Page 18 - Green Builder Magazine Sept-Oct 2021

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