ZERO ENERGY GARAGE APARTMENT by HARINI SARANGAPANI B.Arch., Mumbai University ...

219 Pages·2008·12.57 MB·English

ZERO ENERGY GARAGE APARTMENT

by

HARINI SARANGAPANI

B.Arch., Mumbai University, India, 2004.

A THESIS

submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree

MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE

Department of Architecture
College of Architecture, Planning and Design

KANSAS STATE UNIVERSITY
Manhattan, Kansas

2008

Approved by:

Major Professor
Gary. J. Coates
Abstract
Buildings account for a large part of total U.S. energy consumption and generate far more
greenhouse gas emissions than any other sector of the economy. The purpose of this thesis is to
demonstrate how buildings can be designed in a way that helps to mitigate global environmental
problems, while resolving local urban design, architecture and social issues.
This purpose was achieved by designing a zero-energy garage apartment for a site located
along an alley in Manhattan, Kansas. The methodology for the design was to: identify a client;
define project goals and design criteria; determine solar and geothermal renewable energy
system requirements; design the garage apartment by employing energy efficient strategies
relating to bioregional design and passive solar design; identify eco-friendly materials obtainable
within a 500-mile radius of the site; and identify energy-efficient construction methods. The
energy performance of the garage apartment was constantly monitored using eQUEST and
Energy-10 simulation softwares.
Operational definitions:
Garage apartment- a building behind the main building1, which is part of the same plot as the
main building. It is also called a ‘backhouse’, ‘granny flat’ or a ‘rear house’.
Zero-energy house- for this thesis, a grid connected self-standing zero-energy house, which
results in zero utility bills throughout the year.

1 Garage Apartment. (n.d.). Retrieved April 6, 2006, from Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garage_apartment
Table of Contents
List of Figures.............................................................................................................................v
List of Tables...........................................................................................................................viii
Acknowledgements....................................................................................................................ix
Dedication..................................................................................................................................x
CHAPTER 1 - Introduction.........................................................................................................1
Vision for a sustainable architecture................................................................................7
The 2030 Challenge.........................................................................................7
The BNIM Sustainability Matrix....................................................................10
Mahesh Senagala: The Triad of Sustainability................................................13
Janine Benyus: Biomimicry...........................................................................15
Project Background.......................................................................................................17
Thesis structure.....................................................................................................................19
CHAPTER 2 - Phase 1: Project Goals and Design Parameters...................................................21
Introduction..........................................................................................................................22
Project Goals........................................................................................................................23
Design Parameters................................................................................................................26
The Clients, Client Brief....................................................................................................26
The Property.....................................................................................................................31
Manhattan’s Weather, Climate and Geographic Conditions...............................................36
Manhattan’s Demographic, Socio-economic Conditions....................................................37
Zero Energy Garage Apartment: One Solution to Manhattan’s Housing Needs..................45
CHAPTER 3 - Phase 2: Design.................................................................................................54
Introduction..........................................................................................................................55
Section 1: Design Documentation.........................................................................................58
Maintaining architectural character....................................................................................58
Bioregional Design Strategies...........................................................................................61
Client Brief Tally..............................................................................................................79
Building Bioclimatic Analysis and Calculations................................................................83
iii
Section 2: Energy Modeling..................................................................................................89
Energy-10.........................................................................................................................90
eQuest...............................................................................................................................98
Summary.........................................................................................................................104
Section 3: Renewable Energy Systems................................................................................106
Geothermal Energy System.............................................................................................106
Building Integrated Photovoltaic Solar Energy System....................................................114
Zero Energy....................................................................................................................123
Section 4: Materials............................................................................................................125
Material Details [on basis of reference numbers from Table 3-16]...................................128
Section 5: Cost Estimation..................................................................................................139
CHAPTER 4 - Conclusion......................................................................................................141
References..............................................................................................................................145
Appendix A - Current status of zero energy garage apartment.................................................147
Appendix B - City requirements and codes.............................................................................149
Appendix C - Tables and Figures............................................................................................150
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List of Figures
Figure 1-1: United State energy and electricity consumption in 2000..........................................5
Figure 1-2: Potential for rendering nearly 75% of the built environment [that will be either new
or renovated] as eco-friendly...............................................................................................6
Figure 1-3: Green Building Toolkit’s implementation onto the zero energy garage apartment.....9
Figure 1-4: Sustainability Matrix’s implementation onto the zero energy garage apartment.......12
Figure 1-5: Mahesh Senagala’s Triad of Sustainability..............................................................13
Figure 1-6: The Triad of Sustainability’s implementation onto the zero energy garage apartment.
..........................................................................................................................................14
Figure 1-7: Biomimicry’s implementation onto the zero energy garage apartment.....................16
Figure 2-1: Project goals diagrammatic representation..............................................................25
Figure 2-2: Existing site plan [↑N]............................................................................................32
Figure 2-3: Front house West facade.........................................................................................33
Figure 2-4: Front house North facade........................................................................................33
Figure 2-5: Front house East facade..........................................................................................34
Figure 2-6: Front house South facade........................................................................................34
Figure 2-7: Front house West facade with green area on West...................................................35
Figure 2-8: Satellite view of property........................................................................................35
Figure 2-9: Existing land use map, Manhattan, Kansas..............................................................42
Figure 2-10: Proposed land use map, Manhattan, Kansas..........................................................43
Figure 2-11: LEED checklist.....................................................................................................50
Figure 3-1: Project summary.....................................................................................................57
Figure 3-2: Front house elevation- West....................................................................................59
Figure 3-3: Front house elevation- North...................................................................................59
Figure 3-4: Front house elevation- East.....................................................................................60
Figure 3-5: Front house elevation- South...................................................................................60
Figure 3-6: Site plan..................................................................................................................63
Figure 3-7: Solar access............................................................................................................64
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Figure 3-8: Zero energy garage apartment elevation- West........................................................66
Figure 3-9: West site elevation..................................................................................................66
Figure 3-10: Isometric view showing West and North facades..................................................67
Figure 3-11: Section towards West............................................................................................67
Figure 3-12: Floor plan- 1st floor/ garage level..........................................................................68
Figure 3-13: Floor plan- 2nd floor/ apartment level....................................................................69
Figure 3-14: Zero energy garage apartment elevation- North.....................................................71
Figure 3-15: Section towards North...........................................................................................71
Figure 3-16: Zero energy garage apartment elevation- East.......................................................73
Figure 3-17: Section towards East.............................................................................................73
Figure 3-18: Diagrammatic representation of aluminum overhang............................................77
Figure 3-19: Zero energy garage apartment elevation- South.....................................................78
Figure 3-20: Section towards South...........................................................................................78
Figure 3-21: Zero energy garage apartment adaptability............................................................80
Figure 3-22: Zero energy garage apartment adaptability............................................................81
Figure 3-23: Lifecycle flexibility of zero energy garage apartment............................................82
Figure 3-24: Estimating heat flow through the skin...................................................................87
Figure 3-25: Annual energy use................................................................................................92
Figure 3-26: Annual energy cost...............................................................................................93
Figure 3-27: Annual cost breakdown.........................................................................................94
Figure 3-28: Annual electric use breakdown.............................................................................95
Figure 3-29: Monthly electric demand peaks.............................................................................96
Figure 3-30: HVAC rated capacities..........................................................................................97
Figure 3-31: Annual electricity consumption by enduse............................................................99
Figure 3-32: Annual peak electricity demand by enduse..........................................................100
Figure 3-33: Electric demand..................................................................................................101
Figure 3-34: Electric loads......................................................................................................102
Figure 3-35: Electric consumption in kWh..............................................................................104
Figure 3-36: Geothermal piping location for the zero energy garage apartment.......................107
Figure 3-37: Heating operation of geothermal heat pump........................................................109
Figure 3-38: Cooling operation of geothermal heat pump........................................................110
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Figure 3-39: Slinky coil pipe system.......................................................................................111
Figure 3-40: Desuperheater.....................................................................................................113
Figure 3-41: Roof integrated solar technology.........................................................................115
Figure 3-42: SIP panel............................................................................................................130
Figure 3-43: Sample SIP construction.....................................................................................130
Figure 3-44: Aluminum roofing panel installation in the zero energy garage apartment- Top
view................................................................................................................................134
Figure 3-45: Aluminum roofing/ siding panel installation in the zero energy garage apartment-
North elevation................................................................................................................134
Figure 3-46: Fiber-cement siding for the zero energy garage apartment28................................135
Figure 3-47: Sample concrete bathroom tiles...........................................................................136
Figure 3-48: Sample concrete bathtub.....................................................................................136
Figure 3-49: Sample concrete sink..........................................................................................137
Figure 3-50: 2nd floor/ apartment level flooring.......................................................................138
Figure 4-1: Zero energy garage apartment design matrix.........................................................141
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List of Tables
Table 1-1: Sustainability Matrix................................................................................................11
Table 2-1: Example of Value Matrix Programming Document..................................................30
Table 2-2: Manhattan, Kansas weather data..............................................................................37
Table 2-3: Population Trends and Projections: Planning Area...................................................38
Table 2-4: Population Age Distribution, Manhattan: 1980-2000................................................39
Table 2-5: Household Income, Manhattan: 1990-2005..............................................................40
Table 3-1: Recommended residential insulation values for Manhattan, Kansas. R value expressed
in ft2.oF.h/Btu....................................................................................................................84
Table 3-2: Recommended insulation values for windows in passive solar heated buildings. R
value expressed in ft2.oF.h/Btu. U value expressed in Btu/hr,oF,ft2.....................................84
Table 3-3: Heating system comparison....................................................................................108
Table 3-4: Solar insolation or sun hours/ day...........................................................................118
Table 3-5: Load calculation workform....................................................................................119
Table 3-6: Minimum continuous watts needed........................................................................119
Table 3-7: Potential surge.......................................................................................................120
Table 3-8: Inverter details.......................................................................................................121
Table 3-9: Inverter specification..............................................................................................122
Table 3-10: PVL product specifications- electrical specifications............................................122
Table 3-11: Material palette for zero energy garage apartment................................................127
Table 3-12: Zero energy garage apartment partial cost estimation beak-up..............................139
Table 3-13: Federal tax credits available as until December 2007............................................140
viii
Acknowledgements
Designing the zero energy garage apartment would have seemed like a Herculean task, if
not for all the people who helped me along the way. I express sincere gratitude to Professor Gary
Coates for his invaluable guidance, patience and continued support. I would like to express my
deep and sincere gratitude to the clients. I am grateful for having experienced and knowledgeable
committee members in Professor Todd Gabbard and Professor John Selfridge, who have
extended a helping hand whenever needed. Many thanks to Professor Ray Yunk for helping me
navigate through the energy simulation softwares and Professor Dragoslav Simic for his
assistance in helping me understand the various structural implications of my design ideas.
I am grateful to Professor Stephanie Rolley and Professor Richard Hoag for their initial
guidance in refining my thesis ideas. My special thanks to Professor Vladimir Krstic and
Professor David Sachs for their inputs during the preliminary stages of the thesis. I would also
like to thank Rebecca Stark, Professor Carol Watts and Tracy Ivy for keeping me updated on
thesis timelines and other specific requirements. I appreciate the timely help from Ryan
Haugaard and all the other contractors, suppliers, dealers and technicians.
I am much obliged to Trishna Pradhan, Avinash Gautam, Subhojit Sinha, Amita Joshi,
Neelesh Thakur and Vivek Sai for their continued help. I cannot thank my family enough for
always being there. Last but not the least, I am indebted to Kansas State University for giving me
an opportunity and identity I will cherish for a lifetime.
ix
Dedication
To my roommates and friends, in alphabetical order:
Amita Joshi
Amit Gud
Harshit Shah
Jaidev Manghat
Neelesh Thakur
Piyush Mandowara
Reshma Sawant
Sarang Mairal
Thank you for being family.
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