Precedent Analysis arc 572 UT Solar Decathlon 2009 Lumen|Essence Team Montreal | 2007 architecture materials comfort zone getting around engineering appliances

Precedent Analysis arc 572

UT Solar Decathlon 2009 Lumen|EssenceTeam Montreal | 2007

architecture materials comfort zone getting around engineering appliances energy balance communications lighting hot water market viability

ARCHITECTURE I INTERIOR I TECHNOLOGY I SOCIETY

Lumen|EssenceTeam Montreal consisted of 40 members (15 women + 25 men) from three Montreal universities: McGill University; École de technologie supérieure; and the Université de Montréal. Team Montreal’s mission for this competition was to produce a house in which the principal components are optimally balanced and highly energy-efficient. The project follows an architectural program in order to promote eco-efficient choices, preserve non-renewable natural resources and recycle residual materials. The vision of an ecologically viable and sound construction guides Team Montreal in all their structural, architectural, and technological decisions. Team Montreal followed nine guidelines in the design and execution of Lumen|Essence.





01 3D Animation

Architectural Guidelines:

1.Design an energy-efficient home;

2. Design an eco-efficient home;3.Apply the integrated design

process;4.Develop an interior that

provides maximum comfort;5.Provide for easy transportation

of the house;6. Create an innovative design;7. Provide for a design that has

low energy requirements and allows integration of materials;

8. Design the various spaces to be adapted to occupants’ lifestyles;

9. Provide for the houses’ integration into an urban setting.

02 Final Model





01 Aerial Plan

02 Zonal Composition

Design:

Lumen|Essence interior design incorporates social spaces-living room and office- with cathedral ceilings and private spaces for the kitchen and dining area as well as for the bedroom with lower 8’ ceilings, located under the green roof. All the while maintaining fluidity between the two realms. The 580 square foot open plan encourages a synergistic organization of working, socializing, and resting in the home. The green South façade wall and North side green roof create a natural cleansing system and allow for rain water to be collected and stored for periods of drought. The single-surface photovoltaic and thermal solar array and yellow-clad mechanical core are bold architectural gestures intended to highlight the importance of integrating solar energy in the world’s quest towards social and environmental sustainability.





01 Transverse Section AA

03 Bone Structure

Structure:

Lumen|Essence has a steel structure that makes it quick and easy for self-builders to assemble and disassemble the house. It offers precision, strength, and architectural flexibility. It (the structure) is recyclable, reusable, and eliminates waste not only in the construction phase but also in case of further renovation or relocation. The design of the home takes advantage of the unique structural properties of steel, the principal structural material, allowing it to span longer distances yielding greater flexibility in design and construction. Spatial constraints such as intermediary columns and bearing walls are eliminated. This offers endless possibilities for an open plan concept, providing occupants with a “large home feel.”

02 Transverse Section BB





01 Longitudinal View 02 Tectonic Elements

03 Bone Structure Assembly

04 Structure + Frame Cutaway05 Structural Assembly





03 Kitchen (above) + 04 Bedroom (below)

Interior Elements:

Lumen|Essence is designed in accordance with the following four principles: firmness; commodity; adaptability; and delight. The natural warmth from the Russian birch plywood interior gives a uniform surface to the ceiling plane, extending the spaces far beyond their relatively small confines. The Interconnectivity of elements and overlapping of spaces eliminates the compartmentalization found in many small dwellings.

01 Living Area





02 Mechanical Core

Engineering:

Lumen|Essence is designed with body and mind, or structure and automation, at the forefront in an attempt to error proof – “POKA YOKE” – the house for the builders and users. The automation system developed by the team is housed in the yellow “brain”, and communicates with the rest of the home’s components.

01 Exterior View of Mechanical Core





02 Rigid Insulation + Structure

Climate + Communication:

Lumen|Essence was designed specifically for Montreal, a city known for its harsh winter climate. A city of climatic extremes. Montreal challenges the capabilities of the autonomous house with its sweltering summers and freezing winters. The interface monitors climatic conditions and adjusts tasks and components as required.

01 Communication Center

03 Wall Composition





02 Insulated Panel Installation

Insulation:

Lumen|Essence is designed with an rigid insulation composed of soy beans and recycled plastic sprayed over the structure before the exterior siding panels are installed, an ideal composition to ensure a complete and continuous thermal blanket. This sandwich keeps the home cool in the summer and warm in the winter as well as preventing moisture permeation and thermal shorts.

The use of Low-E, argon gas filled, triple glazed windows minimizes heat exchange between the interior and exterior. Improving the efficacy of the glazing is the automated shading system which ensures efficiency and balance as the heat is kept inside during colder weather.

01 Wall Section





02 Green Roof Assembly

Green Roof + Green Wall:

Lumen|Essence is designed with a combination of green methods to assist the highly technological elements of the house. The Green wall on the South face assists in collecting and dispersing the intense solar radiation experienced in the summer months. In the winter, the same mass acts to store that same radiation. The Green wall acts in much the same manner, with additional benefit in collecting storm water and allowing it to disperse gradually, rather than quickly discharge and facilitate erosion.

01 Living Wall Section

02 Green Wall Assembly





Budget + Feasibility:

Lumen|Essence was constructed for a little more than $300,000 CAN. The affordability of the project was a guiding force behind material composition and interior finishes that were chosen. The steep price tag is a short-term expense when compared with the long-term benefit of energy cost reduction.

01 Production Costs

Products and materials Cost

Metals (all metals structure included) $ 55,000

Woods, plastics and composites $ 20,300

Thermal protection and waterproofing $ 22,300

Openings (doors and windows) $ 20,000

Finishes $ 16,200

Specialty hardware $ 3,000

Equipment (appliances and audio-visual) $ 9,800

Furnishings $ 4,200

Plumbing $ 11,000

HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning)

$ 44,700

Electrical (photovoltaic panels, batteries) $ 99,500

Electrical power generation $ 11,300

Utilities (wires, control panels) $ 5,000

Automation $ 3,500

Exterior improvements (plants and irrigation)

$ 5,700

Materials cost $ 330,000

Tools $ 10,000

Paid labor $ 190,000

Total Cost$ 530,000 CAN ($515000USD)

02 Northern View





Communication:

The tour route through Lumen|Essence skirted along the North face of the building, on to the front porch and through the central corridor of the space. The axial transparent zone coincides with the tour route.

The web interface for Team Montreal is also seen. Multiple sections contain vast amounts of information, as well as links to web photo albums which document the entire design, assembly, disassembly, and reassembly process in great detail.

01 Tour Route 02 Web Interface





Comfort Zone:

With the mechanical “brain” at the core, Lumen|Essence adapts to and utilizes its environment to achieve autonomous solar heating and cooling. The above diagrams illustrate how Lumen|Essence captures the solar radiation and converts it into a useful form. The heavily insulated walls, from soybean, helped Team Montreal score well in this category with very consistent measurements.

01 Thermal Panel Diagram 02 PV Diagram

03 Radiant Heating





Appliances:

With the requirements of the competition, Lumen|Essence uses the “brain” to determine the peak usage hours and divert required tasks to avoid those times. The automation system can either alert the users as to the optimal time to complete the task, or if desired, execute the basic daily tasks like washing, drying, and cooking. Bath time is not currently automated. The Diva 12amp cooking surface provides low amp usage and an additional safety measure, since the heat is generated when metal is placed on the surface. The plumbing fixtures are also eco-friendly, as exhibited in the low flow shower head and dual flush toilet. Blue is Green!

01 Compact Washer/Dryer

04 Computer Workspace

03 Kitchen Appliances

02 Meal Requirement

05 Bath Time





Hot Water:

Lumen|Essence has a unique system for heating and storing water. Runoff from the sloped South face is collected in a cistern, and pumped through a set of solar heating panels (right). The water, once heated, can be sent through the radiant floor tubing throughout the floorboards or diverted to the individual fixtures during the warmer months.

01 Cistern 02 Solar Heating Panel





Lighting:

Lumen|Essence has utilized its adverse climatic properties to their fullest capabilities. The interior finishes are light to maximize luminosity. The placement of ambient light fixtures along the perimeter allows the fluorescent light to travel greater distances across the space. Furthermore, the skylights and transparent spine maximize day lighting strategies.

01 EcoTect Analysis03 Lighting Diagram

04 Lighting Diagram

02 Daylighting Strategies





01 LED-lit Bathroom 02 Point-Source + Ambient Lighting 03 Southern Exposure in Living Areas





Energy Balance:

Lumen|Essence generates electricity by forty 205W Sanyo PV solar panels. The system can generate 8.2kW, adequate for the two occupants. The 30˚ slope to the roof, optimal for Montreal’s climate, allows the sun’s rays to enter perpendicularly to the PV cells. The slope is also a common slope, which eases construction cost and labor unfamiliarity. The home, as a result of the dust and rain, did poorly in this area of the competition and was not able to generate enough power for the length of the competition.

01 PV Cleaning

02 DC Battery Bank 03 Power Generation + Consumption

03 Roof Section with PV Panels





Getting Around:

Lumen|Essence did not generate enough energy to power the home, so electricity had to be “purchased” to power the car. Although the team scored poorly in the Energy Balance section, the team covered significant mileage with the car, earning them a respectable 7th place in this category.

01 Slow Ride 02 Slow Ride : Part Deux

Documents

Precedent Analysis arc 572 UT Solar Decathlon 2009 Lumen|Essence Team Montreal | 2007 architecture materials comfort zone getting around engineering appliances