Do all those green rating points you’ve earned actually have an impact? Get tools to evaluate whether your projects are part of the solution to environmental degradation and resource depletion, or whether they continue to be part of the problem. Presented at Build Boston with Jonathan Kantar of Sage Builders, LLP.

1. GREEN
THAT
MEANS
SOMETHING
Thursday
November
17th,
10:30
AM
–
NOON
Rachel
White,
principal
Jonathan
Kantar,
principal
Greener
Every
Day,
Newton,
MA
Sage
Builders
LLP,
Newton,
MA
rachel@greenereverydayconsulEng.com
jonathan@sagebuilders.com
617.905.6925
617.965.5272
11/28/11
Sage
Builders,
LLP
-­‐
Greener
Every
Day
1

2. Take
Away
Points
• Incorporate
a
goals-­‐oriented
approach
to
“green”
building
into
your
business
• UElize
a
wide
variety
of
tools
and
resources
to
advance
sustainability
objecEves
before,
during
and
aWer
construcEon
• Track
and
assess
the
effecEveness
of
your
efforts
11/28/11
Sage
Builders,
LLP
-­‐
Greener
Every
Day
2

3. Session
Roadmap
• The
context
and
the
challenge
• “Green”
goals
for
our
homes
• Tools
to
help
us
achieve
these
goals
• Case
Studies
11/28/11
Sage
Builders,
LLP
-­‐
Greener
Every
Day
3

4. DOE
Bldg.
Data
Book,
2010,
Ch.
1
•
2008:
US
used
99.5
quadrillion
Btus
(quads)
of
energy
–
more
than
any
other
country
•
40%
primary
US
energy
consumed
in
building
sector,
54%
by
US
homes
•
76%
of
consumed
energy
came
from
fossil
fuels
11/28/11
Sage
Builders,
LLP
-­‐
Greener
Every
Day
4

5. Overall
energy
use
has
remained
relaEvely
stable
over
the
past
27
years,
but
efficiency
in
space
heaEng
have
been
offset
by
increases
in
other
uses.
11/28/11
Sage
Builders,
LLP
-­‐
Greener
Every
Day
5

6. New
houses
are
more
efficient,
but
likely
bigger
so
they
are
using
as
much
or
more
energy
than
all
but
the
oldest
homes
11/28/11
Sage
Builders,
LLP
-­‐
Greener
Every
Day
6

7. Will
we
be
part
of
the
problem
or
contribute
to
the
soluEon?
11/28/11
Sage
Builders,
LLP
-­‐
Greener
Every
Day
7

8. Part
of
the
problem…be
careful
with
spray
foam,
it
may
look
good,
but
it
may
not
be
complete
11/28/11
Sage
Builders,
LLP
-­‐
Greener
Every
Day
8

9. Air
infiltraEon
at
kitchen
counter,
exterior
wall
inside
corner
air
infiltraEon
from
exterior
wall-­‐floor-­‐wall
below
kitchen
cabinets
11/28/11
Sage
Builders,
LLP
-­‐
Greener
Every
Day
9

10. Another
Missed
Opportunity
• 1800
v.
2400
square
feet
• Even
more
complex
geometry!
• ParEally,
poorly
finished
basement
leW
as
is
11/28/11
Sage
Builders,
LLP
-­‐
Greener
Every
Day
10

11. Source:
Auckland
City
Council,
New
Zealand
Cited
in
Nigel
Pickering
“Engineered
Impacts
to
the
Natural
Water
Cycle”
Available
for
download
at
hmp://crwa.org
11/28/11
Sage
Builders,
LLP
-­‐
Greener
Every
Day
11

12. 11/28/11
Sage
Builders,
LLP
-­‐
Greener
Every
Day
12

13. Indoor
Air
Quality
&
Occupant
Health
Risks
• 4.6
million
(20%
of
total)
cases
of
asthma
amributable
to
dampness
&
mold
in
the
home
“Public
Health
&
Economic
Impact
of
Dampness
and
Mold,”
Indoor
Air
Journal,
vol
17,
2007
• 11-­‐21%
increased
risk
of
lung
cancer
due
to
radon
exposure
at
3
piC/l
over
5-­‐30
years.
hmp://www.epa.gov/radon/healthrisks.html
• Average
concentraEon
of
formaldehyde
in
a
US
home
is
55
ppb:
2½
x
CA
EPA
cancer
risk
threshold
hmp://eetd.lbl.gov/ied/sfrb/voc-­‐cancer.html
11/28/11
Sage
Builders,
LLP
-­‐
Greener
Every
Day
13

14. Where
Do
You
Stand?
• How
much
energy
does
your
house
use?
• What
is
the
level
of
radon
in
your
house?
• Do
you
have
a
humidity
issue
at
your
house?
• How
much
water
do
you
use?
• What
is
the
minimum
amount
of
electricity
you
could
live
on?
• Do
you
design
to
meet
an
energy
or
water
budget?
11/28/11
Sage
Builders,
LLP
-­‐
Greener
Every
Day
14

15. A
Historic
Opportunity
11/28/11
Sage
Builders,
LLP
-­‐
Greener
Every
Day
15

16. Which
road
do
I
take?
asked
Alice.
"Where
do
you
want
to
go? replied
the
cat.
"I
don't
know,"
Alice
answered.
"Then,
said
the
cat,
It
doesn't
mamer.
11/28/11
Sage
Builders,
LLP
-­‐
Greener
Every
Day
16

17. Goals
for
Our
Homes
• OpImize
use
of
space
– Avoid
addiEons
whenever
possible
– Full
funcEonality
(no
unused
rooms)
• Keep
water
where
it
belongs
&
use
only
what
we
need
– Allow
for
onsite
storm
water
infiltraEon
– Eliminate
potable
water
for
irrigaEon
– 36
gpcd
indoor
consumpEon
(MA
Avg.
is
about
55
gpcd…)
• Reduce
greenhouse
gas
emissions
by
80%
– InsulaEon
(R-­‐5,
10,
20,
40,
60)
&
air
sealing
(<2.0
ach
@50
Pa)
– Energy
efficient
electric
heat
pump
for
heaEng
&
cooling
– Onsite
PV
(if
site
appropriate)
• Provide
good
indoor
air
quality
– VenElaEon
that
meets
ASRHRAE
62.2
[.01cfm
x
sf
+
7.5cfm
x
(#br+1)]
– Source
Control
– Balance
venElaEon
is
preferred
• Maximize
longevity
– 100+
year
lifespan,
40+
years
for
a
kitchen,
20+
years
for
a
paint
job
11/28/11
Sage
Builders,
LLP
-­‐
Greener
Every
Day
17

18. Where
Are
We
StarEng
From?
• Energy
bills
• Water
bills
• ExisEng
(honest)
condiEons
assessment
– Walk
through
and
take
pictures
– Client
quesEonnaire
and/or
interviews
–
invesEgate
issues
– TesEng
(examples:
radon,
blower
door,
mold)
• Review
ExisEng
documentaEon
– Plans
from
previous
renovaEons
– Surveys
– Home
inspecEon
report
• Document,
document,
document
11/28/11
Sage
Builders,
LLP
-­‐
Greener
Every
Day
18

19. 11/28/11
Sage
Builders,
LLP
-­‐
Greener
Every
Day
19

20. Codes,
RaEng
Systems,
and
building
guides
can
help
us
establish
goals;
your
own
house
is
a
good
place
to
start…to
get
context
and
to
see
how
far
we
need
to
go
(for
most
of
us).
11/28/11
Sage
Builders,
LLP
-­‐
Greener
Every
Day
20

21. A
House
That
“Breathes”
-­‐-­‐
This
is
NOT
a
Healthy
House!
11/28/11
Sage
Builders,
LLP
-­‐
Greener
Every
Day
21

22. Energy
modeling
guides
like
HERS
and
the
US
DOE’s
new
Energy
Smart
Home
Scale
can
help
evaluate
the
relaEve
effecEveness
of
various
measures.
11/28/11
Sage
Builders,
LLP
-­‐
Greener
Every
Day
22

23. If
we
want
field
workers
to
get
it
right,
we
need
to
give
them
clear
and
well
thought
out
designs
and
details
with
coordinated
materials.
11/28/11
Sage
Builders,
LLP
-­‐
Greener
Every
Day
23

24. The
Blower
Door
–
the
only
way
to
assure
a
quality
air
sealing
job.
Period.
11/28/11
Sage
Builders,
LLP
-­‐
Greener
Every
Day
24

25. A
fog
machine
helps
find
the
“holes”.
11/28/11
Sage
Builders,
LLP
-­‐
Greener
Every
Day
25

26. TOOLS:
temp.
and
relaEve
humidity
loggers
CO2
monitor
NSTAR
Smart
Energy
Pilot
infrared
Web-­‐based
energy
monitoring
and
analysis
11/28/11
Sage
Builders,
LLP
-­‐
Greener
Every
Day
26

27. Consider
Using
Checklists
SchemaEc
Feasibility
Client
Goals
Design
Budget
Feedback
Engineering/
Design
Detailed
Client
Trades
Development
Budget
Feedback
Check
In
Points
ConstrucEon
Documents
Contract
• Baseline
• Space
Plan
Build
Commission
• Design
Development
• ProducEon
Tracking
&
• OperaEons
Follow-­‐up
• Performance
11/28/11
Sage
Builders,
LLP
-­‐
Greener
Every
Day
27

28. Upstairs
As-­‐Built
Kid’s
BR
Master
BR
• Can
we
meet
occupant
needs
without
adding
on?
Kid’s
BR
• Will
the
design
result
in
“vacaEng”
exisEng
space?
• Is
the
design
flexible
and
adaptable
to
changing
needs
&
aging
in
place?
11/28/11
Sage
Builders,
LLP
-­‐
Greener
Every
Day
28

29. Baseline
HERS
&
What
Ifs
WhiteWhat Ifs - 11/17/2008 Baseline Baseline
Delta Total Delta
Improvement HERS HERS MMBTU/Yr MMBTU/Yr
Baseline 117
0
185.3
0.0
Replace all old AGWall Windows w/Dbl LowE 114
3
183.5
1.8
95 AFUE boiler w/Indirect Tank 101
16
169.1
16.2
4160 CFM50 to 3500 CFM50 113
4
178.6
6.7
Six Evergreen SL 195's 20% shading 112
5
181.0
4.3
Window, Boiler Together 98
19
167.4
17.9
Window, Boiler, Air Infiltration Together 96
21
161.3
24.0
Window, Boiler, Air Infiltration PV Together 91
26
157.0
28.3
11/28/11
Sage
Builders,
LLP
-­‐
Greener
Every
Day
29

30. SchemaEc
Design
Plan
by
Molly
Frey,
Molly
Frey
Design
11/28/11
Sage
Builders,
LLP
-­‐
Greener
Every
Day
30

31. Post-­‐project
HERS
RaEng
WhiteWhat Ifs - 9/27/2009 - 10/5/2009 Baseline Total Baseline
Delta Consumption Delta
Improvement HERS HERS MMBTU/Yr MMBTU/Yr
Baseline 117
0
185.3
0.0
S1 - Mbed Cath Ceil R30 FG to R42 ocSPF 116
1
183.7
1.6
S2 - Mbed AGWalls R13,FG3 to R19,LDF1,X-16 114
3
182.1
3.2
S3 - Rim - 54 SF, from R0 to R30/ 9” ocsf. 114
3
180.4
4.9
S4 - Porch Floor 2x8 to LDF + 1" rigid R25,8-16,+6 112
5
177.2
8.1
S5 - Bay window ceiling R0 to R25,8-16 111
6
175.9
9.4
From S5 Above on October 3, 2009 110
7
172.4
12.9
S6 - Attic reconfiguration to roof plane
See top of Kerrys Email in this comment
S7 - 4160 CFM50 to 2900 CFM50 - October 5 103
14
159.7
25.6
95
AFUE
Boiler
w/
indirect
tank
87
30
143.5
41.8
11/28/11
Sage
Builders,
LLP
-­‐
Greener
Every
Day
31

32. Outdoor
Water
Management
• Can
storm
water
be
captured
and
infiltrated
on
site?
• Is
preference
given
to
naEve
plants
with
minimal
irrigaEon
needs?
• Is
an
EPA
Water
Sense
partner
handling
irrigaEon?
11/28/11
Sage
Builders,
LLP
-­‐
Greener
Every
Day
32

33. Plumbing
Fixtures
• Do
fixtures
meet
or
exceed
EPA
Water
Sense
standards?
11/28/11
Sage
Builders,
LLP
-­‐
Greener
Every
Day
33

34. HVAC
• Can
we
meet
cooling
needs
without
air
condiEoning?
• Can
we
improve
performance
of
exisEng
AC?
11/28/11
Sage
Builders,
LLP
-­‐
Greener
Every
Day
34

35. My
Home’s
Annual
Electricity
ConsumpIon
16000
14000
Electricity
ConsumpIon
kwh
12000
10000
8000
6000
4000
2000
0
2006
2009
2010
2011
projected
11/28/11
Sage
Builders,
LLP
-­‐
Greener
Every
Day
35

36. Electricity
Monitoring
11/28/11
Sage
Builders,
LLP
-­‐
Greener
Every
Day
36

37. The
Carriage
House
–
High
Performance
Efforts
2008
Summary
of
HP
StaEsEcs
RestoraIon
of
1910
carriage
house
into
1,000
sf
lo_
sudio
apartment
Tried
to
salvage
exterior
stucco
walls
and
frame
of
structure
11/28/11
Sage
Builders,
LLP
-­‐
Greener
Every
Day
37

38. Dean
Rd.,
Brookline
–
High
Performance
Photos
2008
• Before:
– No
insulaEon
or
air
sealing
– HERS
149
– >11,500
CFM
50
A"er:
• significant
insulaEon
and
air
sealing
• HERS
51!
–
2,600
CFM
50
• projected
energy
decrease
from
300MMBtu
to
90
(heat)
11/28/11
Sage
Builders,
LLP
-­‐
Greener
Every
Day
38

39. The
Carriage
House
–
High
Performance
Efforts
2008
Is
bigger
really
becer?
•
Dean
Rd.:
+/-­‐
90
MMBtus
heaIng
•
Carriage
House:
+/-­‐
12.5
MMBtus
heaIng
•
Jonathan’s
house:
146
MMBtus
heaIng
•
must
measure
–
before,
during,
a_er
11/28/11
Sage
Builders,
LLP
-­‐
Greener
Every
Day
39

40. Mike
Duclos
helped
us
understand
the
relaEve
impacts
of
various
improvement
opEons
11/28/11
Sage
Builders,
LLP
-­‐
Greener
Every
Day
40

41. Take
Away
Points
• Incorporate
a
goals-­‐oriented
approach
to
“green”
building
into
your
business
• UElize
a
wide
variety
of
tools
and
resources
to
advance
sustainability
objecEves
before,
during
and
aWer
construcEon
• Track
and
assess
the
effecEveness
of
your
efforts
11/28/11
Sage
Builders,
LLP
-­‐
Greener
Every
Day
41

42. “Green”
that
means
something
Thursday
November
17th,
10:30
AM
–
NOON
Rachel
White,
principal
Jonathan
Kantar,
principal
Greener
Every
Day,
Newton,
MA
Sage
Builders
LLP,
Newton,
MA
hmp://greenereverydayconsulEng.com
hmp://sagebuilders.com
rachel@greenereverydayconsulEng.com
jonathan@sagebuilders.com
617.905.6925
617.965.5272
11/28/11
Sage
Builders,
LLP
-­‐
Greener
Every
Day
42

43. Dean
Rd.,
Brookline
–
High
Performance
Photos
2008
Once
the
building
envelop
is
water
and
air
Eght
and
thermally
protected,
Sage
focuses
on
the
HVAC
Five
(5)
hydro-­‐aire
units
are
heated
with
a
98%
efficient
direct
vent,
fully
modulaAng
and
condensing
gas
boiler.
Outdoor
reset
control
ensures
opAmal
boiler
water
temperatures
for
efficient
heaAng
The
system
includes
minimal
pumping
to
save
electricity.
A
heat
exchanger
on
the
return
boiler
water
loop
pre-­‐
heats
domesAc
potable
water
and
increases
the
condensing
funcAon
of
the
boiler
for
greater
operaAng
efficiencies.
11/28/11
Sage
Builders,
LLP
-­‐
Greener
Every
Day
43

44. Indoor
ResidenEal
Water
Use
Water
Use
Scenarios
80
70
60
Gallons
50
Per
Capita
40
Day
30
20
10
0
US
Average
MA
Average
ConservaEon
ConservaEon
(2001)
(2005)
Source:
MA
Water
ConservaEon
Standards

45. Fixtures
&
Appliances
Fixture
Federal
Standard
Water
Sense/Energy
Star
Toilet
1.6
gpf
1.28
gpf
Shower
2.5
gpf
2
gpm
Faucet
2.5
gpf
1.5
gpm
Dishwasher
5.8
gpc
4.5
gpc
Washing
WF<9.5
WF<6
Machine
TOTAL
69.3
GPCD
36.2
GPCD
The
difference
between
the
federal
standard
&
most
efficient?
12,081.5
gallons
per
person
per
year

46. ResidenEal
Seasonal
Water
Use
Seasonal
Use
Scenarios
120
100
80
Gallons
per
60
Capita
Day
40
20
0
US
Average
MA
Average
ConservaEon
ConservaEon
2001
2005

48. Source
Control
• Remove/remediate
exisEng
contaminants
– Asbestos,
lead,
radon,
mold,
combusEon
gases
• Don’t
introduce
new
contaminants
– Design
to
reduce
occupant
exposure
– Materials:
low-­‐emi‚ng,
moisture
resistant,
easy
to
clean
– ConstrucEon
protocols:
dust
protecEon,
flashing
details,
pest
screening,
etc.
• Occupant
Choices

49. EPA
Map
of
Radon
Zones
for
Massachusems
Test
Results
for
Middlesex
County
Red
Zone:
Highest
Predicted
PotenEal
for
Radon
Levels
above
4
piC/l
under
2
pCi/L

between
2
and
3.9
pCi/L
4
pCi/L
and
above

51. Culture
of
ConsumpEon

52. Source:
US
EIA,
2009
ResidenEal
Energy
ConsumpEon
Survey