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25 Jun 2009, Comments Off

Moncton VISION EQuilibrium™ Demonstration Home Starts Construction in Moncton, New Brunswick

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The Government of Canada marked the start of construction of the Moncton VISION demonstration home, an energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly home to be built in Moncton, New Brunswick. The home will be constructed by AlternaHome Solutions Inc. in partnership with VISION Land Development Ltd., as part of Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s (CMHC’s) EQuilibrium™ Sustainable Housing Demonstration Initiative, which encourages builders and developers to build the next generation of sustainable housing in Canada.

Rob Moore, Member of Parliament for Fundy Royal, on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada and Minister Responsible for CMHC, was joined today by Paul Arsenault of AlternaHome Solutions Inc., and Ken McPhee of VISION Land Development Ltd., along with sponsors and supporters, in the groundbreaking of the first demonstration home of its kind in Atlantic Canada.

“The Government of Canada is pleased to work with the private sector to develop such innovative homes. We congratulate AlternaHome Solutions Inc. on its winning design/concept and its commitment to environmental responsibility,” said MP Moore. “The Moncton VISION Home gives people in this region an opportunity to see first-hand how we can create beautiful, healthy homes, conserve energy and resources, and reduce pollutant emissions.”

EQuilibrium™ housing integrates a wide range of innovative technologies and practices to reduce a home’s environmental impact to a minimum. The Moncton VISION Home will integrate optimal solar orientation, energy efficiency and renewable energy systems into its design and construction to reduce energy use. Additional Moncton VISION Home features include extensive natural lighting, an energy management system, natural and mechanical ventilation, and the use of natural materials with low levels of pollutants. Rainwater will be captured to reduce water use.

“We are very pleased to work with CMHC. They, together with each and every member of the Moncton VISION Home team, have been working tirelessly to ensure the success of this project. The Moncton VISION Home has the potential to help people discover new ways of doing things, which in the long run, will help reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, and consequently reduce our negative impact on the environment. The Moncton VISION Home will lead, teach and inspire people to take charge of their own energy,” said Mr. Arsenault.

The Moncton VISION Home is one of 15 projects that won CMHC’s national EQuilibrium™ sustainable housing competitions since the initiative was launched in 2006. All EQuilibrium™ projects will be open to both the general public and professional audiences for tours, and then monitored for performance by CMHC for one year, once occupied.

CMHC’s EQuilibrium™ Sustainable Housing Demonstration Initiative provides a new approach to housing in Canada, representing a fundamental change in the way Canadians think about their homes. It strives to balance our housing needs with those of the environment. It brings together — under one roof — the principles of occupant health and comfort, energy efficiency, renewable energy production, resource and water conservation, and reduced environmental impact.

CMHC has worked closely with many stakeholders to develop and deploy EQuilibrium™. In particular, CMHC has collaborated closely with Natural Resources Canada which has contributed substantial research and development expertise and resources to advancing the initiative.

As Canada’s national housing agency, CMHC draws on more than 60 years of experience to help Canadians access a variety of quality, environmentally sustainable, and affordable homes — homes that will continue to create vibrant, healthy communities and cities across the country.

http://www.cmhc.ca/en/corp/nero/nere/2009/2009-06-25-0900.cfm

brought to you by Moishe Alexander, CFC CEO

3 Apr 2009, Comments Off

CFC Reviews CMHC Design Report: IDP — Benefits of Integrated Design

Author: admin

Protecting the world is a necessary and laudable goal, but there other much more immediate benefits to making use of IDP on your projects.

Better Designs/Better Buildings

Everyone wants to build better buildings more efficiently at less cost, particularly the client. Intuitively, we know that the greatest opportunity for making changes to a design at the least cost happens early on. This is illustrated by a curve, where the opportunity to make changes decreases significantly and the costs to change design concepts increase dramatically as the processes advance.

IDP provides the biggest payoff at the beginning of the development curve. The IDP kickoff session should bring together everyone who can make a difference, contributing in a structured way, in response to the program and in support of the sustainability goals. Although this might seem like a blinding flash of the obvious, most projects don’t structure their development and design processes to actually take advantage of the Integrated Design Process. Reviewed by Marty Lapedus.

2 Apr 2009, Comments Off

CFC Reviews CMHC Design Report: Window Installations – Sound transmission

Author: admin

Windows can allow an excessive amount of outdoor noise into the building, as they are mostly made from lightweight, resilient materials (glass, metal, vinyl and so on) rather than massive, sound-absorbing materials. This is especially true of operable windows, as the weatherstripping may not be properly installed and allow air and thus sound to enter. Any sound vibrations that can be transmitted directly through the gaps and cracks in the window will result in noise inside the building.

Many factors can affect noise transmission through windows:

  • The installation of the window itself may not be adequate.
  • Gaskets, tapes, seals, etc. may wear over time, increasing the potential for noise transmission.
  • Warping of the window or building shrinkage severe enough that operable units do not close properly, creates gaps at sashes resulting in increased noise transmission.

A performance index has been developed to determine the sound transmission of all building components. The Sound Transmission Classification (STC), is defined in the ASTM E90 Standard as the average amount of noise stopped at 18 different frequency ranges, measured in decibels. STC ratings are a logarithmic scale similar to the earthquake Richter scale. Every 10 STC points reduces noise by 50 per cent, every 20 points reduces the noise by 75 per cent, 30 points reduces noise by 87.5 per cent and so on. Typical STC values for windows range from 18 to 50, with the higher value representing the larger reduction in sound transmission.

A jalousie, or louvred window, has an STC rating of approximately 18, which represents very little attenuation of sound.

A typical single-glazed window has an STC of 22–26, and voices from outside can clearly be heard. This can be improved somewhat with laminated glass, but a much bigger reduction can be achieved with double-glazed windows.

STC values for standard double-glazed windows range from 28 to 35, assuming a good air seal. Higher values tend to be achieved with thicker glass and larger pane spacing. Triple-glazed windows have better STC ratings than double-glazed windows, especially if the spacing between the three panes and the glass thicknesses are different.

As the STC is a logarithmic value, achieving ever-higher ratings becomes an increasingly expensive proposition.

Desirable values of STC ratings will depend on the ambient outdoor noise level as well as the intended use of the building. For example, it would be difficult to achieve an acceptable noise level in a house near the end of an airport runway: on the other hand, an STC rating above 50 would not be economically justified for buildings located near parks or cemeteries. Noisy conditions can also be improved through judicious use of drapes or (especially) exterior roller blinds.

For more information, refer to the CMHC report Noise Isolation Provided by Windows in Residential Projects, or the National Research Council publication Laboratory Measurements of the Sound Insulation of Building Façade Elements. Reviewed by Martin Lapedus.

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