Building Envelope Systems - Carmen Chen

After making adjustments to the existing model from Module 6, the current building has its building envelope features in addition to small revisions to the floor plans/layout.

The building envelope utilizes several material types:

• EIFS on Metal Stud (high thermal resistance)
• Brick on Metal Stud (high thermal resistance; aesthetic choice)
• CMU on Metal Stud (high thermal resistance)
• CMU Insulated (lower thermal resistance compared to the above)
• green roof surfaces were added to the roof of the 2-story structure

Wall surfaces in the model include:

• basic walls & partition walls
• glazed surfaces

An Insight Energy analysis was done, and the results were as follows:

• operating schedule (12/6)
• roof construction (R38 to R15)

• wall construction (R38 wood to 14 in ICF)
• window glass (triple low e, all directions)
• wwr north (30-80%)
• wwr south (up to 80%)
• wwr west (up to 65%)
• wwr east (up to 10%)
• window shades (north, south, west - 1/2 to 2/3 window height)

• plug load efficiency (0.6 W/sf)
• lighting efficiency (0.3 W/sf)
• daylighting and occupancy controls (both)

• surface coverage (90%)
• payback limit (30 yr)
• panel efficiency (20.4%)

Windows, glazing, and skylight decisions were made based on the Insight Lighting analysis:

The original building results showed the areas that needed additional light:

• 2 of the education rooms need more natural lighting, although it would be sufficient to use artificial lighting in these rooms (they won’t always be in use)
• the wall in front of the education rooms (creating a slight separation from the exhibit space) was changed to glass, which brings some more light into the rooms
• additional steps could be adding hall windows to the walls, or changing the wall material
• other areas in red are the restrooms/mechanical rooms/food prep area

• the office corridor was shaded, although probably won’t get much use so it isn’t a huge issue
• storage room is mostly shaded
• hall windows were put on the office walls, which transferred some of the light from the atrium space and the outside into the hallway

• the conference room corridor had a similar issue to the office corridor
• hall windows were placed on the conference room walls
• skylights were added above the corridor

For shading features, a roof overhang was added to shade the lobby area during summer, but still allow sunlight into the space during winter:

• would consider creating the overhang along the entire front of the building instead of just one portion