Project on

Energy Efficient Homes

SUBMITTED TO:
Sir Karman Muzaffar
SUBMITTED BY:

USMAN MUHAMMAD 09-CE-100 (GROUP LEADER)

Group Leader Address: Ali Hall, room no. 12, UET Taxila
Contact No.: 0332-6103783
Email Address: usman_2k9@yahoo.com

IHSAN QADIR 09-CE-66

Address: Ali Hall, room no. 120, UET Taxila
Contact No.: 0334-6137082
Email Address: ihsanqadir@yahoo.com

TAYYAB SALEEM 09-CE-76

Address: Umar Hall, BF-30, UET Taxila
Contact No.: 0301-6667730
Email Address: tayyabsaleem01@yahoo.com

M. ABUBAKAR SADDIQUE 09-CE-84

Address: Ali Hall, room no. 12, UET Taxila
Contact No.: 0312-6303939
Email Address: m.abubakar_84@yahoo.com

NAVEED AHMED 09-CE-90

Address: Ali Hall, room no. 120, UET Taxila
Contact No.: 0307-6458409
Email Address: naveedkhan2k9@yahoo.com

FAHAD AHMED 09-CE-94

Address: Ali Hall, room no. 19, UET Taxila
Contact No.: 0321-6013974
Email Address: fahad_smart1010@yahoo.com

ALI IMRAN 09-CE-96

Address: Ali Hall, room no. 17, UET Taxila
Contact No.: 0313-7600626
Email Address: ali_imran0996@yahoo.com

M. TAHIR NAVEED 09-CE-98

Address: Ali Hall, room no. 12, UET Taxila
Contact No.: 0334-4564787
Email Address: tahir_awan0998@yahoo.com

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

UNIVERSITY OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGYL, TAXILA

ABSTRACT:
This project report provides an overall view of energy efficient homes. How to
construct them, their distinctive features and the benefits. As there is already a
energy crisis in Pakistan, by constructing new or remodeling the existing
homes, a lot of energy could be saved.

Contents:
1-Why Do We Need to Build Energy Efficient Homes

2-The Thermal Envelope

3-Natural Ventilation
4-Mechanical Ventilation

5-R-value (insulation)

6-Day lighting

7-Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC)

8-Energy Efficient Building Materials

9-ENERGY EFFICIENT HOME PLANS

INTRODUCTION:
1-Why Do We Need to Build Energy Efficient Homes?

Wasting energy not only hurts your wallet, but also the planet. Homes use
energy from fuels such as oil, coal, and electricity which add toxins to the air
and water, contributes to global warming, and increases habitat loss. With the
unstable oil and gas markets, many people are looking for ways to cut down on
energy costs. Fortunately, new homes are being built to increase energy
efficiency and lower energy costs. 
There are many benefits to building energy efficient new homes that include: 

Reduced Costs: An energy efficient new home is constructed to keep heat

from escaping so you are not running the furnace 24 hours a day. Many
mortgage companies offer incentives to people building energy efficient new
homes.

Sound Investment: Each year more people are looking for energy efficient
homes. Building an energy efficient new home now will increase the future
value of the home. 

Peace of Mind: Building an energy efficient new home allows homeowners to

enjoy their home knowing they are meeting energy efficiency guidelines. 

Fewer Pollutants: When you use less energy, you decrease the amount of
pollutants being released in the environment. This will lead to less of an impact
on global warming. 

Improved Air Quality: An energy efficient new home ensures air tightness
keeping the home cozy. These new homes also protect against cold, heat,
drafts, and moisture.

METHODOLOGY:
2-The Thermal Envelope

A "thermal envelope" is everything about the house that serves to shield the
living space from the outdoors. It includes the wall and roof assemblies,
insulation, windows, doors, finishes, weather-stripping, and air/vapor retarders.
Specific items to consider in these areas are described below.

Wall and Roof Assemblies

There are several alternatives to the conventional "stick" (wood stud) framed
wall and roof construction now available and growing in popularity.

Insulating Concrete Forms (ICF.) These often consist of two layers of extruded
foam board (one inside the house and one outside the house) that act as the
form for a steel reinforced concrete center. This is the fastest and least likely
technique to have construction mistakes. Such buildings are also very strong
and easily exceed code requirements for tornado or hurricane prone areas.

Air/Vapor Retarders

Regardless of your climate, it is important to minimize water vapor migration

by using a carefully designed thermal envelope and sound construction
practices. Any water vapor that does manage to get into the walls or attics must
be allowed to get out again. Some construction methods and climates lend
themselves to allowing the vapor to flow towards the outdoors. Others are
better suited to letting it flow towards the interior so that the house ventilation
system (see below) can deal with it.

Foundations and Slabs

Foundation walls and slabs should be at least as well insulated as the living
space walls. Uninsulated foundations have a negative impact on home energy
use and comfort, especially if the family uses the lower parts of the house as a
living space.

Windows

The typical home loses over 25% of its heat through windows. Since even
modern windows insulate less than a wall, in general an energy-efficient home
in heating dominated climates should have few windows on the north, east, and
west exposures.

Air-Sealing

A well-constructed thermal envelope requires that insulating and sealing be

precise and thorough. Sealing air leaks everywhere in the thermal envelope
reduces energy loss significantly. Good air-sealing alone may reduce utility
costs by as much as 50% when compared to other houses of the same type and
age.
3-Natural Ventilation
The project major focus is on natural ventilation, because it is the only thing
from which we can take maximum benefit with minimum cost.

Almost all historic buildings were ventilated naturally, although many of these
have been compromised by the addition of partition walls and mechanical
systems. In favorable climates and buildings types, natural ventilation can be
used as an alternative to air-conditioning plants, saving 10%-30% of total
energy consumption.
Design Recommendations
The specific approach and design of natural ventilation systems will vary based
on building type and local climate. However, the amount of ventilation
depends critically on the careful design of internal spaces, and the size and
placement of openings in the building.
 Maximize wind-induced ventilation by sitting the ridge of a building
perpendicular to the summer winds.
.
 Naturally ventilated buildings should be narrow.
 Each room should have two separate supplies and exhaust openings.
Locate exhaust high above inlet to maximize stack effect. Orient
windows across the room and offset from each other to maximize
mixing within the room while minimizing the obstructions to airflow
within the room.
 Window openings should be operable by the occupants.
 Provide ridge vents.
 A ridge vent is an opening at the highest point in the roof that offers a
good outlet for both buoyancy and wind-induced ventilation.
 Allow for adequate internal airflow.
 Consider the use of clerestories or vented skylights.
 A clerestory or a vented skylight will provide an opening for stale air
 to escape in a buoyancy ventilation strategy.
 Provide attic ventilation.
 Consider the use of fan-assisted cooling strategies.
 Determine if the building will benefit from an open- or closed-
building ventilation approach.
 Use mechanical cooling in hot, humid climates.
 Try to allow natural ventilation to cool the mass of the building at
night in hot climates.
 Open staircases provide stack effect ventilation, but observe all fire
and smoke precautions for enclosed stairways.

Materials and Methods of Construction

Some of the materials and methods used to design proper natural ventilation
systems in buildings are solar chimneys, wind towers, and summer ventilation
control methods. The chimney is isolated from the occupied space and can be
heated as much as possible by the sun or other means. Air is simply exhausted
out the top of the chimney creating suction at the bottom which is used to
extract stale air.
In the summer, when the outside temperature is below the desired inside
temperature, windows should be opened to maximize fresh air intake. The use
of fan-forced ventilation or thermal mass for radiant cooling may be important
in controlling these maximum temperatures.
Thick and heavy building components absorb energy
High mass construction uses the building equivalent of heat sinks in order to
cool a space. Concrete, stone, or other massive and dense construction creates a
potential to absorb heat
4-Mechanical Ventilation
When you know how air moves naturally through your home, you can then
optimize your mechanical ventilation. In warmer climates, natural ventilation
can’t circulate enough air through home to provide sufficient cooling at night
to remove the day’s heat. Mechanical ventilation can provide continuously
moving air that will keep your home cooler, day and night, with circulating
fans, whole-house
How to Ventilate??
Ventilation can be done by:
1-Circulating Fans
Circulating fans include ceiling fans, table fans, floor fans, window fans, and
fans mounted to poles or walls.
2-Ceiling Fans
If you use air conditioning, a ceiling fan will allow you to raise the thermostat
setting about 4°F with no reduction in comfort. In temperate climates, or during
moderately hot weather, ceiling fans may allow you to avoid using your air
conditioner altogether.
3-Whole-House Fans
A whole-house fan can substitute for an air conditioner most of the year in
most climates. Whole-house fans combined with ceiling fans and portable fans
provide acceptable summer comfort for many families, even in hot weather.
How Whole-House Fans Work?
The whole-house fan pulls air in from open windows and exhausts it through
the attic and roof. It provides good attic ventilation in addition to whole-house
ventilation.

5-R-value (insulation)

The R-value is a measure of thermal resistance. Used in the building and

construction industry. Under uniform conditions it is the ratio of the
temperature difference across an insulator and the heat flux (heat flow per unit
area, ) through it or . The bigger the number, the better
the building insulation's effectiveness’-value is the reciprocal of U-value.

Energy saving window blinds

Most window blinds save energy only as reflective barriers. That means they
reflect summer sunlight back outside before it can strike objects inside the
room and turn into heat; and to a much lesser extent, they can reflect infrared
radiation back into a room in winter instead of allowing it to escape.
Energy saving window shades
Roller shades are much more efficient than curtains and many louvered blinds,
because they sit very close to the glass, restricting convection currents and
thereby reducing heat exchange by up to 28%.

6-Day lighting
Delighting is the use of windows and skylight bring sunlight into your home.
Today's highly energy-efficient windows, as well as advances in lightening
design owe efficient use of windows to reduce the need for artificial lighting
during daylight hours without causing heating or cooling problems.
The best way to incorporate day lighting in your home depends on your climate
and home's design. The sizes and locations of windows should be based on the
cardinal directions rather than their effect on the street-side appearance of the
house.
South-facing windows are most advantageous for day lighting and for
moderating seasonal temperatures. They allow most winter sunlight into the
home but little direct sun during the summer, especially when properly shaded.
North-facing windows are also advantageous for day lighting. They admit
relatively even, natural light, producing little glare and almost no unwanted
summer heat gain.

7-Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC)

Figure 3.Solar radiation gain

The SHGC is the fraction of incident solar radiation admitted through a

window, both directly transmitted and absorbed and subsequently released
inward. SHGC is expressed as a number between 0 and 1. The lower a
window's solar heat gain coefficient, the less solar heat it transmits.

8-Energy Efficient Building Materials

Materials efficiency

Building from the start or remodeling an existing home or office with energy
efficient materials can produce big savings.

1-Function

Insulating against cold, using natural light and shade to lower heating and
cooling costs, and installing energy-saving lighting systems and appliances all
help make a building more efficient.

2-Types

Energy-efficient building materials include insulation, shading devices

(sunshades, canopies, landscape elements such as trees), light-colored roofing
material that reflects heat, windows and doors with Energy Star ratings,
durable weather seals, economical heating and cooling systems, and windows
and skylights that maximize use of natural light.

3-Size

The size of a building and the amount of materials that go into it affects how
much energy is used just as much as what types of materials are used. Larger
homes and offices require more energy for heating, cooling and lighting.
Empty living and office space means energy is going to waste.
6-Geography

The materials needed to create an energy-efficient building vary by climate.

For instance, in very cold climates, insulation and weather seals that prevent
heat loss are a high priority. In hot, dry climates, materials for roofs and
windows should minimize the impact of solar radiation on heat buildup in
homes and buildings and reduce the need for air conditioning.

9-ENERGY EFFICIENT HOME PLANS

The house plan is designed to give excellent internal privacy and separation of
different family functions. Each room can have cross ventilation without
having to leave internal doors open, thus giving added privacy. The roof is well
insulated for rejection of the hot summer sun and the windows have carefully
designed shading. A skylight in the Living Room will enhance the use of
daylight in an otherwise well sheltered room.
 Figure 4.Model plan in Islamabad

Location: Islamabad

Specifications:

Elevation: 1664ft from mean sea level

Longitude: 73.10m

Latitude: 33.62m

Wind speed: Average 2km/h at night and 3km/h at day

Wind direction: N-E at night and N-W at day

Temperature: annual max 46.6 Celsius, annual min -3.9celcius

Annual rainfall: 1828mm

Plot size: 8marlas

Description:

We have designed this plan according to cold climatic conditions of this area.
Maximum windows are placed in east direction for proper sunlight. Windows
on the east side are provided so that the house remains warm in cold weather.
The air blows from north to west direction in day time, so ventilators are
adjusted in the north and west directions for proper ventilation. Proper shading
will be provided on the window and ventilator in south direction.
 Figure 5.model plan in Lahore

Location: Lahore

Specifications:

Elevation: 709ft from mean sea level

Longitude: 74.33m

Latitude: 31.55m

Wind speed: Average 1.5km/h in December and 2km/h in July.

Wind direction: N-W in December and S-E in July.

Temperature: annual max 48.3 Celsius, annual min -2.2celcius

Annual rainfall: 1317.5mm

Plot size: 12marlas

Description:

We have designed this plan according to hot climatic conditions of this area,
maximum windows and ventilators are placed in the north and west direction
for proper daylight and to reduce the heat penetration. Windows on the east and
south side are not provided so that the house remains cool in hot weather. The
air blows from north to west direction in winter and south to east in summer, so
ventilators are adjusted in the north and west directions for proper ventilation.
Proper shading will be provided on the ventilator in south direction.
 Figure 6.model plan in Karachi

Location: Karachi

Specifications:

Elevation: 69ft from mean sea level

Longitude: 67.02m

Latitude: 24.85m

Wind speed: Average 2km/h in December and 3km/h in July

Wind direction: N-E

Temperature: annual max 47.8 Celsius, annual min 0.0celcius

Annual rainfall: 713mm

Plot size: 6marlas

Description:

We have designed this plan according to moderate climatic conditions of this

area. Windows are placed in north and east direction for proper sunlight.
Windows on the east and south side are provided so that the house remains
warm in cold weather. The air blows from north to east direction, so ventilators
are adjusted in the north and east directions for proper ventilation. Proper
shading will be provided on the window and ventilator in south direction.

CONCLUSIONS:
At the end we conclude after having a research on energy efficient homes, we
must build new or remodel our existing home into energy efficient homes. as
the wastage of energy is a intellectual threat to our environment, we must
contribute to protect it. It is not necessary to build zero energy homes, but the
technology should be applied to some extent. as detailed mentioned earlier,
natural ventilation and day light are sustainable sources, we should take
maximum benefit from them.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT:
The whole group is very thankful to Dr.Kamran Muzaffer Khan who gave us a
opportunity to work on project of energy efficient homes under his guidance.
The research was very beneficial to us. We have learnt a lot from it.

References:
http//www.wikipedia.com/energy efficient homes

http//www.oxfordbooks.com/energy efficient homes

http//www.google.com/search/energy efficient homes