Residential Case Studies of Passive Strategies

Residential Case Studies of Passive Strategies

for Texas Gulf Coast and nearby areas

by LaVerne Williams, AIA, LEED AP

Houston American Institute of Architects

GULF COAST GREEN 2013

ENVIRONMENT ASSOCIATES Architects & Consultants

is a Registered Provider with The American Institute of Architects Continuing Education Systems (AIA/CES). Credit(s) earned on completion of this program will be reported to AIA/CES for AIA members. Certificates of Completion for both AIA members and non-AIA members are available upon request. This program is registered with AIA/CES for continuing professional education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product. Questions related to specific materials, methods, and services will be addressed at the conclusion of this presentation.

Course Description • Since the mid 1970’s, hundreds of Texas homes designed by the presenter

have incorporated cost efficient passive design and construction strategies to lower their owners’ overall living cost of while increasing occupant comfort and health and improving overall building performance and durability. Unlike active mechanical systems, for example “active” solar systems that mainly perform only one function – to generate electricity or to heat water or air, passive strategies are building integrated to provide multiple benefits. These building and site integrated passive strategies developed or improved by the presenter combine to enhance overall project performance. Some add very little cost, if any, to construction. Even in the Houston’s Hot Humid climate and in less humid inland Texas regions, numerous owners of passive homes designed by Environment Associates proclaim: “We rarely have to use our home’s mechanical cooling or heating system unless we have guests.”

Learning Objectives

At the end of this program, participants will be able to:

1. Learn about the importance of using various passive strategies for improving the performance of homes located in hot humid climates and the importance of these systems for improving quality of life.

2. Learn how passive strategies provide natural cooling and heating, enhance and extend comfort, reduce exterior maintenance, create highly day lighted interiors, encourage porch and outdoor space use, moderate interior temperature fluctuations, provide thermal cooling and heating storage, etc.

3. Demonstrate the importance of using passive building construction technologies besides insulated wood frame as we strive for building resilience and sustainable lifestyles.

4. Understand the hierarchy of passive design strategies such as shading, ventilation, building orientation, interior mass, and air-tight envelopes.

• Cupola Stack & Venturi Ventilation

• AAC Exterior & Interior Mass

• Healthy Bldg Materials

• Daylighting

Healthy AGBP 5 Star Shapatyavedic, 2000 Austin

We don’t usually don’t use our Mechanical Cooling or

Heating systems unless we have visitors

Healthy AGBP 5 Star Shapatyavedic, 2000 Austin

Sleeping Porch Home, 2000 Wallis

Humidity, more than heat ,drives Mechanical Cooling use

• Library Cupola Room stack & Venturi ventilation

• Deep overhangs for shading open windows

• Main living area above ground humidity plus up in breezes

• Screened sleeping porch

West Facing Water Front Home, 1982 Kemah

• Dog Run and breeze capture • Interior mass • Daylighting • Shaded windows and outdoor

living spaces • View without sun load • Low cooling load for running a/c • 1/3 Neighbors bills • Private balconies • Vent Skinned exterior walls

West Facing Water Front Home, 1982 Kemah

Humidity, more than heat, drives Mechanical Cooling use

• 100% Passive Solar heated & cooled integrated greenhouse

• ICF Thermal mass • Separate Natural Ventilation for

Greenhouse and for House • 2000 sf/ton a/c when originally built • HARC Research Project • Passive design year-round porch

The Orchid House, 2004 Magnolia

The Orchid House, 2004 Magnolia

Humidity, more than heat, drives Mechanical Cooling use

Green House on the Prairie, 2004 Navasota

Humidity, more than heat, drives Mechanical Cooling use

• Clerestory ventilation/daylighting • Deep Shading Eaves & Porches • Passive solar heat

The Farm House, 1994 Dobbin • Screened Porch for shading

• Clerestory Ventilation & Daylighting • Cross ventilation • Roof Monitor

The Farm House, 1994 Dobbin

We never turn on the Cool/Heat system unless we have visitors

Cypress Platinum, 2011 Cypress Humidity, more than

heat, drives Mechanical Cooling use

Cypress Platinum, 2011 Cypress

• ICF Thermal Mass with Concrete roofing tile

• Integrated Aviary is 100% passive solar heated & cooled

• Tower Ventilative Cooling • Rainwater Harvesting • PV Solar System • Mini-split A/C

The Green Blue Hue Home, 2009 Houston

• Insulated closed conditioned A/C'd crawl space (flood plain)

• Clerestory vent & daylighting • PV solar system located atop 2 story roof for

security and tree shading avoidance • Urban location

Humidity, more than heat, drives Mechanical Cooling use

The Green Blue Hue Home, 2009 Houston

Texas Country Greenhouse Home, 1982 Chappel Hill • 1200 sf 100% Passive solar cooled &

heated integrated greenhouse, 3500 sf house

• Internal thermal mass walls • Shading roofs and porches • Daylighting

Tonalacalli Platinum, House of Sun & Water, 2007 Austin

Tonalacalli Platinum, House of Sun & Water, 2007 Austin • Shading eves and porches

• 100% Passive cooled and heated Greenhouse • 100% Rainwater. No well or municipal

connection • Clerestory daylighting and ventilation • PV and Solar water heating systems • Non-vented attics • Stack ventilation • AAC walls, 1st floor

SSEC Houston Passive Solar Demonstration Home,

1979-80 Houston

SSEC Houston Passive Solar Demonstration Home,

1979-80 Houston • This home launched the green building movement in Texas in 1979-80 with 30,000+ visitors

• Built-in Passive solar water heating system • Interior mass walls • Adjustable shading & fixed shading • Clerestory daylighting/Venturi ventilation • Vent-skinned west wall

The Wareloft, 2008 Houston

We never turn on the Cool/Heat systems unless we have visitors

The Wareloft, 2008 Houston • Has interior volume equivalent to 5800 sf

home with 9 ft ceilings • Fiber Cement clad insul. 2x6 wood frame • All roofs slope optimally South • Metal roofs

• Added Family Room & Sleeping Loft with vent skin roof & walls

• Attic ventilation & radiant barrier • Passive batch type solar water heater • Added attic insulation • Replaced windows

What wasn't done probably more important than what was done

Passive Design Solar Addition, 1982 Bellaire

We doubled the interior volume and use half the energy than before the addition

Passive Design Addition, 1982 Bellaire

Earth Embraced Home, 1980 Manvel

This concludes The American Institute of Architects Continuing Education Systems Course

QUESTIONS ???? EcoArchitect LaVerne A. Williams, AIA, LEED AP

architect & bioneer, building ecologist, ceo & founder

ENVIRONMENT ASSOCIATES Architects & Consultants Houston Texas

LaVerne@EnvironmentAssoc.com

713.528.0000

Established 1975