Blower Door Test Video

Here is a cool video showing how a blower door test works! The narrating is painful to listen to tho...

A few changes to my proposal

Summary Statement of Proposed Project:

This research project will be determining which type of house construction is the most energy efficient/cost effective for a single family house located in Hope, BC. It will be looking at different wood frame construction techniques, such as 2x4 and 2x6 construction and ICF construction. Included will be different types of windows, double glazed vs. triple glazed, and different types of insulation.

Purpose:

To find out what wall type is the most energy efficient/cost effective over the life of a single family house in Hope, BC.

Goals and Objectives of the Project:

The goals of this project are to learn which construction method is the most energy efficient and which will be the most cost effective over the life of the building. The end result will be knowing which is the overall best choice of construction to use in the climate that Hope, BC has.

Methodology and Analytical Approach:

The steps that I am going to take to accomplish my goal are, first of all, I will gather all the specifications of the house I am going to be studying. I will need the floor area, wall type, insulation values and window types. From there I will enter all the information into HOT2000 and determine the energy efficiency. I will then change the wall types, insulation values and window types in HOT2000 for the different construction methods I will be studying. After that is done, I will consult contractors and/or manufacturers to figure out the cost of each method. Resulting in knowing which construction type is the most cost effective. I will also need to find out the life span of each material and wall system.

Previous Studies:

I have found studies from around the world on this topic. But none from the specific town I am going to be researching.

Plans for Dissemination of Work:

To get my research out to others I will be creating a blog and updating it regularly with the progress of my work.

Budget:

This research will not require a very large budget. Most of the research can be done online and with free software. If I was to do a blower door test on the house I am working with, I would need roughly $500 for the test and gas to drive there.

Contribution of the Project to Academic Goals and Objectives:

My role in conceiving this project is to start with online articles and books from the library. I will then get into the field and start talking to professionals who work in this discipline. If needed, I will conduct tests to help with my research. My overall academic objectives for this research are to better my understanding of why certain construction types are more energy efficient than others and to find out which method is most cost effective over time.

Bubble Diagram

Graphic: Oliver Warner

Just a bubble diagram that shows all the different directions of research I can go in for my project

Cool Heatmap Comparison

I found this picture online and it really shows how much more energy efficient triple glazed windows are. I will definitely be looking to see if the benefits of triple glazed windows are worth the cost increase from double glazed.

Source

Insulation Types

Hey everyone,

I came across this link about different types of insulation. It gives the pros and cons of 5 different types of insulation. I think it will help in choosing the best type for my project.

http://greenhomeguide.com/know-how/article/choosing-the-best-insulation-delivers-energy-savings/

Photooo

Photo: Oliver Warner

This is the house that I am going to be studying. It was built in 1985 to the R2000 standards. Currently it has 2"x6" wood frame construction.

Thesis

Finally I decided on my thesis statement.

What wall type is the most energy efficient/cost effective over the life of a single family house in Hope, BC.

I was going back and forth between 3 or 4 different thesis statements but I eventually decided on this one. I will post a picture of the house I am going to base my studies on, and post a floor plan later in the week.