Matt's Corner

Like most creative endeavors, architecture is about solving problems. Adding a second story to Folly presented an interesting issue for Matt Gore, our architect, since the square footage was bigger than optimum. Watch Matt explain how he solved the problem which we call "Matt's corner."

A Momentous Day for Folly

The past weeks have seen dramatic and wonderful changes at the Folly.  Not only is there wallboard on all the walls throughout the house, but the interior has been primed for final painting. But…but, one needs to look up to see the most telling changes. The photovoltaic (PV) panels have been installed on the roof and Folly is generating electricity!!

Like most complex projects, this was done in stages. The cement roofing tiles were delivered and set in place on the roof sections facing north and west, that is, on those areas that would not have PV panels. Then the PV panels were delivered to the site.

A feature of this project which excites me is that the opportunity to teach local tradesman how to work with new technology. So on installation day, Folly was really a classroom, a hands-on project for the electricians and roofers. Manny, the rep of the company that makes the PV panels, was their teacher. This system is called Building Integrated Photo Voltaic (BIPV) and has many benefits for the homeowner. The panels are flat to the roof (rather than being raised above the roof) and blend into the roofline so that they are nearly invisible from the ground. They are slightly different in size in that each PV panel is as long as four cement tiles. In addition, Folly’s roof tiles are dark grey to match the PV as closely as possible.

There was some discussion as to the best installation method. After all, any house in a hurricane zone runs the risk of having a 140 mph breeze blow roof tiles up and sailing across the landscape. That is not a good neighbor policy. In the end, the most conservative option was used (here it’s called the “belt and suspenders”). The PV panels are held down by 1) a band of tar, 2) four lines of foam “glue” and 3) two screws.

The electricians found that this was not as technically challenging as they had expected. These panels are connected in short series (like strings of Christmas lights) before connecting to the main line. A lot of time was spent in checking that each panel could produce power and then that the entire line was “hot”. Very careful work. Fortunately, the cloudy sky that day made working conditions comfortable on the roof, and, surprisingly, even in that less-than-optimal state the panels produced electricity.

The final step is to install inverters that will make Folly’s solar generated power available to our electric company and usable for our appliances. PV panels produce direct current while we in the USA use alternating current. When the inverters are installed next week we can watch the electric meter spin backwards as we sell electricity to the grid!

All in all it was a momentous day for Folly! Please check out the video for a closer look.

On Our Way To LEED Certification

Making a decision to do one thing can have interesting unintended consequences. When Folly was put on the path to becoming the first LEED certified residence in our area, I thought the process would be one of meeting requirements for energy and water use demonstrated by filling out forms to be sent to an accrediting body faraway. The process turned out to be not so simple. Our way to LEED certification will run through a series of tests by third party Raters to assure that Folly is indeed, in fact, energy and water efficient. The first of these occurred this week.

Susan Brown of Brownstone’s Energy Services arrived to do a Thermal Bypass Checklist and the Blower test for the air conditioning system. Her equipment consists of deep knowledge of the thermal properties of different materials, a practiced eye in spotting gaps in the building envelope, and a blower device and flexible hoses that send a fog like substance through the a/c system.

Since this was being done before the drywall has been installed, Susan was able to move systematically room by room examining the insulation and other materials. Icenyne foam has been sprayed in the attic and on the walls of the building. This gives a high R value and places all the a/c ductwork in air conditioned space. In thermal barrier terms, i.e. keeping the hot, humid air out of the building, this is great. I did not realize that wood was not as good a thermal barrier. Since wood had been used under the windows to insure a snug fit, some additional insulation has to be installed (the building has 2 x 6 studs, so Susan suggested that next time, we use 2 x 4s to fill the gap under the window and apply 2 inches of insulation over that). Any small gaps spotted during the inspection were filled immediately with foam but the larger spaces require a mechanic to return to the sight. 

Windows and doors at the Folly are by Kolbe – aluminum clad wood frames with insulated, low e glass. They allow a lot of natural light though but with very little heat gain. Since we are in coastal Florida it is also important that they be hurricane resistant and load tested to 140 mph winds.

Folly has three a/c systems since some sections of the house are likely to be used more than others. The most used areas have a larger separate system. Before Susan’s arrival, all the grills had been sealed and the ducts checked for leaks as best as possible. At the air intake for each system, Susan set up her blower. A 4-inch section of the grill farthest away from the air intake was uncovered. Then Susan started up her machine and we all held our breath. We scanned the line of the ductwork to spot smoke coming out. Nothing. After about 5 minutes smoke started pouring out of that distant grill followed by a general joyous shout. We have an airtight system! Each of the three systems was checked in this way with the same result. This is a credit to our a/c installer, Manuel from Barker Air Conditioning.  Susan told us that this rarely happens as there are often places along the length of ducts that have small leaks. Everyone here feels good about a job well done! Susan did suggest that in places were unlike materials meet, e.g. where a flexible hose meets an aluminum housing, that Manuel seal the joints with mastic. This seal is less likely to fail in our hot, humid climate.

Although this was a “test”, everyone involved – architect, contractor, LEED consultant and homeowner – felt it was a productive and worthwhile session. Folly passed her tests with flying colors.