by Scott Lewis and William Bobenhausen INTEGRATED HVAC: ONE Box DOES IT ALL Combined heating, hot-water, and ventilation systems can pay off in simpler installation and higher efficiency In the drive for greater economy, simplicity, and efficiency, appliance integration- combining heat, hot water, and ventilation equipment-is becoming an important strategy. There are several reasons why: • Having separate appliances for each mechanical function is redundant. If one appliance can burn fuel for both space heating and domestic. water heating, for example, then a second burner and venting system can be avoided. This would not only cut down on equipment, it would also reduce energy losses, since each piece of equipment adds to the losses. • Many new homes have heating loads that are