Presentation by: Matt Vermeulen, BA, CEA

How I Stopped Ignoring My Home

and Learned to Love Building Science

So Who Is This Guy?

• Executive Director of the Elora Environment Centre • Over 1000 pre and post-retrofit assessments as a Certified Energy Advisor • 7 years of advanced building science and onsite construction experience • Valedictorian, 2006 graduating class, Algonquin College EDUCATION • HRAI Certifications, SkillTech Academy

Residential Air System Design Residential Heat Loss & Heat Gain Calculations Residential Mechanical Ventilation Installation Residential Mechanical Ventilation Design

• EnergyStar for New Homes Training Program • Certified Energy Advisor, Natural Resources Canada • Advanced Housing Diploma, Algonquin College • Bachelor of Arts Degree, Philosophy and History, Trent University • Yearly symposiums, seminars and conferences relating to the building sciences

And  what  is  “Building  Science?”

“The  study  of  building  enclosures  and  mechanical systems...

The technical side of architecture, or the architectural  side  of  engineering.”

- Dr. Joe Lstiburek -

And Why Is It Important?

“It  ain't what you don't know that gets you into trouble. It's what you know for sure that just ain't so”. - Mark Twain -

So The Whole Point Is...?

We’ve  done  conservation  before...

So what does a house that uses 40% less energy look like?

Orientation, orientation, orientation!

The House as a System

� The environment � The enclosure � The mechanical systems � The occupants

“The  Equation”

(to + ti) x SA R (RSI) OR

Heat Loss = Temperature Differential x Surface Area Thermal Resistance

Q =

Modes of Heat Transfer

* beodom.com

� Local temperature ranges (climate zone) � Building orientation (solar heat gain potential) � Exposure to wind and rain

The Environment

(to + ti) x SA

R (RSI) Q =

Heating Degree Days (HDD)

Annual sum of the degrees of the average daily temperature for all days below 18°C. This accumulated sum is averaged over a 30-year period to provide an average temperature in a given location. The higher the average HDD value, the colder a location and the longer the heating season.*

*oee.nrcan.gc.ca

Solar Heat Gain Coefficient

* glassessential.com * efficientwindows.org

� Above and below grade walls, ceilings, and floors � Windows, doors, and skylights � Losses and gains related to the insulation type, R-value per inch, moisture content, density and thickness. Building size and complexity is very important here!

The Enclosure

(to + ti) x SA R (RSI)

Q =

Mode of Heat Transfer: Conduction

Transfer of energy through direct molecular contact. Kinetic energy of vibrating molecules transfers motion to ajoining molecules. Very powerful method of heat transfer

And What Can Be Done About It?

Decrease the Differential Through the Addition of Semi Conductive Thermal Insulation

Mode of Heat Transfer: Radiation

Transfer of electromagnetic radiation generated by the vibration of the molecules in matter. All matter with a temperature greater than absolute zero emits thermal radiation.

* bbc.co.uk

* antonine-education.co.uk

Building Science Myth #1

Myth #2: Heat Rises

Attics are the most important area or component of a building because heat rises... right?! Don’t we loose the majority of body heat from our heads?!

2nd Law of Thermodynamics

The world is inherently active, and that whenever an energy distribution is out of equilibrium a potential or thermodynamic "force" (the gradient of a potential) exists that the world acts spontaneously to dissipate or minimize.

*http://www.entropylaw.com/entropy2ndlaw.html

Mode of Heat Transfer: Convection

Energy exits the home at the highest point, and draws cold air in through the lower floors. In summer conditions, the opposite is true and is referred as the reverse stack effect

Solar Updraft Tower

Building Science Myth #2

Myth #1: This House is “Too Tight”

A home can never be too tight, but one can be under-ventilated Houses do not need to breath, but people and pets do (that is why we have operable windows and mechanical ventilation) Energy consumption through air leakage often the highest component of energy loss in a building (all seasons)

Types of Ventilation

� Natural Ventilation • Uncontrolled infiltration and exfiltration • Air filter is building enclosure • Wind forces acting upon the building are

determined by orientation, surrounding environment, temperature

• Most well know form of is the Stack Effect

Types of Ventilation

� Exhaust only system • also known as spot or

tactical ventilation • bathroom fans, kitchen

range hoods • still rely on poor air

sealing details for make-up air

Types of Ventilation

� Balanced Ventilation with Heat Recovery • exhaust stale interior air and bring in fresh exterior air at

a controlled, balanced rate • recovers heat and moisture by natural processes and

returns it to incoming air stream (HRVs or heat recovery ventilator)

• the opposite occurs in summer (with ERVs or enthalpy recovery ventilator

� Conditioning equipment: heating and cooling of air & water � Ventilation systems: indoor air quality and humidity control � Electrical systems: lighting, appliances and survivability

Mechanical Systems

Components of Heat Loss

Built in 1900

Built in 1900

Built in 1958

Built in 1967

Built in 1988

Built in 1990

Built in 2003

One of the most poorly insulated and finished components of a home is the basement. What are the most common misconceptions and why are there so many problems?

Myth #3: Basements are cool and damp

This is an easy one...

Holes in the ground are cool damp places, and we stick a perfectly good basement in one!

Building owners are critical to the well being and ongoing performance of a structure � Water in the basement? Look for the source. � Water on the windows? Is that a humidifier? � High electricity bill? Are those windows open? � Room is cold? Is that a couch on the register?

The Occupants

“It  is  wholly  a  confusion  of  ideas  to  suppose that the economical use of fuel is equivalent to a diminished consumption. The very contrary is the  truth.”

- William Stanley Jevons -

Presentation by: Matt Vermeulen, BA, CEA

Thank you for your attention. Enjoy the conference!

(519) 846-0841 www.ecee.on.ca