This will be the first of many posts related to communicating the efficiency measures that have gone into Dwell Developments most recent project, 1105 Dwell and how they are intended to create not only a comfortable interior, but to also dramatically reduce the homeowners energy bills and to ensure healthy indoor air quality.
In a past post we discussed the Structural Insulated Panels that make up the majority of the exterior structure of the homes. These panels offer an average R-Value of R-45 for the Roofs and R-23 for the Walls; create an envelope that is extremely airtight. Combined with the extra care that has been taken to seal venting penetrations and window openings these homes will far outperform typical homes that lose as much as 40% of their heat through air leakage.
Creating such an airtight home brings proper ventilation into greater consideration in order to minimize moisture build-up on the interior and ensuring healthy indoor air quality. To alleviate any issues that could arise due to poor ventilation and air circulation Dwell has decided to use Heat Recovery Ventilators (HRV) which are an excellent means of introducing a steady supply of fresh air into the home, to vent the indoor air and to manage the overall moisture levels within the home.
HRV’s are a very efficient mechanical addition to the home. As cool fresh air is drawn into the interior it is passed through a heat exchanger which utilizes the warmth of the indoor air to preheat the cool air before it is introduced to the house. This can have a measurable effect on the energy which is required by the homes heating system resulting in lower heat energy costs.
A network of small diameter ducts are installed throughout the home to vent the indoor air and to introduce the preheated fresh air. The heat recovery ventilator is set to run as often or as little is needed to accomodate the number of fresh air exchanges required by the square footage of the home. The fans within the HRV operate at a relatively low CFM and are all but essentially silent in their operation.
As we continue to talk in future posts about the efficiencies that have been built into these homes we want to impress upon you the role energy efficiency plays in green building. As energy rates continue to rise and our energy infrastructure becomes more and more stressed these efficiencies will not only reduce the operating costs to the homeowner, they will add value to the home on an ongoing basis. We are working hard to find ways to clearly, simply communicate the benefits of efficiencies and we are excited to introduce simplified explanations of them to you.
As 1105 Dwell moves toward completion we are happy to provide guided tours of this outstanding project. If you would like to know more or schedule a time to visit the project please let us know. If this is the first post you have read regarding 1105 Dwell please take some time to review past posts. We will continue to follow this project right up to it’s completion and have group tours and events planned for the coming months.
Filed under: Seattle Green Building | Tagged: Architecture + Home Design, Design + Build, Dwell Development, Green Building, Green Homes, Green Homes For Sale Seattle, Heat Recovery Ventilators, Seattle Green Building, Structural Insulated Panels
