Quarterly CMFNH Newsletter – vol.3, ed.2 3rd Quarter 2011
Energy News & Tech Tips. Project of the Quarter
Tech Tip: Central Controls for Domestic Hot Water (DHW) Typical multi-family DHW systems waste the majority of their energy input through heat loss and the hot water distribution network. This energy waste can result in thousands of dollars of additional utility costs. Installing a high efficiency or solar water heater and carefully designing and insulating your distribution network can help you achieve long-term operating cost savings. High Efficiency Water Heater Options include: Forced Draft Water Heaters. These greatly reduce standby heat losses, which can account for as much as 17% of total water heater energy input.
Photo courtesy of Frank Domin Photography out Name: Main Street Village Apartments
City: Fremont Percent above 2005 Title 24: 50.30% Developer: MidPen Housing Corporation and Allied Housing Energy Consultant: H&M Mechanical Group HERS Rater: Bright Green Strategies Architect: Jacobsen Silverstein Winslow Degenhardt (JSWD) Architects Energy Efficiency & Sustainable Measures: Solar thermal water heating system Photovoltaic electric panels ENERGY STARÂŽ Qualified Appliances Water efficient fixtures In-Unit built in recycling centers Low-VOC paints Low-VOC adhesives Environmentally preferable materials for interior finishes Radiant hydronic space heating Non-HCFC Refrigerant Air Conditioning units *The project completing within the current quarter exceeding Title 24 by the highest percentage is considered Project of the Quarter.
Condensing Water Heaters. These are capable of capturing the vaporization energy of water vapor in the flue, which is about 10% of the total combustion energy. To enhance heat transfer, condensing water heaters also use forced draft designs. The overall efficiency improvement with a forced draft design can reach up to 20% compared to traditional non-condensing water heaters. Modulating Water Heaters. These adjust fuel supply to meet varying load demands, instead of simply cycling burners on and off. This reduces fuel energy loss due to incomplete combustion which happens when the burner is turned on and off. Water heaters with both modulating and condensing capabilities have the highest efficiency of all of the options listed above. While proper system sizing can be a science on its own, a system designer should consider using large storage tanks to meet peak hot water demand and scale down the water heater capacity accordingly to achieve higher system efficiency, while also reducing system first-costs. High efficiency water heaters can improve system efficiency by up to 20%, compared to standard water heaters. Since increased hot water demand is expected in multi-family buildings, a quick lifecycle payback can be expected.
For more information, contact Katie Eberle at 916-962-7001 or eberle@h-m-g.com.
Program Completions Congratulations to the following developers that recently completed construction and participation in CMFNH! Developer Name - Percent above 2005 Title 24 Allied Housing, Inc. – 50.30% Burbank Housing Development Corporation – 45.90% CHISPA Housing – 27.30% Housing Consortium of the East Bay (HCEB) – 26.90% Mercy Housing California – 35.50% Pacific West Communities – 27.98% Pulte Home Corporation – 25.30% Regis Homes of Northern CA – 27.20% The CORE Companies – 26.50% and 17.80% Toll Brothers – 27.90% Developer Name - Percent above 2008 Title 24 Affordable Housing Associates – 18.93% FFDA Properties, LLC – 30.60% St. Peter’s Supportive Housing, Inc. – 23.20% Appliance Only Projects Affordable Housing Associates
Program Update: Events & Trainings The CMFNH team is pleased to continue offering webinars and trainings for the residential market, sponsored by PG&E, and focused on the components that impact the design and construction of energy efficient residential projects. Webinars typically run from 11am-1pm on the third Tuesday of each month. Upcoming events include: November 15, 2011: Update on PG&E’s California Advanced Homes Program (CAHP) Register Here
A Message from our Partner:
California Solar Initiative (CSI) Thermal Program The CSI-Thermal Program offers cash rebates to customers that install solar water heating systems on multifamily, commercial, and residential properties. Incentives start out at $12.82 per estimated annual therm displaced for natural gas systems and $0.37 per estimated annual kWh for electric systems. Incentives will decline over time as the program meets certain benchmarks, so customers are encouraged to apply for their rebate early. Incentive levels, technical requirements and other program details can be found in the CSI-Thermal Program Handbook. Funding for the CSI-Thermal program comes from ratepayers of PG&E, SCE, SoCalGas, and SDG&E. The rebate program is overseen by the California Public Utilities Commission as part of the California Solar Initiative. Note: current projects cannot simultaneously apply and receive incentives from both the CMFNH and CSI Thermal programs. Contact the Program Administrator in your area for more information on applying for the CSI-Thermal Program or visit the program website: http://www.gosolarcalifornia.ca.gov/s olarwater/
Quarterly CMFNH Newsletter – vol.3, ed.2 3rd Quarter 2011