These pictures illustrate a few of the energy saving features that we
employ in some of our design and construction. All of these features were
implemented in the home at 190 Onion Creek Ranch Rd.
Passive Solar Home Design
Design a home to utilize the energy from the sun in winter months, yet control
the impact of solar heating during the summer months. Optimal orientation
of the home typically provides for sunlight to enter the home during the winter
months when the sun is low in the sky. Design should shield the sun from
the home during the summer months. Optimal orientation of the home is
within 30 degrees of a north and south axis with regard to faces of the
home which contain significant glazing.
Passive Solar Window Design
In cooling-dominated climates, as we have in central Texas, the preferred design
consists of north-facing windows and generously shaded south-facing windows.
Large porches shading these windows will provide optimum shelter from solar heat
gain during the hot summer months. Minimizing the area of glazing on the
western facing side of the house will minimize the heat gain during the hottest
portion of the day. Utilization of Low-E glazing in a high performance
window will greatly reduce the heat gain of a home as well. While wood
windows may offer better properties for thermal transmission over aluminum
frames, technologies utilizing "thermal-break" aluminum frames can offer
efficiency rivaling wood windows at a fraction of the cost.
Reflective Roofing
Reflective roofing can substantially decrease the amount of heat transferred
into a building by reflecting a significant portion of the sun's rays. By
reducing the transmission of heat into a building and attic space cooling demand
can be reduced by 10-15 percent. Externally venting the roof allows
the attic area to be sealed, while the natural convection airflow outside of the
attic envelope allows the roof to disperse heat and reduce heat absorption into
the building envelope. The properties of a metal roof also allow for
efficient and safe rainwater collection to further enhance the "green" aspect of
a metal roof. The life expectancy of a metal roof is dramatically greater
than a typical composition roof and will provide for many years of service.
Sealing and Insulating the entire
house envelope
In addition to adequate insulation and air sealing of the walls of a home, it is
equally and possibly more important in the cooling-dominated central Texas
climate to insulate and seal the attic envelope. This produces a home
which is "air-tight" and limits the infiltration of air and loss of energy
in a home. By insulating and sealing the attic you can greatly reduce
temperatures of a typical attic which can reach temperatures in excess of 130
degrees. Icynene is a water-blown foam insulation that minimizes air
leakage for increased energy efficiency, creates a healthier indoor environment
and completes the insulation of the entire house envelope. By minimizing
the temperature extremes of the attic area, the ductwork for the HVAC operates
more efficiently.
Cellulose Insulation
Cellulose insulation is made from recycled paper and is applied as either loose
fill into attics and close wall cavities or damp-sprayed into open wall
cavities. Due to its recycled content and potentially higher energy and
acoustic performance, cellulose is an environmentally-preferable product for
those areas which meet its capabilities.. Insulating between the attic
envelope and the upper ceiling structure with cellulose provides and additional
insulation layer of the inner home from the attic area.
Insulating Concrete Forms
Insulating Concrete Forms (ICF) are hollow foam blocks which are stacked into
the perimeter of the home forming the exterior walls, reinforced with steel
rebar, and then filled with concrete. The combination of the Expanded
Polystyrene (EPS) acting as the insulating material of your home, combined with
the structural building materials, steel reinforced concrete, provide a wall
system that is unmatched in comfort, energy efficiency, strength and noise
reduction. ICFs create a monolithic concrete wall that is 10 times
stronger than wood framed structures, providing for a tornado and hurricane
resistant wall that demonstrates increased fire resistance as well. This
type of wall structure provides a system which is superior in performance in
each area to other wall structures, i.e., wind resistance, energy-efficiency,
fire resistance, permanence.
High-Efficiency Dual-Fuel heat pump
A dual-fuel heat pump is an electric heat pump and gas furnace combination.
In central Texas, where temperatures are typically above freezing, a heat pump
is the least expensive way to heat your home (if outside temperatures are above
36 degrees). On the few occasions where the outside temperature drops
below about 36 degrees (the temperature at which a heat-pump greatly losses
efficiency), a gas furnace will provide heating for your home more economically.
By installing a high-efficiency HVAC system, you can minimize the energy
consumption necessary to provide comfort in your home. High-efficiency
units can provide control for indoor humidity level, air-handler fan speeds and
multi-stage compressors, which run will operate in varying modes to maximize the
heating and cooling efficiency of your home.
Energy Recovery Ventilator
An energy recovery ventilator (ERV) is a heat exchanger combined with a
ventilation system for providing controlled ventilation into a home. The
heat exchanger recovers up to 80 percent of the energy from the expelled indoor
air and transfers it to the incoming outdoor air. Energy Recovery
Ventilators (ERV) help maintain fresher indoor air and reduce humidity levels as
well as dust, pollen and other airborne particulates. With the increased
energy performance of a tightly sealed home, an ERV provides the necessary fresh
air injection into your home and maintains the necessary "air exchanges" per
hour to keep the environment in your home healthier, while minimizing energy
losses due to temperature differentials with outside air.
Rainwater Harvesting
In central Texas, water is a precious resource. Harvesting rainwater not
only provides a sustainable mechanism for your water needs, but does not rely on
chlorine for disinfection and can easily be made safe via filtration and UV
light treatment. Rainwater is the benchmark for purity and softness.
The zero hardness of rainwater helps prevent scale on the plumbing system
throughout the home.
On-demand Tankless water heater
Tankless water heaters heat water directly without the use of a storage tank and
therefore avoid the standby heat losses associated with storage water heaters,
which heat and store water during periods of non-use. By locating multiple
tankless water heaters near the points of use in a home you can realize energy
savings ranging from 30% to 50% and enjoy a virtually endless supply of hot
water. Typical tank type water heaters are 40% to 60% energy efficient.
Most tankless water heater provide energy efficiency in excess of 80%.
This increased level of efficiency combined with the comfort of an endless
supply of hot water make the tankless water heater a great choice.
Energy Star Appliances
Energy Star qualified appliances incorporate advanced technologies that use 10%
to 50% less energy and water than standard models. The money you save on
your utility bill can more than make up for the cost of a more expensive, but
more efficient Energy Star model.
Fluorescent Lighting and Fans
Fluorescent lighting uses at least 65% less energy than standard incandescent
lighting to provide the same amount of light output and last up to 10 times
longer. Since the bulbs require less energy to produce and equivalent
amount of light, they generate far less heat and an incandescent bulb (up to 70%
less), so they are safer to operate and can cut energy costs associated with
home cooling. If every American home replace just one light bulb with an
Energy Star approved fluorescent bulb, we would save enough energy to light more
than 2.5 million homes for a year. With the increased longevity of a
fluorescent bulb and the greatly reduced energy usage, they provide substantial
savings over their long life.
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