Energy Code Compliance With SIPs · Energy Code Compliance With SIPs Frank Baker, PFB Corporation Don Ferrier, Ferrier Custom Homes . Slide 2 Outline • Overview of 2009 and 2012

Energy Code Compliance With SIPs

Frank Baker, PFB Corporation

Don Ferrier, Ferrier Custom Homes

Slide 2

Outline

• Overview of 2009 and 2012 energy codes

• Code compliance with SIPs

• Reducing air infiltration with SIP construction

• Side-by-side case studies

• Sealing methods

• Cost comparison from a builder’s perspective

Slide 3

Trending Towards Efficiency

• 2012 IECC 30% more efficient than 2006 IECC

• ENERGY STAR v3 in effect Jan 1, 2012

• Advocates pushing for 70% – 100% by 2030 – DOE: affordable net zero energy homes by 2030

– 2030 Challenge: carbon neutral by 2030

Slide 4

Slide 5

2009 IECC

• On average, 12% increase over 2006

• Save homeowners $235/yr at current energy prices

Slide 6

2009 IECC

• More efficient windows and doors

• Increased insulation

• Visual inspection of thermal envelope OR blower door test

• Duct leakage testing

• Thermal enclosure inspection

• No mechanical trade offs under performance path

Slide 7

2009 IECC

Air Infiltration – 7 ACH50 all climate zones

– OR visual inspection

Slide 8

Climate Zones

Slide 9

2009 IECC

Prescriptive requirements: insulation + windows

CLIMATE ZONE

FENESTRATION U-FACTOR

SKYLIGHT U-FACTOR

GLAZED FENESTRATION

SHGC CEILING R-VALUE

WOOD FRAME WALL R-VALUE

MASS WALL R-VALUE1

FLOOR R-VALUE

BASEMENT WALL R-VALUE2

SLAB R-VALUE & DEPTH

CRAWL SPACE

WALL R-VALUE2

1 1.2 0.75 0.3 30 13 3/4 13 0 0 0

2 0.65 0.75 0.3 30 13 4/6 13 0 0 0

3 0.5 0.65 0.3 30 13 5/8 19 5/13 0 5/13

4 except Marine 0.35 0.6 NR 38 13 5/10 19 10/13 10, 2 ft 10/13

5 and Marine 4 0.35 0.6 NR 38 20 or 13+5 13/17 30 10/13 10, 2 ft 10/13

6 0.35 0.6 NR 49 20 or 13+5 15/19 30 15/19 10, 4 ft 10/13

7 and 8 0.35 0.6 NR 49 21 19/21 38 15/19 10, 4 ft 10/13

Slide 10

2012 IECC

• Even more efficient windows

• Even more insulation

• Blower door test REQUIRED

• Duct insulation

• Less duct leakage allowed

Slide 11

2012 IECC

Air infiltration – 5 ACH50 in climate zones 1-2

– 3 ACH50 in climate zones 3-8

– AND visual inspection

Slide 12

2012 IECC

Prescriptive requirements: insulation + windows

CLIMATE ZONE

FENESTRATION U-FACTOR

SKYLIGHT U-FACTOR

GLAZED FENESTRATION

SHGC CEILING R-VALUE

WOOD FRAME WALL R-VALUE

MASS WALL R-VALUE1

FLOOR R-VALUE

BASEMENT WALL R-VALUE2

SLAB R-VALUE & DEPTH

CRAWL SPACE

WALL R-VALUE2

1 0.65 0.75 0.25 30 13 3/4 13 0 0 0

2 0.4 0.65 0.25 38 13 4/6 13 0 0 0

3 0.35 0.55 0.25 38 20 or 13+5 5/8 19 5/13 0 5/13

4 except Marine 0.35 0.55 0.4 49 20 or 13+5 5/10 19 10/13 10, 2 ft 10/13

5 and Marine 4 0.32 0.55 NR 49 20 or 13+5 13/17 30 15/19 10, 2 ft 15/19

6 0.32 0.55 NR 49 20+5 or 13+10 15/19 30 15/19 10, 4 ft 15/19

7 and 8 0.32 0.55 NR 49 20+5 or 13+10 19/21 30 15/19 10, 4 ft 15/19

Slide 13

ENERGY STAR v3

• Insulation at 2009 IECC levels

• Advanced framing or exterior insulation

• Sealed top plates and drywall

• Additional visual inspection checklists

• Easy to meet thermal enclosure requirements with SIPs

Slide 14

Builders Challenge

Slide 15

Advantages of Building with SIPs

More cost competitive at higher levels of energy efficiency:

• Continuous insulation • Near perfect air sealing • Labor savings • Quality Control • Seismic

• Hurricane resistance • Long term durability • Life cycle analysis • Better IAQ • Smaller HVAC • Occupant comfort

Slide 16

SIPs: Energy Efficiency

• Continuous insulation

• No thermal bridging

• Total UA alternative method accounts for thermal bridging

• Performance method

Slide 17

Code Compliance

Climate Zone EPS SIPs PU SIPs

1-4 4” 4”

5-8 6” 4”

Prescriptive - 2009 IECC Walls Total UA Alternative

Prescriptive - 2009 IECC Roofs Total UA Alternative


1-3 8”/10" 6”

4-5 10” 8”

6-8 12” 8”

Slide 18

Code Compliance


1-2 4” 4”

3-5 6” 4”

6-8 6”/8” 4”/6”

Prescriptive - 2012 IECC Walls Total UA Alternative

Prescriptive - 2012 IECC Roofs Total UA Alternative


1-3 10” 6”

4-8 12” 8”

Slide 19

Code Compliance

Performance method – Whole-house energy modeling

– Sometimes thinner panels possible

– Accounts for air infiltration

Slide 20

Continuous Insulated Panels

• Meets code requirements for exterior insulation over conventional wood frame walls

Slide 21

Thermal Bridging

Stick SIP

Slide 22

Air Infiltration

• Air infiltration part of performance method calculation

• Responsible for 30 – 50% of heating and cooling loss

Slide 23

SIPs: Air Infiltration

ORNL test room – SIPs vs fiberglass

Slide 24


Burnside’s Inn

• 0.86 ACH50

• HERS 37

• EVHA Winner

• ICF lower level

Slide 25


Passive House DC

• 0.6 ACH50

• HERS 37

• Certified Passive House

Slide 26


Zero Energy Casita • 0.54 ACH50 • HERS 33 • LEED Platinum, Green Built Texas, Builders Challenge certified, National Green Building Standard Emerald

Slide 27


Ballard Zero Energy House

• 0.56 ACH50

• HERS -1

• Net zero energy

Slide 28

ZEBRAlliance Research Homes

Slide 29


Walls – 2x6, 15% framing factor, flash & batt – ½” spray

foam + R-19 fiberglass batts

– 6” SIP with EPS core

Attic – R-35 cathedral (SIPs 10-in)

– R-50 cathedral (aged phenolic) 2x12, 24” o.c.

Slide 30


1.23

0.74

0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

1.4

ZEBRA Flash & Batt ZEBRA SIP

Blower Door Test Results (ACH50)

Slide 31


Summary

– SIPs saved 21% more space heating energy than OVF

– SIPs home HERS 46, OVF home HERS 48

• SIPs attained 40% greater air tightness than OVF even though it was the framing crew’s first SIP job

• Crew went to SIPschool, then built same house with OVF

– SIPS envelope went up in only 5 days compared to 15 for the OVF

Slide 32


Why the large difference in performance? – Air leakage

– Thermal bridging

– FTC R-Value myth, is it really R-19?

– ASTM Guarded Hot Box vs Whole Wall R-Value. • 75F test temp vs real world.

• Tightly sealed box not a wall.

Slide 33

Foam vs Fuzz

• Fiberglass and other types of fibrous insulation performance decreases as the Delta T increases.

• Foam insulation performance increases as the Delta T increases. EPS at 75F is 3.85, at 25 is 4.25. Over 10% increase.

• Yet the FTC labeling is fixed to the 75F standard.

Slide 34

SIPs: Labor Savings

• Independent R.S. Means study shows 55% labor savings over stick frame in residential construction with prefabricated SIPs

• 11% savings on electrical rough-in

Slide 35

SIPs: Labor Savings

• Timber Framing, March, 2012

• Second response to article “Are SIPs Necessary,” March, 2011

• Available at www.tfguild.org

Slide 36

Cost Savings

• Faster dry-in time

• Easier trim installation

• Faster sheetrock – less cutting

• Waste disposal

• Shortened duct runs

• Smaller HVAC

• Less skilled labor needed

• Overhead/construction loan

Slide 37

Wall Systems Study

• Practical Residential Wall Systems: R-30 and Beyond

• Robb A. Aldrich, Lois Arena, William Zoeller of Steven Winter Associates, Inc.

• Examine double wall, foam sheathing, SIPs for R-30 wall construction

Slide 38

Wall Systems Study

Nominal R-Value Whole Wall R-Value

Incremental Cost

Base 2x6 R-20 R-17 $0

12” Double wall R-44 R-42 $1,888

2x4 + 4” ext. insulation

R-33 R-33 $3,375

8” EPS SIP R-31 R-28 $1,458

10” EPS SIP R-39 R-36 $2,258

Slide 39

Wall Systems Study

$0

$500

$1,000

$1,500

$2,000

$2,500

$3,000

$3,500

$4,000

12" Double Wall 2x4 + 4" Ext. Insulation

8" EPS SIP 10" EPS SIP

R-30 Wall Systems Cost

Building with SIPs

Don Ferrier, Ferrier Custom Homes

Slide 41

Introduction

Ferrier Custom Homes

• 8 time EVHA Winner

• NAHB Green Builder Advocate of the Year

• Texas Green Builder Advocate of the Year

• NAHB Green Building & Energy Subcommittees

• 1st LEED Platinum Home in Texas- 3rd in Nation

• Numerous Local & Regional Awards

Slide 42

Our Clients

Two Basic Clients – Retiring Baby Boomers

• Willing to invest to realize long-term savings

– Young Professionals • Right “green” thing to do

• Secondary desire to save on energy costs

SIP’s have been an integral part of meeting the demands of these two groups

Slide 43

SIPs: Sealing for Air Tightness

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Slide 50

SIPs: Flashing for Air Tightness

Slide 51


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Slide 54

Building Science Corp. Comparisons

Thickness R-Value Payback Period

4.5” 15 Base

6.5” 23 7 Years

Heather’s Home – Fort Worth, Texas SIP Walls

SIP Roof

Thickness R-Value Payback Period

6.5” 23 Base

8.25” 30 3.1 Years

Slide 55

Clifton View Homes Cost Study

Zero Energy Plans, LLC/Clifton View Homes

• 4 time EVHA winner

• 2 time National Green Building Award winner

• 2011 EVHA Remodeler of the Year

• 2,000 sq. ft. 2-story home

• Climate zone Marine 4

• 15% glazing area

Slide 56


• 2009 code requirements for Marine 4 climate zone: – Walls: R-20 or R-13+R-5 insulated sheathing

– Roof: R-38

• 2012 code requirements: – Walls: R-20+5 or R-13+R-10

– Roof: R-49

Slide 57


Assemblies: – 2x6 advanced framing 24” o.c., R-21 fiberglass

batts, R-38 attic

– 2x6 advanced framing 24” o.c., R-21 fiberglass batts, R-5 insulated sheathing, R-49 attic

– 2x6 advanced framing 24” o.c., closed cell SPF walls and roof

– 6” SIP wall, 10” SIP roof, EPS core

Slide 58


2009 IECC 2012 IECC

2x6 24” o.c. $18,100 $21,047

SIPs $25,910 $25,910

Cost difference $7,810 $4,863

SIPs vs Fiberglass Walls

2009 IECC 2012 IECC

2x6 24” o.c. , SPF $27,616 $27,616

SIPs $25,910 $25,910

Cost difference $-1,706 $-1,706

SIPs vs Spray Foam Walls

Slide 59


$0

$5,000

$10,000

$15,000

$20,000

$25,000

$30,000

2009 IECC Wood Frame

2012 IECC Wood Frame

SIPs 2x6 SPF

Slide 60


“Because the SIPS are consistent in quality, easy to assemble, deliver predictable results, reduce construction time and waste, and eliminate worries about wall-cavity related moisture issues, I believe the SIPs are by far the better way to build a house.”

― Ted Clifton, Zero Energy Plans/Clifton View Homes

Slide 61

J. Barrows, Inc. Cost Comparison

United Way- Patton St.

United Way- Clark St.

Custom Homes- Contemporary

Custom Home- Addition

SF 1,620 1,620 3,153 3,911

Conv Frame $ 62,370 $ 51,870 $ 93,815 $ 86,308

Air Seal/Insul $ 14,730 $ 13,417 $ 30,010 $ 28,366

Cost $ 77,100 $ 65,287 $ 123,825 $ 114,673

Cost/SF $ 47.59 $ 40.30 $ 39.27 $ 29.32

SIPS Envelope $ 66,595 $ 54,469 $ 111,476 $ 113,026

8” walls 12” roof




Cost/SF $ 41.11 $ 33.62 $ 35.36 $ 28.90

New York State - Courtesy of John Barrows

Slide 62


$0

$20,000

$40,000

$60,000

$80,000

$100,000

$120,000

$140,000

United Way Patton St.

United Way Clark St.

Custom Home Contemporary

Custom Home Addition

Wood Frame

SIPs

Slide 63


Presentation and Supporting Documents Available at

www.sips.org/ibs