PSU’s Finest Zero Energy Home

Andrew Timmons, Josh Temple, Kurtis Myhre, Steven Fischer

1

The Team

2

Project Overview

Goals:• To learn about the energy usage within a home

and how to make it more sustainable• To critically think and understand how to use

appliances to create a Zero Energy Home• To work together as a team to make this dream

home possible

3

Researching• Common traits we found in ZEH• Solar Water Heaters• Large amounts of South facing windows- Passive

Solar• Photovoltaic System• Energy efficient appliances

4

Styrofoam Experiment• Through this we learned how even the

slightest opening (about 1 inch) causes more air changes per hour (air leakage)

• Based off of this box- a larger R value for wall and ceiling along with a more tightly sealed house will cut down the air changes per hour

5

Decisions For Our Home

• Less floor levels leads to an easier time conserving energy for the whole home

• Larger R value for insulation helps conserve heat

• Two Northern wings included to increase the aesthetic appeal of the home

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Table of Basic SpecificationsLocation Harrisburg, PA

House Size 2125 sq ft.

Number of Floors 1

Occupants 4

Bedrooms 3

Type of Heating Geothermal Heat Pump

Main Heating Electricity/Solar

Size of Photovoltaic System

7kW

Solar Water Heater Yes

R Value of Wall and Ceiling (respectively)

R 20 and R 60

Ventilation Air Heat Recovery

Yes7

Home Envelope•Wall Construction- Double 2x4 with 10” foam- R 20•Ceiling Insulation- R60•Window Type- Triple low-e

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Home Envelope

• Gross Wall Area- 2070 sq ft.

• Gross Window Area- 409 sq. ft.

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Appliances • Refrigerator-•Kenmore Black 22.9 cu. Ft. Side by Side Refrigerator•Energy Star Efficient•Up front cost- $999.99•Operating Cost- 549 kWh/yr * $.075 /kWh= $41.18/yr

•Dishwasher- •Super Capacity Tall Tub Dishwasher•Energy Star•Up front cost- $378.05•Operating Cost- 324 kWh/yr * $.075 /kWh= $24.3/yr

•Television•Sharp Aquos•52 Inch 1080p LED HDTV•Up front cost- $1457.96•Operating Cost- 149.97 kWh/yr* $.075 /kWh= $11.25/yr

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Appliance (cont.)

• Washing Machine-• LG White 4.0 cu. Ft. Front Loading Washing Machine• Up front cost- $602.99• Operating Cost- 135 kWh/yr* $.075/yr= $10.13/yr

• We picked the appliance based off of the most energy efficient and cheapest/most cost effective

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Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning

• Heating and Cooling System- Electric Geothermal Heat Pump

• Duct Location- Inside thermal envelope

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Solar Technologies

• Size of PV system- 7.0 kW

• Type of Panel- BP- 3220M- 17.9 sq ft per panel

• 28 panels in all• Solar Water

Heater- Sun Rain- 50 sq ft. of panel and 50 gallon tank

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Behavior

• Family of Four-• Water Conservation- A

LOT• Use of Clothesline- A

LOT• Thermostat Setback- A

LOT

• Heat Thermostat Setting- 70 F

• Cool Thermostat Setting- 76 F

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The Calculator

Net Savings of -$40 a month!!!!

General InfoLocation Harrisburg

Electricity cost ($/kwh) 0.075Conditioned floor area (sq.ft.) 2125

Number of bedrooms 3Envelope Details

Wall constructionDouble 2x4 with 10"

foam

Ceiling Insulation R60Window type Triple low-e

Upper floor ceiling area (sq.ft.) 2125North wall area (gross) (sq.ft.) 450

East wall area (sq.ft.) 585South wall area (sq.ft.) 450West wall area (sq.ft.) 585

North window area (sq.ft.) 149.7East window area (sq.ft.) 43.2

South window area (sq.ft.) 108West window area (sq.ft.) 108

Air tightness AverageAppliances

Refrigerator Energy StarClothes Washer Energy StarDishwasher OrdinaryAmount of other appliances A lot less

Heating & Cooling

Heating & cooling system Electric geothermal heat

pump

Duct location Inside thermal envelope

Solar Technologies Size of PV system (kw) 7.0Solar water heater Yes

Behavior Water conservation A lotUses clothesline A lotThermostat setback A lotHeat thermostat setting (F) 70Cool thermostat setting (F) 76

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December 21st- Solstice

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Jun 21st Solstice

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March 20th- Equinox

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September 21st- Equinox

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Physical Model

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Andrew’s Favorite Part

• Putting up the walls to the house• “It was awesome to finally see the whole

house coming together physically.”

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Josh’s Favorite Part

• “Making the Sketch Up Model was the highlight for me. The computer stuff is what I am best at so doing that was great.”

22

Kurt’s Favorite Part

• I thought it was great working with the team and sharing ideas. Everyone communicated very well with each other, which made transferring the house from the computer to the physical model easy.

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Steve’s Favorite Part

• “I really enjoyed designing the house and sketching it out on paper. It was fun being creative and planning out the rooms and the size of everything.”

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Review

Challenges• Putting together the roof

• With so many measurements and different parts, building the physical model required so much effort

• Combining everyone’s thoughts of what to have in this home

• Making truly a Zero Energy Home, so many calculations made it challenging

Important Aspects• U-shape with wings

branching out North• One story• Zero Energy• Energy Star Appliances• 7kW PV system

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Conclusion

• Lesson Learned-1.How to keep track and reduce energy use

within a home2.How our roles as engineers is to not only do

our jobs but to do them in a sustainable and eco-friendly fashion

3.How to work together as a team and put everyone’s thoughts and points of view into the decision making process of this home

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