Prefab Green Passive Solar House Kits: Green Modern Kits!
Prefab Passive Solar Modern House Kits- My own net zero energy off grid house kit construction blog. See affordable house kits at www.GreenModernKits.com / www.GreenCottageKits.com and www.GreenCabinKits.com.
About Me
Name: Copeland
Location: Richmond, Virginia, United States
I'm tired of seeing great design beyond my grasp. So I thought I'd go kidnap some architects and make them do my affordable housing bidding. ; )
No Trip To The Prefab Net Zero Home... Again. But wait... what day is it?
School is canceled. Again.
It has begun snowing, AGAIN, clearly because my children wore their pajamas inside out last night... Dag it, that trick WORKS. They now have their noses pressed to the window, chanting,
"Don't stop, snow! Don't stop, snow!"
And the snow is responding strongly to their encouragement.
*sob*
So no, no visit to the off grid net zero energy prefab house kit this weekend.
Yes, I am miserable.
I would *really* like to see my supposedly existing interior walls!
I would *really* like to sleep in the bedroom spaces, now that they are REAL ROOMS!
I want to feel the spaces about me, to sleep in a different room each night just to see what it's like.
(I was beginning to think they were Imaginary Walls, just like our Imaginary Chickens...)
But it's days like this that...
.
.
.
.
VINTAGE! HAT! FRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!
was invented!
The Dress: I had no idea it was a mystery to wear, much less that it was without a zipper, until I put it on. SO, although I felt a bit unfair using it against Amy when the vintage dress is from Amy, because this dress is so screwed up (I still don't think I have it on right) I am certain I have no advantage.
The Ring: On my 25th birthday I bought this for myself in Finland. It is by a famous craftsman. I did not write down his name. I was too focused on proving to myself I would never want to be married and resolved to never fall in love and this was a symbol of a Gal Who Only Earns Her Own Way And Buys Herself Her Own Jewelry And Needn't Ever Rely On ANYONE. Yeah, yeah... Handsome Husband sure screwed that up...
The Coat: My Handsome Husband-That-Wasn't-Supposed-To-Happen found this vintage coat from Finland (note: I adore Finland. File that under "Subject To Avoid Bringing Up" unless you want me to go on, and on, and on...) in a local thrift store and gave it to me as a gift.
The Hat: A happy purchase from Bygone's annual Get Rid Of Stuff sale! I think it was $2. I love it.
The Boots: Well, if you're going to have a proper Revolution, you need a good sturdy pair of boots, and these are just the trick: my awesome riding boots, ready for the slushy snowy fight!
REVOLT AGAINST THE SNOW!!!!!!!!!! Vote for meeeeeee!
(Please note: if you vote for me that you need to also comment, "Wow what a great photographer!" as a certain out-of-school 7 year old took those blurry pictures..)
[Amy is telecommuting from Fredericksburg. She sends this in:]
Amy: Be vewy, vewy quiet. I am huntin' snowflakes.
An authentic coonskin cap paired with some completely inappropriate camo, given the current weather conditions. But vote for me, cause clearly Hell has frozen over as I'm wearing camo and holding a rifle... (that *is* a rifle, right?) Oh, and apparently the rifle is *also* vintage. So sayeth my sources.
Oh, and the wicked awesome pair of snow boots? Those ARE mine. I bought them at goodwill for $4 back in November, Just. In. Case.
Happy Snow Day :)
[Copeland's note: That IS something I never ever thought I'd see sweet Amy be holding! Much less wearing camo! Ironically I almost used one of my handguns as a prop but didn't go the Dr. Zhivago route I originally planned! Geez... I think I might have to vote for her!]
Thinking About Your Prefab Green House Kit: Contractor Tips And Thoughts
We were hoping to head out to the prefab net zero energy green house kit this weekend, as we were snowed out last weekend... but check out the weather forecast, above.
I'm even hearing the words, "twelve to twenty inches" ominously, forebodingly whispered amongst colleagues when they speak about the upcoming weekend.
I am dying to see the interior walls that were built two weeks ago, yet there is still over a foot of snow on the land from LAST week! Our carpenter, a Mennonite minister, is also leaving to move back to Haiti (where they lived for five years) to help their Haitian community in March, so I would really like to properly thank him in person before he goes... Danged this snow!
But good news: Ran the numbers last night - looks like our *own* prefab house kit we're building is still at around $100sf (actually less if it weren't for all the off grid stuff we're doing). Good to know you can be net zero off grid yet affordable!
Now we're in the final stages, and of course the systems will be very expensive to purchase and install, but you can see our ownprefab zero energy green home tally here. Of course YOUR local material and labor costs and systems you choose will all be different. But this is what it's costing for us to build and complete the net zero off grid prefab house kit in rural Virginia as a net zero energy home, not tied to the grid.
But let's talk about you. A lot of you are in the process of permitting and getting ready to start foundation work. Here are some contractor tips I collected over the year to post during this long snowy week, information you might find helpful to think about when planning your own prefab green home. Of course when you have the design documents and go over them with your contractor it will be easier to make your own choices for your own budget, but here are some "general contractor tips and things to think about."
I subscribe to the Good, Better, Best philosophy.
Best would be if I could all hire an in-house team of my house kit SIPs specialists to erect and complete the house kit from start to finish, then certify it to LEED and passive and BREAM standards.
Better would be where I choose a contractor with decades of SIPs experience to construct my house kit that was enthusiastic about off grid energy efficient homes.
Good would be where I find a fantastic, reputable contractor willing to 1. educate themselves with the manufacturer's manuals, 2. attend workshops, and where I, as the consumer, 3. also educate myself on SIPs and green building technology to then feel confident I, with my contractor, was making the best choices I could for my budget.
In our own net zero energy house kit construction, it is clear we are in the Good category as consumers of our own house kit... once the modern house kit was erected, you even see us change direction on the interior a bit...isn't that real life? We're adding built-ins to where there's designated closet space, expanding that area to accommodate off grid systems and our own funky, bookcase lovin' lifestyle.
Many people ask why I don't just ship out a completely completed prefab house kit. Here's WHY I'm offering the house kits the way we do: My mission is to offer energy efficient house kits that are gorgeous but also affordable... attainable green design.
By having you order your windows and doors locally (we send you a list along with the design documents), you can then order them at a more affordable price than if we had to add them to your house kit shipment (adding to the cost of the windows the cost to store them at the factory), increasing the truck load weight and number of trucks, increasing shipping, increasing risk of damage and increasing cost.
By leaving the house kit unfinished, I give you control: you choose your systems, your finishes, your appliances to your individual needs.
We CAN have the house kits finished more if you like, which we are working on with European clients. But it will cost a lot more; more than if you worked with a local contractor and supply store. But we certainly can include the windows, doors, framing in shipping containers.
We do have contractor firms we recommend who WILL travel and complete the kit for you, and are familiar with SIPs and our house kits, but it will cost a lot more. Just ask, I will send you names.
Now on to Contractor / Construction Tips And Thoughts!
ERV / HRV: Because of the energy efficient, tight structural insulated panels in the prefab green home, you will want to make sure you choose an appropriate heat / energy recovery ventilator that works for your area climate needs.We recommend two manufacturers and are happy to send you their contact information.
Roof panels: Do you want chassis ways or will you use a surface-wired mold? If you like, you may tell the factory where you want to run a roof chassis.
It's not just about the house kit: Are you keeping in consideration How To Keep Water Away From The Foundation?
Another tip: Copper pipes and galvanized duct work: Do not let them come into contact! They will deteriorate, then leak!
Framing: Your contractor will need to build anything that is not structural insulated panels. SIPs are the majority of the house kit, but there are areas (note along north and clerestory windows) that the engineer deemed it structurally better to have framed in. This is dependent on which house kit you choose. FOR THE CASA TI, here is what *our* contractor estimated:
"Here is the estimated list of wood required to assemble the SIPs:
- framing materials for interior load bearing wall/header
- framing for panel H (row of small windows at transition of roofs)
- framing for edge of parapet on north end of roof
- framing between walls and roof
Filing this under, "Things your contractor should know": Obviously, make sure your contractor carefully READS THE SIP MANUFACTURER'S MANUAL...
Because there is a *lot* of useful, critical information in there that is imperative to the success of your project. We also have workshops and schools we can point them to, and the factory is always ready to answer questions.
But even if they follow successfully the SIP instructions perfectly, even if they're the *best* contractor, ever, don't forget they might have aesthetic differences than your love of modern design, so here are just some easy things you can point out/gently remind them...
Modern Design vs. Traditional Trim: The trim around the windows should be narrow- It should be “receiver trim” that catches the end of the cut siding.
It's a very minimalist / modern look, not a traditional way of trim- not 3” wide but more ½ inch, flat, for corners and openings- see this as an example: http://www.daviddaydesign.net/horsepen.htm
And this:
MAKE SUREbefore you order cladding where everything is measured out individually by your contractor, despite what the plans say.
Why? Because there are materials and decisions your engineer / contractor will make on site that might slightly change the dimensions- like adjusting the pitch of the roof or framing an overhang out more to accommodate the sun in your area.
If you're building a casa ti and using a rubber membrane on the north roof, we randomly came across a graphic that explained the parapet and scupper concept really well! Don't say we're not geeks!
Flashing ("scupper") in the passages through the parapet BEFORE the rubber membrane is installed:
Cladding: Consider HardiePlank, cedar, galvalume (we can put you in touch with the manufacturer we used but make sure you also get a local quote), and I have one other solution that I will post more on in the next week... but cladding is totally up to you! Be creative!
Roof: Consider using white paint to reduce heat reflection. We discovered a great paint application that increases energy efficiency, more on that soon!
The West Door: YES it is supposed to be painted black to line up with the window above it, I will do so as soon as I have time... : )
Save The Date! The Prefab Net Zero Energy Passive Solar House Kit Will Be Open For Tours April 10th!
[Well, it is SNOWING UP A STORM, at least 8" deep at this point.
What else was I supposed to do on such an impassible day?
Dream of spring in the prefab house kit, and therefore, the upcoming Prefab Open House! ]
Like last time, we scheduled the house kit open house to coincide with historic and fun events showcasing this rural, beautiful, historic area of Virginia. So mark your calenders! Here's what's going on during that weekend that we know of so far:
April 08, 2010 – April 12, 2010145th Anniversary of the Surrender
Appomattox Court House National Historical Park
Appomattox, VA 24522
434-352-8987 www.nps.gov/apco
Special programs related to the surrender, including 1st person living history offered each day from April 8 to April 12.
April 09, 2010 – April 11, 2010
Appomattox History Weekend
Clover Hill Village
Appomattox, VA 24522
145th Anniversary of Lee's surrender to Grant to be held at Clover Hill Village. 1 mile from actual surrender site. Living historians will be portraying Generals Lee & Grant and their lieutenants will recreate historic moments of the final days leading up to and including the surrender. Activities include: Lee's last war counsel, General Gordon's attempted break-out, Lee-Grant meeting, stacking of arms and reduction of colors. Reenactors limited. Military host: Lee's Lieutenants, contact Al Stone at astoneasrelee@suddenlink.net or (304) 466-2030. Civilian host: contact Ms. Carolyn Davis at casonclee@aol.com Cost: $10 for adults, $5 for children under 12.
April 12, 2010 – April 12, 2010
Holiday Open House
Appomattox Court House National Historical Park
Appomattox, VA 24522
434-352-8987 www.nps.gov/apco
Join the park staff for an festive afternoon of music, refreshments and holiday activiies with a historic flare!
We hope you use the opportunity to travel to the prefab house kit to explore and see more of historic Virginia. ...Make a weekend of it!
(And hopefully it wont rain in torrents like last time!)
For accommodations and more history, see here:
(Because if you're a design geek, you're also a history geek.
Welcome to the crowd!)
Currently, we are all, humans, dogs, feral cat, and especially our chickens, officially snowed in. And the snow is still coming down strong!
The Colorado prefab green home begins this spring after their snow melts, sometime in mid-March... we will keep you posted on that house kit construction!
Now this would have been an example where, upon seeing the big snow forecast and knowing our children already don't have school on Monday, we would have grabbed our closest friends, piled into the car, gathered lots of provisions and headed for the prefab net zero energy house kit to get snowed in!!!
I haven't really shown people the land yet as we're focused on the prefab green home construction, but know it is PERFECT for sledding and skiing. The house kit and fields sit atop the highest point; then it descends to the tobacco barn, where it climbs and winds back into the hills. It is PERFECT: you could climb then sled / ski down -or- you could have fun hiking / cross country skiing over the field and along the beautiful roads, passing nothing but old farms and woods.
To see another opportunity like this pass us by simply because we have no heat is painful...
So you can imagine how much I am *dying* to head out to the land and see for myself what it feels like to have ROOMS, *real* *rooms*! We may still have no systems, but we have WALLS!
We can now invite friends over and give them a BEDROOM!
Interior wall pictures of the prefab house kit soon... as soon as we can get OUT there... In the meantime... it is... VINTAGE! HAT! FRIDAAAAAAY!
(Oh yes, it is. And you thought this was going to be a construction post.)
Amy: “Bonjour, Paris!”
Last week you CLEARLY stated a preference for quiet, understated hats. I’ve heard you, masses.
As opposed to last weeks’ Italian frippery, I’ve donned a compact velvet French number I dug up for $7 in an antique store.
If I have to cover all of Europe to find something you approve of, I shall. Don’t make me do it!
As for the rest of the outfit: the jacket was $8 at Goodwill, also where I bought the Guess Jeans for $3.50.
The double sided hound’s-tooth scarf was inherited from my grandmother, the lovely cameo brooch was a gift from friends, and the belted shirt a gift from another friend.
The purse was 50 cents at the St. Catherine’s theater sale.
The gloves were from Halcyon I believe?
The boots were my personal birthday gift to moi, While they were more than I usually spend on boots, they are insulated, weatherproof, SLIP PROOF!, and my friend assures me that they put me “perilously close to looking like you’re always ready for a Foxhunt.”
I’m so Okay with that.
Vote for me; because if I lose in another landslide of scorn again this week I’m throwing darts at my hatboxes to figure out what to wear next Friday.
Copeland: Bring On The SNOW!!!!
I am ready. The vintage coat is from Finland, my FAVORITE country (The architecture! The Moomins! The Forestry Schools! The Midsummer Parties! The mosquitoes the size of a large puppy!).
The shirt? Vintage, probably purchased from Fan Thrift for a few cents... I can't remember...
The hat? FINE, I stole it from my dad a few years ago... hey, at least I'm not like my brother, heck, he stole my dad's GUNS, I just borrowed a vintage tweed hat that doesn't even fit him!
The SKI SUIT. This was purchased from a thrift store when everyone was doing the disco theme in the '90s - I permed my stick-straight hair into an afro, teased it up, popped in some tight glittery barrettes on either side a la Shalom Harlow, and wore these ski pants to clubs.
Oh yes I did, I have pictures, and no you can't see them.
The boots: I have had 'em for twenty years so that counts as vintage, kinda?
The ring: Purchased from random thrift stores, I collected 1960's lucite rings when I was a lil' punk rocker kid. Still wear 'em regularly.
And thaz it! Vintage Hat Friday continues... vote for meeeeee!
P.s. Later note: I was disappointed to realize that no, I didn't steal the hat. I realized that there's a reason it wouldn't fit my dad's head: the hat is actually my GRANDMOTHERS!
Passive Solar Prefab House Kit: Touching on ERV / HRV, Fireplaces And Dessicant Wheels
If you're wondering, we have no intention of having our own passive solar prefab house kit certified. That's not to say we're not mentally aiming for passive house / similarly efficient standards, so a lot of passive house information I link to regarding our off grid house kit systems is because it is designed for highly insulated, tight homes like our own prefab house kits.
A tight, energy efficient passive solar house kit built with SIPs also means you are going to need a way to mechanically exchange air, preferably without losing / gaining temperature from the outside, as well as ensuring moisture does not sit within the house kit.
Talk to your contractor about what works for your area and for your own needs, but here are some links I found educational:
FYI: At the 2005 solar decathlon, Cornell used a desiccant wheel in their house, which was the only home to meet the required humidity levels during the competition. Here's what Cornell used: Outdoor: Trane XL19i Indoor: Trane 4TEE3F31A Split-system HP w/ RotorSource desiccant wheel 2.5 ton Ducted forced air
Any-hoo, we are currently trying to figure out if the mid-century fireplace is worth the effort / expense; whether it is worth adversely affecting the house kit tightness to integrate into our prefab house kit when we could spend that money towards systems.
We originally spec'd the systems plan to not have a fire place- coupled with radiant heat, an efficient stove would easily overheat the net zero energy house kit. But when it got down to eleven degrees and we were still without our off grid systems installed, I went a little crazy. Handsome Husband knew the disadvantages the entire time; I did too, intellectually; but try explaining that to the frantic-mom-inside-of-me-trying-to-resolve-warmth-immediately.
Regardless, the coolio modern fire place will be put to use, even if as just an outdoor feature... but that doesn't help us when we haven't installed systems and need heat immediately... it's a shame if we can't incorporate it, now that it's there.
From Handsome Husband:
"We started with our desire to be warm, not yet having purchased and hooked up our systems. Getting the (admittedly cool) fireplace led to the realization that a ERV would need to go hand-in-hand with such an installation (or anything), coupled with the need for a fireplace / stove in such an efficient house to prevent back draft. Many people now realize that burning a fire in a fireplace in a traditional home has the following effect: the flu sucks air out of your home in a big time because, boy, does heat rise and air gets shot out of your flu.
Well, that creates negative pressure in your house - air is sucked out of the house. In a conventional home you get new air sucked in through the cracks in your house to maintain balance of pressure with the outside. In a home built with SIPs the envelope is much more uniform and easy to seal- you do that, of course, and end up with a home that doesn't have cracks to suck in enough air to balance the loss of air through the flue. What happens next apparently is that the negative pressure in the house exceeds the power of the air rushing through the flue. Bad news because now the smoke from your fire no longer wants to go up the flue but instead becomes the means to de-pressurize the house, compensating for the previous loss of pressure.
What to do?
Sounds like one wants to prevent de-pressurization. This occurs when air is sucked out of the house - something we don't want anyway because we just HEATED that air. So you decouple the flue from the house by giving it its own snorkel - sucking air for combustion in from the OUTSIDE through a tube running from an outside wall to the inlet on the fireplace.
This works great for SEALED fireplaces or wood stoves or, of course, pellet stoves. In our case we have the mod version of a chiminea and we have to see whether we can a) attach an external air supply to it and b) seal the fire place by replacing the screen with a sealed cover.
Fall back is to use it seasonally by swapping it with a sealed wood or pellet stove with external air supply."
Note to energy enthusiasts: He also discovered there was a pipe that had not been correctly sealed during the energy audit... which certainly contributed to temperature drop / leakage... that is now corrected!
Now, now. I know we've been persnickety as of late, but don't think we're soured and nasty over all the recent heating hullabaloo...
Despite the prefab zero energy house kit setbacks, we keep on tha' sunny side! (Right June?)
Next up is a systems post where we talk about HRV/ERV, etc. so stay tuned.
But it is Friday, at a certain time o' the year, where we celebrate reuse and recycling of discarded clothing in the workplace so you are just going to have to put up with (or ignore) our seasonal silliness.
Because, yes, it is... Vintage Hat Friday!!!!!!!!!!
Copeland: I woke up demure.
I have no idea why...
Maybe it is the remnants of being sick all week. I think I have walking pneumonia, so maybe that's why I gravitated to this navy blue 1940's (? '50s?) dress, does blue symbolize health? I have no idea, I'm just delirious.
I bought this dress, used, in a thrift store in my teens, and wore it paired it with combat boots... then later, in my 20s, re-discovered it for swing dancing. Now, it looks perfectly appropriate to offer you tea on a rainy day, comfortable to spend the workday in, to lounge, yet still look pulled together and dainty.
The hat came from the high school theater sale we visited this summer... the gloves, well, those were worn for a season in my 20s...
You have to take a close look at the earrings, some of my favorite! Dogwoods, to symbolize Virginia. I found them at a backyard yard sale an older woman was having and fell in love with them, wear them all the time. And the tea set... another yard sale, yep, a mid-century silver tea set at a YARD SALE. It's amazing how many people have no idea what is underneath old items with black tarnish...(?!?) I can't tell you how many silver mid-century things we have picked up cheaply just because they weren't polished...
Vote for me!!! Miss Demure!!!! (for today, at least...)
Amy: ".... Nice Hat..."
...Were the words that greeted me from a pleasant passerby this morning when I arrived at work. I wasn't sure whether that was a good sign or a bad one, but either way I sashayed my way into the office. You gotta have a lot of confidence (or at least a capacity to fake confidence) if you're gonna wear this hat.
I can tell you only 3 things about this hat:
1. I inherited it from my Grandma.
2. It's from Italy (so sayeth the Tag)
3. And it looks like nothing so much as an ill kept poodle decided to roll about in some really huge pieces of glitter, and then nap on my head.
Hat aside (if that's even possible at this point) the coat is my favorite vintage London Fog trench picked up at a sale at Nonesuch (when it was still on operation *sigh*) and the dress was a lovely bargain over at the St. Catherine's Theater sale late last year. The shoes, as per the usual, are from Goodwill.
Comeon. Look. At. This. Hat. I wore this out of the house this morning. VOTE FOR ME!
Prefab Green Home: 1st Energy Audit Of The SIPs House Kit!
This is the FIRST of two energy audits.
Energy Audit #1, today's energy audit of the prefab modern house, is as we're at the "This is the modern house kit + cladding + the homeowner sealing around the windows stage", the second will be once we're "done, finished, kaput, as in done, done, done, done, don't ever want to think about anything construction related for at least another week DONE."
Our mission is to create tight, energy efficient, gorgeous passive solar house kits. I admire rated, certified, even more stringent approaches, like Passive House standards, maybe we'll do this in the future, but we achieve what we want in an energy efficient home while incorporating great modern design on an average, reasonable budget.
Some highly energy efficient homes incorporate two door chambers to prevent temperature loss.
I picture the way I live, and it is just too chaotic and messy to make such an entrance successful. Can you imagine a couple struggling with the stroller, dogs still on the leash, juggling a bag of groceries and a baby on one hip, getting the key in the door lock then screaming to the spouse...
"Quick honey, seal the chamber, we're losing LEED points!"
Obviously if you live in a severe climate, it makes sense. But we're in Normal Rest-o'-Tha-World here.
We're a muddy, raggedy bunch here... why do ya think we're bandits?
You can increase the thickness of the house kit panels, choose even more efficient doors and windows (our casa ti prefab green home is spec'd for Jeld-Wen and our, SIPs house kit with two stories, The R1 Residential, is spec'd for Marvin Integrity), seal it up even tighter... but my focus is on affordable energy efficiency in our prefab green homes, so we chose great solutions that fit within a moderate budget.
The average quote for the casa ti windows is currently about $9,000-$10,500. If you would like to spend more on windows to make 'em nano-crazy-efficient, go for it, we can adjust the shop drawings. But expect the added cost.
We hired energy rater Guy DuBois, of No Energy Loss, to come out and inspect the modern prefab house kit.
These are the notes I jotted down during his cell phone call to me en route from the land. Mr. DuBois will guest blog later this week with more real data, but here are his initial verbal impressions of the still-under-construction, still-not-completely-sealed house kit:
"Well, we certainly smoked up your house quite a bit, there was nowhere for it to go!"
(Copeland's note: Ummmm, I assume he means it was some kind of smoke air test thingy? I hope he didn't mean he smoked in mah house?!?)
Ok, on to Mr. DuBois:
"Those windows - they are worth the money, they were very well sealed."
Copeland's note: Handsome Husband also sealed around the frames... OK FINE I will just stop commenting and just TYPE what he said!
"Your husband did a good job of sealing around the windows... there are two areas he also could look at if he wanted to seal further- along the south eave and that back door threshold.
It is surprisingly tight. I don't know why I say surprising, but I guess I didn't expect it to be so tight, even though I should have."
[Copeland's note: Um, yeah, thanks Mr. DuBois... ; ) OK, OK I'll stop commenting!]
"I'll go back at completion and run more tests. This was a good time to go out there because if there were problems you could address them before everything was closed up.
As you know, it's so tight you really must have mechanical ventilation, which you will be installing (HRV), which is critical in these energy efficient homes. Most homes, most traditionally-built homes, leak willy-nilly so you don't ever have to worry about air quality, but in energy efficient homes like these they're so air-tight that air-exchange is imperative.
I saw very little air leakage... there is some thermal bridging you can address if you want but you certainly won't have a problem heating and maintaining good energy efficiency, that's for sure. How does it compare to a "normal" house? Superior!"
To continue to seal even further, concentrate on the areas where there is lumber vs. SIP (structural insulated panels)- the doorway header, add insulation around wooden framing, and if you're in really severe climates, you could add an exterior seal.
Mr. DuBois makes a good point:
"But you have to consider the climate- maybe if you're in Alaska or really south Florida you would want to consider that, but... we're in Virginia, how much gain will you really get by doing all that?!? You already know that with your off grid systems, comfort will never be an issue.
I will be punching in everything I did today and coming back with some data next week... you're not trying to get this house certified, so this is just more FYI info, but it will be cool to compare today with when you're done at the end of the project."
He also said that the amount of leakage currently (we're still not done sealing) in the prefab SIPs passive solar home is equivalent to about 6 x 6 inches, smaller than a basketball. Handsome Husband is chasing that number, with sealant in hand.
Later, Handsome Husband arrived home, and I had all these pictures and video to look at... and share with you now.
HOUSE KIT ENERGY AUDIT VIDEOS:
Mr. DuBois sets up...
They start do to the smoke test and pressurize the modern house kit. SUDDENLY, a clerestory window pops wide open! It had looked closed, but hadn't been closed totally, which certainly that had also contributed to our loss of temperature this winter at night! It is securely locked now... : )
And then....they freakin' fill mah house up with SMOKE!
Note the comment about the south edge- later they discovered that when the door was installed they didn't put any sealant under that south door. You as a home owner can seal that more if you live in a severe climate area. I knew the windows worked really well for our budget, but am pleased with how impressed he is! : )
Check out what it looks like when they crack the door (and how hard it was to open because of the pressurization - because the house kit was so tight!).
"This wraps up the initial test of the house kit. We now know what simple steps we have left to optimize the envelope of the SIPs house, and we look forward to the final testing after construction is (finally) completed. The general goal and idea of the casa ti has passed Mr. DuBois's testing with flying colors, as we already suspected in the prefab house kit's performance over the last few weekends where the design and structure were able to give us relative comfort in a hostile climate.
The great thing about the delays in this project is that we're able to thoroughly test the house kit without further improvements, this allows us to confirm the performance a passive solar house kit built with SIPs."
I hear a rumor that an Energy Audit might happen in the prefab net zero passive solar house kit this weekend IF it doesn't conflict with meetings with the fireplace installer OR the carpenter OR the electrician... Regardless, there will be updates on the prefab green home forthcoming after the weekend.
On To Vintage Hat Friday!
Now, now. Just because we have a little touch o' tha grippe doesn't mean you'd think we'd cancel our so-recently-resurrected Vintage Hat Friday, now, do you?
Oh, no. We have eager minions awaiting in the wings to step into our Recycled & Reused Clothing At Work Spotlight when the divas fall ill.
In Amy's corner: ROMEO Romeo is modeling a pancake.
I have no idea WHY Romeo is modeling a pancake, because Amy is in a client meeting off site today.
I can only hope his pancake is not VINTAGE, yet am confident it is home made from this morning's breakfast.I await further comments from Amy... But am certain Romeo is whispering...
"Vintage Hat Friday! Vote for meeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!"
And we're on a windy hill so... I... I just can't imagine what it was. I don't want to, honestly, as we still have not installed our off grid systems that would ordinarily keep us comfortable during these frigid temperatures. Even with the kit house built of structural insulated panels, there is more you can do as a consumer to insulate and make your own house kit more tight... I encourage you to do so.
(And you will really appreciate those extra efficient touches in this weather!)
As the weather turns cooler, think of being outside on a frosty day:
Bundled up with a hat, scarf, nice warm coat... and...
No shoes? Bare legs?!? Think of the exposed skin losing heat as it gets sucked away in the wind and cold...
Your house is like that too- despite the SIP insulating properties to ensure your home is tight, don't forget to add insulating foam underneath (and around) the foundation!"
We will start wrapping the exterior foam around the foundation next (we already added it below the foundation before we poured the concrete), but first we are sealing around the doors and windows (vs. paying someone to do so).
Each of Green Modern Kits / Green Cottage Kits / Green Cabin Kits' prefab house kits are different, and on this passive solar net zerocasa ti there are a few areas that your contractor builds in that were too narrow for a SIP: obviously around windows and doors (to leave room for framing); but on the north windows there is some higher framing to connect the SIP panels above the window, and between each clerestory window.
(Reference this picture, above - the vertical white to the right window Handsome Husband has just added foam to, and is now measuring between the next clerestory to cut his next piece of foam to add and therefore insulate between the windows that are not SIP. You / your contractor may choose to insulate there another way if you prefer.)
Still without systems, the net zero prefab house has been amazingly comfortable throughout the seasons... until now.
In Virginia, these extreme teen temperatures are not encountered often. Until our off grid systems are installed, we are now relying on portable temporary heat to help the passive solar house kit maintain a comfortable level once the sun goes down and the temperatures plummet to such an extreme.
We arrived mid-day Saturday to the interior of the prefab house kit reading 50. Outside, it was in the 20's. (The high was 28. And it was windy - gusts of 30mph. Mmmmmmmmmmmm, niiiice.)
Regardless of having no systems yet installed, having the energy efficient shelter of the prefab house kit shell has enabled our family to be on the land in January for the first time ever.Before, we would wait out mid-December through March... and only imagine what the land and community was like during that time. We are grateful to be there now even in these frosty conditions, and excited to see how cozy it will be once we hook up the solar / radiant heat / rainwater collection / etc.!
We met with Mr. H., the carpenter who will be building the interior walls now that Ron is retired. When I explained our desire to not use dry wall and that we will instead reuse VMI's basketball court where possible, then that the house is off grid, then our general "pay as you go" philosophy and ended with,
"Maybe we're The Crazy Family in the area..."
He responded assuredly, "I always say, 'The customer is always right.' "
[Waaaaaaaaaait a second!
; ) ]
We also have news on the wood stove issue:
The one we purchased was not certified for residential homes but a garage and so it was returned.
Dejected (and knowing there is a perfectly good unused residential wood stove sitting in my parent's basement three minutes away from our house in Richmond that has now been promised to my dear brother who lives on the border of South Carolina... here I will end those mentions... just remember we were with our children in eleven degrees this weekend...), after spending the week making phone calls in a rural area trying to get someone (anyone?) to install my now imaginary wood stove... the phone rang.
"Hey. I hear y'all are having some issues with heat."
Early in my life, I learned a valuable lesson: Be a good friend, have good friends. My. Friends. Are. Awesome.
Shawn Stanley offered up a cool, mod fireplace (still making those phone calls about installation).
We dragged it out to the prefab house kit and daaaaaaaaaanged if it didn't look perfect inside.
(Note: I am still looking for an installer. What is great about this fireplace is not just the coolio design aspect but that a conventional regular-sized wood stove would easily overheat the efficient, small footprint house once the radiant heat, etc. is working! Keep your fingers crossed. We shall see.)
[Should I insert ominous laughter now or be positive? I will do both. : ) ]
Regardless, with the portable heat we turned on after dark we were able, without systems, in freakin' dire temperatures, to get the house from it's natural passive solar 54 at dusk to 63. With a 15,000 btu heater. Outside at dusk it was... 20ish? (High was 28 that day. And at dusk it plummeted outdoors to 10, 11ish degrees.)
When we awoke, we could see our breath: it was 49 degrees.
At first, losing that much in one evening (about 1 degree per hour) shocked us. Until we saw what the outside temperature had become. With no systems installed. And not finished insulating the crevices. Handsome Husband makes a good point: "Inside, it's uncomfortable. But what this proves is that you can survive, without systems, without freezing, in dire conditions. Outside? You're dead."
Ok, ok, but what about art?
So... I warmed up, drank some coffee... and then... I hung some art.
It's crooked.
That's ok. I'm also leaving it in the plastic it arrived in from the framing shop.
Y'know, (scoffs) 'cause at least I know that we're in a construction zone. ; )
(Contractors take a look at 0:45 and 1:20ish in this clip...)
To further vex Handsome Husband, I hung some old cuckoo clocks. They turned out to unexpectedly work. Which... shockingly... thrilled him!
I tried to throw a clean sheet over the Danish day bed to give it a crisp modern look, but somehow all the dogs and chillunz associated it immediately with "A Great Place To Nap And Jump!"
With the southern sunbeams shining invitingly directly on the frickin' day bed, I can't say I blame 'em...
Really, it took me about 24 hours of repeatedly re-attempting crisp hospital corners and re-smoothing it until I finally realized how futile it was and gave up.
Here, I finally hung some art as well, solidifying the reading corner (where you can then stretch out in the sun on that day bed to read)... and leaving the art in the pouches it arrived in to protect it from construction dust.
It's rewarding to be out there despite the cold, alternating relaxing with progressing on the prefab house kit even before the professionals return to finish the next phase of the net zero prefab green home.
In about two weeks the interior walls will begin to be built (yet leaving one side open so the electrician and plumber have access without having to redo anything).
In the meantime I am calling and calling around trying to find someone to come speak to us about installing the modern fireplace in the energy efficient green home (an issue, as a SIPs house has some considerations - as always, air exchange and proper ventilation are important...). But that fireplace, if installed, will provide good heat as back up, yet without over heating the energy efficient and tight house kit.
Really, I just want to be hot and cozy even without systems installed... is that too much to ask when temperatures are in the teens? ; )
Vintage! Hat! Friiiiiiiiiiiiiiday! Yes, it returns. At least until the seeds start sprouting in the cold frames.
We are supposed to go to the net zero prefab SIPs house this weekend. It is supposed to be TEN DEGREES tomorrow.
Please know we are not usually this talkative as we have been in the past week or two - usually I post about once a week, maybe every ten days. I can only blame my tallkin'-up-a-blue-streak on the dark, frigid winter and my anxiety over immediate heat in the prefab green home!
And to truly test your patience...
Vintage Hat Friday is back!
Vintage Hat Friday helps us get through the black winter days, until seedlings begin to sprout in the cold frames and Friday's are again welcomed with garden experiments and warmth.
The holidays are over, there is snow on the ground, it will be TEN DEGREES... yet Vintage Hat Friday proves that recycled, reclaimed style can still BRING IT, adding affordable sparkle and style to our workplace. To vote, just add a comment below telling us for whom you vote.
[And remember... Vote for ME!]
Amy: More Bogart then Bergman Perhaps…
"But really, if I had a hat as fabulous as Ingrid Bergman’s in Casablanca, I’d never take it off, and this competition would get very boring indeed.
I won’t lie, we’ve had a busy, productive winter at work. So much so that despite my best efforts to be whimsical today, I still came up all business. This was partly my own doing, and partly the result of a good friend telling me that I shouldn’t “Showboat” on the first Vintage Hat Friday of the season (he clearly didn’t know Copeland had a green mink… heck, I didn’t know Copeland had a vintage green mink!) but either way I think I could sweep a long scarf over my shoulder and board a plane in style in this ensemble.
The Hat: Yes, yes, you’ve seen it before. It was my grandfathers, and is quite, quite old and beautifully preserved, despite the fact that my brothers and I used to fight over who got to wear it as kids when we were playing ‘Indiana Jones’. I swear there are some new hats in the running this season, but there’s no shame in reusing a fabulous hat!
The Rest: The coat is a White House, Black Market brand trench I picked up at Goodwill for $12. This is the crown jewel in my thrift accomplishments of 4th quarter 2009. I was floored when I found it, and I love it to bits. The brown leather gloves: lovely gift from a friend, nice, warm, chic, and go oh-so-well with the shoes. Shoes: Another Goodwill find, $4 brown leather penny loafer styled high heels. Skirt is a black wrap style pencil skirt from Target (on clearance for $14) Shirt was on clearance at NY&Co, and the vest, well I paid full, blasted retail price for that vest. But every now and again, something warrants it. This did.
The Briefcase! I almost forgot the briefcase! This vintage lovely briefcase given to me by a friend, purportedly obtained in Germany while her family was overseas serving in the military. Fabulous in form and function, sleek and so very, very useful. I’ve been dragging it everywhere since I got it. And if I do say so myself ties the Hat, shoes, gloves, and all together rather nicely.
Happy Vintage Hat Friday and Vote for Me! Because this week it’s all business, but there are hats with bows and silver ribbon and sparkly bits in your future. Well… My future. I promise."
Copeland: Bring it, Marchesa.
[Amy's talking about business makes me realize, Dag, she's right- we've touched Colombia, Switzerland, Virginia and Texas all in one week for work, no wonder I'm exhausted!]
"Baby, it's cold outside. But that doesn't stop me from donning my score-of-the-summer: A vintage Guy Laroche dress purchased at a high school theater department sale! Yay vintage, yay reuse, yay spending money recycling for a good cause! The jaunty hat is from the same sale, and when I add the vintage coat my mother-in-law gave me (I would never *purchase* fur. It was a gift, and dead before I was born. These temperatures are what the durned coat was made for. But do know I'm very against fur for fashion. At least the coat is warm on a subzero day.)...
That is, if the Marchesa were a business lady with pink hair. Ok, maybe Marchesa Casati in her more bedraggled years, tearing through the dumpster in the early morning hours, sporting gold lame and a gown. Um......never mind.
BRING ON THE COLD, BABY, I'M READY TO HEAT UP THE PREFAB!"
