US Deptartment of Energy Solar Decathalon
Project Description
US Department of Energy Solar Decathlon Urban Single Family Home Division Finalist
Context. Conservation. Constructability.
Our team is very excited to again be working with Habitat for Humanity on this infill home. Currently, there is a surplus of property in Muncie because the old neighborhoods of the city have fallen from their glory and are filled with open spaces and blighted homes, our site being one of them. The Rust Belt city of Muncie has suffered for many years from disinvestment of the urban core. Efforts have finally pushed the revitalization of the urban core, but Muncie still has a low housing stock, of both homes for sale and newly built.
Fortunately, all our group members have had the opportunity to work with the community in other studio classes, and alongside Habitat. Habitat has been involved in projects with Ball State College of Architecture and Planning all over the city. Because of this, our group feels confident in our ability to design a new affordable housing typology for the community that is net-zero ready, accommodating to Habitat’s construction methods, and fits into the context of the historic location. Ideally, this project will help Habitat to raise their overall building standards of new homes and other community projects. Our team feels that a typology that meets these criteria will spark an invigorated boom for the city of Muncie and bring back life to those blighted lots.
This project has been challenging, with four sets of design constraints from: the DOE competition, our local Muncie Habitat for Humanity, the Emily Kimbrough Neighborhood (site location), and the city of Muncie. This location is not just a challenge for our team, but also for our community partner, Habitat. This is not a typical site for Muncie Habitat for Humanity, being so close to the downtown and having the existing design constraints of the Emily Kimbrough District.
Design Strategy
Our design process for a net-zero ready home was broken into three organizing workflows. First, we looked hard at precedents and the surroundings of the site, thought through the structurally efficiencies, and gave passive strategies a lot of thought. Second, active systems of the home were organized, and necessary PV estimated for optimization. The third will focus on the future owner’s input, by adding plans for a garage or carport and future landscaping. Habitat does not build garages; therefore, it is in future plans, but will be additional roof area for PV and more energy savings should the owner decided to add it on. Landscaping gives owners a personal satisfaction but will have suggested design options for the best performing yard.
Project Data
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717 East Main Street, Muncie, IN 47305 – Climate Zone 5A
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Lot is 37’ by 125’, whereas the home is 2,250 square feet
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Two story home with 3 bedrooms, two full baths, open flow work space and future garage addition designed for owner’s option.
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Current HERS of 36 and EUI of 13.7
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Estimated Monthly Electricity Cost as of now: $146; Muncie residential electricity costs 8.5 cents/ kWh
Technical Specifications
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R-32.8 wall; 2x6 stud advanced framing with sprayed fiberglass insulation of R-20, 2” Zip panel over top at R-9.6, and a .5” layer of faced polyisocyanurate at R-3.2
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Poured concrete footers with raised slab; insulated slab at R-23.1 with 6” EPS
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Cold roof with insulated ceiling; R-50 blown fiberglass
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Double-glazed with Argon and Pressure sealed gasket; left/right Casements
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VRF HVAC system with ducted ERV
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Annual energy usage: 20,632 kWh per year
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16 kW PV array to reach net zero
Project Highlights
Our team has set out to ensured that our design would have enough solar collection area to meet estimated energy usage. We are being thorough in our planning of construction to eliminate excess material usage and ease the assembly of the home. The design is economical in its square footage to comply with context and costs, has basic tasteful aesthetics, uses donated materials, appliances and labor. The Midwest has harsh weather events so we are designing with these in mind; resilient material choices and easy to do maintenance of yard and home. With passive opportunities in mind we have windows and doors only on North and South faces. Our design also has considered the possibility of an occupant with disabilities and therefore, we have with ADA compliances for the home. Also, with our future user in mind, we will be using easy to understand equipment and easy access to interior operations of home. To be cost effective, we know we need to aim for our design cost to be less than $100 per square foot. The layout has open flow layout with all considerations to privacy for the user. Our team also will be trying to add in as many environmentally friendly and healthy products as possible. Overall, our team will be implementing new building typology in the area, to upgrade the current standards of Muncie Habitat for Humanity and influence a spark of new home building to the area.
