Although the difference between the initial design and the “better” design is quite subtle, when calculated comparing different combinations of components, the “better” scenario not only costs thousands less, it’s slightly more energy efficient.
Our initial comparison of components created the top chart. It displays 288 different design possibilities for the Merrymaker home plan, plotted based on their anticipated Annual Energy Bill (vertical axis) and the relative Capital Cost of their energy components (horizontal axis). The blue star towards the right of the chart represents the initial design specification of the Merrymaker The green dots represent HomeSEED recommended designs.
“In the process, we analyzed nearly 600 different designs and could have analyzed many more.”
Give and Take
The green star in the lower-middle of the scatter chart is the design we have chosen for further analysis. This design was the least expensive version of the home to construct. The builder could save an estimated $8,337, with the end result being a home that has a slightly lower monthly energy bill than a home built to to the initial specifications.
In this example, the program compared the costs of the triple glazed windows with the advantages of adding insulation and increasing the thickness of the double-stud walls. The more effective scenario is shown above in an abbreviated format.
The tables on facing page summarize our design journey. At top are the raw calculation results, underneath them a more specific snapshot of how the program reached those conclusion.
04.2012
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