Heat and non-heat recovery ventilation performance in energy-efficient hud-code manufactured housing

The Zero Energy Manufactured Home Project demonstrates and promotes innovative energy saving technologies to the manufactured housing industry and home buying public, while evaluating those technologies energy performance. The project, funded by the Bonneville Power Administration, and the U.S. Department of Energys (DOE) Building America Industrialized Housing Program (BAIHP), examines two 147 square meter (m2) (1600 ft2) two-section manufactured homes, built by the same manufacturer, using an identical floor plan. Heating ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) measurements, envelope and duct leakage tests were conducted and remote monitoringequipment installed to track the performance of each home over a three year period.Both homes were built in the summer of 2002 and sited in the cold, dry climate of Lewiston, ID. The Zero Energy Manufactured Home (ZEMH) has been built with highly efficient and cutting edge technologies including a photovoltaic system, sun-tempering, solar water heating, spray-in foam insulation, heat recovery ventilation, and Energy Star appliances, HVAC and lighting The comparison (ESTAR) home is built to Energy Star Program requirements as part of the Northwest Energy Efficient Manufactured Home program, which includes a quiet 20 watt whole house exhaust fan ventilation system.Energy Star is the most energy efficient home that meets the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development code available in the United States market today (NEEM). This paper presents the field testing and monitoring results of both homes heat recovery (HRV) and non-heat recovery (NHRV) ventilation system energy performance, based on in-situ monitoring data. Energy Gauge USA computer simulation software is used to compare the ventilation, envelope and duct leakage induced infiltration in the ZEMH and ESTAR homes. Anecdotal and occupant related observations are presented, along with some conclusions.