NCI-certified HVAC testing and balancing that verifies design airflow, cuts operating cost, and satisfies code inspectors — for commercial buildings, multifamily, and institutional projects across Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee, Illinois, and Missouri.
HVAC Testing and Balancing (TAB) is the systematic process of measuring and adjusting the airflow, water flow, and temperature of a building’s heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning system to verify it performs to the design intent. TAB confirms that every supply diffuser, return grille, exhaust register, and terminal unit is delivering the cubic-feet-per-minute (CFM) the mechanical engineer specified — not the CFM the installer assumed.
A proper TAB engagement is required by every major commercial and multifamily construction standard: ASHRAE Standard 111, ASHRAE Guideline 0, the International Mechanical Code (IMC), AABC National Standards, NEBB Procedural Standards, and the testing requirements of LEED, ENERGY STAR Multifamily, NGBS Green, and EarthCraft. HECS is an NCI-certified (National Comfort Institute) TAB firm, which is the standard most major Midwest GCs, mechanical contractors, and commissioning authorities recognize as the field-test benchmark.
HECS delivers TAB as a third-party, certified, calibrated-instrument service. We do not install, repair, or warranty the HVAC system — we measure, document, and certify what is actually happening on the project. That independence is why our TAB reports pass commissioning authority review, code inspection, and LEED submittal the first time, and why project teams bring HECS in early as a partner rather than scrambling for a TAB firm at the end.
HECS delivers three engagement scopes depending on the project size, the certification program, and the level of documentation the GC or commissioning authority requires. All three use the same NCI-formatted reporting and calibrated instruments.
Commercial & multifamily baseline
Supply, return, exhaust, and outdoor air CFM at every terminal. System-level static pressure, fan RPM, and motor amperage verification. Most commercial TAB projects.
Best for: Office, retail, restaurant, light commercial, multifamily
Air + water balance
Everything in air-side balance, plus chilled water and hot water GPM at every coil, pump head verification, and three-way valve setpoint confirmation.
Best for: Hospitals, labs, schools, institutional, larger multifamily
Air + water + controls + BAS
Everything in air + hydronic, plus full controls calibration, BAS sensor verification, damper actuator position, and full commissioning agent coordination.
Best for: LEED projects, complex institutional, certification-driven projects
From the design review to the final certified report, here is what HECS delivers on a commercial or multifamily TAB engagement.
HECS reviews the mechanical drawings, equipment submittals, and the engineer’s design CFM schedule before going on site. We identify any design issues, missing diffusers, or terminal unit mismatches that would otherwise be discovered in the field — and we work with the engineer to resolve them in the design phase, not the punchlist phase.
After mechanical rough-in and equipment startup, HECS walks the project with the mechanical contractor to verify installation matches design, identify open issues, and confirm the system is ready to balance. This walkthrough catches 80% of the issues that would otherwise fail the final TAB.
HECS uses calibrated NCI-certified instruments (hot-wire anemometers, capture hoods, rotating vane probes, manometers) to measure airflow at every supply, return, exhaust, and outdoor air intake. We record the as-found CFM, adjust the damper or balancing valve, and record the as-left CFM at design conditions.
HECS issues a NCI-formatted, certified TAB report with every measured value, every adjustment, every deficiency, and the final as-left CFM at every terminal. The report is the deliverable of record — for the owner, the commissioning authority, the code inspector, and the certification program (ENERGY STAR, NGBS, EarthCraft, LEED). HECS reports are accepted by all major Midwest jurisdictions.
A complete HECS TAB report covers the following six categories of measurement. Every project is different, but most commercial and multifamily projects require all six.
Most HVAC systems are designed to deliver design airflow. Most HVAC systems, in practice, do not. A 2018 ASHRAE study found that more than half of newly installed commercial HVAC systems operate 20-40% off design at handover. TAB closes that gap. Here is what properly balanced HVAC delivers:
Hot and cold calls — “my office is freezing” or “the back bedroom won’t cool” — are almost always airflow problems. TAB makes every diffuser deliver the CFM the engineer designed. Occupants stop complaining, and the controls contractor stops chasing ghost setpoint issues.
An over-ventilated zone wastes fan energy and conditioning. An under-ventilated zone overworks the equipment. Balanced airflow typically delivers 8-15% HVAC energy savings on under-performing systems, often paying for the TAB engagement in the first year of operation.
Compressors, fans, and coils running off-design degrade faster. Proper airflow and water flow keep equipment in its design operating envelope, extending service life and protecting the manufacturer’s warranty. Many equipment manufacturers void warranty coverage if a balanced airflow report is not on file.
IMC Section 408 requires a TAB report for most commercial and multifamily HVAC installations. ENERGY STAR Multifamily, NGBS Green, EarthCraft, and LEED all require a third-party TAB report as a documentation deliverable. Without TAB, the certificate cannot be issued — and the project cannot be occupied or sold.
The HECS TAB report is the as-built record of the HVAC system at handover. It is what the owner’s operations team uses for the next 20 years — to setpoints, to equipment replacement, to commissioning agent verification, and to warranty claim documentation.
An accurate TAB report reduces GC and mechanical contractor liability on closeout. Documentation gaps in HVAC closeout are a frequent source of post-occupancy disputes – HECS delivers the certified record that closes them out.
HECS is an NCI-certified TAB firm based in Louisville, Kentucky. We are headquartered in the Midwest and built to serve the region that needs reliable, third-party HVAC testing and balancing: Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee, Illinois, and Missouri.
What sets HECS apart is our whole-building expertise. We are not a TAB-only firm that learned to do blower door or energy certification; we are a third-party energy and building envelope firm that holds NCI, HERS, BPI, and other national certifications. That means your TAB engagement benefits from the same rigorous documentation culture that makes our blower door, energy certification, and adjacent-project reports pass third-party review the first time.
For projects that combine TAB with blower door, energy modeling, or certification work, HECS is your single point of accountability from the design review to the final report — and beyond. Many of our TAB clients also pursue ENERGY STAR Multifamily, NGBS Green, or EarthCraft certification; HECS handles the entire scope, on a single schedule, with a single contract, and a single project manager.
Every HECS TAB technician holds a current National Comfort Institute certification, with annual continuing education. Our instruments are calibrated to NIST-traceable standards and verified before every project.
Our office is in Louisville, KY — within driving distance of every major Midwest market. We travel to your project, document, and return for follow-up inspections.
TAB + blower door + radon + Energy Star + NGBS? HECS handles all of it under one P.O. with one project manager and one master schedule.
TAB is required on virtually every commercial, institutional, and multifamily HVAC project — and beneficial on most residential HVAC retrofits. Here are the projects HECS delivers TAB for most often:
Offices, retail, restaurants, medical, dental, schools, universities, hotels, warehouses, and light industrial. HECS delivers the IMC-required TAB report and supports the commissioning authority through closeout.
Apartments, condos, student housing, senior living, and mixed-use buildings. Required for ENERGY STAR Multifamily, NGBS Green, and EarthCraft certification — and increasingly for code acceptance.
K-12 schools, universities, state and local government buildings, and federal facilities. HECS holds the certifications and audit documentation required for public-sector procurement.
Medical offices, dental, outpatient surgery, and research labs. Pressure relationships, air-change rates, and humidity control are life-safety — HECS verifies the design intent is actually delivered.
Major HVAC equipment changeouts, VAV conversions, ventilation upgrades, and energy retrofits. TAB verifies the new system actually delivers the design performance the energy model assumed.
LIHTC, HUD, and USDA RD projects pursuing ENERGY STAR Multifamily, NGBS Green, or EarthCraft. HECS delivers the full documentation chain for funder and program approval.
Free 15-minute consultation. We’ll review your project, confirm TAB is the right fit, and outline next steps — no obligation.
>TAB pricing is project-specific and depends on building size, system complexity, number of terminals, and the level of detail required in the report. HECS quotes TAB projects project-by-project based on building size, scope, and the level of detail required in the report. Send us the drawings and we’ll give you a fixed quote within 24 hours. Call (859) 983-7382 for a project-specific quote.
>Field work typically takes 2–10 business days depending on building size, with small commercial taking 1–3 days and large multifamily or institutional projects taking 1–3 weeks of field time. The certified TAB report is issued 2–4 weeks after the final field visit. HECS sequences the engagement with the mechanical contractor’s startup and the controls contractor’s BAS programming to avoid rework.
>The International Mechanical Code (IMC) Section 408 requires TAB for most commercial and multifamily HVAC systems over a certain size, and for systems serving buildings requiring commissioning. ASHRAE 90.1 (the energy standard referenced by most state codes) also requires TAB documentation. Local jurisdictions may add their own requirements — HECS coordinates with the local code official early in the project to confirm the deliverable format.
>NCI (National Comfort Institute) is the most widely recognized residential and light-commercial HVAC performance certification in North America. NCI-certified technicians are trained and tested on actual field measurement technique, instrument calibration, and the difference between “what the control says” and “what the system actually delivers.” HECS maintains NCI certification on every technician and uses only NCI-formatted reporting on TAB engagements. Many major Midwest GCs and commissioning authorities require NCI or NEBB certification on TAB submittals.
>Both. Most HECS TAB engagements are new construction, but we routinely deliver TAB on major HVAC retrofits, VAV conversions, and energy upgrade projects. Existing-building TAB often surfaces issues the operating team has been chasing for years — hot/cold calls, high energy bills, equipment short-cycling. HECS balances the system to the existing design intent, or works with the engineer to redefine the design intent if the building use has changed.
>TAB verifies that the HVAC system delivers design airflow, water flow, and temperature. Commissioning (Cx) verifies that the entire building — HVAC, lighting, controls, envelope, plug loads — operates as an integrated system to deliver the owner’s project requirements. TAB is typically a sub-deliverable within the commissioning process. HECS delivers TAB as a standalone service and also participates as the TAB agent on full commissioning teams led by an independent commissioning authority (CxA).
>No. HECS is the third-party TAB and certification firm. We do not install, repair, or warranty HVAC equipment. We work with the mechanical contractor of record (or the GC) to coordinate the TAB engagement, deliver the report, and resolve any deficiencies the TAB surfaces. Our independence is the value: a TAB report from the installing contractor is not a TAB report the building owner can rely on.
>HECS is based in Louisville, Kentucky, and serves the broader Midwest: Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio, Tennessee, Illinois, and Missouri. We cover Louisville, Lexington, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Columbus, Nashville, Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas City, and surrounding areas. For projects outside our region, we partner with other NCI-certified TAB firms. Call (859) 983-7382 to confirm coverage for your project.
>Yes. HECS TAB reports are accepted by all major Midwest green building programs: ENERGY STAR Multifamily (version 1.1/1.2), NGBS Green (2020 and 2024), EarthCraft House and EarthCraft Multifamily, LEED v4 and v4.1 BD+C and ID+C, Enterprise Green Communities, and PHIUS. The TAB report is one of the required submittals for each of these certifications — HECS formats the report to meet program-specific requirements and submits it as part of the certification package.
>Most state building codes reference ASHRAE 90.1 or the International Mechanical Code (IMC) Section 408 for TAB requirements on commercial and multifamily projects. Local jurisdictions may add their own requirements – HECS coordinates with the local code official early in the project to confirm the deliverable format.
Most TAB projects also benefit from HECS’s other services. Here are the most common pairings.
A balanced HVAC system in a leaky building envelope loses efficiency to infiltration. Blower door and duct leakage testing verifies the airtightness the TAB depends on.
The HECS TAB report is one of the required submittals for ENERGY STAR Multifamily certification. HECS handles the TAB + ENERGY STAR workflow in an integrated engagement.
HECS reviews the design before construction starts. Catching the CFM mismatch or terminal unit error in design saves the change-order cost in the field.
Send us the mechanical drawings and we’ll respond with a field-day estimate, deliverable schedule, and a fixed quote – usually within 24 hours.
Free consultation, fast turnaround, and audit-ready reports. Same-day callback during business hours.
Pick a time that works for you. We'll confirm within an hour during business hours. Free consultation, no obligation.