial units. A Conversion Wizard. is included. From time to time, the user may be required to provide information in the other system of units, either from Metric (ME) to inch/pound units (US) of vice versa. The conversion wizard is simple to use and includes difficult to find conversion factors not normally available in standard conversion tables.

System Requirements

• the H.A.M. Toolbox is a stand-alone program and does not require a CAD system to run..
• a personal computer using Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, XP or NT.
• (has also been tested to run under virtual PC on a Mac running OS X 10.4)
• a colour monitor of any size and screen resolution

Frequently Asked Questions

What database does the program use for weather data? Is it ASHRAE and how current is it?

The HAM Program uses weather data from both the most current National Building Code of Canada and the ASHRAE Fundamentals Handbook 1997. The weather data is generally a summary of about thirty (30) years of records for each location used to derive various design values. We use the 1.0% design data for both summer and winter design temperatures. The relative humidity data is obtained from air conditioning loads for the summer and from mean dewpoint temperatures in winter where available. If a winter design temperature is below -10oC, we assume 80% outdoor RH for those locations. This is most reasonable as winter outdoor air is almost always near saturation.

When using insulation between metal studs for exterior walls, does the program de-rate the insulation due to bridging?

The program does not de-rate insulation. To de-rate an assembly you must undertake a parallel heat flow (PHFA) analysis. This is quite simple. 1st, you determine the "R" value for a wall through the cavity. 2nd, you determine the "R" value of the wall through the stud (replace cavity insulation with wood or steel stud). Then you add the "R" values in proportion to their respective wall areas.

For example, A wall system "R" value at the wall cavity measures RSI-5. The cavity areas occupy 92% of the wall. The wall system "R" value measures RSI-2 at the steel stud section. It occupies 8% of the wall. The de-rated "R" value is then computed as follows: 5 x 0.92 + 2 x 0.8 = RSI-4.76. This is a most reasonable way of de-rating a wall system for the inherent thermal bridges (studs).

Cost

• H.A.M. Toolbox - US or metric: $840.00CDN
• Additional licenses are $185.00CDN each
• Educational Version: $call

To order this product or receive more information, please call Aaron Bourgoin at (780) 628-2750

THE FRENCH VERSION TO BE AVAILABLE IN 2006.