Goals The University of Illinois took first place in two of the 10 categories--comfort Zone and Market Viability--and finished 9th place overall. Their goal was to develop a flexible modular system of utility independent housing and to develop a prototype for disaster relief that could be used as temporary housing or mobile office and command centers. 01 arial perspective of Elementhouse
Architecture ranking: 14 Modular Design The Illinois team developed a system based on replicated 12' x 16' living and service modules. The original design charette produced a C- shaped structure, which was an arrangement of three modules that formed an inner courtyard. The modules, or elements, as the students began calling them, would be stand-alone structures with their own separate climate control systems and solar panel array. Although the courtyard design idea did not make the final cut, the original intent remained a goal of the team --to make a tangible connection between the indoors and outdoors in selfcontained units. The result is, and the team achieved its objectives by using natural materials such as bamboo throughout the house in furniture and flooring, including native Illinois plants as a natural privacy screen, creating 180-degree swings for all of the doors, installing numerous windows on the south side of the house and placing windows at task height to bring in as much natural light as possible without straining the heating and cooling load.
Architecture ranking: 14 House dimensions House Area: Three 12' x 16' modules, 576 square-foot footprint Living Room: 165 sf Kitchen/Dining/Entry: 165 Bedroom/Bath/Laundry: approx. 165 sf Total conditioned area: 504.2 sf Mechanical Closet: 12.7 sf (inner area, including washer/dryer) Electrical Closet: 5.8 sf (inner area) Battery Closet: 23.3 sf (outer area) Building footprint: 768.4 sf Window area: N (24 sf), S (41 sf), E (12.5 sf), W (2.7 sf) Door Area: N (21 sf), S (84 sf), E (0), W (30.1 sf, closet door) Approx. weight per module: 10,000 lbs.
Architecture ranking: 14 Module Construction Elementhouse uses traditional materials such as dimensioned lumber, gypsum drywall, Tyvek building vapor barrier, and 1x10 cedar lap siding. Spray foam insulation is used in the floor, while 4 Honeywell Polyurethane closed cell foam insulation is used in the walls 01 Wall detail
Architecture ranking: 14 Living module Kitchen module Sleeping module 01 Plan 02 module connection detail
Architecture ranking: 14 Living module Kitchen module Sleeping module 01 Plan 02 module connection detail
Architecture ranking: 14 Living module Kitchen module Sleeping module 01 Plan 02 module connection detail
Architecture ranking: 14 02 sectional connection detail 01 East - West Section
Engineering Ranking: 11 Transportation & Assembly One of the aspects of in which the team takes particular pride is the deployment system, especially because it helps keep the project within the idea of building "green" as much as possible. The house was originally constructed, one module at a time, in a warehouse on the Illinois campus. Each module was built in an assembly-line manner on a steel rail-androller system sitting on adjustable jack stands that allows the modules to be moved with relative ease and using only human power. Transportation of the modules of uses the same system: A module is raised via heavy-duty jacks, the rails and rollers are removed, a tractor-trailer is backed underneath and the module is lowered and secured onto the trailer. No external power systems such as cranes and forklifts are used--it's human power that puts the modules in place.
Engineering Ranking: 11 The first truck carries the hydraulic jack foundation and rail system. The entire assembly process takes less than 7 hours. Elementhouse was the first to be completely assembled during the during the opening day of the competition.
Engineering Ranking: 11 01 plan of floor joists that rest on jack foundations
Engineering Ranking: 11 01 floor joist detail
Engineering Ranking: 11 01 Even though is heavy enough to withstand 90 mph wind gusts for 3 seconds (a requirement of the design) it uses tie downs to provide additional uplift resistance
Engineering Ranking: 11 01 Elementhouse during assembly, showing the system of jacks and rails for foundation support
Engineering Ranking: 11 01 Elementhouse completely assembled
PV Panels Number of PV panels: 40 Area per panel: 13.6 sf Total PV area: 544 sf PV output: 185 watts/panel (peak power) Maximum output: 7400 W (In Washington, D.C., the height of the house will be limited, and the PV panels won't be at their optimum angle; there, we are expecting about 6800 W maximum.) 01 arial perspective of, showing PV panels for use as shading device for southern facade 02 Installation of PV panels into wooden frame
01 View from south facing deck into living module
Materials Gypsum board walls 4 Brushed aluminum baseboards Cabinets are solid bamboo with 3-Form Ting Ting facing panels Countertop is 3-Form Flooring is Natural Strand 3 Bamboo Boards Table legs and base constructed of reclaimed lumber. Table top surface is made of recycled plastic from old coat hangers. Stools by LEM 01 Views of kitchen module
Materials Gypsum board walls painted Hush White For maximum reflectivity of daylighting conditions. Brushed aluminum baseboards Pella double glazed windows and doors 3 Form Sofa and coffee table Seating at computer station by Herman Miller (Aeron Chair) Carbonized Strand Bamboo 3 Flooring 01 Views of living module
Materials Built in Cabinets of renewable wood with mahogany finish Pella Windows and Doors Gypsum board walls painted Distant Blue Ikea Bed Carbonized Strand Bamboo 3 Flooring 01 View of sleeping module
Lighting ranking: 7 Lighting Low windows allow for daylighting at task level LED accent lighting is incorporated into a suspended aluminum trellis. LED pendant lights are used in living and kitchen modules 01 View from kitchen module into living module
Appliances ranking: 18 Appliances Whirlpool high efficiency dishwasher Custom Refrigerator Most appliances are by Kohler and are bought off the shelf
Appliances ranking: 18 Appliances Whirlpool high efficiency dishwasher Custom Refrigerator Most appliances are by Kohler and are bought off the shelf
Comfort zone ranking: 1 Comfort and computerization The house is designed to completely eliminate forced air climate control by going with a simple, elegant radiant and natural convection system for both heating and cooling. Radiant conditioning naturally feels better and takes less energy than forced air, while eliminating the possibility of mold growth and allergen transport. The Illinois house also allows users to have remote access to the comfort systems through the house's computer system. The systems include a weather station that collects data outside the house and displays it online for remote access. Indoor temperatures and airflow are monitored by sensors that send data to the computer system, and alarm systems alert the occupants of abnormal situations. 01 Each module contains its own liquid/vapor lines and wire/tube heat exchanger as part of the radiant system for heating and cooling Elementhouse also monitors power systems and allows a user to decide when to run items that consume power for efficient use of power. Dehumidification has been separated from the house cooling and heating system, providing independent and efficient control of the house comfort conditions. The dehumidification system can remove 24 liters per day of water from the house and requires 600 watts of electrical power. Each occupant adds around 2.8 liters of water per day to the house.
Energy balance ranking: 10 01 PV connection to module structure Energy Balance The Energy team at Illinois created numerous computer calculations using a solar house model that simulates a house powered by photovoltaic (PV) solar collectors that convert solar energy into electrical energy. The energy powers all systems in the house (water heater, refrigerator, air conditioner, heat pump, etc.)
Hot water ranking: 19 Domestic Water Heating: A 20-gallon hot water tank is connected to a heat pump developed by University of Illinois students. The heat pump water heating capacity is 1.5 kw (approx. 5000Btu/hr) requiring 700 watts of electrical power. The water heater simultaneously provides approximately 700 watts (2500 Btu/hr) of cooling to the house interior. 01 Transporting the hose to fill water tanks. Element house has two water storage tanks in addition to the water heater: 260 gallon clean water rectangular tank for supply, and a 350 gallon gray water tank
Getting around ranking: 8 01 Tour route
Getting around ranking: 8 01 exit path distances
Communications ranking: 10 http:// www.solardecathlon.uiuc.edu/calendar/
Market viability ranking: 1 Is marketable? The Illinois team thinks it is. The house was constructed at a total project cost of $500,000-600,000, but that figure includes promotional, transportation and other costs associated with the competition. At an estimated $100-120 per square foot, the building costs are similar to traditional homes and affordable for many people. The solar panels account for approximately $60,000 of the total cost, but energy rebates and annual energy savings could offset that outlay, depending on the amount of incentives available in any given area. The flexibility afforded by using self-contained modules means a family can expand their home by adding the needed modules and using modules recycled by people who downsize after using the system. And the use of bamboo in furniture and floors, reused items such as the kitchen countertop and recycled ones such as the dining tabletop-- made of plastic coat hangers ム demonstrate creative ways to conserve natural resources, save money and still have a beautiful, comfortable home.
Market viability ranking: 1 The modular system of Element house allows for highway deployment and flexibility of floor plans, and they could be delivered to locations not accessible by larger units. In a real-world application, each module would be constructed in an assembly plant and then packaged for transfer. The modules can be transported on an individual chassis or grouped on a combined trucktrailer chassis. Every module carries its own solar collectors and space conditioning systems. Upon assembly, multiple systems can be connected on site to provide power for lighting appliances, space conditioning, cooking, laundry, toilet and shower, making it a very economical, fast, viable solution to housing needs.