MASEA Article on 2233 Sm

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Trombe Wqll

The three-storey Trombe waI1 is on therear, south-facing wall of the buiIding.The wall itself is two rows of brickthick, was covered with stucco, painted aflat black to absorb as much energy aspossible. A frame of 3" x 4t' wood sup-ports and 5/4" x 3/4" wood clamping barsis bolted to the brick wall. The frame

holds the ExoliteR, Acrylic double-Iayerglazing three inches from the brick.ExoliteR was chosen because it is light-weight and unbreakable. Operable ventsare installed at the top and bottom of theTrombe wal1, enabling the air space be-tween the glazing and the brick wafl tobe vented in the summer. The Trombewa1l is considered in the same categoryas aluminum siding by ehiladelphia build-ing code officials.

Attcched Sunspcce

The attached sunspace addition to theMid-Atlantic Solar Energy Assocj-ation

headquarters is a greenhouse, except inname. The loca1 building codes requirecomplete, fire-extinguishing sprinklersystems in all "commercial greenhouses."Although the bui-lding is a conmercial one,a sprinkler system is obviously unneces-sary in this approximately 160 squarefoot addition. The attached sunspaceuses ExolllsR glazing and roof vents forsummer cooling. In retrospect, more sum-mer ventilation would be desirable tolower temperatures and humidity leve1s.The lowest temperature, 46oF, vras record-ed on a record-breaking December day whenthe building had been unoccupied over aweekend.

Solcr DIIW System

The MASEA demonstration hot water systemhas three Sunearth collector panels mount-ed on the roof. The collectors aredouble glazed and three by eight feet each.An B0 gallon, stone-Iined storage tank isin the basement. A non-Loxic anti-freezeis used in the fluid pumped through acl-osed loop from the collectors to the heatexchanger coil in the bottom of the stor-age tank. The tank itself holds potablewater and serves as a preheater for the20 ga11on, electric water heater. On aclear day collector temperatures range

between 160oF to 180oF, with a maximum of190oF. The storage tank on a clear daywould be between 1l0oF and 130oF, with amaximum of 140oF.

VestibulesBoth front and rear vestibules were

integrated into the renovation design forthe MASEA headquarters to significantlyreduce cold air infiltration in the winter.

Sunspace interiorshows buil-t-inpTanting beds/bicgcLe storagedesign and Thetmoshadein upper Left corner.

South Wa77

-t',t

SoJ-ar hot water sgstem



Ttonbe wa77 framing Window QuiTt

Wall InsulctionThe north wa1l of the Gray's Ferry pro-

ject was insulated with 3L" of Fiberglasby building a new stud wal1 inside theexisting brick. One small area was pur-posely left uninsulated in order to com-pare the wall surface temperature of thenorth wa1l with that of the Trombe wallon the south. The small west wa1l and the

south waIl below the Trombe wall and sun-space glazing are insulated on the exter-j-or with the DryvitR insulation andfinish system. This consisls of twoinches of rigid insulation board, rein-forcing fabric, adhesive and a synthetj_cplaster exterior surface and providesapproximately an R-9 with the brick wall.

Movecble InsulctionWINDOW QUILT (TM) from the Appropriate

Technology Corporation is a five layerquilted shade. rt has an air seal on allfour sj-des and runs up and down in a trackattached to the window frame. It can beused for windows, slidi-ng glass doors, and

sloped greenhouse glazing.THE IS HfcH "R" SHADE (TM) from thern@ in the GraytsFerry Project is a five layer shade. Itrolls up compactly and has an air sealingframe. When it is rolled down, the fivelayers are separated by spaces, creat.inginsulating dead air spaces. The exteriorsurface reflects summer sun. It can alsobe used for windows or sliding glassdoors.

THERMOISHADE (TM) by Systems for EnergyConservation-Ts used in Lhe uasra solarroom. It provides an air seal at the topvalence and side tracks. The plastic ribsmaking up the shade, enclose

\',air

spaces. An automatic control is availableto raise and lower the shades.The MASEA conference room has two SITE-

BII-ILI moveable insulation systems. BoEFare constructed of one inch rigid insul-ation board covered with ptywood. Theupper one fits t.ightly in place and re-mains there all winter. The other is madeup of four panels hinged in sets of twothat can be opened each day. They arealso built to tight specificati-ons andseal well against infiltration when closedand latched.

Air-to-Air Hect Exchcnger

The MASEA solar room also boasts an air-to-air heat exchanger for winter ventila-tion. It consumes very little power (onthe order of 55 watts) and needs no ductwork. Although there is always a smal1amount of infiltration even when the unitis turned off, the air coming in has ab-sorbed. most of the heat of the outgoingair. Both latent and sensible heat areexchanged.

Site-bui7t sgstems High "R" Shade

Insulation beTow Tronbe waLl

Air-to-air heat exchanger



Performcnce

BEFORE RENOVATION:1979-80 Gas HeatingBill (at 1982 rates)

=$645.

AFTER RENOVATION:l9B1-82 Gas HeatingBill

=$306.

2233 Grag's Ferzg Avenuebefore tenovation

Whcrt ccn I do?

For suggestions on what energy-savingmeasures can be easily taken in yourhome:

"Low Cost/No Costr " a pamphlet avail-able free at MASEA, produced by the U.S.Department of Energy;

"Buyer's Guide to Saving Energy in theHomer" available free at the Grass RootsAlliance for a Solar pennsylvania,3500 Lancaster Avenue, philadelphia,PA 19104, produced by the philadelphia

Solar Planning Project/Burnette andAssoci-ates.

HOME REMEDIES: A Guidebookfor Residential Retrofit.is avaiTabTe from MASEA

for onTg $70. It is thefirst book to give home-owners a total picture ofwhat theit options are forcuring the specific infir-mjties of their present

homes.

The MASEA bookstore and library alsohave many books, pamphlets, and news-letters on a wide rangie of energy relat-ed topics. You are welcome to visitour facilities, but we do reguest thatyou call in advance to make an appoint-ment.

Impodcmt Note on Perlormcnce Data

Because the Grayrs Ferry project is ademonstration project, its focus has al-ways been i-ts use as an educational too1.While every rowhouse can make use of someof the systems shown on the building,probably none could appropriately use allof them. The Mid-Atlantic Solar EnergyAssociation based. its d.ecisions aboutwhich systems to instalt first primarilyon the relative educational value of eaLhproject. A homeowner's decisions will bedifferent depending

on both their houseand budget and what conservation or solarmeasures will save the most energy atleast cost.

CreditsARCHITECT: South Street Design

PROJECT DIRECTOR: Jay WhiteGENERAL CONTRACTOR: philatech, Inc.PROGRAM MANAGER: Linda Knapp

The project funding \^/as provided bythe U.S. Department of Energy, Appro-priate Technology Small Grant program,

Region III.

Irisita Azarg has been involved in MASEA

since 1979. ,She js currenXlg finishing herI4asters in Architectute at the WhaxtonSchoaT.

The Gtag'sProject in

Feng7980

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MASEA Article on 2233 Sm