Here at Trilogy Partners, sustainability and green building practices are of high importance, so it is important for us to stay on top of green building trends and ideas. We recently came across some green building trends that are expected to emerge this year from Earth Advantage on the Sustainable Business website. Check out these ideas.

Many communities are expected to invest in shared renewable energy systems this year, such as solar energy sources.

• Performance-Based Energy Codes – Compliance with energy codes is determined at the time a building permit is issued, using prescriptive or predictive models, and often times, post-construction energy consumption may never be reviewed. With performance-based energy codes, owners could peruse energy strategies that are most effective for their property.
• Community Renewable Energy – Shared renewable energy systems will become increasingly popular this year. Investing in a shared renewable energy system could lower the cost by about 15 to 25%.
• Rethinking Residential HVAC – Technological advances in applied building science has brought about the possibility to create ductless homes. Consider the “Passive House” standard, which uses such thick insulation that homes are heated by the occupants’ everyday activities.

You can read about more expected green building trends for 2011 at Sustainablebusiness.com. If you would like to keep up with the green building practices of Trilogy Partners, be sure to subscribe to our blog – just enter your e-mail address in the subscription box to the right of this post.

Photo credit: Empowerces.com.

OSB SIPs

Structural Insulating Panels (SIPs) are a composite building material consisting of a panel of insulating material, usually foam, sandwiched between two wooden layers. The wood can be oriented strand board (OSB) or plywood. Sometimes more exotic materials, such as sheet metal or concrete board, are substituted for the wooden layers. SIPs replace several components found in conventionally framed buildings including studs, joists and insulation. SIPs are most commonly used to construct exterior walls and roofs but may have other applications, such as insulated ceilings beneath conventionally framed roof truss systems.

Structural Insulating Panels have a history dating back to the 1940s when structural wall panels were first invented. Over the years the technologies and materials incorporated in SIPs have improved. In addition, computerized CNC cutting machines allow SIP panels to be factory manufactured and then cut to the exact size needed for construction, providing a certain level of prefabrication not seen in conventional construction.

Panels for Walls and Roofs

Homes using SIP panel construction tend to have a very tight envelope. Air infiltration, or draftiness, is eliminated and the walls themselves have a very high insulating quality. SIPs may cost more than conventional framing, but because they bring extreme energy efficiency to buildings, they lower operating costs. SIP panels are often combined with post and beam construction where the panels drape the frame creating an extremely durable and energy efficient structure. Trilogy Partners utilizes SIP panels in all of its Timber Frame and Post and Beam homes.

Did you know that the U.S. Green Building Council has reached one billion square feet of LEED-certified construction? The announcement was made by President and CEO of the U.S. Green Building Council Rick Fedrizzi at the 2010 Greenbuild conference. While this is a huge accomplishment, Fedrizzi noted that this is just the beginning of a long journey of green building.

According to Architecture Week, the U.S. Green Building Council will continue that journey with a few new programs.  The U.S. Green Building Council has launched two new green building rating systems, LEED for Healthcare and LEED for Retail, which will add to the amount of LEED-certified spaces and encourage further development of green building practices. The LEED Volume Program is another new program from the U.S. Green Building Council, which is a certification program designed to streamline the LEED certification process and make it more manageable for high-volume property developers.

It is exciting to see how far the LEED certification program has come and the new ways that buildings can become LEED-certified. Trilogy Partners is proud to have contributed to one billion square-feet of LEED-certified spaces and we look forward to contributing to the next one billion square-feet of LEED-certified construction!

Photo credit: Greencollarenvironmentalist.com

Boiler Room with Geothermal Heat Exchange System

From earlier writings we described the environmental commitment of Breckenridge homeowner Kyle M. to build an 8,000 sq. ft. luxury zero energy home. We continue today with the inside story of this net zero home. This writing focuses on the renewable energy systems chosen including solar electric and geo-exchange, along with an integrated lighting and electronics program that dually functions as an energy management system. Once Ambient Energy produced the energy modeling for the 8,000 sq. ft. home, the engineering and building team went to work to choose materials that would conserve as much energy as possible. Step one: Design and build a tight well-insulated energy-efficient home. Step two: Incorporate renewable energy and smart-home control systems geared to energy conservation.

The environmental heating and cooling solutions for the Breckenridge Timber Trail home demonstrate a high degree of integration among experienced professionals not unlike the workings of a well trained sports team. This team’s goal: design and install an efficient geo exchange heating ventilation and cooling (HVAC) system to provide 100 percent of the home’s space heating needs with a natural gas boiler backing up system. First up to bat was Barry Engleman of George T. Sanders Companyof Silverthorne. George T. Sanders did the heat calculations for the home to determine how much radiant floor tubing was needed to keep the house warming properly even down to 20 degrees below zero. Engleman designed the layout and Tekmar control systems that control the radiant floor hydronic system. Next to bat was Eric Atcheson of E.W.A. Mechanical Inc. based in Silverthorne. E.W.A worked closely with Engleman, and was responsible for the home’s plumbing, heating, and automated Tekmar control systems. Following Engleman’s layout and his own expertise, Atcheson installed the plumbing system for domestic hot water production, radiant floor heat tubes to supply heating for the home, and the optional snowmelt system for the driveway. The house received two high efficiency boilers that integrate with the ground source heat pumps and ensure the home’s comfort on the coldest of Breckenridge nights. Our third and fourth batters were Jim Dexter from Summit Professionals of Silverthorne and Bob Major of Major Heating and Cooling in Wheat Ridge. The two companies managed the installation and integration of the ground source geo exchange heating and cooling system, heat pumps, air handling and humidification. Summit Professionals designed systems and duct work to provide a fresh supply of air to the home and comfortable environment. Dexter installed an integrated air handling, humidification and Energy Recovery Ventilator which gives the homeowner complete control over the indoor environment. The Breckenridge home receives 100 percent of its space heating and summer cooling from a geothermal heat pump system. Geo exchange uses the constant 50 to 55 degree temperature of the earth to warm the home when it is cold outside and to cool the home on hot days. Before excavation of the home, the geo exchange wells were drilled. Major Heating and Geothermal in conjunction with Can-America Drilling Inc., installs a closed loop system consisting of 19 boreholes, each 300 ft deep, around the foundation and under the driveway.

Solar PV System

Photovoltaic Panels

SolSource, Inc., a solar engineering and installation firm based in Denver, was engaged to design and install the solar photovoltaic system, through their partnership with Breckenridge-based Colorado Building Company.

The Making of Breckenridge’s First Custom Net Zero Home

Dave Lyskawa, Sol-Source VP of Residential Sales, met the homeowner’s goal of designing a solar electric system that provides 100 percent of the home’s electrical needs. For phase one, SolSource installed a 9.89 kW solar PV array. The solar energy installation consists of 43 SolarWorld 230-watt panels with black frames. SolarWorld modules are 100 percent manufactured in the U.S. The solar panels are connected to Enphase micro inverters and an Enphase energy management unit which provides 24/7 system monitoring. Enphase increased the energy production of the solar array by maximizing the energy generated by each individual solar panel. SolSource also selected Enphase to allow for system expandability and is pre-wiring the home for an additional 7 kW system in phase two. The energy produced by the 9.89 kW array prevents an estimated 29,907 pounds of C02 from entering the atmosphere every year.

Lighting and Energy Management Systems

A final component to creating Breckenridge’s first custom net zero home was integrated lighting, energy management, and whole house automation system. Players were Chad Ballard of Paradigm Systems, Inc. based in Denver using the Vantage Control system and Daniel Stern with Electronics by Design in Broomfield. All lighting fixtures installed were evaluated for functionality and energy efficiency. “We focus on correct color, intensity, dimming and usage of the lights required in a luxury residence, while ensuring that the house is performing at the minimum energy consumption,” said Ballard. The Vantage system was chosen for its ability to provide automated and remote control of the home’s lights, HVAC, shades, fans, audio/ video and home theater distribution systems, security through sensors, timers, keypads and energy consumption meters. Lights in high use rooms were programmed with occupancy sensors that turn on when some one enters the room at a set intensity and turn off when motion is no longer detected after a set time interval. This simple house-wide lighting/motion sensor system enables the homeowner to masterfully manage the home’s electricity usage and significantly conserve energy. This Breckenridge residence is likely the “smartest home” in town. If homeowner Kyle wants to, he can press a button on his cell phone as he is driving up to his mountain chateau and engage a “Welcome” mode. With one button the lights turn on, the blinds go up, the garage door opens, and music begins to play.

We’ve been talking about our experience in creating a zero net energy home lately. If you find yourself a little confused over what this means or are interested in learning how a zero net energy home can benefit you, here are a few facts to consider, courtesy of CT Zero Energy Challenge:

• Zero Net Energy means that a home uses no more energy than what it produces on site. For example, if a given home used 7,500 kilowatt-hours of electricity in one year, but it produced 7,500 kilowatt-hours of electricity from a solar PV array in the same year, it would be considered a zero net energy home.
• Typically, a home must have some type of on-site power generation in order to achieve the status of “zero net energy.” This could include solar, thermal, or even wind energy, depending on the conditions of the site on which the home is built.
• Some state and federal programs do exist to help build zero net energy homes, including some federal tax credits for builders and homeowners who are looking to build a zero net energy home. The Department of Energy’s Building America and Builders Challenge programs are good resources for those who wish to create a super high efficiency home or building.

To learn more about Trilogy Partners‘ experience in creating a zero net energy home, check out our series titled “Zero Net Energy Home In Depth.”

This scale from the U.S. Department of Energy shows the difference between the energy performance of most homes and those that are Zero Energy homes.

Photo credit: Blog.mapawatt.com.

When Breckenridge homeowner Kyle M. decided to build a Net Zero home in Breckenridge, he knew the process could be daunting – but he was up for the challenge. He cared enough about reducing his energy usage that he searched and found an experienced team of Summit County professionals who would commit to his goal of building a zero energy home.

As we mentioned in our story yesterday, when our Breckenridge homeowner purchased his lot on Timber Trail Road, he knew that the overall design of the home would need to fit into the upscale theme of the Timber Trail neighborhood. Bringing the experience of having successfully reduced the energy consumption in his 10,000 sq. ft. Boulder home, he found a green building development team that could design and build a custom 8,000 sq. ft. home which would be as energy efficient as possible. Kyle selected Trilogy Partners of Breckenridge who were already well known for their expertise in designing luxury homes, interior design and construction management while incorporating environmental solutions and features into houses.

What follows is the journey of the home starting from the inside and covering the home’s energy modeling, insulation and framing.

Energy Modeling

First challenge: how to work with a and intricate architectural design and meet the goal of Zero Energy. Among the first professionals engaged for the Breckenridge Net Zero Home was Andy Walker and Renee Azerbegi of Ambient Energy of Denver. Ambient developed a net zero energy model which provided an analysis of how much energy is needed to power the home’s lighting, heating, coolingand other daily living needs. “Our greatest challenge was making a significantly-sized home energy efficient and renewably powered,” said Renee of Ambient Energy. “Based on the energy efficiency and net zero energy modeling and analysis, we determined how to reduce the life cycle energy use of the home and save over $58,000 in energy costs over the life of the home. We used an hourly energy use simulation model to calculate how to provide 100 percent of the house’s energy use from on-site renewable energy systems,” said Walker of Ambient Energy. The energy report recommended a combination of a large solar electric PV array along with a geo exchange system for space heating.

Framing and Insulation

However, before the team focused on the renewable energy systems it was important to make the home as energy efficient as possible to reduce the need for additional energy in the first place. The team turned to Joe Sundquist of Sundquist Design Group, Inc. in Conifer, Colorado. “To address the owner and builder’s desire to make this building energy efficient, we wanted to minimize unnecessary framing, while allow for increased insulation wherever possible,” said Sundquist. The home design utilizes manufactured lumber products purchased through The Breckenridge Building Center. Heavy timber members were used to create the structural framing system. Exposed wood beams were functioning as structural support elements to minimize redundancy within the framing system. Boise Cascade engineered wood products were chosen for framing purposes. Engineered wood products eliminate the waste associated with inconsistencies found in traditional wood products and typically uses only half of the wood fiber compared to ordinary lumber. “Boise engineered floor joists are 54 percent stronger and 33 percent stiffer than traditional lumber, yet use 48 percent less wood fiber, “said Jeff Sexton out of Boise Cascade’s Denver office. “The stronger engineered lumber allowed for increased stud spacing and greater insulation coverage,” said Sexton. By increasing the distance between the studs, the home was able to have approximately 30 percent more insulation.

Once the framing was complete Shane Aschan, owner of The Foamers, Inc. based in Silverthorne, Colorado, managed the insulation process. To ensure the inside of the structure was insulated to the highest degree possible and that the in-floor radiant heat would perform efficiently, Aschan sprayed a high density closed cell foam insulation with an R-value of R 14 under all slabs of the home before the concrete was poured. The Foamers insulated the exterior walls of the home with 3 to 3 1/2 inches of polyurethane closed cell foam with an R value of R 21 and insulated the roof with 6 1/2 inches of polyure- thane closed cell foam with an R value of R 40. “One of the building criteria we needed to meet was to produce an even flat surface of the finished foam to help the other subcontractors do their work efficiently,” said Aschan. Continuing on the insulation, Colorado Building Company insulated the exterior of the home using Dow Building Solutions Styrofoam Residential Sheathing. “One square foot of properly installed Styrofoam insulation of one inch thick can avert over one ton of CO2 emissions during the average life of a building,” said Karen Durfee, senior account manager with Dow Building Solutions, based in Denver.

More tomorrow on the Breckenridge home’s renewable energy systems and how an automatic lighting program functions as an energy management system.

After Kyle M, a successful Colorado direct marketing business man became a father his perspective changed. Watching his children grow older and seeing the environmental challenges they would face, he began to learn all he could to convert his Colorado home from an energy hog to an energy miser. Kyle succeeded. He hired a Denver solar engineering firm to install a 10 kW solar photovoltaic array which reduced his electric bill by 75 percent. He put in a solar greenhouse which brings heated air into the home and doubles as a cozy family room. He switched out his light bulbs to compact fluorescent (CFLs) which use about 1⁄4 the energy of incandescent light bulbs. Perhaps most importantly he used technology to assist him and his family to make significant lifestyle changes to conserve energy. He learned that by programming simple occupancy sensor devices to turn lights off in key rooms after two minutes of no activity, he could dramatically reduce his energy usage – without the constant reminders  his family “… please turn the lights off when you leave the room!” Kyle set an even higher goal when he decided to buy a lot on Timber Trail Road to build a ski in/ski out mountain home in Breckenridge. This luxury Summit County house would be a net zero energy home. The goal was to design and build an 8,000 sq. ft. highly attractive mountain home that fit seamlessly into the existing neighborhood and whose renewable energy systems were well integrated into the overall house design. Over the following months, a skilled and committed team of professionals was brought together to achieve these goals. This is the first time in Summit County that a team of this depth and experience in environmental building and renewable energy solutions has been assembled.

Steamboat House and Japanese Garden

These 10 elements are key essentials for sustainable homebuilding.

1. A Leadership Attitude – The owners of the home are the leaders of the effort toward sustainability and must be willing to enforce sustainable standards and practices during design and construction.
2. A Commitment to Preserving Environment and Resources – A willingness to confront the environmental and resource issues created by putting a structure where there was none before.
3. A Sustainable Lot – Choose a lot which makes sense. Some building sites are inherently better for building sustainably. Consider orientation, exposure, topography and accessibility. For example: choose a southern exposure in a cooler environment. Choose an accessible lot to minimize resources expended on infrastructure. Don’t fight the topography. Embrace it.
4. A Supportive Community -Does your community or owner’s association support sustainable standards and practices. Some towns and subdivisions restrict the use of solar panels or wind turbines.
5. An Interest in Research – Sustainable Practices and Principles require study. Technologies change quickly so it’s important to stay current.
6. A Sustainable Design Team – Do available Architects, Designers, and Engineers have the knowledge and commitment to support a sustainable project?
7. A Sustainable Build Team – Do available Builders have the knowledge and commitment to support a sustainable project?
8. A Reasonable Concept – Is your concept compatible with sustainablility. Are you willing to compromise to achieve sustainable objectives?
9. A Reasonable Budget – Is your budget adequate to fund a sustainable project. Sustainability is seldom less expensive than standard construction standards.
10. A Reasonable Timeframe – Designing and Building the sustainable home takes time. Inflexible deadlines don’t allow for design optimization or project planning.

A common misperception (and one apparently endorsed by many government agencies that intend to promote energy efficiency) is that the energy effectiveness of a wall depends almost solely on the R value of the insulation in that wall. Definitely not true. Think of how a wall is constructed. Lumber, windows, sheathing, house wrap, drywall. Each stick of lumber not only conducts heat or cold from the outside, but makes that much less room for insulation. What about windows? The more windows, especially those that don’t have the benefit of direct sunlight, the less energy efficient the wall system.  If you want to consider the overall efficiency of a wall, don’t just consider the R-value of the insulation. Consider how the entire wall system is constructed. For instance, for the Zero Net Energy home we constructed in Breckenridge, we reduced the amount of lumber in the exterior walls so that we could increase the amount of insulation. We did this by using engineered lumber from Boise Cascade. This allowed us to place the vertical framing studs farther apart, increasing the amount of insulation in the wall. We used blown in rigid (blue)  foam insulation which filled every potential air gap. Air infiltration in fiberglass insulated walls dramatically decreases a wall’s energy efficiency.  And then we wrapped the entire house in rigid foam board insulation, increasing the R-value  and further eliminating air infiltration. Windows on the north and north western sides of the home were reduced in favor of more window area on the southern areas of the home. Exterior wall systems properly engineered are an order of magnitude more energy efficient than conventionally constructed walls with higher R-value insulation, thereby putting the R-value Insulation Myth to rest.

When I was in college I worked for a summer in Glacier National Park for the company that ran the grand old lodges at Many Glacier, Lake McDonald, and East Glacier. I loved those magnificent european inspired holdovers from the great Railroad travel era. I was pretty much in awe of the fireplace at Lake McDonald Lodge at the southern entrance to the park. The fireplace opening was so big at 6’6″ tall you could stand up in it. I’d never seen anything like it… and they kept a fire going in it all year round! Now, that’s a fireplace! When it came time to design the Great Room fireplace for the Timber Trails residence, my thoughts returned to Lake McDonald. Online research turned up other inspirations of many shapes… perhaps cousins if only in size to the one at Glacier. So inspired, we put pencil to paper and came up with this fireplace which, although large enough to stand up in, is sized and shaped to best compliment the room in which it stands. Benches on either side of the fireplace will provide a wonderful warm niche on a snowy day. Even though this fireplace is an original design, its inspiration is firmly rooted in the past. In design, nothing is truly new and credit is always to be shared with those who came before.