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Custom Design
Energy Efficient Design
The elements to designing an energy efficient modular home include:
Home Size - The last twenty years homes have ballooned in size. After world war two, the average size home was less than one thousand square feet. Today the average size home is over 2500 square feet. One of the least expensive homes to heat and cool is a single wide manufactured home. Not because manufactured homes are extremely energy efficient, but because they are small and easy to heat and cool.
When designing a modular home to be energy efficient is to take the size of the home into consideration. If you are able to design a smaller home that fulfills all of your needs, the cost to build a home will be much lower. In addition to a lower price on the home, your heating and air conditioning system will be smaller and cost less as well.
Thermal Envelope - The thermal envelope of a home include the walls, ceilings and floors of the home. The primary element to keep heat in your home in the winter and out in the summer is insulation. Designing an energy efficient modular homes includes increasing the R-Value of walls ceilings and floors of your home.
Thermal Barrier - Thermal barriers are relatively new in the building industry. Not too long ago air sealing was never considered important and was often overlooked as an energy saving measure. The construction system to build modular homes make them inherently more air tight than conventional stick built home. When designing your prefab house to be air tight, you need to consider areas prevalent to air leakage. These areas include the foundation space, the cavity between first and second floor modules, cantilevered floors and chases for fireplaces and mechanical systems.
Window Placement - Window placement plays a major affect on air conditioning cost in hot and humid climates. Placing windows on South facing walls can create a thermal build up inside the home putting operating stress on your air conditioning system.
In northern climates or heating climates, positioning your windows on southern walls can lower energy bills if proper window treatments are installed and used correctly in the evenings. Connecting a solar space constructed with structural insulated panels to a new modular home is a design feature that will provide a healthy and bright living space while providing heat for your home in the winter months.
Site Shading and Shielding - Often over looked in the design process is the building sites potential to cut energy bills. If your home is built in the middle of a corn field with cold winds smashing into your home, you heating bill will be higher in the winter. If you cut down all of the trees on your lot to accomodate the crane to position your modular home on the foundation, you should consider replacing those trees.
Additional shading can be part of the design of the home. Position the windows higher on the walls to minimize solar heat gain in the summer by having the windows shaded by the roof's overhang or awnings.
Heating and Air Conditioning Equipment - Before your modular home is designed, take into consideration the location where the heating and conditioning system will be located in the house. Heating systems should be installed in conditioned spaces to minimize energy use. In addition the heating and cooling system should be located in a central area to minimize heating costs as well.
Ventilation Systems - Building a home that is tight requires mechanical ventilation so the home has healthy indoor air for the occupants. When working with your builder ask if the modular home factory will install a HRV or ERV during production.
Duct Work - Designing your home so that the duct work is inside conditioned space will also save money on your heating costs. The duct work is often forgotten in the design process by both builders and the factories. If the duct work needs to be outside of the modules due to design constraints, it is wise to have them air sealed and insulated to an R-38 or better.
Hot Water Heating - Again during the design process the location of the hot water heating system should be located centrally so as to minimize the distance between hot water using plumbing fixtures. Another major consideration should be designing the modular home with a core wall where all of the plumbing fixtures are close to the water heater. Homes with bathrooms on the oposite side of the home will use more water and energy.
Lighting - Your modular home will be delivered with standard lighting fixtures where you can install compact fluorescent lights or super energy efficient LEDs. During the design process you can take into considerations in day lighting the home with natural light during day time. Natural light is also healthier for people, pets and plants.