New Eco build started!!

[pinballlooking]

Very nice...
Great job getting to this stage!

Originally Posted by gasstingy

If I remember correctly, my house was either 2.6 or 2.8ACH50. The biggest incoming air source was from my water heater closet. I put an overflow pan under the water heater when we built the house, plumbed with a 3/4" CPVC drain pipe through the floor. During the audit I was suprised at how much air it sucked in! Some came in from the gas vent above too, but it didn't feel as drafty from that opening. (Is drafty even a word?)

The worst heat loss was from the two poorly insulated can lights over the kitchen sink. I decided to switch from 60w equivalent CFLs to 40w equivalent LED's in the cans, took aluminum foil tape to seal all the penetrations in the cans and put about two cans of great stuff foam around both cans. Then I covered the whole area in blown in cellulose.

I don't have many other projects for the house that are wife approved, because our gas bill is just above the minimum charge, and we have received checks for excess production from the PV array for two years in a row now that were enough to pay the gas, water and landline telephone bills for the year.

I'm a very happy camper on that front!

[Daox]

Any updates?

[Drake]

Just taking off the tewp snow roof over foundation. Beginning construction this week will post photos as I can.

[Drake]

Just getting under construction above ground for this season. foundation was completed last season and temp covered for winter. Foundation is pretty standard with half(two walls) being underpinned existing frost footings to full basement depth. Two new walls a PWF. New foot print is long 16x 35 with long side to south. First floor will be poured in place concrete with hydro radiant and thermal mass for passive solar. Front 9' is arched over 1" plywood subfloor(insulated below). First photo shows detail underneath this area. Additional temp support will used until floor is cured. Door is to util room heavy framed and built into long PWF wall for backfill support as it is a long wall.



Photo two it detail of middle support wall for poured first floor(2x6's 6"cc will be sheathed on both sides with an 8' beamed are at one end for stairs and laundry area- triple 10" micro lams because I couldn't go 14" deep for head clearance). Back 7' of first floor will be 2" slab with hydro radiant that gets little solar contact and is supported by joists on 12"cc instead of 16.



Only real eco design is basement will be thermally and air flow isolated for living space with sealed insulated door as I like a cool work area and am not "overly" insulating basement(except laundry are which will be at base of stairs where sealed door will be). I may some day have combustable heater in basement area and then can vent it easier outside the "living space".

Last pic shows beginning of framing of new area with a modified post and beam design with the front wall that will have four side by side 5' windows on first and second floors for solar exposure and an exterior front door to front deck area. 4' of solid wall at each end of windows for future collectors of some type. New space will have same two story profile as existing cabin. Existing one car garage and storage can be seen behind new space and all metal roofing there now is temp and will be redone to new profile. Almost 60x20 of full south facing 45 degree surface for future solar panels. Note: metal roof has never had more than a 3-4" snow load for more than a couple days in 20+ yrs even in 2' snow falls. Makes for a very "light" roof to frame for for this area.

There is a 2' setback of the second floor to make it match existing roofline so front wall in not a direct load down from second to first. The front second for wall studs,second floor joists and first for stds are all laminated together from engineered lams and 2x materials all glued, nailed and othes fastener(mending plates, landscape spikes and plywood to become post and beam frame. Much stronger in my experience and uses less volume of wood(allowing more insul to wood ratio). But it takes more time, hardware and detail.



Long summer to go and I often change things as I go if it's workable. This project is more set than others I have done as I have had several yrs to stockpile great buys on all kinds of materials. I live dangerously close to a very large construction surplus outlet and employees I have know there forever have me on the "hotline" when steals come in.

[Drake]

Ready for a roof! First and second floor are framed and ready to start framing roof. will be extending existing metal roof profile over entire new space. Very happy with metal roof. 25% of the load of a shingle/deck roof, with 12/12 pitch I have never had more than 3-4" of snow on existing roof before it slide off(even wet/sticky). This allows for not as much load engineering as typical(less wood in load walls, more insulation). It takes solid log walls to hold 4-5' of roof snow load of some building designed here.

Eco designs included: ALL joints between framing are glued. Modified post/beam front wall for max window. Double staggered stud walls other three sides(with 1/2" plywood between walls for extra load bearing without thru wall conduction of typical exterior to interior framing). Only the window/door frames with have thru contact. The interior of framing will have 1.5" of thermal over an unbroken vapor barrier everywhere(even plates and hearers). All electrical will run inside vapor barrier.

As detailed in photos post/beam are multiple layers of glued 2x, LVL and plywood to make for stronger joints than typical single butt joints in solid post/beam construction. My biggest engineering challenge was that front wall has 2" setback(not direct horizontal load). So keeping the amount(size) of framing to a minimum and still have load safety was detailed. Lots of extra strong/oversize fasteners and mending plates were used(I got a thousand assrt'd mending plates for $100. surplus so I made use of them freely). Overall walls will have 25% greater insulation to wood than typical energy walls here.

Though I have never built anything sub code I can be more creative in design because I only have electrical code required. Such as no top plates on front wall but continuous header with inline 1st/2nd floor framing for load bearing.

Last pic shows where wall framing couldn't be double wall over stair way thru wall conductivity was broken by laminating studs.

[gasstingy]

Thanks for the update, and pictures. Pictures are always good. Looks like energy efficiency has a good chance of winning this one.

Too many people have told me that they weren't going with that much insulation because the payback time wasn't good enough?! It makes me cringe just to hear that. Your build is putting a smile on my face. Keep up the good work!

[jeff5may]

Your pics in post #24 aren't showing up for me. Is it just me?

[gasstingy]

I'm not getting pictures from #24 either. I even tried clicking on the tiny symbols with no luck.

[Drake]

Pics show on my post, don't know more than that, sorry.

I think there is a point where more insulation may not be cost effective just from the fact that opening closing exterior doors probably will lose more heat than extra insul can save. Also cost of extra framing for it unless one goes with hollow spaced walls, SIPs, extra foundation or the like.

I think the passive house stands are very well thought.

[Daox]

Any updates? Loving the progress and pictures so far!