- High Performance
Housing, the new guidebook by Barbara Miller and
Bob Corbett, condenses their applied research and construction
experience in cold-climate high performance housing.
This detailed publication explains the new High Performance Housing
that is the heart of the "High Performance Housing Partnership"
(HP2) home certification program, which encourages utilities
to buy conservation savings at the time of new construction,
these methods have more than 20 years of field experience. These
homes easily meet and exceed the new Energy Star standards for
new home construction, and they save 20 percent more than minimum
Energy Star. The homes also meet Healthy Home guidelines. The
publication is aimed at homebuyers, as well as housing professionals.
The authors are co-founders of the National Affordable Housing
Network, a grass-roots effort aimed at bringing the benefits
of sustainable building to very low income households, who need
it most. The home features are aimed at saving costs for consumers
both in energy and health expenses. The authors have been working
together for 20 years, and with their national network for more
than 20 years.
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- High Performance
Housing contains
62 pages of text and 40 detailed graphics designed to explain
the construction techniques and measures used with the National
Affordable Housing Network's award-winning cold-climate houseplans.
To order your copy of High Performance Housing, send a check or money order for $24.95 for each copy (includes postage and
handling) to National
Affordable Housing Network, P.O. Box 3706, Butte, MT 59702.
You can also order with a purchase order by sending a fax to
406-782-5168.
Also, you can request that a copy be sent with an invoice by
sending an e-mail message to us at info@nahn.com.
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- EXCERPT:
Figure 1: Map showing where this technology is applicable
The recommendations in this publication apply to areas shown
on this map, as far as energy cost effectiveness. There are also
health-related reasons for using this technology. While not on
the map, the cold climate area extends to Canada and Alaska,
where heating system capacity can be increased to meet any additional
demands. More than 2,000 homes have been built using these approaches
in the Unites States, with many more in Canada and Sweden. Heating
cost increases since 1982 have made the approach cost effective
to a larger region of the nation.
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- This approach may also be warranted
beyond this climate zone IF:
- Energy costs are quite high,
or
- Residents are elderly or need
higher indoor temperatures in the heating season, or
- Residents have respiratory health
issues or want the ability to filter outdoor air, or
- Residents are smokers
- Residents want "safe room"
air quality features for security reasons, or
- Energy prices are uncertain
in your region, or
- Sound control is desirable
- Figure 2: Leaky Bucket
The energy savings measures in a house can be compared to plugging
the leaks in a leaky bucket. Minimum property standards create
quite a "leaky" bucket, and new standards by EPA Energy
Star save 30 percent over this level.
NAHN's approach is designed to save 50 percent over minimum property
standards, in addition to providing an advanced ventilation and
air quality system with other consumer benefits.
- The savings from the NAHN approach
range from $350 to $1,000 a year, depending on climate zone and
personal preferences. The final heating and cooling cost is very
dependent on the setting on the thermostat. Each degree difference
translates into a REAL increase in cost.
- Figure 3: Historic
Natural Gas Price Hikes
Since 1980, natural gas costs to consumers have nearly doubled.
The question of how high energy costs will be in the future is
always an issue. By using the NAHN approach, the consumer can
be assured that the most is being done that is possible to provide
for a secure energy future, no matter what happens to energy
prices.
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- Figure 4: Comparing
Approaches
The minimum standards approach usually has an adequate building
envelope and a large, ducted space conditioner. Ventilation is
primarily through pressurization when the space conditioner is
on and through wind-driven cracks and leaks when the space conditioner
is off.
The NAHN cold-climate approach
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- The NAHN approach puts the investment
in the building envelope, which is a lifetime investment, and
reduces the space conditioner to a small size appropriate to
the very small heating or cooling load. Ductwork is still present,
but rather than being part of the heating system, it is used
to move ventilation air, which can be filtered, and which offers
the possibility of heat recovery.
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Figure 5: Economics of Energy and Health Benefits with
Investment in Building Shell versus System
The investment in both cases may be similar, but the final operation
costs are dramatically different.
Greater Comfort for the Money - Research conducted by the engineering community
has proven that higher radiant surface temperatures and cooler
air temperatures make for greater productivity, comfort, and
health in the workplace. At home, this combination can provide
greater comfort levels at much lower thermostat settings. This
is how an adequately sized single point source of heat is code
approvable in very cold climates to heat the entire NAHN single
story home. With warmer indoor surface radiant temperatures,
it is desirable to have cooler air temperatures.
Health Benefits May Provide Further Returns on Investment.
- Another benefit is controlled balanced mechanical ventilation.This
provides a freshness and air quality that is unmatched with conventional
construction techniques. Avoidance of toxics during construction
and use of non-polluting flooring will also help to prevent building-related
respiratory problems.
Construction Costs - A much smaller heating
system's cost offsets greater amounts of investment in the lifetime
energy features of the building shell - windows, walls, ceilings,
floors, doors, and a controlled energy recovery ventilation system.
The "extra" costs for most builders will total less
than $2,500 in homes under 1,500 square feet.
Measured Energy Savings - With an energy
savings of at least $400 a year over MEC 95, for example, in
an 7,500 heating degree day climate, this investment has an annual
rate of return of 16 percent, with a simple total payback of
less than seven years. Measured results show that heat is provided
through Solar Energy (20 percent), Space Heater (25 percent)
and "internal gains and heat recovery" (55 percent).
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