Comments on: LEED Silver Townhouses

By: Floating Shelves

Floating Shelves — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 19:51:44 +0000

the good thing about solar water heaters is that they can help you conserve energy -:,

By: Juan Torres

Juan Torres — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 17:58:26 +0000

Solar water heater is a very good technology because it helps conserve electrical energy for heating;.,

By: Leo King

Leo King — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 19:11:47 +0000

We have installed a solar water heater at home and it is also as good as conventional water heaters.,’,

By: Palmira Slisz

Palmira Slisz — Fri, 28 May 2010 03:09:02 +0000

Solar Lighting is a kind of environment friendly energy lamp. Favorably supply various Solar Lighting,Garden solar lighting,Solar Roadway Lights,Solar LED Light.

By: Clayton Juedes

Clayton Juedes — Fri, 28 May 2010 02:55:51 +0000

I approve with youSolar Water Heater,Solar Collector.

By: Jasmin Frieze

Jasmin Frieze — Fri, 28 May 2010 02:30:04 +0000

I think a beautiful flat need operate a solar water heater,it’s more convinent,Then I you introduce a company to you.Ejai Solar main products are solar water heater, solar collector and solar energy projects, which are highly recommendable for environmental protection.

By: dan cortland

dan cortland — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 23:48:41 +0000

Too bad that this innovative project is on such a clunker of a site.

Can sustainable design of infill be based on site analysis?

At least it’s not orange.

By: Matt the Engineer

Matt the Engineer — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 02:28:22 +0000

Actually, I can see solar water heaters working well with tankless heaters. Here are two options:

1. Normal water heater sized insulated storage tank, small recirc pump. Water temperature increases as sun shines, preheating water for tankless water heater.

2. No storage, just solar water heaters. Again, solar pre-heats water for tankless water heater. You’d have reduced energy storage capacity, but it will definitely help when hot water is coincident with sun energy. Besides, many solar hot water heaters have some storage built in.

Why would you ever need 100+ gallon storage for domestic hot water? Do you take reaaaaly long showers?

By: gw

gw — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 23:32:11 +0000

Recognizing that I’m unlikely to kindle any further discussion, I can’t keep quiet on this. Yes, it was admirable of the developer to include a rough-in for solar water heating, but let’s hope they left plenty of space to install a hundred+ gallon storage tank where the tankless heater sits. -Being that tankless heaters and solar don’t work together. Perhaps it wasn’t so well thought out. Maybe that’s what the 10′x20′ concrete slab with the roll-up door on the lower level is for….

By: Sloan Ritchie

Sloan Ritchie — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 00:55:44 +0000

In response to your posting about the LEED Silver townhomes, here’s a quick summary of the main things we did to exceed code energy efficiency – some are LEED requirements, some are LEED optional points, and as you pointed out, some are not measured by the LEED system:

# Advanced Framing (24″ on center wall studs, 2-stud corners, drywall clips) means less wood and more insulation in the exterior walls (25-30% less wood & more insulation)
# Blown-in insulation – instead of the cheapest “batts” we used dense pack blown-in insulation to improve R-value
# Air Sealing – One of the advantages of LEED certification is they measure the air tightness of the building and won’t certify until you hit a certain level. We didn’t measure up on the first test, so we went back and improved until we could meet the standard (turns out one of the subcontractors had made a mistake that resulted in some building envelope air leakage).
# Energy Efficient Windows – Code requires U-factor of .40, we were less than .32 average, a significant contribution to overall efficiency.
# Heat Recovery Vent – ventilate without losing heat, about 65% efficient, so on a 30F day you’re bringing in 55F degree outside air. Most houses use window trickle vents, which let in 30 F air on a 30 F day.
# Tankless hot water – don’t pay for “standby loss” with a hot water tank. Just heat the water you are using. Up to 50% water heating cost savings.
# Daylighting – natural light floods this home, so you won’t need the lights, except after dark
# Energy Star Advanced Lighting Package – use of mostly fluorescent lighting reduces lighting costs by up to 75%
# Radiant heat – efficiency claims for radiant heat are more abundant than the evidence to support those claims, but there it’s probably somewhat more efficient.

Thanks,
Sloan