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Brighton Construction - Liberty Village: Lincoln, NE

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House Design | Evaluation Methodology | Research Milestones

House Design

Three bedroom, two-story, 1600 s.f. single-family detached homes with full basements and two-car garages.

Front elevation

 

Front elevation

 
Floor plan - First floor Floor plan - First floor

Floor plan - First floor

Floor plan - Second floor

Evaluation Methodology

Plastic plumbing manifold and PEX water supply piping

  • Five houses were studied to determine installation time and cost of a parallel PEX water supply piping system versus a conventional trunk and branch copper system.
  • Three houses included the PEX system and two included a copper system.
  • Water use of each system was captured before occupancy to determine fixture flow rates and the delivery time for hot water to reach the fixtures.

Advanced Framing Techniques:

  • The homes have been designed using optimum value engineering. The decision process, cost effect, and details will be featured to bring builders up to date on the process and cost trade-offs based on today's market, codes, and materials.

Smart Vapor Retarder

  • Sixteen homes will be studied for wetting/drying performance of various combinations of vapor and air retarders. Four different vapor retarders and three different air barriers will be studied.
  • The vapor retarders include: kraft paper on fiberglass batt insulation; a smart vapor retarder (called MemBrain™); polyethylene film; and moisture barrier and latex paint coats.
  • The air barriers will include OSB, 15# type D building paper, and spun bonded polyolefin weather barrier.
  • Each home will contain two different vapor barriers (on opposing wall surfaces) and one type of air barrier.
  • Sensors in wall cavities of selected areas of each home will measure temperature, humidity, and moisture content at hourly intervals.
  • All homes will be blower door tested before occupancy.

Ducts in conditioned space

  • A time and cost study will be conducted during duct sealing to compare mastic sealing and UL 181 approved foil tape.
  • Duct blaster testing will be performed to determine the effectiveness of each method.

Research Milestones

June 2005: Groundbreaking
December 2005: Two PEX water piping installation time and cost studies completed; sensors placed in wall cavities of four homes
February 2006: First network gateway comes online and 198 sensors are transmitting data
February 2006: Copper plumbing pipe installation studies completed
March 2006: First network gateway installed.
April 2006: First homes settled and occupied in Liberty Village
May 2006: Pervious pavement is installed
August 2006: All single family homes are occupied.