Project Subtitle:
Project Description:
The renovated Vashisht-Goel Residence at 2385 Bay View Ave was designed to meet rigorous sustainability goals. Inspired by the Living Building Challenge, the building was designed to have minimal impact on the environment while also supporting the health and well-being of its occupants.
Net Zero Energy
The project team applied a three stage approach to the design: first, reduce the energy demands for heating, cooling, hot water and electric lighting; second, provide for the remaining energy demands with efficient equipment and systems; third, offset energy use with energy generated from photovoltaic panels. This approach emphasizes passive over active systems and prioritizes the parts of the building that will last the next 50 years: windows, walls, floor, and roof. Key measures include:
· High performance envelope: extra continuous insulation, airtight building envelope, optimized windows
· Efficient equipment: heat recovery ventilation, mini-split heat pump heating and cooling, graywater-to-water heat pump water heater
· Low-energy lighting: daylighting strategy, high-efficacy lighting
· On-site renewable generation: photovoltaic array
· Controls and monitoring: electricity use monitoring system, lighting controls
· Third-party construction verifications: quality insulation installation, envelope airtightness, equipment efficiency and commissioned installation
Annual onsite energy consumption is expected to be 60% lower than a typical house, with the goal to offset 100% of this energy with on-site renewable generation from photovoltaic panels. The project is aiming for the Living Future’s Net Zero Energy Building Certification.
Materials
A homeowner requirement is for the house to have no negative impact on “human or ecosystem health”. Besides net zero energy, the other main sustainability goal is to avoid the use of unhealthy or toxic materials at all stages of the project. The products and materials specified for the project have been based on the Living Building Challenge Red List imperative wherever feasible: for example, foam-free insulation, low-VOC products, and products without added formaldehyde.
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Occupancy Type and Details:
owner-occupied.
Couple spends average of 1 night per week at the Carmel house.
The couple has two college-going children and the family spends a few nights at the Carmel house when they visit from college. That's an average of 10 nights over the summer break, another 10 nights over the other breaks (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Spring break)
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Site description:
The site with the 65yr existing home is in an established residential neighborhood a short distance from the California coast in Carmel-by the-Sea. The coastal views of Carmel beach and the Pebble Beach golf course are a key feature of the site. The 40ft by 100ft site sits 100 ft above sea level.
Materials:
A homeowner requirement for the house was to have no negative impact on “human or ecosystem health”. In addition to net zero energy, the sustainability goals for the project extended to healthy materials and water conservation and reuse.
A goal was set to avoid the use of unhealthy or toxic materials at all stages of the project. The products and materials specified were been based on the Living Building Challenge Red List imperative wherever feasible: for example, foam-free insulation, low-VOC products, and products without added formaldehyde.
The home incorporated many aspects of net zero water design and landscape sustainability
The home features a living wall inside the entry and a living roof over the carport. Existing asphalt was replaced with permeable hardscaping. A Nexus greywater system was installed that captures shower, sink and washing machine water then treats it to reuse for irrigation and flushing toilets. The Nexus system also extracts the heat in the greywater to preheat water for the DHW system. A 3500 gallon rain water system collects water for irrigation.
Energy Highlights:
A greywater to water heat pump provides heat for domestic hot water use. There is an EV charging station. There is a Powerwise electric circuit monitoring system.
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Datasets and Utility Bills sources and reliability:
Utility bills: 12/29/2015-9/24/2015
Actual PV production records: 4/10/2015-10/7/2015
Totally reliable but incomplete for the year
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Process:
The project team applied a three stage approach to the design: first, reduce the energy demands for heating, cooling, hot water and electric lighting; second, provide for the remaining energy demands with efficient equipment and systems; third, offset energy use with energy generated from photovoltaic panels. This approach emphasizes passive over active systems and prioritizes the parts of the building that will last the next 50 years: windows, walls, floor, and roof.
Energy Modeling Software:
EnergyPro 5.1 (CA Title 24 2008)
Energy Strategies:
There is a well insulated and sealed building enclosure with high efficiency windows. High efficacy lighting and control systems were installed throughout the building. Two mini-split heat pumps provide space heat and cooling. A greywater to water heat pump provides domestic hot water
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Scope Description:
The existing structure was disassembled to the point where all that was left was some of the wall framing and most of the floor framing. The footprint and elevations stayed the same but everything else was new