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Selection of Test Homes
Using the criteria developed for test home selection, all available potential test homes were soon eliminated. Further research revealed that Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation (NLHC) owned a number of homes in the local area that fully matched the test home criteria. A proposal was written and presented to NLHC asking for their assistance. Upon review NLHC approved our proposal and provided Test Home (A) 57 Bennett Drive and Test Home (B) 169 Sullivan Ave in Gander Newfoundland, for participation in this research and development project.
Historical heating cost could be easily obtained from test homes that used oil fired, forced air heating systems. Each local oil company agreed to provide refueling dates and volumes delivered to each test home for the past two years (2001-2003).
Test home evaluation was conducted by ECHO Team Canada who upon inspection provided condition reports on each test home. All information gathered was entered into NRC’s Hot2000 software program, that would estimate volumes of energy required to adequately heat each home in its current condition.
A cross-reference with heating fuel purchases revealed actual fuel consumption was less than the projections of ECHO Team Canada in any given year. Using R2000 theory, ECHO Team Canada estimated the reduction in fuel consumption achieved by installing rigid insulation to the exterior concrete walls of the test homes. R2000 theory indicates, rigid insulation installed to the interior or exterior side of a concrete foundation wall will produce equal improvements to home performance. SWC’s theory indicates there is a considerable difference in energy savings by installing rigid insulation to the exterior side of the foundation wall, over energy savings acquired with an interior insulation application. These findings can be viewed for 57 Bennett Drive and 169 Sullivan Ave. Any energy savings in addition to estimates provided by ECHO Team Canada, would be credited to SWC’s Basement Envelope System.
A data acquisition system was required that utilized the equipment and methods, used by NRC in similar studies on various components. All data was to be collected and provided to SWC by a third party (Cathexis Innovations). Following this procedure would allow cross-reference to study results.
The data acquisition system was designed by SWC, Cathexis and NRC to record humidity levels in concrete wall core, ground temperature at 2'-4'-6' depths, concrete wall temperature at 2'-4'-6'-8' depths, concrete slab surface temperature, below slab ground temperature, interior air temperature and interior humidity levels. The required sensors would be installed using a predetermined format in each test home. A third home adjacent to Test Home 169 Sullivan Ave, had sensors installed to record ground temperatures outside of an unprotected basement for comparison. The sensors were strategically placed by SWC, Cathexis and NRC to provide the most accurate home performance data possible. (See layout for houses A, B, and C on page 7 & 8 of the Cathexis Report) This study is for one full year covering all four seasons. (October 2003 to October 2004).
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