Jump to main content.

Research Project Search
 Enter Search Term:
   
 NCER Advanced Search

Final Report: Development and Modeling of Reactive Building Systems: Climate and Illumination

EPA Grant Number: SU831852
Title: Development and Modeling of Reactive Building Systems: Climate and Illumination
Investigators: Baur, Stuart W. , Arnn, Allison
Institution:
EPA Project Officer: Nolt-Helms, Cynthia
Project Period: September 30, 2004 through May 30, 2005
Project Amount: $10,000
RFA: P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition for Sustainability Focusing on People, Prosperity, and the Planet (2004)
Research Category: Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development

Description:

Objective:

The underlying drive for this research project is to increase the number of passive energy homes built in the U.S. and abroad. In so doing, an innovative building systems approach to improve the comfort level of the home is being proposed. Specifically, the scope of this project focuses on the development of reactive sensing building systems for indoor climate control and for indoor illumination levels and quality. The development of these sensing systems would directly improve the livability and desirability of a zero energy home.

It is the issue of comfort and choice that directly impacts the 'People' in the P3 grant. This problem definition is focused on the developed world, which has been remarkably slow to embrace sustainable building practices. The people need to see that a zero energy home can be more comfortable than a traditional home and at the same time be more affordable. In general, people purchase homes because of location, desirability/comfort and cost. It is the desirability and comfort issue that is being addressed in this proposal by developing a model of reactive climate control and reactive illumination control. Using sensors, the indoor comfort level can be measured and compared to the ASHRAE guidelines for Human Comfort. Finally, a computer program will be written to analyze the difference in data and develop an optimized climate control model. This model will be implemented in the 2005 Department of Energy Solar Decathlon home, which will be on display on the Washington Mall in fall 2005.

The 'Prosperity' element of this design competition is addressed in the cost benefit analysis. It is expected that the new reactive building systems which first take in to account the natural solar benefits on a home and then operate systems to supplement what is already in place to attain ideal human comfort levels will in fact be less expensive. Not only would the building not require any additional major features only sensors would need to be installed at appropriate locations. For the long term, these optimized climate and illumination systems would allow for a considerable energy savings.

Using an example in the Midwest region of the U.S., this proposal intends to demonstrate that zero energy homes can and should be considered in a variety of different climates in the U.S. and around the 'Planet'. The reactive building systems should increase the likelihood of passive energy buildings in other climates in that these optimized designs will be able to reduce the cost of ongoing energy use in the home. By increasing the comfort level of the home while simultaneously reducing the amount of energy used by the home, these reactive building systems will assist in preserving our natural environment.

Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):

Data was gathered from the climate sensors, historical temperature and humidity data for this region and compared to the ASHRAE Psychometric Chart for Human Comfort. With this data, a software program is under development that will be able to appropriately design a model that first takes in to account the natural solar benefits and then determines the amount of adjustment to the natural environment needed during the time of the project. Determining the amount of adjustment can then be calculated in financial terms to demonstrate the adjustment amount vs. the cost in a traditional home, vs. the amount in a solar home without reactive climate systems. Although most of the process focused on data collection with no considerable findings based on the overall expectations, it was determined that during the months of February and March the relative humidity inside the house generally increased when the relative humidity outside decreased. This pattern was unexpected since the outside humidity affects inside humidity whenever doors are opened by air infiltration. The relationship is due to the differences in temperature since it is relative to the amount of vapor contained in the air. Relative humidity is expected to increase with a decreasing air temperature since the amount of water in the air stays the same, but the amount of water the air can hold decreases.

Additionally, the temperature between the exterior and the interior temperature of the home for the months of February and March was tracked. Sensors were placed on the interior of the home to monitor the effects of stratification in the 2002 solar house with the forced air heating system. The intent was two-fold to determine what effects the temperature differences from the interior to the exterior have on the home's design and construction to its energy use and secondly, to evaluate what temperature differences exists in the homes interior. As the outside temperature rose, the internal temperature mirrored the external temperature activities.

Conclusions:

Overall the data collected from the sensors and the additional assistance from partners on this program and support from the NREL have been most useful in setting up basic parameters for the formation of a computer program that will be able to monitor the solar home and use both passive and active monitoring. The data collection phase has also demonstrated to the team that lack of knowledge of sophisticated computer programming training was vitally important and unfortunately, the lack thereof cost the team critical time. Delays in acquiring some of the sensors and then the subsequent delay in installation certain worked again the intent of the initial proposal. However, all sensors are currently in place and gathering data and it is with that that we share the collection and direction of this preliminary research.

Proposed Phase II Objectives and Strategies:

Developing a Reactive Home-Automation Systems

The Phase II objectives and strategies include the further analysis and implementation of the data gathered in the first phase of this report.

Objectives: To develop and implement a computerized reactive home-automated system in the 2005 Solar Decathlon Home to gather data and efficiently supplement temperature and humidity systems based on the current external environment and resources. This automated system will also include additional systems such as the use of shading devices, windows and lighting systems.

Strategies: The data is already available as is most of the software and hardware (donated by Home Automated Incorporated) needed in order to install the system and begin monitoring and adjusting climate issues. Monitoring on the humidity systems will continue as specified in the Phase I of the proposal. Importantly, the data gathered from the illuminations sensors (included in Phase I of the proposal) will also be discussed and incorporated into the programming of the automated system.

Supplemental Keywords:

indoor air, innovative technology, engineering, modeling, monitoring, climate models, Midwest, building systems, building industry, , Sustainable Industry/Business, Scientific Discipline, RFA, POLLUTION PREVENTION, Technology for Sustainable Environment, Sustainable Environment, waste reduction, Energy, Environmental Engineering, Ecology and Ecosystems, Engineering, pollution prevention design, environmental conscious construction, green design, green building design, reactive building systems, sustainable development, climate control and illumination building, waste minimization, solar energy, architectual design, ecological design, architecture, alternative building technology

Progress and Final Reports:
Original Abstract

Top of page

The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.

Local Navigation

Jump to main content.