I.BASIC FACTS
Date started: August 29, 2009
Date finished: November 17, 2010
FUNDS FROM GRANTS
DOE First Grant: $213,137
DOE Second Grant: $196,800
VDMME: $169,440
Funds from FCPS: $439,000
Funds donations and discounts: $236,485
Design Builder: Adam Cohen, Structures Design/Build http://www.structuresdb.com/
II. PASSIVEHAUS
The
term PassivHaus refers to a specific standard of construction for
buildings which provide comfortable, healthy living conditions year
round. It is considered to be passive because it heats and cools itself
without an active heating and cooling system.
The basic features of PassivHaus construction are:
- Passive use of solar energy with southern orientation and shade
- Good insulated exterior shell
- Energy efficient window glazing and frames
- Building envelope to maintain air-tightness
- Passive pre-heated fresh air
- Highly efficient heat recovery system (air/air heat exchange)
- Solar collectors or heat pumps to supply hot water
- Energy-saving appliances
III. ENERGY APPLICATIONS
1. Photovoltaic
b. Flat Plate Stationary on Roof
d. Concentrator Photovoltaic Power System
e. Dual Tracking Energy Arrays (3)
2. Wind turbines
a. Skystream 3.7 (horizontal axis)
i. Date installed: 11/07/2007
ii. Tower height: 60 ft.
iii. Diameter of rotors: 12 ft.
iv. Energy output: 1.8 kW at 25 mph
v. Supplier: Southwest Wind
b. Windspires (vertical axis)
i. Date installed: 8/9/2011
ii. Tower height: 35 ft.
iii. Diameter of rotors: 5 ft.
iv. Energy output: 2.4 kW at 25 mph
v. Supplier: Blue Sun Renew
III. WEATHER STATION
Date Installed: 11/27/2010
Supplier: AWS Convergence Technologies Inc, www.aws.com
IV.SPECIAL FEATURES
1. Denim sound baffles:
Made
from recycled denim, this building material is utilized not only for
insulation in the walls and roof, (blown-in) it is also used for
soundproofing necessitated by the thermal mass application.
2. Jet tire carpeting:
Made from recycled jet tires, this material is recycled and is being used as a durable floor covering.
3. Counter tops:
The
countertops are made from local rock harvested from the New River, and
molded in an environmentally friendly matrix of resins.
4. Rainwater Reclamation:
The
rainwater harvesting system at CEED consists of two 1700 gallon tanks
buried in the ground. Water is collected from the roof, the permeable
concrete walkway, and the surrounding wetlands. Sensors measure the
number of gallons in the tanks. New water continually pushes out the old
water. Fresh water is used in the sinks, showers, and the dishwasher.
Greywater is recycled once for use in the toilets.
5. Daylight Harvesting:
The
“daylight Harvesting” system at the CEED consists of south-facing glass
that allows ambient light to flood the working areas and provide
natural lighting that has been proven to be healthier and more conducive
to learning than artificial lighting.
6. GeoThermal System:
A
geothermal heat pump is an underground heating and/or cooling system.
It transfers heat from the ground in winter and into the ground in
summer using a liquid refrigerant that is circulated through long loops
of underground pipe. At CEED, the slinky coil geothermal ground loop
system is used. Slinky coils, rather than straight pipe, are laid out
along the bottom of a wide trench. Propylene glycol, a refrigerant, is
pumped through the loop system. Ideally, this system will rarely be used
as the primary source of heating and cooling due to the efficiency of
the CEED building.
7. ERV:
A highly
efficient heat recovery system (air/air heat exchange). All Outgoing air
has its heat content exchanged with the incoming air. This is possible
through a very efficient air-to-air heat exchanger built especially for
the CEED application.
8. Windows:
All of
the windows in the CEED have been donated by PlyGem, a local window
manufacturer. They are a triple paned window filled with Krypton gas to
fulfill the requirements of PassivHaus design.
9. Porous Concrete:
This
new concrete product allows penetration of rainwater to recharge
existing aquifers. The CEED captures this water and recycles it through
the Rainwater Harvesting system to be used as greywater with all of its
applications.
10. Trellis:
The trellises at
CEED are permanent structures that extend from the roof overhang. The
material used in the trellises is a recycled structural composite (RSC)
made by Axion International from a blend of recycled plastic. The
durable RSC is stronger, lighter, and will not rust, splinter, rot,
absorb moisture, or leach toxic chemicals into the environment. Because
it is impervious to water, insects, or marine parasites, RSC can be used
in making infrastructure products for bridges.
11. Green Roof:
A
green roof is a roof that is partially or completely covered with
plants. A green roof can be characterized according to the weight load
on the building. An extensive green roof has a lower load bearing
capacity, while the intensive type can support lawns, walkways,
playgrounds, and even ponds. The extensive roof is lower in cost to
create and maintain, needs no irrigation, and is covered with mosses,
sedum, herbs and grasses. The intensive green roof is higher in cost and
maintenance, needs regular irrigation, and uses plants such as
perennials, shrubs, and trees.
12. Energy Star Appliances:
ENERGY
STAR is the trusted, government-backed symbol for energy efficiency
helping us all save money and protect the environment through
energy-efficient products and practices. The ENERGY STAR label was
established to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants
caused by the inefficient use of energy and make it easy for consumers
to identify and purchase energy-efficient products that offer savings on
energy bills without sacrificing performance, features, and comfort.
13. Sustainably Harvested Wood:
All
of the wood used in the CEED is sustainably harvested through the
auspices of the Forestry Stewardship Council. That certifies the
harvesting and replanting activities of the suppliers we used.
14. Greengard® indoor air quality certified furniture:
Greenland® insures indoor environmental quality (IEQ); low-emitting, recycled content; and innovative Design.
15. Water Efficient Fixtures:
All
of the water fixtures in the CEED are certified as “water saving
fixtures:” which means their consumption is significantly less than
conventional units. Low flow toilets, water saving spigots, showerheads,
and a dishwasher are featured.
16. Sensors:
The
data monitoring system records the following information: wind speed,
outside and inside temperature, solar panel performance wind turbine
performance, relative humidity, ERV performance, Thermal solar
performance, geothermal heat pump performance CO2 levels, and rainwater
harvesting performance.
17. Lighting:
Occupancy
sensing is primarily recorded by the CO2 levels. Motion sensing devices
control the lighting, allowing for maximum energy savings as the
building is unoccupied.
18. Solar Thermal Systems:
At
CEED, a closed evacuated-tube system is used. It consists of 30
elongated tubes located on the roof in two solar collectors. Because the
climate in Rocky Mount can drop below 32°F, propylene glycol, an
antifreeze solution, is heated in the solar collector. The heated liquid
is circulated from the solar collector through a heat exchanger
connected to a storage tank. Potable water is warmed by the tubes
containing heated propylene glycol. The heated water then goes to the
storage tanks, while the cooled propylene glycol is piped back to the
solar collector to be reheated. An added benefit of this closed system
is that it requires little maintenance and can also be used for heating
and cooling the building through the energy recovery ventilation system.