Ultimate Green/Energy Efficient/Strong Home
Last Post 06 Feb 2012 09:37 PM by zehboss. 3 Replies.
Author Messages
GreenTechCaymanUser is Offline
New Member
New Member
Send Private Message
Posts:9

--
28 Jan 2012 11:37 PM
Hi guys,

New here been lurking around and it seems like a great place for all sorts of building knowledge. Thought would post the current planned design we are looking to build later this year in an effort to build the ultimate green, energy efficient and structurally sound luxury home. Would love to hear any feedback you have, whether it be suggestion for alternate product, design or whatever. The home will be located in the Caribbean, year round sunshine temp never drops below 70f.

Details:

LEED Platinum, fortified Home, Energystar and Passive Home certifications.
Insulated foundation designed to withstand seismic events and 4' above flood chart levels.
Logix ICF Platinum walls XRV (4x6x2.75).
Solid slab concrete roof (butterfly design with flat on each side) with no downward penetrations and recessed solar panel sections for flush mount wind resistance.
4" closed cell Lapolla foam underside of concrete roof.
PGT premierVue highest spec insulated and impact windows and doors.
ClimateMaster GeoThermal system .
Solar array with sun power panels and microinverters.
UGE wind turbine built onto roof.
UV light/hepa filter air filtration system.
BigAssFans Isis High circulation fan.
All electric energystar appliances w/ induction cooktop.
All LED lighting inside and out.
Energystar and water sense fixtures.
Clear stream waste treatment system.
Aqua2use grey water system.
Large underground cistern for water harvesting.
DIRTT living wall.
Various sustainable flooring, cabinetry and interior finishes.


Also looking to put in the latest technologies as well as future proofing the house.
Cat7/fiber optic structured wiring .
Control4 Automation system .
Lutron wireless lighting system.
Samsung OLED televisions Throughout.
NEST thermostats.


Please provide any thoughts/feedback you have on the above plan as well as any other design, products, etc. You think would be cool to add to this project. Assume cost is no issue.
zehbossUser is Offline
Basic Member
Basic Member
Send Private Message
Posts:216

--
02 Feb 2012 08:24 AM
Hello,

I would go about the whole project very differently. A luxury home in the Caribbean sounds like a fun project. You can accomplish all of the features and more by properly engineering the entire building system with Holistic Integrated Design using Natural Integrated Systems, (The H.I.D.E.N Systems approach). This is a system I have developed over the last 30 years of building no limit luxury homes that are net zero energy at reasonable costs.

LEED Platinum, Energystar and Passive Home certifications. (Why do you want the certifications? Working with an engineer that normally out performs all of these standards will improve performance at a reduced system and life costs. Sometimes local municipalities offer rebates based on these systems.)

“Logix ICF Platinum walls XRV (4x6x2.75). Solid slab concrete roof (butterfly design with flat on each side) with no downward penetrations and recessed solar panel sections for flush mount wind resistance.
4" closed cell Lapolla foam underside of concrete roof. “
(Other systems and methods provide better performance at lower costs)

ClimateMaster GeoThermal system . (Properly designed passive homes do not need for such an HVAC system)

“Solar array with sun power panels and microinverters. UGE wind turbine built onto roof.” (by the time the house is finished this will all change.)
BigAssFans Isis High circulation fan. (Such fans are only good in none passive designs, a good use in an outdoor kitchen or living space)

“Clear stream waste treatment system. Aqua2use grey water system. DIRTT living wall.
Control4 Automation system. Lutron wireless lighting system. NEST thermostats. “
All of these are more expensive than doing these activities on site with someone who has experience. I would use industrial PLCs with i-phone, i-pad, network and internet controll.

I would also use local and repurposed materials. All the lighting should be RGB LEDs that are computer controllable this provides any color lighting. You should also consider natural concentrated solar lighting through fiber optics.

If you are serious about this project you should contact me. We have a crew that travels and builds net zero luxury home that are interesting projects. This is what we do. Most local engineers, designers, and contractors will think you are speaking Greek on such a project.

http://www.zehtalk.com/

Brian
ICF Solutions
Engineering, Designing, and Building Passive, Net Zero, Self-Heated, Self-Cooled, Self-Electrified, Low Cost Homes
Basic shell starting at R-50 Walls, R-80 Roof structures. for $30/square foot
(360) 529-9339
[email protected]
rlsmith017User is Offline
New Member
New Member
Send Private Message
Posts:35

--
06 Feb 2012 04:12 PM
Brian:
   Can you give us more information on how your system deals with a climate dominated by the need for cooling?  I note that your website mentions 'solar heating' a number of times but doesn't talk about how you cool houses such as the OP's proposed Caribbean home.  (You say that he doesn't need the geothermal system.)  I'm looking to build a three-season home in Georgia, vacant in the winter, so my primary interest is in efficient cooling.

   I'd love to hear more about how your system addresses these issues in a net-zero approach.  Thanks!!

Roger
Roger
zehbossUser is Offline
Basic Member
Basic Member
Send Private Message
Posts:216

--
06 Feb 2012 09:37 PM
Roger,

If you have the balance of cdd and hdd for a climate and have enough thermal mass in the home that the home will absorb the entire years exposure with a net temperature change inside the house of +-5 degrees F. The natural internal temperature of the home will be equal to the deep earth temperature at the site in the summer and 10 degrees warmer in the winter without additional thermal source. In Georgia that is 65 in the summer and 75 in winter. The Georgia climate will require dehumidification, a good HRV, excellent sealing and properly engineered insulation levels and solar gain avoidance to maintain comfort.

My phone number and email are on my site. You can call me if I can help you further or have questions. I am in the middle of writing a book to explain how it all works.

Brian
ICF Solutions
Engineering, Designing, and Building Passive, Net Zero, Self-Heated, Self-Cooled, Self-Electrified, Low Cost Homes
Basic shell starting at R-50 Walls, R-80 Roof structures. for $30/square foot
(360) 529-9339
[email protected]


---
Active Forums 4.1