Dalibor Houdek Log Homes - Frontiers Foundation Manitoba

www.fpinnovations.ca
Building Energy Efficient
Log Homes
By Dalibor Houdek
Winnipeg
February 8-10, 2011
Presentation Outline
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Who we are and what we do?
Defining energy efficiency
What regulations are coming down the pipe?
Where does the heat go?
How can we minimize the heat loss?
Who is FPInnovations?
FPInnovations® is Canada’s leading forest products research
institute. It conducts research, provides technical services and
carries out technology transfers in the areas of wood harvesting,
wood products, pulp and paper, nanotechnology, bio-energy
generation and chemical production. With a staff of
approximately 550, it has research laboratories in Québec City,
Montréal and Vancouver, and technology transfer offices across
Canada. For more information about FPInnovations, visit
www.fpinnovations.ca
Our goal is to strengthen the Canadian forest industry’s global
competitiveness through research and application of knowledge.
The Forest Sector Innovation Hub
FPInnovations’ Programs
Increasing
Productivity &
Competitiveness
Expanding &
Diversifying
Markets
Leveraging
Environmental
Branding
Maximizing
Forest inventory &
fibre characterization
Global Market
Intelligence
/Development
Reduced carbon
footprint
Science-based
support for
current and future
market access
Life-cycle
analysis
Building with
Wood
Green building
standards
Biopathways
decision tools
Biomaterial and
related
products
Bio-chemicals
& bio-fuels
Living with
Wood
Green fibrebased packaging
Forestry operations
& fibre delivery
Efficient & flexible
manufacturing
Energy efficiency
& self-sufficiency
Reduced
environmental impact
Value chain
optimization
Fibre Value
Engineered and
composite wood
products
Next generation
papers & fibre
products
Defining Energy Efficiency
• Thermal resistance (R Value)
• Air tightness
• Thermal mass
Thermal Resistance
• Thermal Resistance (R-value)
is the ability of material to resist the transfer of
heat from one side to another
Thermal Mass
Ability of material to store heat and then release it
when the surrounding temperature drops
• Advantages
- for continuous heating
- temperature stability in
the interior
- minimizing “cold
radiation”
• Disadvantages
- for occasional heating
need for heating the
wall mass
- higher initial heat
consumption
- longer “start up” time
- no contribution in cold
climates
R - Value of Building Materials
Fibre
glass
Cedar
Spruce
D. Fir
277 mm
(11”)
300 mm
100 mm (4”) (12”)
415 mm
(16.5”)
Brick
Concrete
1125 mm
(44”)
2750 mm
(9’)
Real Life Thermal Performance
Log Homes
Light Wood Frame
- 2.5-15% better
performance then
comparable frame
home
- R-value is overstated by
26-58%
Thermal Camera Imaging
Proposed New Thermal Regulations
• The R-value for walls depending on the
climatic zone, ranging between R-20 to R-27
• Air infiltration of less than 2.5 ACH @ 50 Pa
• Proposed Tradeoffs
Performance of Log Construction
R-value
m2KW-1
S TC
(dB)
Water
condensation
Hand scribed
300 mm
2.09
(12.1)
45
Active
Chinked
300 mm
2.12
(12.24)
45
Active
Hand- hewn
200x300 mm
1.981
(11.43)
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Active
Air Infiltration Between 2.0 -10 ACH (average of 4 ACH)
Heat Loss Pathways
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Floor
Walls
Windows & doors
Roof
Chimney
Infiltration
Minor Infiltration
• Minor
laterally between logs
Minor Infiltration
• Gaskets work
better than
fiberglass
Moderate Infiltration
- Corners
- Window and
Door Frames
Severe Infiltration
- intersection of sill log with sub-floor
- log gables
- intersection of plate log with the roof
- chimney area
- dormers
- peak of cathedral ceiling
Filling the Information Gap
• Recognition of an information gap by the
industry related to log home finishing
• Ample of resources to teach building with logs
with sporadic info on log home finishing
• Increased demand of First Nations in Canada
for locally built log homes to resolve housing
shortage hindered by reluctance of housing
corporation to support substandard log house
construction and finishing on FN reserves.
Acknowledgement
• Funders for making this project possible
• ILBA members for sharing their knowledge
Gathering, Categorizing and Review of Details
• Engaged the industry to share their
construction details.
• Each detail was critically reviewed
and categorized (lot of duplications)
• Most needed modification to show
installation of vapour barriers,
sealers (e.g. gaskets), etc.
• Some were eliminated entirely
• Some had to be developed from
scratch
Categorizing Details
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Sill Log on Foundations
Settling
Roof System
Chimneys and Fireplaces
Windows and Doors
Interior Partitions
Plumbing and Electrical
Kitchen Cabinet Installations
Foundation Details
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Settling
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Roof Systems
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Windows and Doors
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Availability
The book is available at
www.fpinnovations.ca
www.amazon.ca
www.logassociation.org
$49.99 plus tax
Summary
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Keep all joinery tight
Accommodate the settling to occur
Use appropriate sealants/gaskets and detailing
New energy regulations will present some
challenges to log construction
• Proper detailing and offsets will likely enable the
log home construction in the future
• Use the resources available
Thank you
www.fpinnovations.ca