A stick frame home is currently the most prevalent style of home due to its ease of construction and compliance with safety and building codes.
Erected in 1985 on a preserved wood foundation, this single-story dwelling features 2x6 framing and a gable-style roof. The primary heating system is an electric furnace, supplemented by a catalytic wood-burning stove situated in the basement. Hot waters needs are met through an electrically heated tank.
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Encompassing a heated floor area of 2,151 sq ft, including the basement, the home is designed to consume 123 GJ of energy annually. In comparison, a typical new home of similar size would typically use 93 GJ of energy per year.
DT's Photo Site - Anderson S.C 2018 - Flickr
HOW THE ENERGY IS USED
Energy Use Breakdown in the Stick Frame Home illustrates that the predominant energy consumption in this is attributed to space heating. However, a notable and not uncommon portion is allocated to other energy-consuming elements. An efficient heat pump with a Heating Seasonal Performance Factor (HSPF) of 10, approximately 293% efficient, has the potential to save 29 GJ or 23.5%. With such an upgrade, space heating would constitute 55% of the overall usage, water heating 17%, lighting 12%, and other purposes 15%. It is worth noting that in a northern climate like that in the Skeena region, a heat pump alone may not suffice for the entire heating season. , a prudent recommendation would be to retain the wood heat source and potentially the electric furnace to ensure sufficient heat is available during colder periods to address demands of the regional climate.
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WHERE THE HOME LOSES HEAT
This shows that the major contributors to energy loss are the windows, air leakage, and the basement foundation. Air leakage is particularly high in this home, measuring 6.89 air changes per hour (ACH) (compared to an airtight stick-built home at 3.5 ACH). If measures were taken to enhance the air changes in this home to a more efficient 4.0 ACH, the energy usage would decrease to 111 GJ, resulting in a substantial 12 GJ or 9.7% energy savings. Following this improvement, space heating would constitute 62% of the total energy usage, while the loss due to air leakage would decrease from 23% to 15%. This underscores the significant impact that addressing air leakage can have on overall energy efficiency, leading to both cost savings and improved thermal performance.
POTENTIAL UPGRADES
The analysis suggests that the first step toward improving energy conservation should target the most significant areas of heat loss: replace older dual-glazed windows with high-efficiency triple-glazed units, enhancing the home's airtightness, improving basement foundation insulation, and increasing the efficiency of the heating system. While adding exterior insulation to the basement would be beneficial, it can be cost-prohibitive. Alternatively, since the exterior siding may need replacement, adding rigid exterior insulation to above-grade walls during this process could significantly enhance the air barrier. Additionally, increasing attic insulation is recommended.
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Implementing upgrades to air leakage, windows, attic insulation, and exterior walls could reduce the home's energy consumption to 83 GJ, representing a substantial 32.5% improvement and surpassing the energy efficiency of a typical new home. Further enhancement can be achieved by upgrading to a heat pump, resulting in a rating of 70 GJ, a notable 43% improvement. In this scenario, space heating would constitute 38% of total usage, while water heating would contribute 23%. Heat loss sources would be distributed with walls at 9%, attic at 7%, windows at 15%, and air leakage at 20%.
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For a summarized overview of the estimated results of these changes, refer to the table below. The following provides a visual breakdown of heat loss sources throughout the home.
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