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Net-Zero Energy Houses and Offices … a vision of the future? Sustainable Operations 19 Nov 08

Net-Zero Energy Houses and Offices … a vision of the future? Sustainable Operations 19 Nov 08. Webinar Presentation FPL, Madison, WI by Mel Tyree BA PhD LLD FRSC NRS-10. The Globe & Mail 28 June 2008. The energy content of 1 barrel of oil = the energy content of 8.6 years of human labor.

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Net-Zero Energy Houses and Offices … a vision of the future? Sustainable Operations 19 Nov 08

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  1. Net-Zero Energy Housesand Offices…a vision of the future?Sustainable Operations 19 Nov 08 Webinar Presentation FPL, Madison, WI by Mel Tyree BA PhD LLD FRSC NRS-10

  2. The Globe & Mail28 June 2008 • The energy content of 1 barrel of oil = the energy content of 8.6 years of human labor. • Think about it. • A human lifespan could produce the energy of about 3 barrels of oil in usable work or impact on the world (@ 10 h of work per day). • CONCLUSION: human-kind has dominated life on earth thru the unfair advantage of fossil fuels. • What is our future when this advantage (fossil fuel) is gone?

  3. Energy cost of buildings in Canada • 30% of Canada’s energy consumption • 50% of Canada’s electricity consumption • 28% of Canada’s greenhouse gases

  4. Energy cost of buildings in Canada • 30% of Canada’s energy consumption • 50% of Canada’s electricity consumption • 28% of Canada’s greenhouse gases With declining fossil fuels and rising prices, WHAT MIGHT THE HOUSING FUTURE BE?

  5. My Net-Zero Energy House (Also zero emission house)

  6. My Net-Zero Energy House (Also zero emission house) This house will save a projected $165,000 in fuel and energy costs. Over the next 20 years.

  7. My Net-Zero Energy House (Also zero emission house) This house will save a projected $165,000 in fuel and energy costs. Over the next 20 years. AND IT COST ONLY $65,000 EXTRA TO BUILD COMPARED TO A CONVENTIONAL HOUSE.

  8. My Net-Zero Energy House What were the design criteria?

  9. Objectives of my Net-Zero Energy House • Sustainable Energy Design (uses no fossil fuels) • Generate as much energy ‘on site’ in a year as is used on site in that year. • Be energy efficient • Be cost-effective • Burn NO fuel of any kind on site IF POSSIBLE • Use sustainable materials • Use materials with low toxicity • Cost should be competitive with conventional home over a 20-year period, i.e., if you pay more to build it then savings from operating costs to pay for it should break even in the first 20 years.

  10. Cost-effective ConsiderationsWhich costs more? • Insulating the house? • Providing sun & wind power systems?

  11. Cost-effective ConsiderationsWhich costs more? • Insulating the house? • Providing sun & wind power systems? To answer these questions we first need to know how much energy a typical house uses in a year.

  12. Cost-effective ConsiderationsWhich costs more? • Insulating the house? • Providing sun & wind power systems? To answer these questions we first need to know how much energy a typical house uses in a year. • Where does most of my energy go? • To general electrical needs? • To heating?

  13. Energy Audit of my House • Lights and electrical appliances? • Hot water needs? • Heating in winter months? Need to use common units! J = Joules or GJ = Giga Joules kWh = kilowatt hours = 3,600,000J BTU = British Thermal Units (1 kWh = 3,412 BTU)

  14. Approximate Energy Audit Energy Consumption Per Year • 9,000 kWh lights, appliances etc • 4,500 kWh hot water • 35,000 kWh heating (assumes 90% burn efficiency) Total: 48,500 kWh 18.5% lights, appliances etc 9.3% hot water 72.2% heating

  15. Lights & Appliances: 18.5%How to save energy? • Compact fluorescent lighting VERY cost effective • Select washing machine with high spin cycle • Dry clothes outside on line (free) rather than in drier as much as possible • Select energy efficient dish washer • Use microwave rather than stove as much as possible.

  16. Domestic Hot Water: 9.7%How to save Energy? • Use heat pump to boost heating efficiency up to 300%. • Add insulation to your hot water tank • Lower the thermostat temperature on hot water tank • Use less hot water • Install low-flow shower heads • Take quicker showers • Wash all clothes in cold water • Select dish washer that uses less water

  17. Heating of your home: 72.2%!!How to save energy? • Biggest potential saving! • Needs energy audit of your home! • Where does my heat go? Considerations are: • Heat loss through walls & roof • Heat loss through windows • Heat loss to provide fresh air in winter • Efficiency of your furnace • Cost of your fuel (for cost-effective solutions)

  18. Insulation efficiency determined by R-values of ceiling, walls, windows Typical values for modern homes • Windows R = 2.8 to 3.3 • Walls R = 18 to 22 • Ceiling R = 30 to 35 Bigger R values are better But heat loss for each item determined by BTU/h = (Sq ft surface area/R)*(Tin-Tout)

  19. How I learned to do the calculations!The Passive Solar House by James Kachadorian

  20. Approximate Energy Audit of a home NEEDS A PLAN for computations

  21. Approximate Energy Audit of modern home. • TOTAL heat loss rate 550 BTU per h per oF • 13.5% thru windows • 13.6% thru walls • 8.7% thru roof • 15.7% thru basement OVER ESTIMATE! • 49.1% TO PROVIDE FRESH AIR (16 room volume exchanges per day recommended by building code)

  22. Summary Energy ‘costs’to run my new home • 48,500 kWh/yr (72% of this for heat) • How much can I generate from a wind turbine and PV system purchased under NYSERDA incentives?

  23. www.powernaturally.org • Use above web site for info on NY State Cash Incentives from NYSERDA • Mr. Sal Graven, NYSERDA, informed me that as of Feb 2008 • 28 Residential wind turbines have been installed • 13 more wind turbines are scheduled under the NYSERDA incentive program • 900 Photovoltaic residential systems have been installed • My home is the first (and only) in NY State to provide all power needs from the sun and wind under the NYSERDA program.

  24. NYSERDA INCENTIVES SUMMARY Total Estimated Annual Production 20,000 kWh

  25. Closing the gapEnergy needs: 48,500 kWhEnergy production: 20,000 kWh Possible solutions include: • Use Passive Solar heating • Use Active Solar for hot water • Use Active Solar heating for house • Decrease energy needs thru insulation • Increase efficiency of heating

  26. Problem with active or passive solar in the North Country: Very little sunshine in winterAND systems are expensive

  27. Option of Adding Insulation? A complete analysis is beyond the scope of this workshop (takes too long) but I consulted a Green Builder in the Adirondacks who said he could reduce my heat load by 40% thru better insulation etc at 20% extra cost. • Saving on heat load: 13,500 kWh • Added cost to construction: $44,000 • Cost per kWh saved: $3.26 • Remaining load: 48,500-13,500 = 35,000 kWh • Shortfall on project: 15,000 kWh

  28. Ultimate Cost-Effective Solution used in my home. • Biggest heating load (49%) is to provide fresh air • Solution: Install fresh-air heat recovery system • Reduce energy cost to heat my home • Solution: Install Geothermal Heat Pump which provides 330% efficiency!

  29. Heat Recovery System • Cost: $2500 (installed) • Savings on heat load: 8,000 kWh • Cost per kWh saved: $0.31 Geothermal Heat Pump • Cost: $7,500 (installed) • Savings on heat load: 20,000 kWh (because of 330% efficiency) • Cost per kWh saved: $0.38

  30. Air-heat recovery system 70% heat recovery on air that passes thru system

  31. Geothermal Heat Pump Explaining how it works needs workshop of its own! So details beyond the scope of my talk.

  32. Types of Geothermal Heat Pumps • Open loop: most efficient (400%) but usually more expensive to install • Closed loop: less efficient (300%) • PLUS the heat pump assists the hot water tank and hence reduces the energy needed to heat hot water with electricity. • Explain how it works (it is a very large refrigeration system)

  33. Cost & Payback Analysis In past 9 years (basis 1999) NYSERDA data shows Electrical price inflation: 3.7% Fuel Oil price inflation: 14.6%

  34. Cost & Payback AnalysisThis analysis uses conservative estimates of energy inflation rates Electricalinflation: 3.7% Fuel oil inflation: 14.6% in last 9 years 20 year cash flow analysis 2007-2027 Break-even system pays for itself

  35. Final building costs • House with one-car garage: $220,000 • Barn (one-car parking + shop): $35,000 • Sun & Wind Energy systems: $60,000 • Extra cost of Geothermal: $5,500 • Price premium for Net-Zero Energy House vs conventional: 27% more than conventional home.

  36. Construction sequence illustrated by photos and words • Built turbine in 2004/05 • Built barn in 2005 • Added photovoltaic system in 2006 • Built house in 2007

  37. My Net-Zero Energy House So, did I succeed? What are the measured data on production and heat pump performance?

  38. Production • Production. The solar and wind systems have been grid-tied for > 12 months. Production from 1 Dec 06 to 1 Dec 07: 19,005 kWh • GHP = 7500 kWh • HW = 4500 (will lower this in future) • All other = 6000 kWh • TOTAL = 18,000 kWh

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