Page 37 - Green Builder September-October 2018 Issue
P. 37
Annual Building Science Report 2019 EFFICIENCY MATTERS
maintenance reminders. Supply and return duct sensors monitor
temperature changes and provide remote diagnostic functionality.
Occupancy and vacancy sensors control lights.
The home is situated on a corner lot on the community’s main
road. It replaces an abandoned home in a revitalization zone in
the older downtown part of this otherwise upscale community.
The home’s exterior design incorporates many traditional colonial
features typical of the village, with one twist—an asymmetrical
roof with a large south-facing side to capture maximum southern
exposure for the solar panels. The design incorporated moisture-
resistant details like pan
ashing at windows and doors, a drainage
plane under the siding, non-paper-faced gyp board, and surface
grading to divert runo.
Xeriscaping minimizes maintenance and irrigation. Window
placement and porches encourage cross ventilation. Large roof
overhangs provide protection and shading. Sustainable materials
and low-VOC nishes were used. Best of all, from United Way’s
COURTESY OF UNITED WAY OF LONG ISLAND healthy housing and zero power bills for years to come. GB
perspective, is that the home will provide veterans with comfortable,
KEY FEATURES
Air force. An elaborate ERV works in conjunction with the home’s boiler, DOE Zero Energy Ready Home Path: Performance.
Walls: Advanced framed 2-by-6 24-inch o.c. stud wall with 5.5-inch
fan coil and AC to provide whole-house ventilation and humidity control. R-19.8 dense-packed cellulose plus two 3/4-inch sheets of R-10 foam
installed over the roong shingles but instead takes the place of insulation for total R-30. Coated taped OSB, PVC siding.
them. The PV panels don’t need to be removed if the shingles are Roof: 5/8-inch plywood decking; ice-and-water shield at valleys, drip
replaced at some point during the life of the solar panels. line and roof edges, 30# felt, architectural fiberglass shingles.
Attic: Vented attic, raised-heel trusses, 14-inch R-50 blown cellulose
MAKING IT WORK WITH AUTOMATION in flat ceiling; open-cell spray foam in vaulted ceiling.
AND APPLIANCES Foundation: Basement, poured concrete with 2.5-inch R-12.5 polyiso
The home’s heating system consists of a AFUE wall-hung boiler on interior. Exterior covered with elastomeric waterproofing membrane
that supplies hot water to a hydrocoil in the central air handler. plus fiber protection board to footing.
Conditioned air is distributed through small-diameter high-velocity Windows: Vinyl-framed, double-pane, low-E, argon-filled windows,
ducts, which are located within the conditioned space of the home. U=0.17, SHGC=0.20.
Air conditioning is provided by a SEER air conditioning unit. Air Sealing: 2.06 ACH 50.
The air handler is zoned to condition the rst and second
oor Ventilation: ERV, MERV 13 filter.
independently. There is a central return with jumper ducts into the HVAC: Hydrocoil split-air system attached to 95 AFUE wall-hung gas-
bedrooms for pressure balancing. The wall-hung boiler also feeds a fired boiler, 13 SEER AC.
super-insulated storage tank for domestic hot water. This -gallon Hot Water: Solar thermal water heating; wall-hung boiler for backup.
double-coil storage tank is also lled from the evacuated-tube roof-
mounted solar thermal panels, which are expected to meet percent Lighting: 100 percent LED, occupancy and vacancy sensors.
of the home’s hot water needs. Appliances: Energy Star refrigerator, dishwasher and clothes washer.
Vinyl-framed double-pane windows were installed that have Solar: 8.5-kW PV.
invisible low-emissivity coatings and an argon gas ll to slow heat Water Conservation: WaterSense fixtures; central manifold distribution.
transfer. The windows have an insulation value of U=. and a Drip irrigation.
solar heat gain coecient (SHGC) of .. Energy Management System: Internet-controlled HVAC; tracks energy
A home automation system controls all of the mechanical devices— use, temp, humidity, maintenance.
the boiler, fan coil, AC and ERV—for whole-house ventilation and Other: Low-VOC finishes, formaldehyde-free furnishings. Extra
humidity control. The internet-accessed system tracks energy use fasteners, 120-MPH windows, impact-resistant siding.
and indoor air quality, and provides alerts for mechanical issues and
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