Kalahari Resort
Greater Austin • Texas | March 24-27, 2025
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Ask AI about latent moisture, and you’ll get something like, “If left uncontrolled, latent moisture can lead to elevated humidity levels, condensation issues, and the growth of mold and bacteria, which can negatively impact indoor air quality and occupant comfort.” That sounds like a lawsuit, but most of us ignore it when we design residential mechanical systems. This is because we often have a false sense of security regarding apparent excess latent capacity when we follow the Manual S® process, and we trust variable speed systems will effectively ramp down to match the load.
In this session, David Treleven will discuss interior moisture and the systems that control it. We will review interior moisture setpoints, looking at risk in terms of comfort and IAQ, and examine different systems to keep the interior moisture where we want it. In addition, he will discuss system interactions, application of supplemental dehumidification, proper AC setup for humid climates, dehumidification modes, and controls.
David Treleven has been in the building science and HVAC research field for 15 years and in construction more broadly for two decades. He understands the people, processes, and materials that must work together to implement successful building systems. David is the principal of Loblolly Building Science and an adjunct lecturer in the Building Science Department at Appalachian State University. He operates a direct-to-consumer premium dehumidifier company, Delta H IAQ.
David believes in using data to make decisions and aims to educate others about data-driven decision-making in the built environment. He has been active in ASHRAE 62.2 on the Humidity Working Group and is a member of ASHRAE 46P: Design and Construction Practices for Controlling Humidity in Residential Buildings. He has worked in R&D, product development, and innovation for HVAC manufacturers and as a consultant to utilities and builders.