Sunday, March 28, 2010
Constructing Sustainabilty-Abstract Outline
Question:
How does an ultra insulated ICF perform with respect to cooling loads in a temperate Canadian climate with regard to thermal mass, R-value and building envelope when compared to traditional ICF and wood frame construction?
Abstract Outline:
Since Residential and Commercial buildings contribute about 25% of Canada’s overall greenhouse gas emissions (Canada, 1995, National Action Program on Climate Change), it has become paramount to consider and explore alternative building methods. One such method is to dramatically increase insulation and building envelope integrity through the use of ultra insulated concrete forms. Building with ICF’s also reduces thermal bridging when compared to standard wood frame construction.
Some uncertainties surround this method in relation to the contribution of concrete to the building’s thermal mass. Studies have demonstrated that with a continual egress of heat energy during the colder outdoor temperatures that the thermal mass effect during the winter months is negligible and at best, concrete in ICF’s serves to moderate indoor temperatures (Enermodal, 2006). While others claim that the thermal mass in the concrete of ICF’s is available and greatly contributes to energy savings (ICFA, 2008).
This study endeavours to understand the efficiency of ultra insulated concrete forms when compared to traditional ICF’s and wood frame construction and the availability of a thermal mass effect during the summer months and shoulder season. In a climate where dramatic day to night temperature fluctuations occur during the shoulder seasons, perhaps this thermal mass energy deposited during the warm fall days will be available to warm the home when indoor temperatures drop. Generally, with exterior temperatures dropping at a faster rate than indoor temperatures, the heat would continue its exodus through the wall system. However, with increased insulation on the exterior of the concrete, some heat energy may be available to warm the interior. Conversely, during summer months, when the concrete is artificially cooled from the interior and the outdoor temperature falls at night, the cooled concrete may continue to absorb heat energy from the interior after cooling systems have been shut off for the night thereby reducing cooling loads.
In order to quantify any thermal mass effect that may occur, the 2010 YWCA/CHBA Green Dream Home will be used as a life sized laboratory. This home has been built in Kamloops and is constructed with R-44 insulated concrete forms. The thermal bridging has been reduced with careful consideration to deck connections and other details. Sensors are being installed at four locations within the house. At each location a sensor will be installed to monitor the temperature at the exterior of the wall, the exterior of the concrete, the interior of the concrete and the interior of the walls. The temperature gradient through the wall system will be monitored at set intervals throughout the day. This information will be interpreted and analyzed. The results will be compared to traditional ICF’s and wood frame construction as well as to theoretical expectations. The results of the blower door test for building envelope will also be considered and compared.
Building envelope has already proven its superiority with regular ICF’s when compared to wood frame construction. It is likely that the ultra insulated concrete forms will continue this trend to a place of even greater efficiency. With respect to thermal mass and cooling loads there is likely to be some benefit, it is the significance of this effect that remains a question.
How does an ultra insulated ICF perform with respect to cooling loads in a temperate Canadian climate with regard to thermal mass, R-value and building envelope when compared to traditional ICF and wood frame construction?
Abstract Outline:
Since Residential and Commercial buildings contribute about 25% of Canada’s overall greenhouse gas emissions (Canada, 1995, National Action Program on Climate Change), it has become paramount to consider and explore alternative building methods. One such method is to dramatically increase insulation and building envelope integrity through the use of ultra insulated concrete forms. Building with ICF’s also reduces thermal bridging when compared to standard wood frame construction.
Some uncertainties surround this method in relation to the contribution of concrete to the building’s thermal mass. Studies have demonstrated that with a continual egress of heat energy during the colder outdoor temperatures that the thermal mass effect during the winter months is negligible and at best, concrete in ICF’s serves to moderate indoor temperatures (Enermodal, 2006). While others claim that the thermal mass in the concrete of ICF’s is available and greatly contributes to energy savings (ICFA, 2008).
This study endeavours to understand the efficiency of ultra insulated concrete forms when compared to traditional ICF’s and wood frame construction and the availability of a thermal mass effect during the summer months and shoulder season. In a climate where dramatic day to night temperature fluctuations occur during the shoulder seasons, perhaps this thermal mass energy deposited during the warm fall days will be available to warm the home when indoor temperatures drop. Generally, with exterior temperatures dropping at a faster rate than indoor temperatures, the heat would continue its exodus through the wall system. However, with increased insulation on the exterior of the concrete, some heat energy may be available to warm the interior. Conversely, during summer months, when the concrete is artificially cooled from the interior and the outdoor temperature falls at night, the cooled concrete may continue to absorb heat energy from the interior after cooling systems have been shut off for the night thereby reducing cooling loads.
In order to quantify any thermal mass effect that may occur, the 2010 YWCA/CHBA Green Dream Home will be used as a life sized laboratory. This home has been built in Kamloops and is constructed with R-44 insulated concrete forms. The thermal bridging has been reduced with careful consideration to deck connections and other details. Sensors are being installed at four locations within the house. At each location a sensor will be installed to monitor the temperature at the exterior of the wall, the exterior of the concrete, the interior of the concrete and the interior of the walls. The temperature gradient through the wall system will be monitored at set intervals throughout the day. This information will be interpreted and analyzed. The results will be compared to traditional ICF’s and wood frame construction as well as to theoretical expectations. The results of the blower door test for building envelope will also be considered and compared.
Building envelope has already proven its superiority with regular ICF’s when compared to wood frame construction. It is likely that the ultra insulated concrete forms will continue this trend to a place of even greater efficiency. With respect to thermal mass and cooling loads there is likely to be some benefit, it is the significance of this effect that remains a question.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
New Thesis Question
Thesis Question:
How does an ultra insulated ICF perform with respect to cooling loads in a temperate Canadian climate with regard to thermal mass, R-value and building envelope when compared to traditional ICF and wood frame construction?
Applications:
Green Dream Home
Kamloops
Cooling Season
How does an ultra insulated ICF perform with respect to cooling loads in a temperate Canadian climate with regard to thermal mass, R-value and building envelope when compared to traditional ICF and wood frame construction?
Applications:
Green Dream Home
Kamloops
Cooling Season
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Getting Ready for Install
Here are some pictures of where the sensors will be installed. Some of the locations were cast into to concrete when it was poured and 2 will have to be drilled. We decided not to use the locations below grade since the most dramatic temperature differences will occur above grade. We are going to use one place as a bit of a control where regular ICF blocks were used between the garage and the house, but due to a last minute change in the roof design a small section is exposed to the exterior.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Install of Sensors
http://www.nakedpastor.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/tug-of-war.jpg
Trying to co-ordinate the install of the sensors has proved to be a challenge. Since I know very little about either end, I have an Electrical Engineer from the University helping by building the sensors. As an academic, he is about meticulous detail and retesting equipment. On the other end, there is the contractor, who is on a very tight timeline to close the walls up and move forward. Hopefully it all works out.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Updated Proposal
2010 YWCA/CHBA Green Dream Home Rendering by Dale Parkes
Introduction
"Residential and commercial buildings contribute directly to Canada's greenhouse gas emissions through the combustion of fossil fuels to meet water and space-heating requirements. In addition, the residential and commercial sectors contribute, indirectly through electrical consumption. The total represents approximately 25% of Canada's overall greenhouse gas emissions."-- Canada, 1995, National Action Program on Climate Change.
Not only do buildings contribute greatly to global warming but as energy costs continue to rise, our current methods of living will become unaffordable. To decrease these costs, it is becoming increasingly more financially viable to find alternative building methods. Increased insulation and a more effective building envelope can significantly reduce energy demands.
Summary Statement
How does an R44 Insulated Concrete Form (ICF) wall perform with respect to thermal mass, r-value, and building envelope when compared to traditional ICF walls and wood frame construction based on actual performance, theoretical performance, and manufacturer’s expectations?
Purpose
To explore the feasibility and performance of an alternative method of construction I plan to test the performance of the wall assembly of the 2010 YWCA/CHBA Green Dream Home (Part of the CMHC EQuilibrium initiative). This house, designed by myself, uses a Logix XRV ICF that has 8 inches of insulation on the exterior of the wall compared to regular ICFs that have 2.75 inches of insulation on the exterior. Concrete normally has a thermal mass that acts as a heat storage system and can serve to regulate temperature. This ‘mass effect’ may or may not contribute to the wall performance since ICFs also have a layer of insulation on the inside of the concrete. There is very little data regarding the performance of this wall system and professional opinions seem to vary on the topic. It would be valuable to quantify the performance and either substantiate or rebuff these opinions.
Goals and Objectives
The objectives of this study are to assess:
1) how and when heat dissipates and transfers through this wall system with regard to time of day and time of year,
2) the existence of a thermal mass effect with regard to cooling loads,
3) if a thermal mass effect is more accessible in this variation of ICF block due to an uneven distribution of insulation,
4)how a thermal mass effect, if one is present, will improve the overall thermal performance of the building, and
5)the actual and effective thermal resistance of the XRV ICF panel and the overall thermal performance of the wall system.
Methodology and Analytical Approach
In order to measure the temperature gradient of the wall it will be necessary to construct an ICF temperature gradient probe using PVC pipe and LM35 Precision Centigrade Temperature sensors (or similar semi conductor). Once sensors are installed in the probe, the pipe air voids will be filled with spray insulation. The pipe will be filled with spray insulation. The wall will be measured in four places (see wall section) and in four locations. The sensors will be doubled at each location to account for error. The sensors will be set to record a measurement at a set interval. Data will either be acquired through a hobo logger data acquisition device (2 per location) or be routed to a central data acquisition hardware device interfaced to a computer running LabView software (National Instrument). The probes will be installed in February while the walls are still unfinished. The method used for theoretical calculations will be the ASHRAE CLTD method.
Previous Studies and Related Information
Few studies have been performed on ICF wall systems and with varying results. The information available is contradictory. Some studies suggest that “the only limitation of ICF is the ability to recover heat from thermal mass” and that it “does provide buffering during swings in temperature” (Enermodal, 2006). While the ICF association suggests that “the ICF concrete core offers the characteristic thermal mass qualities of heat absorption and thermal lag” and serves to “moderate indoor temperature” (ICFA, 2008). But it seems, in general, that little is known, and even less about this particular type of ICF product or anything with a comparable insulation value. This model of ICF arrived on the marketplace in 2009. As the first of its kind, even less is known about the potential performance of this product.
Plans for Dissemination of Work
There are many parties interested in the results of this study and possible publication. Members of both the Canadian Home Builder’s Association and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. have expressed interest in the topic and offered assistance. There will be a BLOG written as part of a class assignment. The manufacture of the ICF blocks may desire some involvement in the study. There would be presentation opportunities in conjunction with CMHC’s EQuilibrium Home Demonstration initiative as well as opportunity to present at TRU related functions. In addition to the above mentioned venues, when I begin a career as a building designer and technologist I would incorporate this information in future building designs.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Research Proposal
Introduction
"Residential and commercial buildings contribute directly to Canada's greenhouse gas emissions through the combustion of fossil fuels to meet water and space-heating requirements. In addition, the residential and commercial sectors contribute, indirectly through electrical consumption. The total represents approximately 25% of Canada's overall greenhouse gas emissions."-- Canada, 1995, National Action Program on Climate Change.
Not only do buildings contribute greatly to global warming but as energy costs continue to rise, our current methods of living will become unaffordable. To decrease these costs, it is becoming increasingly more financially viable to find alternative building methods. Increased insulation and a more effective building envelope can significantly reduce energy demands.
Summary Statement
How does a super Insulated Concrete Form (ICF) wall perform with respect to thermal mass, r-value, and building envelope when compared to traditional ICF walls and wood frame construction based on actual performance, theoretical performance and manufacturer’s expectations?
Purpose
To explore the feasibility and performance of an alternative method of construction I plan to test the performance of the wall assembly of the 2010 YWCA/CHBA Green Dream Home (Part of the CMHC EQuilibrium initiative). This house, designed by myself, uses a Logix XRV ICF that has 8 inches of insulation on the exterior of the wall compared to regular ICFs that have 2.75 inches of insulation on the exterior. Concrete normally has a thermal mass that acts as a heat storage system and can serve to regulate temperature. This ‘mass effect’ may or may not contribute to the wall performance since ICFs also have a layer of insulation on the inside of the concrete. There is very little data regarding the performance of this wall system and professional opinions seem to vary on the topic. It would be interesting to quantify the performance and either substantiate or rebuff these opinions.
Goals and Objectives
The objectives of this study are to assess:
1) how and when heat dissipates and transfers through this wall system with regard to time of day and time of year,
2) the existence of a thermal mass effect with regard to cooling loads,
3) if a thermal mass effect is more accessible in this variation of ICF block due to an uneven distribution of insulation,
4) how a thermal mass effect, if one is present, will improve the overall thermal performance of the building, and
5) the actual and effective thermal resistance of the XRV ICF panel and the overall thermal performance of the wall system.
Methodology and Analytical Approach
In order to measure the temperature gradient of the wall it will be necessary to construct an ICF temperature gradient probe using PVC pipe and LM35 Precision Centigrade Temperature sensors (or similar semi conductor). The pipe will be filled with spray insulation. The wall will be measured in four places (see wall section) and in four locations. The sensors will be doubled at each location to account for error. The sensors will be set to record a measurement at a set interval. Data will either be acquired through a hobo logger data acquisition device (1 per location) or be routed to a central data acquisition hardware device hooked up to a computer running lab view software (National Instrument). The probes will be installed in February while the walls are still unfinished. The method used for theoretical calculations will be the ASHRAE CLTD method.
Previous Studies and Related Information
Few studies have been performed on ICF wall systems and with varying results. The information available is contradictory. Some studies suggest that “the only limitation of ICF is the ability to recover heat from thermal mass” and that it “does provide buffering during swings in temperature” (Enermodal, 2006). While the ICF association suggests that “the ICF concrete core offers the characteristic thermal mass qualities of heat absorption and thermal lag” and serves to “moderate indoor temperature” (ICFA, 2008). But it seems, in general, that little is known, and even less about this particular type of ICF product or anything with a comparable insulation value. This model of ICF arrived on the marketplace in 2009. As the first of its kind, even less is known about the potential performance of this product.
Plans for Dissemination of Work
There are many parties interested in the results of this study and possible publication. Members of both the Canadian Home Builder’s Association and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. have expressed interest in the topic and offered assistance. There will be a BLOG written as part of a class assignment. The manufacture of the ICF blocks would like access if the study proves favourable to their cause. There would presentation opportunities in conjunction with CMHC’s EQuilibrium Home Demonstration initiative as well as opportunity to present at TRU related functions. In addition to the above mentioned venues, when I begin a career as a building designer and technologist I would incorporate this information in future building designs.
"Residential and commercial buildings contribute directly to Canada's greenhouse gas emissions through the combustion of fossil fuels to meet water and space-heating requirements. In addition, the residential and commercial sectors contribute, indirectly through electrical consumption. The total represents approximately 25% of Canada's overall greenhouse gas emissions."-- Canada, 1995, National Action Program on Climate Change.
Not only do buildings contribute greatly to global warming but as energy costs continue to rise, our current methods of living will become unaffordable. To decrease these costs, it is becoming increasingly more financially viable to find alternative building methods. Increased insulation and a more effective building envelope can significantly reduce energy demands.
Summary Statement
How does a super Insulated Concrete Form (ICF) wall perform with respect to thermal mass, r-value, and building envelope when compared to traditional ICF walls and wood frame construction based on actual performance, theoretical performance and manufacturer’s expectations?
Purpose
To explore the feasibility and performance of an alternative method of construction I plan to test the performance of the wall assembly of the 2010 YWCA/CHBA Green Dream Home (Part of the CMHC EQuilibrium initiative). This house, designed by myself, uses a Logix XRV ICF that has 8 inches of insulation on the exterior of the wall compared to regular ICFs that have 2.75 inches of insulation on the exterior. Concrete normally has a thermal mass that acts as a heat storage system and can serve to regulate temperature. This ‘mass effect’ may or may not contribute to the wall performance since ICFs also have a layer of insulation on the inside of the concrete. There is very little data regarding the performance of this wall system and professional opinions seem to vary on the topic. It would be interesting to quantify the performance and either substantiate or rebuff these opinions.
Goals and Objectives
The objectives of this study are to assess:
1) how and when heat dissipates and transfers through this wall system with regard to time of day and time of year,
2) the existence of a thermal mass effect with regard to cooling loads,
3) if a thermal mass effect is more accessible in this variation of ICF block due to an uneven distribution of insulation,
4) how a thermal mass effect, if one is present, will improve the overall thermal performance of the building, and
5) the actual and effective thermal resistance of the XRV ICF panel and the overall thermal performance of the wall system.
Methodology and Analytical Approach
In order to measure the temperature gradient of the wall it will be necessary to construct an ICF temperature gradient probe using PVC pipe and LM35 Precision Centigrade Temperature sensors (or similar semi conductor). The pipe will be filled with spray insulation. The wall will be measured in four places (see wall section) and in four locations. The sensors will be doubled at each location to account for error. The sensors will be set to record a measurement at a set interval. Data will either be acquired through a hobo logger data acquisition device (1 per location) or be routed to a central data acquisition hardware device hooked up to a computer running lab view software (National Instrument). The probes will be installed in February while the walls are still unfinished. The method used for theoretical calculations will be the ASHRAE CLTD method.
Previous Studies and Related Information
Few studies have been performed on ICF wall systems and with varying results. The information available is contradictory. Some studies suggest that “the only limitation of ICF is the ability to recover heat from thermal mass” and that it “does provide buffering during swings in temperature” (Enermodal, 2006). While the ICF association suggests that “the ICF concrete core offers the characteristic thermal mass qualities of heat absorption and thermal lag” and serves to “moderate indoor temperature” (ICFA, 2008). But it seems, in general, that little is known, and even less about this particular type of ICF product or anything with a comparable insulation value. This model of ICF arrived on the marketplace in 2009. As the first of its kind, even less is known about the potential performance of this product.
Plans for Dissemination of Work
There are many parties interested in the results of this study and possible publication. Members of both the Canadian Home Builder’s Association and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. have expressed interest in the topic and offered assistance. There will be a BLOG written as part of a class assignment. The manufacture of the ICF blocks would like access if the study proves favourable to their cause. There would presentation opportunities in conjunction with CMHC’s EQuilibrium Home Demonstration initiative as well as opportunity to present at TRU related functions. In addition to the above mentioned venues, when I begin a career as a building designer and technologist I would incorporate this information in future building designs.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Performance of an R44 ICF wall System
My project is to try to find out how well the Logix XRV ICF panels of the YMCA/CHBA Green Dream Home will perform. The information availible is contradictory at best, so many of us involved with the project were wondering what the actual story is. In my preliminary research I found some sources leaning in one direction and some leaning the opposite way. What ever happens, it is sure to be full of excitement just trying to coordinate this research project with all of the people and variables involved.
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