Grantee Research Project Results
Final Report: Neighborhood Building Envelop Energy Conservation and Outreach
EPA Grant Number: SU836029Title: Neighborhood Building Envelop Energy Conservation and Outreach
Investigators: Lin, L. Yu , Blair, Dederick , Tamayo, Ivan , Norris, Kenderick , Dunning, LeAndreaonia , Tribo, Martin , Indeglia, Paul
Institution: Christian Brothers University
EPA Project Officer: Hahn, Intaek
Phase: I
Project Period: August 15, 2011 through August 14, 2012
Project Amount: $15,000
RFA: P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition for Sustainability Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet (2011) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: P3 Challenge Area - Sustainable and Healthy Communities , P3 Challenge Area - Air Quality , Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development , P3 Awards , Sustainable and Healthy Communities
Objective:
The School of Engineering at Christian Brothers University (CBU) proposed a project entitled “Beltline Neighborhood Building Envelop Energy Conservation and Outreach” to investigate, develop, and implement technologies that improve energy efficiency in the building envelop of existing residential structures in one of low-income communities Memphis, Tennessee. Project activities focused on the thermal properties of materials and issues related to implementation including fire safety, material stability, and cost. The initial project phase (Phase I) involved researching methods that reduce energy consumption, surveying a select number of existing homes for energy deficiencies, developing and implementing strategies to improve energy efficiency, and evaluating the effectiveness of the approach. Team members participated in supervised interaction with the people of the community, professionals, and community leaders to gain valuable exposure by working with those in need who stand to benefit through improved health, reduced energy costs, and an enhanced sense of self-worth. Lowincome families spend as much as 11.37% of their income on energy. Eliminating avoidable inefficiencies can reduce energy consumption up to 30.33% and may create carbon credits for pollution reduction, modestly increasing prosperity. Team members learned through education and experience about building rehabilitation with an emphasis on the materials used in buildingenvelop improvements and the concepts of sustainability that lessen the impact on the planet.
The objective of this study was to investigate, develop, and implement technologies that improve energy efficiency in the building envelop of existing residential structures. The specific objectives include:
- Developing an energy consumption profile for the residents in the community;
- Designing physical interventions that focus on reducing energy consumption through the development of sustainable insulation materials as well as through other building envelop improvements; and
- Testing the effectiveness of selected design options through a pilot-scale project.
Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):
Team members collected, reviewed, and summarized available demographic data from the community. They reviewed resources pertaining to residential energy conservation programs in other low-income communities throughout the United States and in other countries. To better address the energy conservation needs of the community, team members worked with Memphis Light, Gas Water Division (MLGW), a project partner, to obtain, review, and summarize historic energy consumption information for households in the Beltline Neighborhood and other neighborhoods in the service area. The data collected in the service area showed the demographic in the study area is mixed with the distribution of 48.5 % Caucasian, 44.6 % African American, 3.8% Hispanic/Latino, 1.6% Asian and 1.2% Multiracial. The median household income is $31, 652 annually, with 39.4% of households living below the poverty line.
With assistance from MLGW, project team members received a “real-time” monitoring device for the innovative approach of characterizing energy consumption patterns, creating a “fingerprint” for specific usage (e.g. heating and cooling, appliances, lights, etc.), and collected the energy consumption data for the study area. In an effort to establish the energy consumption profile for the community, the usage data were analyzed and compared to national energy consumption statistics. The results show that the national energy consumption and Memphian energy consumption have a very similar pattern, with nearly 80% of energy consumed by each household used for heating and cooling. In each category, Memphians spent more on energy for cooling, lighting, and outlets than the national average, but less than the national average on water heating and laundry categories. Data and energy audits collected during this study period indicated households in the study area spent an average of $250-350 on their monthly energy bill, which accounts for approximately 11.37% of their household income.
The project team studied methods for building envelop improvements including thermal insulation, replacing/upgrading windows and energy saving supplies, and educational instruction. For thermal insulation, several green materials such fiberglass (with recycling glass), polyester (from recycled bottles), cellulose (from recycled paper), and styrofoam (from recycled styrofoam cups) were examined. Professional volunteers from companies including Guardian Building Products, TCI Insulation, Enguard Insulation Inc., Applegate Insulation, and MLGW, and local consultants worked with student team members to install insulation and building sealing materials into the selected houses. Project team members also visited those houses to conduct energy audits. Data on the pre- and post- installation conditions were recorded in detailed. The team members also used an infrared camera to detect air leaking during the cold weather conditions.
Team members worked with students and faculty in the CBU Departments of Education and Fine Art to investigate educational approaches to reduce energy consumption for residential houses. Three educational brochures on the topics of home energy efficiency, caulking the home, and weather stripping were developed. During the thermal control study and a literature review, team members found that the thermostat is a major component for thermal control in a house. The operation of the thermostat is crucial to securing energy conservation and savings. A thermal control unit to optimize energy consumption during heating/cooling times was developed. The module is expected to reduce energy consumption by 2-5% over the old thermostat.
In addition to the educational outreach program, project team members worked with MLGW to develop an Energy Smart Workshop, conducted at CBU. Twenty-eight households participated, and eight were selected to participate in the building envelop intervention program. One house was designated as the control house with no intervention provided. The other seven houses were chosen to participate in various interventions, such as attic insulation, sealing/caulking windows and doors, education, and various combinations of these tactics. Four houses participated in the first phase of the program. The energy intervention activities included attic insulation, caulking windows and weather stripping doors, reinforcement of energy efficiency habits through an education program, and a control with no intervention involved. Energy bills for each house from December 2009 to February 2012 were collected and analyzed. The data showed that attic insulation, caulking windows/doors, and the educational program saved 12.89%, 30.33% and 7.43%, respectively, of energy consumption for those study houses.
Program evaluations of the potential for carbon dioxide trading and energy savings were conducted. According to the carbon dioxide trading rate in 2010, it was estimated that carbon dioxide trades at $50/tons in the European countries. There is $85,392/yr of carbon dioxide trade potential; i.e. each house can earn $95 in credit per year. The overall energy envelope interventions can save approximately 5-15% of energy consumption, or an average of 10% during the study period. With reduced energy costs and the carbon dioxide credit, each house can save an average of $646 ($540 energy savings and $9106 carbon credit) per year. The average costs of the installation of attic insulation, caulking/weather stripping, and education were $1,200, $300, and $0, respectively. For the most expensive intervention, the costs, i.e. the attic insulation will be recovered in less than three years after the intervention plan is executed.
Conclusions:
Energy consumption data suggested that more than 80% of the energy in each house in the study area was used on either air conditioning or heating. Due to deterioration of the building structure and improper design, these houses leaked a significant amount of warm or cool air. Even in this warm winter with the average daily temperature six to eight degrees Fahrenheit above normal, the average household spent $250-350 per month on its energy bill. Team members studied energy deficiencies and developed the envelop strategies for energy conservation and saving that include the improvement and rehabilitation of the building through physical intervention and an educational outreach program. Overall, 7-30% of energy was saved through physical building envelop interventions. The social and economic impacts directly influenced the residents to improve their living through the cost reduction program. During the workshops and visitations, the residents who participated in this program were appreciated the assistance from the program.
Other major accomplishments from this Phase I study are listed below:
- Study of thermal properties, safety of insulation materials, and sustainability of green materials was conducted in the laboratory. Team members integrated their knowledge obtained from classrooms and hands-on experiences in the field, which provided students with strong life-learning experience.
- Team members worked closely with professionals, community leaders, and homeowners to realize the energy audit process and to find the energy deficiencies in aging houses. Students gained experience in outreach working with people, exchanged ideas on each stages of the project, and implemented the strategies.
- Team members developed several educational brochures that can be used not only in the study area, but more broadly. The dissemination of this information would benefit many sectors. The physical interventions to the houses for energy consumption reduction based on scientific approach were found to be applicable. The results were documented with by infrared pictures from each house and presented to the residents. The possible solutions to resolve the problems have been openly discussed with residents or homeowners.
- Ultimately, improvements to living conditions and economic impact in each household were accomplished.
- Team members continued working with community leaders (councilman and neighborhood committee members) and utility to promote the carbon dioxide trading policy.
Supplemental Keywords:
energy efficiency, monitoring resource consumption, green building, sustainable construction materialsRelevant Websites:
EPA Awards Seven Universities in the Southeast with Grants to Help Design Sustainable Technologies Exit
CBU earns EPA grant Exit
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.