As a follow up to his presentation at the 2019 Maine IAQ & Energy Conference, Bill Spohn gives an update on the journey of designing, building, and a modular-built high-performance home. You will learn the paths he went down (and back!) before arriving at the design (and features) he and his wife will enjoy as homeowners. A mix of technical and consumer topics are covered: - How can you apply as many "cutting-edge" techniques and systems without overwhelming your builder - What kind of compromises must be made to integrate with available techniques and experience - Did the design meet the goals? Bill is President and co-owner of TruTechTools.com, an award-winning reseller of tools and test instruments. He holds a BS & MS in Mechanical Engineering and is a Registered Professional Engineer (PE) in Pennsylvania. Over the last 30 years, Bill has built his career on creating, designing, and marketing a wide array of test and measurement products that work for technicians in the field. Bill is all about Science – Comfort, health, and energy efficiency. He has worked on BPI, RESNET, GAMA, AHRI, OMA, RSES, NATE, and ACCA Technical Committees, and holds four US patents in instrumentation design. He regularly consults, teaches, and writes on product applications in HVACR, building science, healthy homes, Indoor Air Quality, and weatherization. Bill is smart, a great listener, and speaks with passion and in a language we can all understand. He shares his knowledge in the two podcasts: Building HVAC Science and RESTalk. He and his wife built a modular, high-performance home near Pittsburgh, PA. Keep tabs on the details at www.SpohnHome.com

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Nov 2018June 2020

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2019

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Performance is personal
Meets your needs.
Aligns with your understanding.
Gives you what you want.
At a price you can afford.

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From www.phius.org

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Elliot Fabri, Jr.
Elliot Fabri, Sr.

8. 77 miles from factory to house site
The Team that build our house
30 years in business

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10. Wall Cross section
• Wall Board
• 2x6 16” OC studs
• Unbacked Fiberglas
• Zip Wall taped & fastener heads
puttied with sealant
• 1.5” Neopore graphite
impregnated EPS
• Solitex Mento WRB taped
• Architectural vinyl siding
• R-30

12. Specialty Precast
Foundation
Also Factory made
Approx. R-30

14. Does it flatter the view?
Is it pretty/handsome?
Room for a large garden?

15. FUNCTIONAL: SINGLE FLOOR LIVING

16. FUNCTIONAL: Room for grandkids and guests

17. W
H Water
H&AC
CE
RV
2
FUNCTIONAL: Storage space, exercise room, extra office

18. FUNCTIONAL:
Single floor living
Breezeway to garage on same level
Walk out to deck in back on same level

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BLOWER
DOOR
TESTS
EFFICIENCY & COMFORT

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21. H/AC
• 2 Ton Ducted ASHP
• 21.5 SEER
• 4 Zones
• 4” Horizontally
mounted MERV 11
• 10 kW Heat strips
• 0.8 IWC AirHandler

22. www.bit.ly/SPOHNHOME-SMARTDUCT

23. CERV2 Comfort & EE
• Conditioning ERV
• 1/3 Ton heat pump
• MERV 13 filters
• Both air streams
• It’s pretty SMART
• Assesses air quality
• Recirculation 1st
• Fresh air brought in
• Off when not needed
• Mfd by BuildEquinox

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25. CERV2 IAQ Data: SpohnHome
Home is not yet occupied
Lots of
painting
Green= Ventilating
Pink= CO2 level
Orange= VOC level

26. CERV2 Temp Data: SpohnHome
Home is not yet occupied
H&AC system most often turned off
AirHandler set to 20% duty cycle in October

27. CERV2 Humidity Data: SpohnHome
Home is not yet occupied
H&AC system most often turned off
Windows opened

29. H&AC: Dettson Heat Pump Outdoor Unit
CERV2
SUPPLY
CERV2
EXHAUST

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Hole Control

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No venting chosen to control the house pressures / air leakage.

33. ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE:
SOLAR POWER
• TECHNICAL DETAILS
• 12 KW: 32 X 375 W TRINA PANELS
• 2 SMA SUNNYBOY INVERTERS WITH SECUREPOWER
• ECONOMIC BENEFIT
• NET METERING
• SOLAR RENEWABLE ENERGY CREDITS – SRECS
• MEDIA COVERAGE
• WWW.BIT.LY/SPOHNHOME-TRIB
• WWW.BIT.LY/SPOHNHOME-TRIB1
• WWW.BIT.LY/SPOHNHOME-SOLARTOUR

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10
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60
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80
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7/13/20 7/20/20 7/27/20 8/3/20 8/10/20 8/17/20 8/24/20 8/31/20 9/7/20 9/14/20 9/21/20 9/28/20 10/5/20 10/12/20
Solar Production: SpohnHome
Net metering (kWh) Consumed
Daily data missing
Average per day used
Inverters not yet reporting
production
Only 1 inverter
reporting

35. kWh
Blower fan power
+
AC run to dehumidify after testing

37. OHPADC

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39. REGIONAL WORK in PA
EcoCraft Homes: Pittsburgh
Structural Modular: Strattanville
Energy Doctor: Irwin
Specialty Precast: Prospect
Adams Excavating: Prospect
Ventana Windows: Export
Envinity Solar, State College
Dillan Well Drilling: Darlington
CW Electrical Services, Pittsburgh
Dennis & Sons Plumbing, Pittsbur
Pittsburgh Asphalt, Pittsburgh
Strisna Cement, McDonald
84 Lumber, Mars
more..

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43. SPEED BUMP#4
• COUNTY HEALTH DEPT PLUMBING INSPECTION
• DEMANDED DISHWASHER BE INSTALLED – MINOR DELAY
• WILL NOT SCHEDULE INSPECTION DUE TO OVERBOOKING
• RECENTLY 2 PLUMBING INSPECTORS ARRESTED ON
FELONIES -ACCUSED OF FALSIFYING RECORDS

44. Time Line
Consider a
future
move
JAN -14 OCT-19
Factory
build
Move to
“5 Year”
House
JUL -14
Looking for
land
JAN -17
Buy land,
Contract
with PH
Architect
APR -18
Visit SMI
Factory
JUN -18
End PH
Contract
SEP -18
Begin
Design w/
EcoCraft
NOV -18
Signed
Builder
Contract
AUG -19
NOV-20
Move in
House set
& on site
finishing
+4 SPEED
BUMPS!
JAN -20

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46. All Electric Home:
Ducted Air Source Heat pump
Induction cook top
Heat Pump water heater
Heat pump clothes dryer
Solar power
Performance governed by comfort
<1 ACH50
Energy Model via PHPP & Manual J
Solar shading on windows
Conditioning ERV
Keep track at www.SpohnHome.com

47. Gotta go!
Bill Spohn
Bill@TruTechTools.com