Information on our lastest ecoREHABstudio project

1. USE
CLAIM
HABILITATEAnabandonedhousegetsanewlifethroughsustainablerehabshowingthat
old buildings have great potential for green development at the right price.
1 SITE DEVELOPMENT 2 DOMESTIC WATER
MANAGEMENT 3 ENERGY CONSERVATION
4 CONSTRUCTION WASTE
MANAGEMENT 5 RECLAIM & REUSE 6 MATERIAL SELECTION
7 THERMAL & PRESSURE
BARRIER 8 COOL ROOFS 9 WINDOWS
E
coREHABstudio is a symbiotic part-
nership between Ball State Univer-
sity and the housing not-for-profit
ecoREHAB of Muncie, Inc. Ball
State provides the leadership, organiza-
tional assistance, and immersive learning
experiences for students. EcoREHAB of
Muncie provides the management struc-
ture for the construction projects. Jointly,
they develop and provide programming
and community assistance. The goal is to
provide leadership in ecologically sound,
green and sustainable rehabilitation of
existing homes while improving Muncie’s
Quality of Place.
Following city standards for low-moderate
income housing, this house in Muncie’s
Old West End neighborhood was evalu-
ated, designed, spec’d, and rehabilitated
by students from Ball State’s College of
Architecture and Planning. The project
incorporates green & sustainable build-
ing practices demonstrating that existing
housing can be rehabbed to provide qual-
ity energy efficient housing in a manner
that is economically competitive with tra-
ditional quality rehab methods. Emphasis
is on strategies available to homeowners
of all economic means rather than on pric-
ey equipment and high-end materials.
Project Info
Bedrooms: 2
Bathrooms: 1
Size: 1100 sq. ft. plus partial
unfinished basement
Lot size: 40 ft. x 122 ft.
Cost: $59 per sq. ft.
Completed: 2012
Location: Muncie, Indiana
Design/Build: ecoREHABstudio
RE

2. 2
2
3
4
5
1
Living room
Dining room
Bedroom
Bath
Kitchen
Bedroom
Front
porch
Covered
Rear Porch
Pantry
Laundry
dn. to
basement
This house was unoccupied for at least 20 years before this
project was initiated. Built in the late 19th Century, it is one
of the oldest in this near downtown neighborhood. After being
declared vacant and abandoned by the City and tagged for
demolition, ecoREHAB studio took on the project.
BEFORE
AFTER
Front porch
Dining room
A new pantry and hall
closet flanking each side
of the entry into the din-
ing room provide much
need storage while defin-
ing a passage between the
kitchen and dining room.
The laundry closet ac-
commodates a high ef-
ficiency ventless washer
dryer combo unit. Its
placement also defines a
rear entrance and helps
create a back hallway.
Main bedroom Bath
Rear entryway
Kitchen
Much needed closet space
is provided for each bed-
room. With a 10 foot ceil-
ing in the main bedroom,
additional storage areas
above the closets are pro-
vided.
Reconfiguring the rear
of the house created a
new hallway providing
easy access to the bed-
rooms and bath while
maintaining a private
side to the house.
SITEDEVELOPMENT
1
Rain Garden Water Storage + Collection Cold Frames Compost Apricot Tree Garden Working Area Edible Garden1 2 3 4 5
222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222
2222222222222222222222222222222222222
3333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333
444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444
5
111111111111111111111111111111
North
6
1
2
2
3
4
5
6
7
7
Rain water harvesting provides
water for use in the garden and
helps manage storm water
A garden work station with ready
access to water and the food gar-
den
Cold frames allows in sunlight
and prevents heat escape acting as
a mini greenhouse extending the
growing season.
Ball State students worked closely
with AmeriCorp volunteers to in-
stall a rain garden
Rain gardens are an effect way to
manage storm water while creat-
ing a beautiful site feature.
Site develop is just as important as building de-
velopment when attending to sustainable build-
ing practices. By addressing the lot outside of the
house, a comprehensive approach to sustainable
design can not only improve the environment, but
also increase energy efficiency and help create a
healthy residential environment. A number of
goals were established for this project. 1) manage
storm water through on-site water retention, rain
gardens, pervious paving, and plans for a green
roof on a future garage; 2) compost bins are con-
structed from discarded wood pallets for organic
kitchen, yard, and garden waste. By composting,
less waste ends up in landfills; 3) Gardening for
food production including a fruit tree, vegetable
gardens, herb gardens, cold frames allow the
home owner to extend the growing season while
providing healthy food and low cost; 4) Outdoor
clothes drying area uses solar heat and wind as
an alternative to using clothes dryers powered by
fossil fuels; 5) Pervious and durable ground covers
are an alternate to turf grass allowing for better
drainage of storm water. By managing storm wa-
ter on site, in lieu of sending down the combined
sewer system decreases the demand on treat-
ment plants and helps manage potentially haz-
ardous overflow practices in cities with combined
storm/sanitary sewers.

3. According to USGS statistics, each person living in the
United States uses on average 89 gallons of water each
day. In Indiana that number is slightly lower averaging 76
gallons per day. Surprising to many people, over half of
municipal water use is actually outside the house. Inside
a house, toilets use the greatest amount of water closely
followed by washing machines and bath/showers. It is im-
portant to understand water usage to ensure the money
spent towards conservation measures has the greatest im-
pact. Water conservation methods and fixtures are readily
available to reduce both interior and exterior water use.
For this project water conservation strategies are applied
at each fixture and water use location.
DOMESTICWATERMANAGEMENT
ENERGY CONSERVATION
2
The storm water collection
system stores up to 275 gal.
of water for use outside the
house. Tanks are located in
two places for easy access
throughout the site. Over-
flow of the front yard tanks
handled by the rain garden.
3
• Low-flow Water Sense certified lavatory faucet
• Low-flow Water Sense certified shower head
• Aerators on kitchen sink faucet, low-flow
• 1.1 gallon/flush Water Sense certified toilet.
• Rain water collection for exterior use
• Grey Water Reuse System supplying toilet
WATER REDUCTION STRATEGIES
A grey water recycling system installed in the bathroom treats
and recycles grey water captured from the bathroom sink to
flush the toilet. Inside the vanity, a 5.5 gallon tank holds the
grey water. Using a small pump, water is moved to the toilet
reservoir when needed.
Source: American Water Works Associate Research Foundation 2001
57% yard/outside
11% toilet
2% other6% leaks
6% faucets
8% bath/shower
9% clothes washer
1% dishwasher
Source: US Energy Information Administration,
Residential Energy Consumption Survey 2005
Energy conservation can simply be defined as measures that either increase the
efficiency of how we consume energy or reducing our energy consumption. Ac-
cording to the U.S. Department of Energy in 2010, total energy use per person
in the U.S. was 317 million BTU’s. This was 2.9% more than in 2009, and 5.5%
less than in 2008. Why is conserving energy important? There are two goals to
keep in mind: The first one being cutting your energy costs, the second is re-
ducing the stress we put on our environment. We employed four approaches
to achieve energy conservation. 1) Understand how our energy resources are
being used in the house in order to effectively reduce consumption; 2) Reduce
the need for energy through our behaviors and choices; 3) Look for alternative
or renewable energy sources; and 4) Ensure the fixtures, equipment, and parts
used in this house are working at the highest efficiently level available.
Electric lighting can eat up a large
portion of the average home energy
budget. To reduce energy use, and
associated costs, we installed LED
and CFL lights throughout the house.
While the initial costs for LED are
high, the low energy costs and long
life make them far more economical
than incandescent lights.
Total cost for 50K hours of use:
Incandescent (60 watt) $352.50
CFL(13watt) $89.75
LED (5watt) $65.95
On average, an American family
pays 20% of their energy cost to heat
water. Conventional tank heaters op-
erate 24/7/365 whether you are using
hot water or not. Tankless models
differ in that they do not have a large
water storage tank. There is no ener-
gy wasted by heating a large tank of
water for indefinite periods of time.
These types heat and supply hot wa-
ter in an unlimited capacity supply
as needed. Other alternatives to tra-
ditional water heaters are solar water
heaters and heat pump units.
The average household spends near-
ly half of their annual energy costs
towards heating and cooling. Us-
ing a programmable thermostat can
deliver savings without sacrificing
comfort. The key is to establish a
program that automatically reduces
heating and cooling in your home
when you don’t need as much. Sim-
ply program the thermostat to reduce
the temperature while not at home
and during sleeping hours during the
winter and increase the temperature
during these times in the summer.
Proper type, installation and loca-
tions can have dramatic affects on
the efficiency of the heating system.
Do’s
- use sheet metal, insulated with
sealed seams. Smooth interior
surface is more efficient.
- run within conditioned space
- plan runs and coordinate locations
Don’ts
- use flexduct or ductboard
- put ducts in attics
- 90 degree turns
Too often, attic ventilation is over-
looked, not to mention ignored as
a place for energy savings. Attic air
temperatures can easily reach twice
the temperature outside. If not ac-
tively vented, this increases the load
on the air conditioner. Solar pow-
ered attic vents operate without on-
the-grid electricity and with no oper-
ating costs. Benefits in addition to
removing the super heated attic air in
summer include preventing moisture
build up and increasing the life of
your shingles.
A high-efficiency furnace has an will
convert up to 97 per cent of the com-
busted natural gas to usable energy.
By comparison, many older furnaces
or mid efficiency models waste up
15-40% of their fuel increasing the
operating costs and greenhouse gas
emissions. Installing a new high-ef-
ficiency heating system will cut your
fuel bills and your furnace’s pollu-
tion output. Upgrading your furnace
from 56% to 90% efficiency can
save 1.5 tons of carbon dioxide emis-
sions each year if you heat with gas
26% lighting &
receptacles
5% refrigerator
41% heating
20% water
heating
8% air conditioning
Passive solar heating is one of several design ap-
proaches collectively called passive solar design.
When combined properly, these strategies can
contribute to the heating, cooling, and daylight-
ing of nearly any building. A passive solar system
does not require the use of mechanical equipment
because the heat flow is by natural means, such as
radiation, convection, and conductance, and the
thermal storage is in the structure itself. This pas-
sive solar convection heater uses solar radiation
to create a convection loop and aluminum cans
to provide supplemental heat to the living room.
Passive Solar Convection Heater
warm air
escapes
cool air
is drawn in
aluminum cans
painted black
with holes cut
in each end
scrap EPDM roofing
line heating chamber
rigid insul.
boards
wood frame
glass top

4. CONSTRUCTIONWASTEMANAGEMENT
MATERIAL SELECTION
RECLAIM & REUSE
4
5
6
Controlling the construction waste at jobsites is a
key component of sustainable building practices.
Waste management means minimizing construction
waste or construction debris that leaves the jobsite for
the landfill. By minimizing construction waste, we re-
duce the burden on landfills and their potential hazard-
ous effects. A large amount of construction waste can
be reused on site, recycled, or salvaged for use on site
or elsewhere. According to the National Association of
Home Buildings, in 2009 an estimated 8,000 pounds of
waste is created from the construction of a 2,000 square
foot home; the majority being wood, cardboard (from
shipping, material/fixture/equipment packaging), and
drywall scraps. EcoREHAB took advantage of this oppor-
tunity to promote green building strategies during this
rehabilitation project by taking strict measures to reuse,
reclaim, or recycle as much material from the demolition
phase and to use as much salvage material as possible
coming from deconstruction projects undertaken by the
city.
Materials recycled from the 522 S. Gharkey St. project include:
1. According to the EPA, indoor air is three times more polluted than outdoor air and is one of the top five
hazards to human health due to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) found in paints, finishes, and other building
components. All interior paints used have zero-VOCs and finishes have low-VOCs. In addition, painting the
ceilings white color allows more light reflection increasing ambient light levels and reducing need for high watt-
age light bulbs. Bright wall colors also help interior lighting levels.
2. A linoleum flooring is used in the kitchen and hallway because of its durability and easy maintenance. It is
a green flooring material made from linseed oil and flax seeds (vs. vinyl which is made from petroleum and
chemicals) making it a 100% zero-VOC natural product.
3. The existing floor was scraped, sanded, stained, and then varnished with a low-VOC water based floor finish
that produces no odor. Water based floor finishes are durable, have quick applications and easy clean up.
4. All interior trim in the dining room, living room, and main bedroom was reclaimed trim and other trim that
was salvaged during the demolition phase of the project. Where there was not enough reclaimed trim, new trim
was formed from reclaimed oak floor framing to match the existing and replaced trim.
5. Much of the plaster in the house was kept in place in lieu of a complete tear out resulting in increased landfill
waste. A reinforcing fiberglass mesh was rolled over the walls followed by a skim coat of Easy Bond veneer.
Metal to be recycled
Prepping reclaimed lumber
Deconstruction in lieu of demolition
• 100 % of cardboard from shipping and packaging
• 540 pounds of drywall scraps
• 12 pounds of aluminum
• 60 pounds of copper
• 920 pounds of ferrous metal
• 100% of unpainted wood from demo & reconstruction phases
1
1
5
4
4
2
3
5
2
1
2
3
4
5
1. The new front door was reclaimed from a house being
deconstructed that matched the style to the door located in the
adjacent living room. It was stripped of paint using infrared, lead
safe paint stripper, sanded, and stained to match the existing door
trim.
2. The coat rack/seating area at the back door was made entirely from scrap prefinished
hardwood flooring donated by a contractor working on a separate home project. By using
the scraps from another project in an innovated way, a unique feature is created while re-
ducing construction waste. Constructed to hide any fasteners, this built in feature provides
coat hooks, a bench area, a place to store shoes, and a storage area under the seat.
3. The existing enclosed rear porch was unusable due to
to structural and water damage. However, when it was
carefully deconstructed, the lumber was replaned and reused
to frame the new back porch. Not only does this provide an
alternative to the landfill, it provides an alternative to using
virgin lumber, it is very cost effective.
4. When the project started, no fireplace mantle existed in the living room. With the
large amounts of salvaged wood and trim from the house, a mantle was constructed en-
tirely from door trim, decorative wood pieces and a sawn piece of tree trunk.
5. The original front porch has been extensively modified and partially enclosed over
the years. It was removed because of severe structural and safety issues.
A new porch was constructed in its place built almost entirely
from salvaged and reclaimed materials including brick for a
foundation pier, framing lumber, timber posts and beams, tongue
and grove flooring, beaded ceiling boards, and roof decking. The
only materials not from reclaimed material is the concrete
footing, masonry mortar, fasteners, and roofing.
Using salvaged and reclaimed material may be considered the ultimate sustainable building prac-
tice. Not only does it reduce waste and landfill burdens, it eliminates the need to use energy and vir-
gin resources to create new products. The reclaimed materials came from a variety of sources. The
most direct is by thoughtfully deconstructing building components during the demolition phase of
this project. We were able to salvage siding for use in repairs, lumber used for new walls and to re-
place damaged pieces of the existing structure, bricks for use in repair of the basement walls, wood
trim, window sashes, doors and frames, just to name a few items. A local salvage yard specializing
in building deconstruction provided salvaged wood flooring for repairs, additional framing lumber,
the front door, an enamelled sink for the garden work station, and many other components. Not all
the materials needed can come from salvage or reclaiming, but it is always our first choice.

5. COOLROOFSWINDOWS
THERMAL & PRESSURE BARRIER
7
89
Utilizing cool roof strategies is essential not just for occupant comfort but to miti-
gate heat island effect. By using Landmark Energy Star certified shingles, that cost the
same as standard shingles but are restricted in colors, standards in both solar reflec-
tance and thermal emissivity exceed Energy Star standards and are more energy effi-
cient than the standard roofing product. Also being Cool Roof Rating Council certified,
the sun’s rays are reflected away, lowering attic and rooftop temperatures, as well as
reducing energy costs and CO2 emissions by keeping buildings cooler inside.
Windows and doors are key components to a home’s aesthetics, comfort, and
energy efficiency, based on its performance of air flow, heat, and solar irra-
diation. The broken glass and weather stripping on the existing windows were
replaced and also given a quality storm window, providing an estimated U-
Factor of 0.50. Where new windows were required, Energy Star rated windows were
installed providing U-Factors from 0.29 to 0.30 and solar heat gain coefficients from
0.19 to 0.30.
Studentsrepairinganexistingwindowframe
Students installing an Energy Star window
Energy Star “Cool Roof”
Asphalt Shingles
Metal Panels
Clear Panels
Over Rear Porch
Thermal Plastic
Overlay (TPO)
White Roof
Solar Powered
Attic Vent
Blown-in cellulose
insulation in the attic
12” deep, min R-38
Screw plywood cover
to framing to ensure
tight seal at opening
2 pieces of rigid
insulation board (R-15)
glued to 1/2” plywood
Self adhesive weather-
stripping at perimeter of
top & bottom panels 1 piece of rigid insula-
tion board (R-7.5)
glued to 1/2” plywood
Rim joists at the intersection of the foundation
wall and floor/wall framing are a major point
of air leakage. It is extremely important to
both air seal and insulate this area to prevent
energy loss and potential moisture problems
from condensation. Sealing the entire perimeter
of the crawl space and basement rim joist
with a closed cell spray-foam insulation
stops air leakages, provide a vapor barrier,
and provides a R-7 per inch insulation.
A great number of air leaks come from small openings
from holes within the wall framing for electrical
boxes, wires, piping, vents, and anything that requires
hole cut the top or bottom plates of wall framing.
It is important to fill/seal up these openings in
both the ceiling/attic floor and the basement/crawl
space before insulation is installed with a fire or
or smoke rated expandable foam.
Where open walls are not cov-
ered by plaster or wallboard,
closedcellsprayfoaminsulation
is a very effective option over
traditional glass batts. Spray
foam insulation both SEALS
and INSULATES making it
more effective than glass batts.
And with closed cell foam it
can be applied directly on the
underside of roof sheathing.
(R-7perinchorR-21in2x4wall)
The attic access is a big leak that can be easily fixed. Simply
build or by and insulated cover that provides an airtight seal.
Aligning the thermal barrier and the
pressure barrier is critical to the en-
ergy efficiency of a house. The two big-
gest factors of building weatheriza-
tion is energy loss through air leakage
and energy loss through thermal conduction.
The pressure boundary defines the separation
of outdoor air and indoor conditioned air.
By properly sealing the house and minimiz-
ing air leakage, the conditioned indoor air
is kept inside the house. By providing the
proper level and type of insulation in the
same place as the defined pressure bound-
ary the insulation works to its fullest capacity
minimizing heat loss by thermal conduction.
Caulk edge
of blocking
In balloon framing
the space between
the studs is open and
has no plate or block-
ing. It is critical to
plug with a “pillow”
of expandable foam
Where enclosed by
plaster or wallboard
fill stud cavities with
dense pack cellulose
insulation (R-3.8 per
inch or R-13 in 2x4 wall)