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Home > Research > Buildings > Zero Energy Buildings > Livermore, CA. > Building Envelope

Stylized Text: ZEH: Livermore, California.

           
Construction
Building Envelope
           

 

Picture of men discussing the Livermore design.Los Olivos Zero Energy Home Design

The first priority of the design was to minimize the building energy needs. A combination of energy efficiency measures were incorporated to create a comfortable yet highly energy efficient home.

Building Features

Foundation

  • 1.5" slab edge insulation (extruded polystyrene) with termite barrier controls winter heat loss and summer heat gain.

Floor

  • Large areas of flooring tile to improve summer thermal comfort.

Picture of ZEH's foundation, walls and windows.Windows

  • Low-E2 Milgard Suncoat windows with vinyl frames.
  • U-factor= 0.35, SHGC= 0.28, VisTrans=0.50
  • South, east, and west windows are shaded by generous overhangs.

Walls

  • R-13 cellulose insulation
  • 5/8" gypsum wallboard for increased interior thermal mass

Roof/ceiling

  • Tile roof
  • TechShield Radiant Barrier Sheathing
  • R-38 attic insulation

Lighting

  • Compact fluorescent lamps for permanently wired lighting fixtures