BuildingEnergyRetrofitsinSocialHousing20thAnnualBuildingScienceCamp

August2nd2016MarianneTouchie

ImageCredit:UniversityofToronto

Outline

• CharacteristicsofsocialhousingMURBs

• Driversofandapproachtoretrofit• It’snotallaboutenergy• Casestudiesandresearch

ImageCredit:UniversityofToronto

CharacteristicsofSocialHousingBuildings

• Theyareold1

• Theyuselotsofenergy2

• Theyaren’twellmaintained3

• Theyhavepoorqualityindoorenvironments4

• Therearealotofthem!5

1HarvardUniversityGraduateSchoolofDesign2003,Somerville&Mayer20032DepartmentofEnergy20113AbtAssociates20104Jacobsetal.,2007,Northridge20105https://www.ucalgary.ca/cities/files/cities/toronto-report.pdf

Meanageofmetropolitanaffordablehousing46years

19%

4%

PublicHousing

NationalAverage

Energycostrelativetoannualincome

$26Bbacklog29%ofallrentalunitsinToronto

Add vintage graph, pie chart with energy, $26B backlog, % of housing provided?

MURBEnergyUseishighlyvariableEn

ergyIntensity

(ekW

h/m2)

0

150

300

450

600

1 3 5 7 9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39

LowestDecile

HighestDecile

3.4times

SampleofTorontoMURBs

MURBEnergyuse-NYC

ImageCredit:NewYorkCityMayor’sOffice2012,p14

GreatpotentialtoimproveMURBenergyperformance

ImageCredit:NewYorkCityMayor’sOffice2012,p181Brownetal.2015

18%reduction↓

↑31%reduction

RyersonStudy:57%heatingand84%coolingvariabilitybecauseofoccupants1

Whatpromptsanenergyretrofits?

• Emergencyreplacementoffailingequipment

• Anticipatingequipmentatend-of-life(tryingtoavoidemergencies!)

• Needtoreduceoperatingexpenses• Incentiveprograms

Lowesthangingfruit

• Lightingretrofits• Waterfixturereplacement(toilets,showerheads)

Imagecredits:TorontoAtmosphericFund

Caseforcomprehensiveenergyretrofitsinsocialhousing• Takeadvantageofblendedpayback• Piecemealapproachtakeslonger,moreexpensive,limitedabilityforimprovedurability

• Reducevulnerabilitytochangingutilityprices• Limitsonequipmentefficiency

EnergyEndusesintypicalU.S.MURB

Imagecredit:USEIA2008

HeatingenergyuseMon

thlyNaturalGas

Consum

pHon

(ekW

h)

0

500,000

1,000,000

1,500,000

2,000,000

MonthlyHeaHngDegreeDays(°C·day)

0 200 400 600 800

• VariableLoadComponent

•BaseLoadComponent

Imagecredit:Touchieetal.2013

DHWequipmentefficiency

Buildingenvelope+HVACequipmentefficiency

EnvelopeThermalResistance

NaturalGasHeaHngIn

tensity

(ekW

h/m²)

0

100

200

300

400

FenestraHonRaHo

20% 35% 50% 65% 80%

R²=0.6875

R²=0.4124

SingleGlazedDoubleGlazed

• Oftenlittletonoinsulation• Thermalbridgingthroughbalconyslabs

• Single-glazedwindows,sliders

Imagecredit:Touchieetal.2013,TowerRenewalGuidelines

Airleakage

• Highlyuncertain,complex,negativeimpacts• Corridorpressurizationineffective• Canadianapartmentstudy:Measured31%to81%ofdesignventilationrates1

• Significantimpactonenergyuse• InOntario,25-40%ofpeakheatingdemand1

• Vancouverstudy:69%ofspaceheatingenergytoconditionventilationairbutaslittleas13%ofthatairgottothesuites.Largepressuredifferencesacrossinteriorpartitions.21Edwards1999

2RDH2012ImageCredit:Touchie

Stack

WindMechanical

Wind

Mechanical

Stack

HVACequipment

• Manyfactorsinfluenceefficiency

• Torontostudy:Poorcorrelationbetweenefficiencyandenergyuse• Can’trelyonestimatedefficiencies(TAFstudytotherescue)

Variab

leNaturalGas

Intensity(ekW

h/m2)

0

75

150

225

300

BoilerEfficiency

60% 95%

y=-165.76x+289.89R²=0.0837

Imagecredit:TorontoAtmosphericFund;Touchieetal.2013

Stepstodesigninganenergyretrofitstrategy

• Establishbaselineperformance

• Developacalibratedmodel

• Determinepotentialsavingsandsettargets

• Evaluateretrofitoptions• Selectastrategythatmeetstargetsandbudgetconstraints

Establishyourbaselineperformance

• Buildingconditionassessmentandhistoricalenergybills

• Targetedassessmentofmajorfactorsinfluencingenergyperformance:• Assessenvelopeperformancethroughairleakagetesting,infraredimaging• Performancemonitoringofboilers,chillers,make-upairunits,pumps• Electricitysub-metering

• Lookforrecommissioningopportunities• LBNLstudy:retro-commissioningcostsapprox.$0.30/ft2,reducedenergyconsumptionby16%,paybackof1.1years1

1RockyMountainInstitute2013

Developacalibratedenergymodel

• Beawareofmodeluncertainties

AverageSuiteTem

perature

(°C)

17

20

23

25

28

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

TradioonalModel ActualSuiteAverage RefinedModel

HeatingSeason HeatingSeasonCoolingSeason

Imagecredits:Touchie2014

Determinepotentialandsettargets

Imagecredit:http://www.rmi.org/retrofit_depot_the_blueprint_enacting_a_deep_energy_retrofit

RockyMountainInstitute:Howmuchcouldyousaveiftherewerenoeconomicornon-technicalconstraints?

Modelandselectenergyretrofitstrategies

• Passive:Windowreplacement/overcladding,Airsealingmeasures

• Active:Equipmentreplacement/refurbishment

• Synergies?

• Considerincrementalcostofhigherperformancecomponentsandpotentialenergysavings

• Considerthecapitalcostsavingsofdownsizingequipmentifloadisreduced

Andyou’redone!

• Contracting,Construction,Commissioningandstartsavingenergy!

Savingenergyisgood,right?

• Itis!Butitshouldnotbeattheexpenseoftheindoorenvironmentalquality(IEQ)

• Buildingsareforpeople:comfortandhealthofresidentsshouldbeparamount

• Energyretrofitscanhaveapositive,neutralornegativeinfluenceonIEQ:shouldconsidertheseinfluencesearlyinthedesignstage

Occupanthealth

• Spend90%oftimeindoorsandmorethan65%timeinresidentialbuildings1,2

• Movementofodors(cooking,tobaccosmoke)isacommoncomplaintinMURBs3

• Environmentalexposuredependsonmanyfactors

1Klepeisetal.20012Leechetal.20023CMHC2003

Occupantexposureinsocialhousing

• Prevalenceofasthma2-4timeshigherinvulnerablepopulations,thanthegeneralpopulation1

• Reductioninasthmamorbidityamongchildrenwhencomparingnewsocialhousingunitstoolderbuildings1

• BostonHousingAuthority:concentrationofmultipleindoorpollutantsarehigherinlow-socioeconomichouseholds,comparedtogeneralpopulation2

1Coltonetal.20152Adamkiewiczetal.2011

Occupantexposureinsocialhousing

Occupantcomfort

• Lotsofattentioninthecommercialsector(Productivity=$$$)

• Under-heatinginsomeareas• Fuelpovertyandpoorenvelopeperformancecanleadtounder-heating1

• Chronicoverheatingevenincoldclimates• Serioushealthimplicationsofoverheating• NYC:46heatstrokedeathsin2006,mostdidnothaveworkingA/C,andmorethan80%wereexposedathome2

1A.Powers,personalcommunication2ExtremeheatawarenessandprotectivebehaviorsinNYC,2013

StudyofoverheatinginToronto’ssocialhousing

• Over50%ofresidentsreportedfeeling“TooWarm”duringsummer

• Averagesummerairtemperatureindoors27.7°C(82°F)

• Thermaldissatisfactionandbuildingheight:Stackeffect?

• Mechanicalsolutionsmaynotbetheonly/bestapproach

Increasingthreatofoverheating

• Heat-relateddeathsexpectedtodoubleovernext30years1

• Lowerincomehousingisathigherrisk:• Poorqualityhousing• Nocentralcooling• Higherlikelihoodofpre-existingillness

• Withoutcoolingmeasures,buildingsaccumulateheat1

• Montrealstudy:averageapartmenttemp4°Chigherthanoutside• NYCstudy:averageindoortemp2.8°Chigherthanoutside

1CityofTorontoStaffReport2015

ConsiderEnergyandIEQfromthestart…

Co-benefits• BetterIAQ• Betterthermalcomfort• Betterdurability

RevisedstepstodesigningE+IEQRetrofit

• Determineresidentsneeds(surveys,focusgroups)andcapabilitiesofon-sitestaff• Establishcomprehensivebaselineperformance(includingtemperatureandIAQassessments)• Developacalibratedmodel• EstablishenergysavingstargetsandgoalsforIEQimprovement• ModelsretrofitstrategiestodeterminepotentialforE+IEQimprovements• SelectstrategiesthateitherimproveorhavenoimpactonIEQ• Construction,commissioning,testing,monitoring,surveys…

Residentengagement

• Communitymeetings

• Surveys,Focusgroups• Designcharrettes• Providestatusupdates• Movevulnerableresidentsoffsite

• Considerhowinformationispresented

Establishcomprehensiveperformancebaseline

• Consider• shorttermtemperaturemonitoringduringsummer/winter• Indoorairqualitymonitoring• Airtightnesstesting• Airflowmeasurements

Establishtargets

• Energyreductiontarget• Reductioninairleakage?• Bettertemperaturecontrol?

• Lowerpollutantlevels?

ChooseretrofitstrategiesforE+IEQbenefits

• EPA:HealthyIndoorEnvironmentalProtocolsforHomeEnergyUpgrades1

• EPIQR:Energyperformanceindoorenvironmentalqualityretrofit

• Norisetal.2013:points-basedapproachtoscorepotentialretrofitmeasuresonenergyandIEQperformanceperdollarvaluemeasure

1https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2014-12/documents/epa_retrofit_protocols.pdf)

Norisetal.2013

Norisetal.2013

• 16low-incomeapartments

• Suite-basedretrofits• Pre-andpost-retrofitmonitoring

• Occupantsurveys• IEQparametersappearedtoimprovewithcontinuousbalancedventilation

SwedishPublicHousingRetrofit

• Linköping,Sweden(avgannualoutdoortemp6.9°C)

• Sixmid-rise1970’sapartmentbuildings,oneretrofitted• Overcladding,windowreplacement• in-suitecontrolofheatingsystem• Heatrecovery

Imagecredit:Luietal.2015

SwedishPublicHousingRetrofit

• Monitoring• TempandRH• Suiteelectricityuse• Heatingenergy(retrofitonly)

• ModelingwithIDAICE• Calibratedtotempandspaceheating

• Surveys

Imagecredit:Luietal.2015

Non-retrofitted

Retrofitted

AirQuality

Imagecredit:Luietal.2015

IndoorTemperature

Noise HealthIssues

SwedishPublicHousingRetrofit

MoresatisfiedwithIEQand39%reductioninspaceheatingenergy

WilmcoteHouseRetrofit

• 1968CouncilHousing,PortsmouthUK

• 100homes,mostly3bedroomunits

• Concretepanels,25mminsulation,

• Electricheat• Widespreadfuelpoverty

• Thermalcomfortissues

Imagecredit:http://www.building.co.uk/wilmcote-house-thermal-vision/5077130.article

WilmcoteHouseRetrofit

• Semi-structuredquestionnaires,interviewsbefore,duringandafter

• Meterreadings

• Whattheresidents’say:• “thewindowsarerubbish.”• “theheatersarerubbish”• “Ihadlikelittlemushroomsgrowingonthewindow…intheinside”

• “Therentis₤430amonth…sotheenergycostishalftherent”

A.Belotti,PersonalCommunicationImagecredit:http://www.building.co.uk/wilmcote-house-thermal-vision/5077130.article

WilmcoteHouseRetrofit

• R43Overcladding,newtripleglazedwindows• Measurestoimproveairtightness

• Heatrecoveryventilatorsineachapartment

Imagecredit:http://www.building.co.uk/wilmcote-house-thermal-vision/5077130.article

BelmontRetrofit

• BelmontCondominium(Notsocialhousing)

• 13-storey,37suites• Impactofover-claddingandwindowreplacementonairtightness

• Comprehensiveassessmentofairflow• PFTgastestingforinterzoneairflow• AirflowmeasurementsatMAUandcorridor• Airtightnessofenclosureandbetweensuites

BelmontRetrofit

• Overandunderventilation• HRVs?Compartmentalization?

ImageCredit:RickettsandFinch

CompartmentalizationStudy

• ModelingBelmontinEnergyPlustoexploretheenergyimpactofcompartmentalization

• Preliminaryresultsarean80%reductioninMAUnaturalgasconsumption

TorontoSocialHousingRetrofitStudy

• 3sites,7buildings,74suites• Pre-andpost-retrofit• in-suitemonitoring:

• Long-termcontinuousmonitoringoftemp,RH,MRT,CO2

• Short-termmonitoringofRadon,FormaldehydeandPMsampling

• Boilerefficiencymonitoring• Residentsurveys

MeasurestoimproveE+IEQ

• Passive→Reducedemand• Over-cladding,windowreplacement,airsealing

• Active→mechanicalventilation• Balanced,heatrecovery• Improveefficiency

• Controlstrategies• Demand-based

ImageCredit:RDH2012

Whydon’twejustdoit?

• Needagoaltoworktowards• Split/noincentive• Capacityconstraintsatthepublichousingauthority• Funding:• Otherprioritiesforavailablefunding• Separatecapitalandoperatingbudgets• Lackofawarenessaboutfundingprograms

• Inappropriateuseofenergymodeling

• Previousbadexperience

Referencesolutionstohurdlesreportwherenecessary

Onthehorizon

• Effectsofclimatechangeovertheservicelifeofthebuilding

• Energyandcarbonpricing• Energyreporting• Valuinghealthandcomfortimpactsofbuildingretrofits

Thankyou

marianne.touchie@utoronto.ca

Joe!

HutcheonBequest

Referenceshttp://blog.rmi.org/blog_2013_08_19_affordable_housing_with_unaffordable_energy_bills

RockyMountainInstitute–SolutionstoHurdlesreport

HarvardUniversityGraduateSchoolofDesign2003

Somerville&Mayer2003

DepartmentofEnergy(2011)."BuildingEnergyDataBook“;U.S.HUD’sPublicHousingProgram.Available:http://www.hud.gov/renting/phprog.cfm.Accessed12/28/2007.)

AbtAssociates2010.

JacobsDE,KellyT,SobolewskiJ.Linkingpublichealth,housing,andindoorenvironmentalpolicy:successesandchallengesatlocalandfederalagenciesintheUnitedStates.EnvironHealthPerspect2007;115:976e82. [3]NorthridgeJ,RamirezOF,StingoneJA,ClaudioL.Theroleofhousingtypeandhousingqualityinurbanchildrenwithasthma.JUrbanHealth2010;87:211e24.

https://www.ucalgary.ca/cities/files/cities/toronto-report.pdf

NewYorkCityMayor’sOffice,NewYorkCityLocalLaw84Bench-markingReport,2012,http://www.nyc.gov/html/gbee/downloads/pdf/nycll84benchmarkingreport2012.pdf–pg14

Touchie,M.F.,Binkley,C,Pressnail,K.D.“CorrelatingEnergyConsumptionwithMulti-UnitResidentialBuildingCharacteristicsintheCityofToronto,”EnergyandBuildings66(2013)pp.648-656.

Edwards,C.(1999).ModellingofVentilationandInfiltrationEnergyImpactsinMidandHigh-RiseApartmentBuildings.

A-RockyMountainInstitute,SuperefficientAffordableHousing:SolutionstoHurdles,2013

http://www.rmi.org/retrofit_depot_the_blueprint_enacting_a_deep_energy_retrofit