Reports

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Developing Energy Performance Remodeling “Start-up” Kit – Draft

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The Department of Energy’s Building America (BA) Program is a research and development program to improve the energy performance of new and existing homes. The ultimate goal of the Building America Program is to achieve examples of cost-effective, energy efficient solutions for all U.S. climate zones. This goal will be met using a whole-house system engineering approach and by uniting segments of the industry that traditionally work independently of one another, including architects, engineers, builders, remodelers, trade contractors, manufacturers, material suppliers, community planners, and mortgage lenders.

“Best in Class” Report: Energy Efficient Exterior Wall Design (Mixed Humid Climate)

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The design and implementation of a highly energy efficient exterior wall that is durable and cost effective is a critical component of a high performing home and can pose a challenge to production builders. As energy efficiency requirements increase for building codes and voluntary programs such as Energy Star and green building programs, the production builder must evaluate numerous designs and products in order to optimize framing, insulation, fenestration, and air sealing. An example of a successful energy efficient wall design is the implementation feature of this report.

30% Energy Efficiency Solution Package Presentation

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Evaluation of the Lateral Performance of Roof Truss-to-Wall Connections in Light Light-Frame Wood Systems

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The 2009 International Residential Code (IRC) includes new requirements for roof-to-wall connections (Section R602.10.6) at braced wall panels. These new requirements were introduced in a related effort to the work of the ICC Ad Hoc Committee on Wall Bracing with the intent to clarify or, where appropriate, reinforce the lateral load path between the roof and the braced wall panels of the supporting walls below. Particularly, significant changes were introduced for homes with high-heel trusses or deep rafters and for homes located in high hazard areas (wind speeds of 100 mph or higher or Seismic Design Category D0, D1, or D2). The requirements include provisions for additional fastening, blocking, knee walls, sheathing, or a combination of those elements. These requirements were further clarified and refined for the 2012 IRC.

Test Plan: Environmental, Energy and Moisture Monitoring for Winchester/Camberley Homes’ NCTH (Mixed Humid Climate)

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Winchester/Camberley Homes is partnering with Home Innovation Research Labs on a new construction test home (NCTH) in Silver Spring, MD in the mixed humid climate. The Building America goals for this test home are twofold: 1) to develop and implement optimized framing air sealing, and insulation systems that increase the wall insulation level by 30% and improve air sealing effectiveness with minimized cost increases, and 2) integrate the envelope and space conditioning systems into a high performing home design that can be constructed on a production basis using quality management practices. As a BA test home, this home will be evaluated to detail energy use as well as wall moisture performance.

Analysis to Light-Frame Wood Residential Buildings

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Seismic design of buildings has its basis in a combination of (1) empirical knowledge (observational and measured data) and (2) engineering analysis. The experience accumulated from seismic events and large-scale tests provides confidence in engineering models and serves to establish acceptable levels of risk for code compliance.

Imported Problematic Drywall: Identification Strategies and Remediation Guidelines

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On March 4, 2011, NAHB’s Chinese Drywall Task Force unveiled the testing and remediation guidelines in this guidance document for association members who have questions about how to detect and remediate problematic drywall. At the time of publication some of the information contained in this document was based on interim guidance from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) pending the completion of the CPSC’s scientific studies and readers were advised to pay close attention to the results of those studies when they were made available to the public.

Domestic Hot Water System Piping Insulation: Analysis of Benefits and Cost

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Increasing the efficiency of water heating equipment is one means to achieve energy savings in the hot water system; however, the piping distribution system itself is now being scrutinized to determine opportunities for further hot water system savings. Often accepted approaches to energy savings in the hot water piping system are to reduce the length of piping to the outlets and to insulate the hot water pipes. Less regarded as an energy savings feature is the reduction in size of the hot water lines to outlets, which can reduce pipe losses, as other plumbing system performance issues such a pressure drop and fluid velocity must be considered. All of these approaches will result in lower piping system losses. The purpose of this study is to outline the mechanisms of energy savings in the piping distribution system and to estimate the range of energy savings resulting from pipe insulation based on simulated hot water use profiles.

Effect of Cladding Systems on Moisture Performance of Wood-Framed Walls in a Mixed-Humid Climate

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A 22-month field investigation of nine different north- and south-oriented wood-framed wall assemblies was conducted to determine the moisture performance of various wall construction types, most of which incorporated absorptive cladding. The study was conducted on the campus of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Home Innovation, in Upper Marlboro, MD, 20 miles east of Washington, DC, in a mixed humid climate. Moisture content of the sheathing and wall cavity temperatures were measured at various points in each wall section. The primary performance measure was moisture content of the wood-based structural sheathing.

Commercially Viable Energy Efficiency Solution Package: Mixed Humid Climate, Current Best Practice

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Under the Building America Program, production builder Winchester Homes Inc. (WHI)’s Camberley Homes subsidiary teamed with Home Innovation Research Labs through Home Innovation Research Labs Industry Partnership to design a new construction test home that uses 30% less energy than a comparable house that meets the 2009 International Energy Conservation Code. With technical guidance from Home Innovation Research Labs, the builder selected technologies, design elements, and construction methods that minimize cost while achieving 30% energy savings. Ultimately this design is a commercially viable energy efficiency solution package for the mixed-humid climate addressing both energy efficiency and costs.