Student Projects:
2nd Year 2010 Advanced Housing Project - Silversides 'Delta Home'
The 2010 Silversides’ 'Delta Home' is an excellent example of what the Construction Carpentry - Advanced Housing program is all about. The Advanced Housing program prides itself on putting theory into practice with the 2nd year students’ building high performance, low-energy homes from the ground up. This years’ central project, the Delta Home has been designed and constructed for a single mother and is being completed on a property just outside of Perth, Ontario.
The ‘Delta Home' takes its name from the 4th letter in the Greek alphabet-Delta-with the upper case letter used to denote “change”. Keeping it simple and with a focus on conservation, this project is a modest effort to help change the perception that building green is about special materials and high-tech gadgetry. The program champions the philosophy that conservation of resources, be it “bricks & mortar” or energy is critical to the design and construction of energy efficient homes that are affordable to build and operate.
With an emphasis on conservation, the Delta Home comprises a simple 800 sq. ft. rectangular footprint with a full basement and a storey and an half passive solar design that keeps the heat in. Furthermore, it has been constructed with locally available “off-the shelf” materials and boasts an air-tight building envelope, super-insulation (double that of the building Code), high performance windows, durable structure and finishes and a simple heating system – the sun and a high efficiency gas fireplace. All said and done, energy-use modelling suggests that it should cost about $500 per year to heat.
Plumb, level, straight and square, the students have paid attention to detail in all phases of construction. Building air-tightness is an objective measure that gives a good idea as to how well the building envelope has been detailed--so to speak, an indication of attention to detail. Blower door testing has revealed that the Delta Homes; air tightness meets that of the Canadian program for high quality, energy efficient construction - R2000.
Beyond practicing their own trade, the students work alongside and become familiar with the equipment, requirements and practices of a number of other licensed trades including plumbers, electricians, and HVAC technicians; enhancing their understanding of the house as a system concept again, putting theory into practice.
This is the fifth house that the students of the Construction Carpentry - Advanced Program have built and is an excellent example of energy efficient, environmentally responsible housing that is affordable to build, maintain and operate.
Thinking of building your Dream Green Home? If you have a nearby (within 10 minutes of Perth) property and are interested in partnering in a future housing project, contact the Perth Campus for details.