NNCA Construction Workshop 2016-02-17 Optimal High R-value Wall Designs for the Far North – Balancing the Science & Practice NNCA RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION WORKSHOP, YELLOWKNIFE – FEB 17, 2016 GRAHAM FINCH, MASC, P.ENG – PRINCIPAL & BUILDING SCIENCE RESEARCH SPECIALIST [email protected] – 604-873-1181 Presentation Outline G.Finch - RDH Northern Building & Energy Code Requirements & Local Wall Designs Building Science Considerations for Higher R-value Wall Assemblies Optimal Wall Study - R-40 Wall Evaluation Thermal Performance Hygrothermal Durability Constructability, Cost, & Resource Efficiency 1 NNCA Construction Workshop 2016-02-17 Building Science Challenges in the North The North is the most challenging environment to construct, operate & maintain a building Extreme cold requires super-insulated enclosure assemblies, minimal thermal bridging and nearperfect air-sealing HVAC systems must be reliable, easy to operate and have redundancy Snow, ice, wind, permafrost all add further unique building design considerations Indoor humidity & providing adequate ventilation is often a challenge (and even more so as we build more airtight) – Topic of Day 2 Not all building materials are readily available here Not all materials can be applied, work as well or hold-up in the extreme cold Building & Energy Code Drivers in the North G.Finch - RDH 2010 National Building Code (Plus 2012 Part 9.36 Energy Efficiency Requirements) NECB 2011 (Replaced old MNECB 1997) Municipal Bylaws & Territorial Guidelines have additional/modified enclosure requirements In all cases - emphasis is placed on well insulated, air-tight and thermal bridge free building enclosures General shift in mind-set from nominal (insulation only) to effective R-values 2 NNCA Construction Workshop 2016-02-17 Nominal vs Effective R-values of Insulation Nominal R-values = Rated R-values of insulation which do not include impacts of how they are installed For example R-20 batt insulation or R-10 rigid insulation boards Effective R-values or Real R-values = Calculated R-values of assemblies/details which the include impacts of installation and thermal bridges (studs, girts etc) For example nominal R-20 batts within 2x6 steel studs 16” o.c. becoming ~R-9 effective, or in wood studs ~R-15 Minimum Code R-values – Canada’s North Effective R-values (includes impact of thermal bridging) Building/Energ y Code Requirement – Climate Zone 8 Walls: Minimum R-value (IP) Roofs – Compact or Attic: Minimum Rvalue (IP) Floors suspended: Minimum R-value (IP) NBC 2010 (2012 Part 9.36) – Part 9 Buildings 21.9 (17.5 if HRV installed) 28.5 (flat) 59.2 (attic) 28.5 NECB 2011 – Part 3 Buildings 31.0 40.0 40.0 All Values for most extreme Climate Zone 8 (>7000 HDD incl. NT, NU, & most YT) G.Finch - RDH 3 NNCA Construction Workshop 2016-02-17 Beyond Minimum Code R-values – Far North Guideline, Bylaw or Green Standard Walls: Minimum R-value (IP) Roof – Ceiling below Attic: Minimum Rvalue (IP) Floor (suspended): Minimum Rvalue (IP) Nunavut – Good Building Practices, 2005 R-28 (nominal) R-40 (nominal) R-40 (nominal) NWT – Good Building Practices, 2011 R-32 (nominal) R-50 (nominal) R-40 (nominal) Yellowknife – Existing Buildings R-30 (nominal) R-40 (nominal) R-30 (nominal) R-28 Whitehorse R-21.9 elsewhere (effective) R-59 (effective) R-28.5 (effective) R-60 to R-80+ (effective) R-60 to R-100+ (effective) R-40 to R-60+ (effective) Yukon Housing Corporation General Passive House Guidelines Note: Several Documents Refer to Nominal Insulation R-values not Effective Residential Wall Design Preferences to Meet R-28 to R-30 Nominal Target in the Far North G.Finch - RDH R-22 fiberglass batts + R-6 semi-rigid mineral wool interior (R-30 nominal) w/24” stud spacing ~R-22 effective Poly VB/AB, Housewrap WRB/(AB?) 4 NNCA Construction Workshop 2016-02-17 Many Other Wall Designs Being Built - Yukon EPS/MW R-36 effective FG/EPS/FG R-40 effective ccSPF/PIC/MW R-44 effective ocSPF/MW R-51 effective EPS/EPS/MW R-36 effective CFI/ MW EPS/MW ocSPF/ MW SIPS /MW MW/ccSPF/FG R-43 effective R-52 effective R-51 effective R-56 effective R-53 effective From Craig Olsen & Lysann Grundlich “Breaking Down Barriers to Building SuperGreen” Making the Leap to Higher R-values (R-40+) Exterior Insulation R-20 to R-60+ Base 2x6 Framed Wall ~R-16 Deep Stud, Double Stud, SIPS R-20 – R-80+ Split Insulation R-20 to R-80+ G.Finch - RDH Interior Insulation R-20 to R-30+ 5 NNCA Construction Workshop 2016-02-17 How to Evaluate Different Wall Designs? High R-value Wall Assembly Design & Detailing – Choices for Control Functions (WSS) (WRB) (AB) (VR/VB) (Insulating Materials) G.Finch - RDH 6 NNCA Construction Workshop 2016-02-17 Rainscreen Claddings (Water Shedding Surface) For highly insulated walls suggest drained & ventilated cavity behind cladding (i.e. Rainscreen) Helps facilitate drying of wall & cladding and reduce capillary or vapour transfer of moisture to back-up wall Vertical strapping (furring), girts or other materials to create the gap Select appropriate material suitable for north (i.e. metal, wood, fiber cement) Cladding attached to vertical strapping The Water Resistive Barrier (WRB) G.Finch - RDH Often referred to as the “sheathing membrane” Required in all walls – is the 2nd plane of protection & innermost plane that can safely manage moisture and drain/dry it back out Many different products available (mechanically fastened, selfadhered, & liquid applied) Many products can also be taped/sealed/applied as air barrier Vapour permeable & impermeable products available – choice depends on insulation placement etc. 7 NNCA Construction Workshop 2016-02-17 Thermal Control - Insulation Many different types of insulation products Low density batts Loose fill (blown/spray) Semi-rigid or rigid boards Spray-applied foam New materials like VIPs, aerogels Key properties to consider: Conductivity (R-value) Air permeability Vapour permeability Density & application Insulation R-values G.Finch - RDH Recent research has re-highlighted the fact that the Rvalue of insulation is not always constant (or as published) Aged R-values (Long-term Thermal Resistance) Temperature Dependant R-values 8 NNCA Construction Workshop 2016-02-17 Varying Insulation R-value with Temperature It Gets Even More Complicated with Polyiso Temperature Dependence of Polyiso Thermal Performance Temperature [°F] 14 32 50 68 86 104 122 7.0 0.021 6.5 0.022 6.0 0.024 5.5 0.026 5.0 0.029 4.5 0.032 4.0 0.036 3.5 0.041 3.0 Conductivity, k [W/(m·K)] R-Value per Inch [(hr·ft²·°F/Btu)/in] -4 0.048 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 50 Temperature [°C] 01 (1995 to 1996) 04 (2006) 07 (2007 to 2009) 10 (2012) 12b (2012) G.Finch - RDH 02 (1995 to 1996) 05 (2006) 08 (2009) 11 (2012) 03 (1999) 06 (2006) 09 (2009) 12a (2012) 9 NNCA Construction Workshop 2016-02-17 Vapour Retarders / Barriers Vapour Retarders / Barriers control the diffusion of vapour through an assembly Limit wetting (condensation) At the same time we need to allow for some drying Many materials act as vapour retarders even if unintended In Far North – vapour control on warm side of insulation* Gets more complicated with exterior/split insulated assemblies & with vapour impermeable insulation Design for Vapour Diffusion Drying Ability G.Finch - RDH Watch over-use of impermeable materials over damp materials or materials that could get wet in-service Self adhered membranes Foam plastic insulation Vapor diffusion wetting & drying ability for assemblies & details should always be assessed at design stage In the north – especially for northern facing walls – very limited potential for vapour diffusion drying 10 NNCA Construction Workshop 2016-02-17 Air Barrier Systems Air Barriers are Systems – always more than one material/component Details are the most critical part 5 Requirements of an effective Air Barrier System Air-impermeable Continuous Structurally Adequate Sufficiently Rigid (or supported) Durable Plus: Must not negatively restrict vapour diffusion drying ability Air Barriers Are Systems Materials Components Accessories Whole Building Airtightness G.Finch - RDH 11 NNCA Construction Workshop 2016-02-17 Different Wall Air Barrier Systems Preference depends on a variety of factors including enclosure design & builder familiarity with system Common Air Barrier Systems Sealed polyethylene (mastic & tapes) Airtight drywall (drywall/gaskets/sealant) Taped & sealed mechanically attached sheathing membranes Self-adhered or liquid applied sheathing membranes Sealed Sheathing (sealants/tapes at Joints) Spray Polyurethane Foam (sealants at interfaces) Robust Wall Air Barrier Systems for the North G.Finch - RDH 12 NNCA Construction Workshop 2016-02-17 Interior vs Exterior Air Barrier with Cavity Walls Industry shift away from the use of interior air barrier approaches (poly, drywall) to favouring exterior sheathing approaches (sheathing membranes, sheathings) as the primary air barrier element BUT! still need to maintain a reasonable degree of airtightness at interior side of fibrous cavity insulation (convection suppressor) – especially in the Far North Vapor barrier/retarder at interior side depending on insulation ratio With enough exterior insulation – risk for condensation at sheathing decreases as does need for interior air tightness Primary Air Barrier System Secondary Airtight element Optimal Design for High R-value Wall Assemblies in Northern Canada G.Finch - RDH 13 NNCA Construction Workshop 2016-02-17 Optimal Northern Wall Design Prerequisites Walls are subject to extreme cold, intense winds and unique solar exposure, therefore walls must be able to: Support structural loads: wind & lateral loads, gravity Control environmental loads: › Moisture - precipitation, blowing snow, air leakage condensation, indoor water vapour › Air – continuous air barrier system to minimize heat loss and control condensation › Heat –sufficient thermal resistance to minimize losses & gains › Noise & fire – by using appropriate materials Finish: Durable finish resistant to exterior and interior impact loads/use Be affordable, simple to build & maintain, be minimal weight/volume for shipping Optimal Northern Wall Design Considerations G.Finch - RDH Durability & Longevity Material & Labour Cost Material Availability Ease of Construction Pre-fabrication vs Site-Built Thickness Weight (shipping and/or site handling) Environmental aspects (material choice) Air Barrier System & Detailing Water & Vapour control (wetting & drying) Cladding Attachment, Finishes 14 NNCA Construction Workshop 2016-02-17 Optimal Wall Research - Why R-40 Wall Target? Work by NRCan/CMHC has identified a target of R-40 effective for walls as it is cost, energy & resource optimal for Northern Canadian housing archetypes Current minimum code targets in North are in the R-20 to R-30 effective range (and climbing) so future target? Many builders already constructing R-30 to R-60 walls as part of more energy efficient home designs For optimization study here was a good baseline target to strive for R-40 is easily scalable up (e.g. R-60+) or down (e.g. R-30) by simply varying the thickness of insulation layers Primary R-40 Wall Types & Insulation Variations Interior Insulated (Double/Deep Stud Cavity Insulated) G.Finch - RDH Exterior Insulated Split Insulated (Exterior & Stud Cavity) Insulated Structures (SIPs) 15 NNCA Construction Workshop 2016-02-17 Interior Insulated – Deep/Double Stud Walls Water Control: Vapour Diffusion Control: Sealed polyethylene at interior Air Control*: Drained/ventilated rainscreen cladding with synthetic housewrap WRB Caulked and taped poly at interior, sealed housewrap at exterior or sealed plywood at exterior. Alternate – sprayfoam between studs or secondary interior service wall Cost/Constructability: SPF/blown cellulose requires special equipment & training Double framed wall requires extra labour Structurally Insulated Panels - SIPs Water Control: Vapour Diffusion Control: G.Finch - RDH OSB interior skin/EPS core Air Control*: Drained/ventilated rainscreen cladding with synthetic housewrap WRB Sealed OSB joints and EPS foam at interior & exterior Cost/Constructability*: Expensive material, though less labour and prefabrication speeds up construction Requires specialized training and local crane/lifting equipment 16 NNCA Construction Workshop 2016-02-17 Exterior Insulated Water Control: Vapour Diffusion Control: Plywood sheathing and/or sheathing membrane Air Control: Drained/ventilated rainscreen cladding with synthetic housewrap WRB & surface of exterior insulation Taped & sealed plywood or sealed sheathing membrane Cost/Constructability*: Rigid insulation is expensive (high shipping and labour handling costs) Thicker insulation results in unique wall penetration details & cladding attachments Split Insulated Water Control: Vapour Diffusion Control: G.Finch - RDH Poly/VB paint or plywood sheathing Air Control: Drained/ventilated rainscreen cladding with synthetic housewrap WRB & surface of exterior insulation Taped & sealed plywood or sealed sheathing membrane Cost/Constructability*: Rigid insulation is expensive (high shipping and labour handling costs), though less than all exterior insulated Thicker insulation results in unique wall penetration details & cladding attachments 17 NNCA Construction Workshop 2016-02-17 How Much Insulation to get to R-40 Effective Under Northern Design Conditions? NOMINAL AND TEMPERATURE-DEPENDANT THERMAL CONDUCTIVITIES FOR SELECT INSULATION MATERIALS Nominal (24°C) Cold Temperature (-20°C) (R-value/inch) (R-value/inch) R-5 R-4 R-6.3 R-4.9 R-3.6 R-4.5 2 pcf Closed-cell Spray Polyurethane Foam (ccSPF) R-6 R-7.1 Polyisocyanurate (PIC) Semi-Rigid Mineral Fibre (MW) R-6? R-4 R-3.5? R-5.2 Dense-pack (4 pcf) Cellulose Fibre Insulation (CFI) R-3.6 R-4.3 Fibreglass Batt Insulation (FG) R-3.6 R-4 Insulation Type Extruded polystyrene (EPS) Expanded polystyrene (XPS) ½ pcf Open-cell Spray Polyurethane Foam (ocSPF) Current test data for temperature dependent R-values only goes down as low as -20C. Insulation Variables – Exterior Insulated G.Finch - RDH Effective R-value @ Standard 24°C Effective R-value @ Cold -20°C 6.5” Extruded polystyrene (XPS) R-34 R-42 8” Expanded polystyrene (EPS) R-34 R-41 7.5” Rigid mineral fiber (MFI) R-32 R-41 9” Polyiso (PIC) R-56 R-41 18 NNCA Construction Workshop 2016-02-17 Safe Insulation Ratio for Split Insulated Walls? RATIO OF EXTERIOR TO TOTAL INSULATION NOMINAL* R-VALUE TO CONTROL AIR LEAKAGE CONDENSATION RISK Indoor RH Toutdoor (°C) 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 0 0 0.12 0.32 0.47 0.60 -10 0.23 0.40 0.54 0.64 0.73 -20 0.41 0.55 0.65 0.73 0.80 -30 0.53 0.64 0.72 0.78 0.84 -40 0.66 0.70 0.76 0.82 0.86 *prudent to assess w/ temperature dependent insulation R-value Insulation Variables – Split Insulated 2x4 Effective R-value @ Standard 24°C G.Finch - RDH Effective R-value @ Cold -20°C 5” Extruded polystyrene (XPS) & R-13 batt (FG) R-37 R-43 6.5” Expanded polystyrene (EPS) & R-13 batt (FG) R-38 R-43 6” Rigid mineral fiber (MFI) & R-13 batt (FG) R-36 R-43 7” Polyiso (PIC) & R-13 batt (FG) R-54 R-42 19 NNCA Construction Workshop 2016-02-17 Insulation Variables – Split Insulated 2x6 (R-65+) Effective R-value @ Standard 24°C Effective R-value @ Cold -20°C 8” Extruded polystyrene (XPS) & R-21 Batt (FG) R-57 R-67 10” Expanded polystyrene (EPS) & R-21 Batt (FG) R-57 R-66 9.5” Rigid mineral fiber (MFI) & R-21 Batt (FG) R-55 R-66 11.5” Polyiso (PIC) & R-21 Batt (FG) R-86 R-67 Insulation Variables – Double Stud Walls/SIPs Effective R-value @ Standard 24°C G.Finch - RDH Effective R-value @ Cold -20°C 13.5” Dense-packed (4pcf) cellulose (CFI), 6.5” gap between 2x4s R-38 R-41 13” Open-cell ½ pcf sprayfoam (ocSPF), 6” gap between 2x4s R-37 R-40 5” Closed-cell 2 pcf sprayfoam (ccSPF) and 7” Dense-packed (4pcf) cellulose (CFI), 5” gap between 2x4s R-38 R-40 8” EPS SIPs R-32 R-40 20 NNCA Construction Workshop 2016-02-17 Wall Thickness vs Effective R-value – R-40 walls 16 42 15 40 14 38 13 36 12 34 11 32 10 30 9 28 8 Wall Thickness (inches) R-value at -20°C Total Wall Thickness (without Cladding) and Effective R-value at -20°C - Sorted by Thickness 44 Hygrothermal Assessment G.Finch - RDH Hygrothermal modeling (WUFI) performed for each wall assembly using weather files for 4 representative northern territory cities Wall modeled under “normal” residential operating conditions and also a realistic scenario when wall exposed to interior air leakage (from defect in air-barrier) Compared to baseline 2x6+ northern wall assembly as a control 21 NNCA Construction Workshop 2016-02-17 Yellowknife Hygrothermal Assessment – Normal Conditions Sheathing Moisture Content (%) 16 All walls will perform adequately under normal operating conditions and perfect air tightness, well below 20% MC 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Control Double-Stud Cellulose Exterior Insulated with XPS Split Insulated with XPS Sep Oct Sep Oct Yellowknife Hygrothermal Assessment – with Incidental Air Leakage Sheathing Moisture Content (%) 60 Deep stud insulated walls with cellulose or fiberglass are high risk from any small air leaks– ocSPF or ccSPF flash-and-fill help reduce this risk 50 40 30 20 10 0 Oct G.Finch - RDH Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Double-Stud Cellulose Double-Stud Cellulose + Air Leak Split Insulated with XPS Split Insulated with XPS + Air Leak 22 NNCA Construction Workshop 2016-02-17 Hygrothermal Modeling Summary Wall C 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 HYGROTHERMAL DURABILITY SUMMARY Hygrothermal Wall ID Notes Assessment Control Fails by air leakage Risky D-CFI Fails by air leakage Risky Spray foam insulation functions as D-ocSPF Pass the air barrier and protects the sheathing from direct air leakage. Spray foam insulation functions as D-ccSPF Pass the air barrier and protects the sheathing from direct air leakage. Locations for air leakage decay are SIPS Pass at the joints between panels. S4-EPS Pass Sheathing is above the dewpoint. S4-XPS Pass Sheathing is above the dewpoint. S4-MFI Pass Sheathing is above the dewpoint. S4-PIC Pass Sheathing is above the dewpoint. X-EPS Pass Sheathing is above the dewpoint. X-XPS Pass Sheathing is above the dewpoint. X-MFI Pass Sheathing is above the dewpoint. X-PIC Pass Sheathing is above the dewpoint. Materials & Resource Efficiency G.Finch - RDH Weights and volumes calculated for all materials within each wall assembly from drywall to rainscreen strapping (no cladding) Compression factors/weights included for each of the insulation types Shipping of materials to different regions estimated from local contacts (including crating based on volume & weight limits) Construction costing analysis then performed with local shipping, material and labour rates 23 NNCA Construction Workshop 2016-02-17 Shipping Weight (lb/sq.ft of wall area) 14 1 0.9 12 0.8 10 0.7 0.6 8 0.5 6 0.4 0.3 4 0.2 2 0.1 0 0 Shipping Volume (cubic feet per sq.ft of wall) Shipping Weights and Volume Comparison Not including cladding Shipping Cost - $/sqft of Finished Wall Area Relative Shipping Cost to Remote Regions – Resolute, NT $4.50 $4.00 $3.50 $3.00 $2.50 $2.00 Sprayfoam (liquid in drums) takes up little space to ship vs other insulations BUT is expensive to install once there $1.50 $1.00 $0.50 $0.00 Not including cladding G.Finch - RDH 24 NNCA Construction Workshop 2016-02-17 Total Consruction Cost per sq.ft of FInished Wall Labour & Material Costs – Yellowknife $25 $20 Labour Material $15 $10 $5 $0 Labour, Material and Shipping Costs - Resolute Total Consruction Cost per sq.ft of FInished Wall $60 $50 $40 Shipping Labour Material $30 $20 $10 $0 G.Finch - RDH 25 NNCA Construction Workshop 2016-02-17 Total Wall Construction Cost per sq.ft of Finished Wall Labour, Material and Shipping Costs – NT, NU, YT $50 $45 Resolute Bay Yellowknife Whitehorse $40 $35 $30 $25 $20 $15 $10 $5 $- Cost Per Effective R-value – NT, NU, YT Cost for Wall per Effective R-value at -20°C $1.20 Resolute Bay Yellowknife Whitehorse $1.00 $0.80 $0.60 $0.40 $0.20 $0.00 G.Finch - RDH 26 NNCA Construction Workshop 2016-02-17 Final Comparison & Weighted Score NORTHERN R-40 WALL ASSEMBLIES SCORE CARD Wall ID Hygrothermal Assessment Thermal Efficiency (10 is best) Constructability 1 D-CFI Risky 8 Moderate 9 22 2 D-ocSPF Pass 9 Poor 4 15.5 3 D-ccSPF Pass 6 Poor 5 13.5 Wall Cost (10 is lowest) Weighted Score 4 SIPS Pass 10 Specialized 7 22 5 S4-EPS Pass 9 Excellent 10 27 6 S4-XPS Pass 9 Excellent 9 27 7 S4-MFI Pass 9 Excellent 8 25 8 S4-PIC Pass 6 Good 7 20 9 X-EPS Pass 10 Good 7 25 10 X-XPS Pass 10 Good 8 24 11 X-MFI Pass 10 Good 8 23 12 X-PIC Pass 7 Good 6 19 Optimal R-40 Wall Design for the North - XPS and EPS insulation best choices for new construction - Rigid mineral wool close 3rd - With exterior insulation ratio above 70% discussed, no need for poly VB at interior (plywood & foam VB) - Airtight sheathing or sheathing membrane G.Finch - RDH 27 NNCA Construction Workshop 2016-02-17 Optimal Exterior Retrofit High R-value Wall Design for the North - In retrofit situations, better practice is for vapour permeable exterior insulation (rigid mineral fiber) instead of foam to avoid dual VB & potential to trap moisture And When You Can’t Decide Which – Both! G.Finch - RDH 28 NNCA Construction Workshop 2016-02-17 Case Study – R-40 Split Insulated Air-tight Pre-fabricated Passive House Walls Discussion + Questions [email protected] – 604-873-1181 G.Finch - RDH rdh.com | buildingsciencelabs.com 29
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