3rd Residential Building Design and Construction Conference (2016)
Keynote Presentations
The 21st Century Craft of Sustainable Homebuilding: Culture, Technology, and Methods Towards a Better Way to Design and Build
Authors: Tedd Benson
Publication Date: 3/2/2016
Description:
Our industry is capable of building more durable, sustainable, higher performing homes; therefore we must. In our “social contract” with home-buyers, we have an obligation to build homes that are worthy of their high financial cost, and the significant role they play in our society and in people’s lives. We can no longer deliver raw commodities and disaggregated parts and pieces to building sites where consistent control of quality, efficiency and waste is nearly impossible. A need for a better standard calls for a completely different “operating system,” in which the highest standards are a natural outcome of an overhauled process. I will talk about our efforts and innovations toward making well-designed, high performance, zero energy homes normal and affordable. We believe homeowners have long been underserved, and it’s time for the homebuilding industry to commit to building homes that are a more sustainable and ennobling contribution to our society.
Please see the video recording at: https://vimeo.com/159938445
Building Science: The Foundation of Future Residential Building Design and Practice
Authors: Dr. John Straube
Publication Date: 3/2/2016
Description:
Residential building design and construction practices have changed significantly since the end of World War II. More changes are underway and likely to continue. One of the tools required to manage the changes will be a more scientific approach to design, product selection, and construction, alongside careful attention to the needs of the consumer. This presentation will review these trends and explore the potential for building science to improve performance, reliability, and affordability in future buildings.
Please see the video recording at: https://vimeo.com/159938444
Session Presentations
Session presentations are listed in alphabetical order of the first author.
Enhancing the Viability of Urban Housing Projects through Structural Buildover and Reuse
Authors: Benjamin M. Cornelius
Publication Date: 3/2/2016
Description:
Structural engineers can contribute to a more sustainable built environment by finding ways to re-use existing structures in new projects. For residential projects in dense urban areas, where demand for new homes is high and open land is scarce, structural re-use is sometimes paired with another strategy: structural build-over. Urban structural build-over projects often involve the transfer of air-rights from the landowner to another party, who then designs a project to fill the volume of air above an existing building. A structural engineer for this type of project is called upon to design a new structure to bridge over, and in some cases support, an existing building on the site, below. In urban housing projects, the combination of structural build-over and re-use not only leads to potentially enhanced sustainability, it can also be critical to a housing project’s economic and logistical viability. In this presentation, Benjamin Cornelius, Partner at Leslie E. Robertson Associates Consulting Structural Engineers, will examine factors affecting the reuse of existing structures in combination with structural build-over techniques, approaches to satisfying code requirements that pertain to structural re-use, and strategies for addressing the unique challenges associated with structural build-over projects. Mr. Cornelius will illustrate these topics using a case study involving the construction of a new condominium building over an existing, occupied bank branch office on an underdeveloped site in the Carnegie Hill Historic District of New York City’s Upper East Side.
Accounting for Sustainable Features in Housing Appraisal: The Green MLS Toolkit
Authors: Shahrzad Fadaei
Publication Date: 3/2/2016
Description:
Marketing of sustainable homes is of great importance, as without it the housing industry would be static, not responding to current trends. Although there are many successful examples of marketable projects, in a broad scale, sustainable housing is appraised by a real estate industry that is mainly dominated by old methods of evaluation. In order to evaluate properties, realtors use Multiple Listing Service (MLS) which is their limited access database of all the relevant information of properties including their main features and their prices. While MLS tool in most places does not address sustainability metrics of the homes, efforts have been made to develop a toolkit that actually does so. This toolkit is named Green MLS. Green MLS has multiple fields of entry for various sustainability features a property may have. This toolkit is relatively new however it can play a significant role in introducing green features to the home buyers and taking them into account while evaluating price of a house. This study aims to introduce Green MLS, discuss its importance and bring examples from places where it has been incorporated. Past experiences can provide valuable lessons on how to make a strong case for implementation of the Green MLS in the industry especially for Pennsylvania’s real estate entities.
D.O.E. Race to Zero Competition
Authors: Dorothy Gerring & Rob Wozniak
Publication Date: 3/2/2016
Description:
Pennsylvania College of Technology students led the development of superefficient affordable housing in the Williamsport, PA community by combining the DOE Race to Zero Student Design Competition with designing and building a Passive House certified home for Habitat for Humanity. Meeting Passive House criteria means that the duplex will also receive DOE Zero Energy Home and Energy Star certification. The Race to Zero is a new competition offered by DOE as a complement to the Solar Decathlon which is intended to inspire and develop college students in building related fields while strengthening the building science curriculum. This competition has clear requirements for creating a robust set of documents for super-efficient homes which are affordable and ready for renewables. At Penn College there are a variety of majors that deal with all aspects of design, estimating, and construction of buildings. Nine interdisciplinary students volunteered to design a home for Habitat. Their documentation was used for Race to Zero competition April 2015 where they won Grand Winner Finalist. Their documents will be used for obtaining building permits in summer 2016. Students worked as an integrated team to determine how to meet certification criteria for a Passive House building while keeping the price of construction affordable to county median income levels and use products that could be built with volunteers. Habitat intends to gain certification for the home and monitor post occupancy for evaluating performance. The combination of local talents and need for affordable housing has resulted in surpassing expectations; improving the neighborhood and two family’s quality of living; educating students, professionals, and the public about building performance; and set a community example for a successful superefficient affordable house. This presentation will share project documentation showing how to successfully design an affordable duplex to meet Passive House standards.
Universal Design / Aging-in-Place
Authors: Dorothy Gerring & Rob Wozniak
Publication Date: 3/2/2016
Description:
Universal design and aging in place. What is it? Why should it be included in houses? This discussion reviews elements of residential design which are not required by law but will ultimately allow people of different ages, heights and abilities to easily use their homes. While some people are born with their disabilities, many more will develop issues through accidents, disease or complications from age. There is an increasing demand for accessible housing due to the aging of our population as well as those with war injuries. It is unfortunate that many may not have an opportunity to age in the place of their choice: they may be forced into less desirable and more expensive institutional facilities that may not offer the same quality of life. It is a concern if due to a change in circumstances a home becomes unusable for a homeowner, family member, or friend without a renovation to improve accessibility. Depending on the work needed to renovate a house these changes may be too expensive, too difficult to complete in a short time frame, or may not be physically possible. Through this presentation you will know what common design features should be considered when building or renovating a home, both what they look like and their costs. You will understand the need for and costs associated with homes that have universal design features and the importance these features play in sustaining present and future occupants. Universal Design is an important aspect of SustainAbility.
"Not So Difficult Approaches" to Begin or Improve Building Science University & College Programs
Authors: Patrick Huelman & Sam Taylor
Publication Date: 3/2/2016
Description:
This paper will suggest approaches for beginning, expanding, and improving building science education in colleges and universities – in the context of increasing university and other constraints to changes in curricula. Examples would be provided for infusion of building science into traditional courses and the teaching of building science fundamentals. Resources for adapting traditional courses and traditional teaching resources and teaching building science fundamentals, as well as special advanced courses, would be described.
The Toronto Building Science Education Workshop, April 6, 2014, as well as previous meetings and workshops, addressed institutional and other issues impeding building science education in universities and colleges. Possible solutions to the issues were raised, and priority near term actions was suggested. The need was identified for a having good building science fundamentals course, perhaps in the second or third year of undergraduate programs, and infusion of building science into traditional courses (since crowded curricula left little room for new courses). Also, continued support for special courses such as “building science for building enclosures, and building forensics, was noted.
The Second Annual Westford Building Science Education Update, August 3, 2014, began this process. At Westford, the development of a new Building Science Fundamentals textbook, with slide modules adaptable by professors, was announced. A new series of webinars on building science infusion and fundamentals would review approaches and content for both infusion and fundamentals. Also announced were expanded building science resources for the Race to Zero (RTZ) Student Design Competition. The first two RTZ competitions have resulted in almost 50 schools with motivated students and faculty understanding the value of building science education, many demonstrating good building science competency. With a growing number of schools participating in the RTZ and their motivated faculty, it is important that “not so difficult” approaches and teaching resources are available to implement or 16 expand university building science education.
Improving the Energy Audit: Findings of the NELC Holistic Approach on Real Homes’ Energy Consumption
Authors: Kevin Ketchman, Vikas Khanna, David Riley, & Melissa Bilec
Publication Date: 3/2/2016
Description:
Curbing demand-side energy consumption is a vital component to successful energy policy in the United States and worldwide. The energy audit is considered a key player in disseminating energy information, influencing energy efficiency investments, and bridging the energy efficiency gap within the residential sector, where 20% of national energy consumption occurs. However, state-of-the-practice energy audits fall short in fulfilling this role. Studies suggest as high as 70% of energy retrofit recommendations are ignored by homeowners (Murphy 2014). A study by Fuller et al. at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (2010) examined fourteen existing energy efficiency programs across the nation to discern successful factors in delivering energy efficiency measures to homeowners. They concluded that a holistic approach must be adopted by energy audits to see increased implementation of energy retrofits, a conclusion supported by other researchers in the community (Masoso and Grobler 2010; Ingle, Moezzi et al. 2012; Palmer, Walls, et al. 2013; Hoicka, Parker et al. 2014).
Applying a holistic approach to energy assessments, the National Energy Leadership Corps (NELC) has developed a method for engaging homeowners’ on their energy consumption through student-performed energy assessments. NELC Energy assessments are adapted from standard energy audits to reduce costly measurements and analysis and increase emphasis on occupant engagement and provide an ideal setting for building deeper relationships with homeowners. The DOE funded NELC program was launched by Penn State and implemented at the University of Pittsburgh in 2012 where over 120 energy assessments have been completed throughout the Pittsburgh, PA community. The lessons learned through the development of the NELC will be presented, and a comparison of utility bills prior to and since the performed energy assessment in combination with pre- and postassessment survey data will be included.
Twelve Home Case Study Homes in Michigan Yield Surprising Moisture and Air Leakage Data
Authors: Brian Lieburn
Publication Date: 3/2/2016
Description:
A multi-home, 5 year research project, Dow Building Solutions in partnership with Cobblestone Homes, to investigate the performance of building enclosures designed to meet and exceed energy code requirements. Twelve case study single family research houses were constructed in Midland, MI (CZ 5) with four building energy efficiency strategies. Research has now been collected for four years on the cost to build, energy use, and hygrothermal performance of the various strategies. Occupant surveys provide qualitative insight to the value of High Performance Homes. We will present surprising data related to hygrothermal performance of two different strategies used to insulate walls and rim joist areas.
The PHFA Project: A National Net-Zero-Energy-Capable Affordable Housing Initiative
Authors: Tim McDonald
Publication Date: 3/2/2016
Description:
In the Spring of 2014 The PHFA Project set out to have all affordable housing in Pennsylvania be designed and constructed to a Net‐Zero‐Energy‐ Capable standard by 2030. In 2015 PHFA became the first Housing Finance Agency in the country to adopt “Passive House” as part of their scoring criteria. PHFA awarded funding to EIGHT multifamily Passive House projects, 422 units, the largest concentration of Net‐Zero Energy‐Capable dwelling units in the country. The construction cost premium was less than 2%. 35 other State Housing Finance Agencies are currently engaged to replicate this initiative underway in PA.
The PHFA Project is changing the conversation about the viability and “affordability” of Passive House/Net‐Zero‐Energy‐Capable affordable housing in the United States. Within the first year of this 15 year project, a momentous shift in both the awareness and adoption of Passive House design and building principles within the development community in the US is occurring. Additionally, while this project is initially targeted at the ‘affordable housing’ sector, it also trains precisely the same design and building professionals responsible for the ‘market‐rate housing’ sector. The PHFA Project, therefore, is a catalyst for radical and significant market penetration of Passive House/Net‐Zero‐Energy‐Capable housing not just in Pennsylvania but throughout the country. This presentation will tell the story of The PHFA Project, its conceptual origins at Temple University, the unique opportunity inherent within policy‐driven strategies of Housing Authorities across the United States and the importance of the collaborative and interdisciplinary group of “stakeholders” that have made it a reality in PA. It will also present several multi‐family projects Passive House projects funded through the first round in both PA and other States.
Using Real World Data to Make the Case for Passive House
Authors: Laura Nettleton & Michael Whartnaby
Publication Date: 3/2/2016
Description:
Developers and building owners are skeptical about how much energy can be saved by building to the Passive House standard. They are even more skeptical about those predicted savings in large-scale multi-family retrofits. There is skepticism in the marketplace about real savings because many developers have been led to have high expectations only to find themselves with very modest reductions in energy consumption. Passive House offers real hope in this area and measured utility data from completed retrofits are a way to begin to tell this story.
The savings from Passive House are huge and they can have real impact on a building’s operational costs. This session will analyze data from a Passive House retrofit and show how Passive House can significantly alter a building’s proforma. Real utility data from a recent 48,000 square foot 84 unit Passive House multi-family retrofit will be presented along with examples of building proformas that pass utility savings into the hands of the developer or building owner.
This presentation will identify benchmarking tools and resources, including the Commercial Building Energy Consumption Survey, the Residential Energy Consumption Survey, utility consumption history, and modeled energy consumption. Actual energy consumption from the first 12 months of operation after a Passive House retrofit will be compared to the various benchmarks established for that occupancy to establish actual operational cost savings of Passive House versus “standard” building practices and the existing building stock.
Measured energy savings will be used to demonstrate the value added proposition of Passive House in the retrofit market…namely, how to turn energy efficiency into an income stream for the building owner over the life of the building. Based on real world savings attained by retrofitting to Passive House Standards, significant positive cash flow for a proposed retrofit will be demonstrated. The proposed project to be evaluated is a 66,000 square foot multi-unit affordable residential renovation and addition to a masonry school building. Positive cash flow and payback period can be optimized by taking into account the impact of first cost, utility cost over time, and rent/utility structure. Various rent/utility structures will be examined as part of the cash flow analysis.
Evaluating Small-Diameter Ductwork in High-Performance Homes
Authors: Andrew Poerschke
Publication Date: 3/2/2016
Description:
IBACOS will discuss current and ongoing research into alternative and simplified space conditioning strategies. Modern, energy efficient homes require new approaches to providing comfort while maximizing energy efficiency. Results from six test homes investigating the comfort and performance of a small diameter duct system and a mini split heat pump, compared to conventionally sized ducts will be presented for both the heating and cooling season. Cutting edge research on a duct manifold system currently being studied at the Pittsburgh unoccupied lab house will also be presented. These results represent the first field test of a new duct design and configuration methodology that IBACOS has been investigating, which promises to greatly simplify the design and installation of air distribution systems.
Comprehensive Enclosure QA fror Multi-family Residential Projects
Authors: John Runkle
Publication Date: 3/2/2016
Description:
Wood framed multi-family residential buildings are often overlooked for application of state of the art practices as they are viewed as highly commoditized, cheap and fast construction. Additionally, the desire for increased durability and energy performance is often not a driver as developers frequently sell these units and utility costs are born by the tenant. However, many large developers are starting to alter their stance by seeking comprehensive building enclosure quality assurance to minimize the chances of leaks/litigation/mold, reduce energy usage, minimize maintenance, maintain unit delivery and ultimately enhance the value of their units. But, as the functional performance layers required for environmental separation (e.g. air, water, thermal and vapor) are buried within the wall assembly such that they are not visible/ accessible post construction, the importance of sound design and construction is increased, and effective building enclosure quality assurance plans must start early in the design process and include elements such as mock-ups so that early learning is maximized.
A robust quality assurance program can be created by involving building enclosure professionals during the early stages of design and continuing throughout the O & M phase. This presentation will review this comprehensive enclosure quality assurance process, including:
• Creating a clear Owner’s Project Requirements (OPR) document outlining the performance expectations of the building enclosure.
• Systems discussions with all team members, including the Owner, Architect, General Contractor and other consultants as they relate to the building enclosure.
• How the use of Revit models assists in the construction process
• The use of web-based systems for coordination and tracking of inspections by the building enclosure professionals
• The use of methods such as Electric Field Vector Mapping and Field Testing such as ASTM E1105 or D5957 to assist with verification of installed assemblies
• Final verifications, and one year walkthroughs after substantial completion
Resilient New Design and Retrofit of Existing Buildings at Risk of Natural Disasters
Authors: Tim Smail
Publication Date: 3/2/2016
Description:
In response to Superstorm Sandy, Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH)® partners, including the American Institute of Architects, developed a Resilient Design Guide (Guide) for high-wind, wood-frame construction. The purpose of the Guide is to convey the why, how and what of enhanced wind-resistant construction practices while offering a way to “upgrade” basic house plans to a more resilient approach. The “why” explains that 39 million U.S. homes are at risk from winds that can exceed 110 mph and that, per the Insurance Research Council’s, “2015 Trends in Homeowners Insurance Claims”, claim costs have increased rapidly over the 17-year period from 1997-2013. Moreover, the report suggests that driving factors include, “… the growing frequency and severity of storms; the growing size and complexity of homes; and, dramatic increases in the price of oil-based building materials.”
The Guide demonstrates “how” to achieve resilience by breaking down the home into components, including roof systems, wall systems, foundations, floor systems, and building site. It uses simple graphics and color coding to differentiate (1) ordinary, (2) high-wind and (3) resilient construction. The “what” looks at the specific materials and construction practices that can increase disaster resilience.
This session will highlight the partnerships that went into producing the Guide, the technical information in the Guide, and opportunities for development of additional Guides, including the upcoming Resilient Design Guide for Alternative Materials.
ABAA Air Barrier Research Project
Authors: Peter Spafford & Laverne Dalgleish
Publication Date: 3/2/2016
Description:
The Air Barrier Research Project covers years of in field testing and laboratory testing using ASTM E2357 test requirements. The key question to answer was “Do air barriers reduce energy use?” For years the Department of Energy stated in their documents that reduced air leakage could account for 10% to 40% energy savings for heating and cooling. The hypothesis for this research was that air barriers do save energy used to heat and cool a building. The research covers the construction and monitoring of wall specimens in a two story teat facility which was constructed at Syracuse University. There were two rounds of testing, one set involved air barrier manufacturers installing two different air barriers on the wall specimens and then monitoring these over a period of one year. The second set of wall specimens were constructed into three different air leakage rates using the seven different types of air barriers recognized by the Air Barrier Association of America. Laboratory testing of air barrier sub-assemblies was also conducted on wood framed walls. Some of the results were unexpected.
Designing & Building Resilient Wall Systems with Engineered Rainscreen Products
Authors: Peter Spafford & Laverne Dalgleish
Publication Date: 3/2/2016
Description:
Moisture management is the single most critical function in designing and constructing a building. Today owners want buildings that are resilient, efficient and durable. This presentation covers the key benefits and requirements to building a resilient wall assembly and explores the use of engineered rainscreen technology to do so. The presentation will cover how an engineered rainscreen functions and how this technology can be used to build a resilient wall assembly. The new standard ASTM E2925 – 14 Standard Specification for Manufactured Polymeric Drainage and Ventilation Materials Used to Provide a Rainscreen Function will be introduced and explained. The presentation will show how a rainscreen wall can improve upon traditional construction methods and how it can be designed and constructed to produce a resilient wall assembly.
Finally, the Truth about Condensation
Authors: Dan Tempas & Brian Lieburn
Publication Date: 3/2/2016
Description:
A lot of ink has been spilled in describing the movement, condensation, and evaporation of water vapor through a building envelope. Unfortunately, all too much of it has been incomplete or even downright wrong. In this presentation the physics of water vapor transport will described in detail. Some sacred cows will be slain and fundamental concepts regarding more robust envelope designs will be described. Also a look at the strengths and drawbacks of various calculation methods including the humble Dewpoint/Glaser method and the vaunted WUFI. Not for the faint of heart or slow of wit, be ready get re-acquainted with Dihydrogen Oxide on both the molecular and macroscopic scales.
Innovations in Senior Living
Authors: James M. Tracy, Steve Muller, Linford L. Good, & Jack Willenbrock
Publication Date: 3/2/2016
Description:
Vibrant Amenity Spaces Enhance Social Opportunities
One of the primary keys for Willow Valley Communities in continuing to attract and engage the active senior has been its dedication to creating innovative common area environments that provide social gathering places and allow Residents to explore various recreational and cultural opportunities. This part of the session will provide an overview of some of the key ideas and design concepts Willow Valley Communities is using to create vibrant social spaces for their Residents. The discussion will focus on four trends in Senior Living --- Wellness & Cultural Activities, Socialization & Intergenerational Engagement, Indoor/Outdoor Connections, and Unique Dining Venues. An 80,000 sq. ft. Cultural Center features large fitness and aquatics spaces, outpatient therapy, a café and a day spa on its lower level. On the upper level, there is an education room, a two-section ballroom and a 500-seat theater. Through a design-build approach, Willow Valley has been able to create a cost-effective space that has a profound impact on bringing Residents from both campuses together. The addition of a 30,000 sq. ft. Clubhouse allows Willow Valley Communities to expand its offerings and deepen its commitment to intergenerational interaction. The building features a bowling alley, a sports center, outdoor pool and tennis courts, a game room, conference area, private dining and a 200-seat full service restaurant and bar. Again, our design-build approach allows for maximum cost-effectiveness.
Improving the Quality of Residential Life Through Small-Scale Neighborhood Design
Garden Spot Village is developing a small-scale neighborhood community that we believe will make a big difference in the quality and health of the lives of those who will live there. Post WWII residential and community design has centered on accessibility by automobile, increasing physical distance between living accommodations and shopping, industry or services, and decreasing or eliminating sustainable travel like walking and bicycling. Small-scale neighborhood design brings back walkability and encourages social interaction. It is not a new concept, but rather one that predates the rise of a suburban lifestyle that has left many in our society living as nameless, faceless people in anonymous neighborhoods. We will explore our application of this pattern of housing which fosters a strong sense of community among nearby neighbors, while preserving their need for privacy. It draws on design principles from a by-gone era, when people lived in small villages or tight-night neighborhoods and where they knew, and were known by, their neighbors. Often referred to as pocket neighborhoods, these are small, clustered groups of neighboring houses gathered around a shared commons or green space. They are communities where people live a “front porch life” that facilitates social interaction and relationships. This style of community will offer a number of significant benefits that will allow individuals to live healthier, more active lives as they age.
Hybrid Homes: The Best of Both Worlds
Hybrid homes offer a senior living option that combines the best of both single-level cottage homes and multi-story apartment living. Multiple exposures, garage parking, outdoor living and an absence of corridors are like a cottage home. Apartment-like features include indoor access to common areas providing opportunities for social connections in shared living spaces including hearth rooms and a community room. Three-story building is comprised of ground floor parking garage with six hybrid homes on each of the two floors above. A small-scale building of 12 homes allows for efficiencies of residential construction, yet offers the higher density of multi-story construction. The number of homes on the plot is 3 times greater than single-level homes constructed on the same parcel (25 hybrid homes vs. 8 cottage homes). Hybrid homes offer many other “green” features in addition to density. Under building parking reduces impervious coverage and the “heat island” effect of surface parking lots. Geothermal heating and cooling does not emit greenhouse gasses and delivers a high efficiency rating by transferring heat rather than burning something. Rainwater harvesting, raingardens and porous paving better manage storm water.
