06.08.10 Green Framing Options

1. Welcome to Green Framing Options Presenter: Wally Geer go2wallyworld@hotmail.com

3. Some Sincere Thanks to: The Center for Sustainable Energy U.S. Green Building Council, C4 Chapter National Association of Home Builder’s Research Center University College of Dublin MosArt Architects, Dublin Laura’s Painting, Ojai, CA. Greymar Associates, Ventura, CA. Sonoma State University

4. In Defense of Wood There is an abundant supply of vendors and subcontractors It has relatively few design & structural constraints It’s cost effective It’s beautiful

5. Why Chose an AlternativeFraming System ? Site & Structural Constraints Health Related Issues Environmental Concerns Energy Efficiency Life Cycle Value Fire Safety Competitive Advantage

6. Site & Structural Constraints Lack of Staging Area Complex topography that will not allow conventional movement of building materials Unique Soils of Geological Conditions Short Building Season

7. Health Related Issues Mold Building Material Toxins Specific Health Issues of the Occupants Healthier Families & Higher Workplace Productivity

8. Environmental Concerns Concerns over renewable resources Concerns over “Cradle to Cradle” or “Cradle to Grave” issues Concerns related to “Carbon Footprint” Concerns over material waste and Land Fill waste

9. Energy Efficiency “Tight” Building Envelope Passive Solar Design Benefits Life Cycle Energy Savings High Performance Building Assemblies

10. Life Cycle Value “Life Cycle Value” is the total Cost of INITIAL CONSTUCTION + ENERGY CONSUMPTION COSTS over the functional life of a building

11. Cost Comparison Construction Costs of a 50% ZEB Office Building, Kiel, Germany(Building Shell + Tenant Improvements - Converted to U.S. Dollars) Conventional Sustainable Difference Frame 48.28 53.82 11.46% Envelope 83.65 101.27 21.06% Roof 15.20 15.11 -0.58% Walls/Doors 12.78 12.90 0.95% Finishes 33.48 32.24 -3.70% Services 92.18 86.64 -6.01% Site works 7.04 7.02 -0.37% TOTALS 292.62 309.00 5.60%

12. Energy Savings Office Building Type Energy Conventional 25 KWH/ft2/year Sustainable 10 KWH/ft2/year Savings 15 KWH/ft2/year For a 250,000 Office Building, that’s a Savings of over $350,000 per year

13. Fire Safety Desire to have a “Fire Safe” home Lower Insurance Rates Higher resale value in “Fire Country”

14. Competitive Advantage

15. Why NOT to chose an Alternative Framing System Lower Initial Cost of Structural Shell Construction Because you can gain “LEED Credits” If there are limited options in your market area of suppliers or qualified subcontractors Because your flaky unlicensed Brother-in-Law claims he is knowledgeable of straw bale construction

16. DON’T think “Framing Systems”,THINK “Building Envelope Assemblies”

17. When evaluating Building Envelope Assemblies, consider: Structural System Adaptability of Floor & Roof Diaphragms Exterior Building Skin Interior Building Skin Insulation Adaptability of Plumbing & Electrical within the system Design & Structural Constraints of the Assembly

18. When comparing Options, consider Design & Structural Constraints Energy Efficiency Environmental Attributes Initial Construction Cost Life Cycle Value Fire Safety Adaptability of Building Skin Options Adaptability of Electrical & Plumbing Availability of Raw Materials Availability of Qualified Labor & Subcontractors

19. What are the Options Conventional Wood Framing FSC Certified Wood Framing Light Gauge Steel Framing Red Iron Steel Framing Structurally Insulated Panels (aka “SIPs”) Insulated Concrete Forms (aka “ICFs”) Timber Frame Structural Systems Straw Bale Construction

20. Conventional Wood Framing Positive Attributes: There is an abundant supply of vendors and subcontractors Relatively few design & structural constraints It’s cost effective Potential Problems: Rot, Mold & Termites Low Fire Resistance In consistent Quality

21. Conventional Wood FramingA Metric Analysis

22. Forest Stewardship Council (aka “FSC”)Wood Framing Positive Attributes: Relatively few design & structural constraints Highly Environmentally Friendly Potential Marketing benefit for builders & developers Potential Problems: Rot, Mold & Termites Low Fire Resistance

23. FSC Wood FramingA Metric Analysis

24. Light Gauge Steel Framing

25. Light Gauge Steel Framing Positive Attributes: Excellent structural characteristics Readily Available Material Highly adaptable for future alterations Eliminates the possibility of termite damage Highly Environmentally Friendly* Partially mitigates potential mold problems

26. Light Gauge Steel FramingPositive Structural Attributes

27. Light Gauge Steel Framing Something Old & Something New

28. Light Gauge Steel Framing Potential Negative Attributes : More costly than wood framing Limited number Requires an knowledgeable architectural & engineering team of qualified subcontractors Potential problems with other trades (M, P & E) Requires a knowledgeable architectural & engineering team

29. Light Gauge Steel FramingA Metric Analysis

30. Red Iron Steel Framing

31. Red Iron Steel Framing

32. Red Iron Steel Framing

33. Red Iron Steel Framing

34. Red Iron Steel Framing

35. Red Iron Steel Framing Positive Attributes: Excellent structural characteristics Readily Available Material Eliminates the possibility of termite damage Highly Environmentally Friendly* Partially mitigates potential mold problems Can be potentially very cost effective

36. Red Iron Steel Framing Potential Negative Attributes : Potential problems with other trades (M, P & E) Some Design constraints Potential Thermal Bridging Problems

37. Red Iron Steel FramingA Metric Analysis

38. Structurally Insulated Panels(aka “SIPs”)

39. Structurally Insulated Panels(aka “SIPs”)

40. Structurally Insulated Panels(aka “SIPs”)

41. Structurally Insulated Panels(aka “SIPs”)

42. Structurally Insulated Panels(aka “SIPs”)

43. Structurally Insulated Panels(aka “SIPs”) Positive Attributes: Excellent structural characteristics Highly Energy Efficient Highly adaptable for future alterations Substantially mitigates the possibility of termite damage Highly Environmentally Friendly* Substantially mitigates potential mold problems* Excellent Quality Control due to factory production

45. Potential Building Department related issues

46. Limited availability of qualified subcontractors

47. Potential problems with other trades (M, P & E)

48. Requires a knowledgeable architectural & engineering team

49. Structurally Insulated Panels (SIPs) A Metric Analysis

50. Insulated Concrete Forms(aka “ICFs”)

51. Insulated Concrete Forms(aka “ICFs”)

52. Insulated Concrete Forms(aka “ICFs”)

53. Insulated Concrete Forms(aka “ICFs”)

54. Insulated Concrete Forms(aka “ICFs”)

56. Light Gauge Steel

57. Dietrich “Trade Ready” Joists

58. Hambro Bar Joist System

61. Highly Fire Resistant

62. Highly Energy Efficient

63. Substantially mitigates the possibility of termite damage

64. Highly Environmentally Friendly*

65. Substantially mitigates potential mold problems*

66. Excellent Quality Control due to factory production

68. Insulated Concrete Forms(aka “ICFs”)

70. Potential Building Department related issues

71. Potential problems with other trades (M, P & E)

73. Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs) A Metric Analysis

74. Timber Frame Structural Systems

75. Timber Frame Structural Systems

76. Timber Frame Structural Systems

77. Timber Frame Structural Systems

78. Timber Frame Structural Systems

80. Highly Energy Efficient*

81. Highly Environmentally Friendly*

82. Excellent Quality Control due to factory production

84. Potential Building Department related issues

85. Limited availability of qualified subcontractors

86. Potential problems with other trades (M, P & E)

87. Requires a knowledgeable architectural &

89. Straw Bale

90. Straw Bale

91. Straw Bale

92. Straw Bale

93. Straw Bale

95. Highly Environmentally Friendly

96. VERY quiet interiors

97. More fire resistant than some other options

98. A fun way to build a house if you have 20 friends that like to work for free and live on pizza & beer on the weekends.

100. Potential Building Department related issues

101. Potential problems with other trades (M, P & E)

102. Very costly if professionally constructed

103. Requires a knowledgeable architectural & engineering team

104. Straw Bale A Metric Analysis

106. Health Related Issues

107. Environmental Concerns

108. Energy Efficiency

109. Life Cycle Value

110. Fire Safety

112. What is Green ?

113. What is Green ?

114. Green Certification Standards

115. Environmentally Friendly Skin Materials A Few Options: Paperless drywall Natural Earth Plaster American Clay Eco Stucco

116. Natural Earth Plaster

117. American Clay

118. Eco Stucco

119. Closing Comments There no one magic solution to any building design Do your homework, pick wisely Respect “single source vendors”, but take them with a grain of salt. After all, they have a hammer Appreciate that a building’s structural shell is only one working component within a synergistic whole Have fun & on behalf of the Center for Sustainable Energy, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE TODAY