Model+House

//This page contains materials associated with the model home, and the equipment systems similar to those to be found in the Chesonis Commons.// **Ark House by 9x30 Design**  The following write-up was provided by 9x30 Design.
 * ICF** foundation and walls have graphite nano particles ranging from 0.8 to 1.2 microns in diameter embedded within the foam forms. The particles act as millions of radiant heat barriers in addition to the insulation properties of the Expanded PolySyrene. The ICF block design is such that furring strips (having less insulation value than the EPS) are embedded 5/8" within the wall, further reducing thermal breaks. The wall cores are 8" thick 3500-4000 psi concrete reinforced two ways with ASTM 60 steel.


 * GeoFoam** insulation was used as a 12" thick layer under the first floors radiant concrete slab. The foam is structural EPS. While the majority of the foam was rated for 1050 PSF compressive resistance, certain areas have denser, 1570 PSF compressive resistance.


 * Windows** are aluminum clad wood with SHGC and Low-E glass coatings that are tailored to the design of the building. For most windows, dual layer Low-E2 coatings were applied, but in the sitting room, the glass has only one coat of Low-E on surface #2 to allow for greater solar gain in winter months, while still maintaining some level of interior radiance reflectance and a low U-value. The single layer coating is on the inside face of the exterior glass to enhance radiant heat capture in winter (surface#2). The inside layer of glass will be slightly tinted, allowing it to absorb and retain heat The 7 degree inclined sitting room framing will allow for on-going testing and monitoring of solar chimney stack effect by using an array of double and triple walled polycarbonates tailored to absorb or reflect specific wavelengths of EMF and ducting exhaust to an electronic skylight. Various solar shading devices ranging from green wall to light shelves to perforated aluminum sheets will used to reject high altitude solar gain while maintaining views. A star-viewing skylight 8' wide, will span across a sleeping area in one room. The glass for this skylight is a combination of tempered and laminated glass for safety reasons, but by custom designing the glazing with low-Fe glass and selective low-E coatings, we are able to get an extremely high visible light transmittance, while maintaining good U-values and solar shading coefficients.


 * Rainscreen Siding** is made up of Western Red Cedar planks over an air gap over a UV resistant water-shedding fabric which maintains high vapor permeability. The horizontal planks do not touch each other and air is allowed to flow freely behind the siding. This assembly allows the wood siding to dry evenly from both sides, reducing cupping, checking, rot, and other long term damage. For energy efficiency, the siding acts a louver, shading the house in summer from the direct sun. In winter, the siding breaks laminar wind flow, creating eddies inside the air gap. The turbulent air significantly reduces wind speed on house, reducing the conductive heat loss through wind chill. In addition, the turbulent air creates a minimal amount of friction, which will, theoretically increase air temperature within the air gap cavity. Multiple temperature sensors will be placed inside and outside the rain screen cavity for ongoing performance monitoring.


 * Spray Foam Insulation** was used on the remaining exterior envelope surfaces that do not have either ICF or GeoFoam. The open cell foam allows for vapor to be released while maintaining a high level air barrier, dramatically reducing air infiltration, which in traditional construction can contribute to as much as 15% heat loss. To prevent condensation within foam, a vapor barrier will be placed on inside that will work in conjunction with the high permeability of the exterior assembly.


 * Solar Photo Voltaic** - 6.4 kW of roof mounted PV panels to provide a significant portion of the yearly electric use.


 * VAWT** - a micro vertical axis wind turbine (lOOwatt) will be installed on the building to produce power. This may be connected to a battery back-up system and not grid tied. TBD.


 * Solar Hydronic** system uses 16 copper heat exchangers suspended in a vacuum tube to capture radiant energy from the sky to produce how water. Because the technology is based in radiant heat capture in a vacuum, the efficiency is nearly the identical whether the outdoor temperature is 0 degrees or 100 degrees. In addition, the system can work at night by capturing radiant energy from cloud cover. Each tube is modular and reverse coated with metallic ions to reflect any downward radiant heat back into the exchanger plate. In summer, excess heat will be dumped into a hot tub that uses friction fittings to create base heat from turbulent water flow. When hot tub is heated to maximum temperature, the heat dump will transfer to a horizontal ground loop under a garden area. The goal of this is to extend the short growing season of food crops in upstate NY.


 * Solar Chimney** uses the stack effect of convection currents to exhaust hot air out of the home while creating a low pressure zone which can then draw in cooler air from a vent or open window on the north side of home. Studies have shown that a 7 degree temperature difference between exterior north and south sides of structures are typical. Although the height of this area may not be high enough to passively cool the entire home, we are in the process of experimenting with various shading devices, ventilation techniques, and triple and quadruple-walled glazing assemblies.


 * Dx Geothermal** system uses an Earth Tap with 7 legs to transfer heat energy to and from the ground. In winter, heat is tapped from the Earth and condensed in the home to be used in the radiant floor heating network. In summer, heat is returned to the Earth and the cool water the system produces supplies air fan coils located throughout the home. Direct Exchange technology, having a COP close to 5.0 is one of the most efficient geothermal systems available due the capture of latent heat from a material phase change. A new type of heat exchanger will be used that increases efficiencies of making chilled water by making use of fluid dynamic convection currents inside a double walled cylinder.

Masonry Heater has a series of smoke cambers within the fireplace which increase the surface contact area of the thermal mass masonry and the hot combustion gases. Some the smoke is re-routed back into the flame to be re-burnt, capturing addition heat in the form of BTUs from the fuel source. The firing and heat capture is so efficient, the amount of particulates finally being exhausted out the flue are only a fraction of a traditional wood burning fireplace. This masonry heater includes a hydronic heat exchanger which can be used to heat the radiant flooring, domestic hot water, or hot tub.
 * Weather Station** a multi function weather station will be roof mounted with its own solar PV power source and wireless transmitter. It will record various weather data, including temperature, wind speed and direction, rainfall, barometric pressure, and trends.


 * Fireplace Alternative** would use a modem high efficiency wood burning firebox that has a sealed door and direct combustion air from outdoors. A blower inside the firebox will create an air wall which will re-burn smoke particles to capture additional energy stored within the carbon based fuel. Two gravity heat ducts will feed the second floor common and kitchen/dining areas.


 * Water Wall**, although decorative, this 18' tall water feature has the function of actively controlling humidity levels within the home. In winter the flow of water down the wall adds approximately 40 SF of surface area for water evaporation to occur. The rate of evaporation can be controlled by modifying the temperature of the water and/or flow rate. In summer, when humidity levels are high, the water is chilled using the Dx Geothermal to around 38 degrees Fahrenheit. The chilled solution will condense water vapor out of the air and return it to the fountain tank. The rate of condensation can be controlled with both solution temperature and air flow over cool surface.


 * Heat Recovery Ventilator** and HEPA filtration supplies the home with fresh air year-round. In the winter the cross-member heat exchanger captures the heat in the exhaust air and transfers that heat to the incoming exterior temperature air. This capture of heat reduces the amount of energy needed to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature. In summer, the opposite occurs, where the cooled indoor air partially chills and reduces humidity from the incoming fresh air that may have high temperatures and high humidity.


 * Cool Roof** technology allows a roof surface to dramatically break the conduction heat transfer between roofing and insulation. The factory assembled panels offer a substrate for the roofing material to be raised above a continuous layer of insulation, creating an air space that connects to the rain screen air space and can exhaust out ridge vents. The bottom layer of continuous insulation acts as a thermal break above the structural members of the roof.

**Green Wall or Hanging Garden**? This area allows for growth of food throughout the year, early start of garden seedlings, humidity stabilization, adds oxygen and absorbs C0 2.
 * Lighting** technology will make use of solid state printed LEDs. Two main color temperatures will be combined to offer illumination close to natural daylight. With a width of 1/2" and height of 1/16", up to 16' long strips of LEDs can be mounted in unique locations. These are rated to have 50,000 hr life spans, use only 3 watts, and can be controlled in a variety of ways.