Varieties of Prefabricated Envelope Solutions for CA Low-Rise Buildings
Rocky Mountain Institute
Recipient
CO
Recipient Location
$882,837
Amount Spent
Active
Project Status
Project Update
The team is developing two prefabricated exterior retrofit panel prototypes with Dryvit/Tremco to install on two low-rise multifamily buildings. Prototype designs are being drafted. The team is collecting information about the demonstration sites in via 3D scanning, structural assessments, and an on-site walk throughs.
The Issue
Envelope improvements are rarely part of any renovation projects due to cost barriers caused by longer construction time. A Net Zero Energy model developed in the Netherlands, has developed, unitized, prefabricated exterior facade panels that can be installed on an existing building in less than a week. A unitized panel includes windows, doors, and exterior cladding such that once they are attached to the existing building, there is no other envelope work required. There is currently a lack of prefabrication unitized panels in the U.S. Most of the available products are geared toward new construction and are usually not designed for low-rise California building typology.
Project Innovation
The project aims to develop and demonstrate an industrialized approach to deep carbon emission reducing retrofits, and enable the scaling of the industry to the point where mass deployment of Zero Net Carbon retrofits can occur in California. The project is centered around the utilization of two primary technologies which do not currently exist in the US market:1) pre-fabricated, unitized, high-performance retrofit envelope panels, and 2) compact, packaged, modularized, grid interactive, multi-function mechanical systems that provide heating, cooling, ventilation, and domestic hot water. The Netherland's Energiesprong model also takes a more industrialized approach to combining and installing these two systems by creating standardized retrofit packages that can be rapidly deployed on ubiquitous building typologies across California.
Project Goals
Project Benefits
This project designs and develops exterior envelop panels to allow the existing building to remain largely intact and retrofit work is mainly performed outside, which makes the process less disruptive to the building's tenants. Prefabricated exterior retrofit panels improves quality assurance, reduces renovation time and costs, and significantly reduces thermal loads thereby reducing HVAC energy use and allowing for full electrification of buildings without disrupting utility bill affordability. By increasing the rate of low-load, all-electric retrofits as a turnkey technology, these facade panels can enable California to transition its building stock to running on carbon neutral electricity.
Affordability
The project could significantly reduce utility bills for millions of low income families in California. The project will result in the ratepayer benefits of greater electricity reliability, lower costs, and increased safety. The prefabricated panel will reduce thermal loads of the building, thus reducing heating and cooling costs.
Environmental Sustainability
California has 2 million units for low income multifamily buildings. If all units receive prefab façade panel retrofits, it could result in significant GHG reduction due to reductions in energy use for heating and cooling homes.
Affordability
The project will result in the ratepayer benefits of greater electricity reliability, lower costs, and increased safety. The prefabricated panel will reduce thermal loads of the building, thus reducing heating and cooling costs.
Key Project Members
Auri Bukauskas
Nick Jiles
Subrecipients
Association for Energy Affordability
Redwood Energy, LLC
David Baker Architects
Signetron, Inc.
RDH Building Science Inc.
National Community Renaissance
Match Partners
Association for Energy Affordability
Rocky Mountain Institute
Signetron, Inc.
RDH Building Science Inc.