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KAAX-3-33411-06
Task Ordering No. KAAX-3-33-411-00
Deliverable 6.D.2



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OLDEN
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INTER
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2005







Final Report: Nebraska SEP
Page 1 of 33

Task Order: KAAX-3-33411-06, Deliverable 6.D.2: Final Report - Nebraska SEP
Int

roduction
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is the technical field manager for the U.S.
Department of Energys (DOE) Building America Program (BAP). The goal of the BAP is to
develop innovative system engineering approaches to advanced housing that will enable the
U.S. housing industry to deliver affordable and environmentally sensitive housing while
maintaining profitability and competitiveness of homebuilders and product suppliers.

The Consortium for Advanced Residential Buildings (CARB), led by Steven Winter Associates,
is one of five Building America teams working throughout the country. For innovative building
energy technologies to be viable candidates over conventional approaches, it must be
demonstrated that they can cost-effectively increase overall product value and quality while
significantly reducing energy use and use of raw materials.

The long-term energy related goal of NREL/DOEs Building America Program is to reduce total
energy use in new housing by an average of 60% and existing housing by an average of 30%.
In FY04, the teams targeted 40% energy savings through energy efficiency improvements in
new housing. Reductions in all energy end uses were required to meet these goals, including
reductions in: space conditioning loads, water heating loads, lighting loads and plug loads. At
a minimum, systems engineering research projects included in the program targeted 40%
energy savings in new buildings when compared to the Building America Research
Benchmark Definition.

This is the final report on the Nebraska State Energy Project, for which Building America
provided technical support to the Nebraska Energy Office. The mission of the Nebraska
Energy Office (NEO) is to promote the efficient, economic and environmentally responsible use
of energy. The NEO has been a leader in many of Nebraskas progressive and successful
initiatives, including sustainable and green programs. Targeting energy-efficiency in housing,
the NEO seeks to demonstrate that affordable housing can be designed and constructed to
reduce operating costs for low-income families, while maintaining comfort, healthy indoor air
quality, and durability.

To achieve this goal, the NEO partnered with the Consortium for Advanced Residential
Buildings (CARB) to design and construct an affordable and energy-efficient prototype home.
The requirements of the Nebraska Certified Green Building Homes Program (NCGBHP) were
used as the basis for the prototype design. This program sets energy and environmental
standards for new construction. With a desire to impact the states first time home buyer
affordable housing market, keeping first costs low is a key component of the project. With the
guidance of CARB and the Building America program, the demonstration home built in Lincoln
serves as a replicable example of energy-efficient, affordable housing.

This home will become Nebraskas benchmark for truly affordable housing. Using Building
Americas research, technology implementation, and technical support, the home was
designed and value-engineered to be an affordable
Nebraska Green Built Home. The project was documented
to create a building system performance package with
complete specifications. This package will be proposed to
the Governor, Legislature and the building industry as the
States standard for the construction of homes in the first
time home buyer, affordable housing market.


NEO/CARB Prototype Final Report: Nebraska SEP
Page 2 of 33

Project Time Line
May 29, 2004
Sent Preliminary Construction Drawings and Specs to NEO for Review
July 13, 2004
Sent Revised Construction Drawings to NEO for Bldg. Department Review
August 4-5, 2004
Contractor Meeting held by CARB in Lincoln, Nebraska
August 19, 2004
Contractor Bid Submission Deadline
Late August 2004
Contractor Selection Deadline (Ken Inness was chosen)
September 23, 2004
Excavation Start Date
Sept 27 - Oct 1, 2004
Foundation Formed, Poured, and Stripped
November 1-4, 2004
Advanced Framing, CARB onsite
December 6, 2004
Spray-Foam applied to Rim/Band Joist (Eco-Green Enterprises, LLC)
December 7, 2004
Air-Sealing of the Home, CARB onsite
December 7, 2004
Home Tour for Nebraska State Home Builders Association, CARB onsite
December 6-8, 2004
Mechanical Installation, CARB onsite (Bryant Heating and Air)
December 14, 2004
Blown-In Wall Insulation
January 15, 2005
CARB Spoke with Lincoln Mechanical Contractor to Resolve Code Issues
February 4, 2005
Home Completion Date
February 7-11, 2005
Home Open for Showing
February 16, 2005
Final Performance Testing by CARB
February 17, 2005
Home Tour for Students of Local Technical College, CARB and NEO
March 1-31, 2005
Home Open for Showing
May 8-15, 2005
Parade of Homes Event
TBD
Ribbon-Cutting Event
Preliminary Design Review
CARB worked with the NEO to develop plans that would meet the needs of first time
homebuyers, be replicable throughout the state, comply with the local codes for Lincoln, and
achieve high energy performance. The NEO worked with the Building Department to review the
design drawings provided by CARB for code compliance. After all of the code issues were
resolved, a revised set of plans was provided to local contractors to obtain cost estimates. Ken
Inness, of Inness II Homes, was selected as the contractor for this prototype. A veteran
homebuilder, Kens interest and enthusiasm largely contributed to the success of this project.
Prototype Design
The elevation, section, and plan on the following pages show the design of the demonstration
home that was built at 2410 SW Paul Whitehead Lane; Lincoln, NE. It is a single story home
that can be built on either a basement or a slab on grade. With approximately 1,250 ft
2
of
living space, the layout includes: three bedrooms, two baths, a living room, a separate dining
room adjacent to the kitchen, and a washer and dryer located on the first floor.

One unique feature of this house is the plenum truss, designed to accommodate the homes
supply air ductwork. As shown in the section, the plenum was designed into the roof trusses
and provides a space to run ductwork. By insulating over the plenum, the ducts remain in the
conditioned space without the added cost of soffits and dropped ceilings. Final Report: Nebraska SEP
Page 3 of 33














Nebraska Prototype Elevation
Nebraska Prototype Section Final Report: Nebraska SEP
Page 4 of 33


Nebraska Prototype Floor Plan
N
NE BEDROOM
SW BEDROOM
Nebraska Prototype Floor Plan Final Report: Nebraska SEP
Page 5 of 33

Advanced Framing
A key part of keeping this project affordable was the implementation of Advanced Framing
Techniques, also known as Optimum Value Engineering (OVE). OVE refers to framing
techniques that reduce the amount of lumber used to build the home while maintaining the
structural integrity of the building. Using OVE techniques results in lower material and labor
costs and improved energy performance for the building. Framers unfamiliar with the
techniques typically need training and more planning is required when using these techniques.
By incorporating OVE Framing techniques, the layout
was simplified and the materials used to frame the
prototype were reduced. The plan was designed on a
24 grid, which optimized the use of all sheet
materials, such as drywall and oriented strand board
(OSB), and coordinated with the spacing of the
framing. The walls were framed at 24 on center
(OC), rather than the standard practice of 16 OC. As
shown in the previous building section, a plenum
space was designed into the roof trusses. This
plenum, used to carry the HVAC ductwork, was
coordinated with the advanced framing layout to
simplify both the framing and mechanical systems.

As shown in the diagram on the right, inline framing
was used to provide a direct load path from the roof to
the foundation. CARB worked with the NEO architect
to: rationalize the floor plan for the 24 on center (OC)
grid, size and locate the required vertical mechanical
chases, and develop a full set of
advanced framing drawings. Window,
door, and bearing wall locations were
shifted to fit into the 24 OC module, as
shown below. To maintain the
alignment all the way to the foundation,
the roof trusses and floor joists were
also spaced at 24 OC. The
increased spacing reduced the number
of floor trusses required. A sample of
the advanced framing drawings is
shown on the following page.

Other advanced framing strategies
included header hangers over the
windows to eliminate the need for jack
studs, open 2-stud corn