Page 18 - Green Builder Magazine Sept-Oct 2021
P. 18

Power savers. LED lighting, ENERGY
                                                    STAR appliances, smart thermostats and
      Key Features                                  lighting, and automated window blinds
                                                    contribute to the home’s energy savings.
                                                    COURTESY OF AMARIS HOMES
      AIR SEALING: 0.64 ACH 50; sill plates sealed
      with acoustic sealant; top plates spray foamed.

      APPLIANCES: ENERGY STAR smart refrigerator,
      dishwasher and clothes washer.

      ATTIC: Vented attic, R-60 total: 2-inch R-14
      closed-cell spray-foam on attic floor and up on
      15.25-inch raised heels, 15-inch R-46 blown
      fiberglass.

      ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM: Smart
      thermostats, automated blinds, smart lighting,
      smart outlets, smart irrigation system, PV
      tracking, smart refrigerator; all Wi-Fi controlled.

      FOUNDATION: Insulated basement, R-33 total:
      13.2-inch R-23 ICF, water-proofing membrane,
      plastic dimple board covered by synthetic stucco
      below and above grade, 2-inch R-10 under-slab
      rigid foam.

      HOT WATER: Gas tank, 0.88 EF, 50 gallon;
      PEX piping; recirculation pump.

      HVAC: Gas furnace, 98 AFUE; radiant floor heat
      in basement, 19 SEER 5-stage heat pump.  windows have two low-emissivity coat-  Pruban installed an energy recovery ven-
                                               ings that minimize heat transfer, and the   tilator (ERV). The air ducts cross in a heat
      LIGHTING: 100 percent LED, low-profile ceiling   windows have an insulation U-Factor of   exchanger where heat and humidity are
      fixtures, smart phone controllable.      0.23. Low-expanding foam at the window   transferred from the warmer duct to the
                                               to frame connection as well as at the win-  cooler duct, warming the incoming air in
      ROOF: Truss gable roof: 0.5-inch OSB     dow jamb-to-framing connection ensures   winter and cooling the incoming air in
      sheathing, ice and water shield, 15# felt, asphalt   an airtight seal at the windows.  summer.
      shingles, ridge vent, baffles every bay, 2-foot                                The incoming air is also cleaned by
      overhangs.                               INTERNAL FUNCTIONS                  passing through a high-filtration Mini-
                                               Amaris Homes included 11.34 kilowatts   mum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV)
      SOLAR: 11.34-kW PV, 36 panels, solar edge   of solar panels on the roof. These could   16 filter capable of removing particles as
      optimizers.                              give the homeowners—Ray and his wife,   small as pollen, mold, dust, auto fumes,
                                               Lolli—an estimated energy savings of   bacteria and smoke. The bathrooms have
      VENTILATION: ERV; MERV 16 furnace filter;   $4,700 per year compared to a home built   local ventilation with ENERGY STAR-
      timered bath fans; garage exhaust fan.   to the state code (the 2012 International   rated, timer-controlled exhaust fans.
                                               Energy Conservation Code [IECC]), and   Blower door testing, which is required in
      WALLS: ICF, R-24 total: 11.25-inch ICFs,   achieving a Home Energy Rating System   the DOE Zero Energy Ready Home (ZERH)
      housewrap, engineered wood lap siding.   (HERS) score of -2. But even without the   program, showed that the house had a
                                               photovoltaics (PVs), the dwelling would   whole house air leakage rate of 0.64 air
      WATER CONSERVATION: EPA WaterSense       score a HERS 34, far below the typical 80   changes per hour at 50 Pascals (ACH 50).
      certified; drought-resistant landscaping.  to 100 HERS score for new homes.    The house is equipped with a 98 per-
                                                 The home is oriented to take advantage   cent efficient natural gas furnace. A high-
      WINDOWS: Double-pane, argon-filled,      of south- and west-facing exposures in   efficiency 19 Seasonal Energy Efficiency
      low-e2, fiberglass casement frames, U=0.23,   terms of orientation on the lot and win-  Ratio (SEER) five-stage central heat pump
      SHGC=0.25; automated blinds on west and    dow locations for maximum solar gain   supplements the home’s heating and pro-
      south windows.                           in this cold climate. To control heat gain   vides summer cooling and humidity con-
                                               in the summer, all windows in the great   trol. All of the rigid metal ducts are within
      OTHER: Electric vehicle charging station;    room have automated blinds.     the conditioned space of the home, and the
      air quality sensor; accessibility features.  To bring fresh air  into the home,  main and lower levels are zoned.


            16   GREEN BUILDER September/October 2021                                             www.greenbuildermedia.com
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