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CCHT helps advance housing innovations
Armstrong, M. M.; Elmahdy, A. H.; Swinton, M. C.; Parekh, A.
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Home Builder, 21, 3, p. 24, 2008-05-01
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CCHT helps advance housing innovations
NRCC-50431
Armstrong, M.M.; Elmahdy, A.H.; Swinton, M.C.;
Parekh, A.
A version of this document is published in / Une version de ce document se trouve dans:
Home Builder, v. 21, no. 3, May 2008, p. 24
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CCHThelps advance housing innovations
By M.M. Manning and M.C. Swinton
Submitted to Home Builder.
This article highlights some of the technologies assessed at the Canadian Centre for
Housing Technology since its inception in 1998.
Since its launch in 1998, the Canadian Centre for Housing Technology (CCHT) has
assessed over thirty innovative housing-related technologies, supporting manufacturers in
their product research and development and providing performance information for
builders and homeowners. From helping to integrate products at the prototype stage, to
assessing those that are already commercially available, CCHT researchers pursue a
mandate of accelerating the development of new technologies and their acceptance in the
marketplace.
Caption: Canadian Centre for Housing Technology
CCHT is a unique research facility. Most of the research makes use of the R-2000 twin
research houses, which are identical in size, construction and orientation. These fully
instrumented houses contain over 300 sensors, 23 meters and a simulated occupancy
system based on typical living habits of a family of four. The houses provide the
opportunity to simulate real conditions and to compare the performance of an innovative
product or technology in one house (called the test house) to the standard conditions
maintained in the adjacent reference house. CCHT also features a separate rowhouse
building called an Info Centre, where technologies are displayed to visitors from Canada
and abroad.
Areas of Investigation
The technologies assessed to date can be grouped as follows.
Combined Heat and Power Generation
CCHT researchers have examined a number of residential-sized technologies that
generate both heat and electricity (called micro Combined Heat and Power technologies,
or microCHP units). These have included the first residential fuel cell installation in
Canada, two generations of Stirling engines, and an internal combustion engine coupled
to ground storage. All these technologies are powered by natural gas and generate
between 1 and 6 kW of power. Testing has examined thermal storage needs, the
proportion of electrical contribution of the microCHP when connected to the electrical
grid, and optimal sizing.
Alternative Energy
A solid oxide fuel cell was used to provide heat and power to the test house. Running at
steady state, the fuel cell emits only water and carbon dioxide, making it a clean
alternative for generating heat and electricity.
The InfoCentre has been used to demonstrate solar energy. Solar photovoltaic panels on
the roof generate electricity during daylight hours, and a solar concentrator system
connected to a storage tank provides heat for water and space heating. Additionally, two
ground source heat pump loops have been installed beside one of the twin houses. The
ground source system harnesses the power of the deep ground – having a constant
temperature of 11°C year round – to provide the cooling needs and part of the heating
needs of the house.
Heating Systems
The twin houses have been used to assess gas-fired combined space and domestic hotwater heating systems, which allow a hot water tank to perform the heating function of a
furnace. CCHT has also examined a variety of commercially available heating systems
including a two-stage natural gas furnace, a high-efficiency condensing gas furnace, and
electric furnaces with innovative controls and fan motors.
Window and Shading Technology
CCHT was used to compare the performance of high solar gain and low solar gain
windows (see Home Builder, March 2008). Even though the low solar gain windows
provided better cooling performance, the high solar gain windows offered higher yearround energy savings in most Canadian locations, as calculated using computer models.
Follow-up work will examine the use of commercial shading devices to reduce heat
losses at night during winter and air conditioning loads in summer.
Energy-efficient Products
A number of CCHT projects have examined energy-saving technologies and methods.
Research on products such as compact fluorescent lights and electronically commutated
furnace motors examined not only the electrical savings, but also their impact on space
heating and cooling loads.
A detailed study of thermostat setback found that a 3°C night-time setback resulted in 7%
seasonal heating energy savings. Raising the setpoint by 2°C in the summer resulted in
23% cooling energy savings.
An evaluation of several commercially available shower-water heat-recovery systems
resulted in the creation of an online calculator to determine savings and payback periods.
Facility Adaptations
CCHT has been adapted over the years in anticipation of the needs of manufacturers.
The facility now features:
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A microCHP research facility. Both research houses have been outfitted to be able
to export electricity or run off grid, while monitoring the power generated by a
microCHP unit. The facility also has the ability to harness the generated heat for
space and water heating.
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Means to change windows easily. Innovative modifications now enable all 31
windows in one of the twin houses to be changed with relative ease in a single day,
without affecting the airtightness of the house.
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A deep-well ground source heat pump facility. Three wells about 55 to 75 metres
in depth have been drilled beside the reference house to explore the use of ground
source heat, and ground heat storage. Capability to store and retrieve excess heat
from the microCHP into and out of the ground has been included.
CCHT is a partnership between the National Research Council of Canada, Natural
Resources Canada, and Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. For more
information, contact Marianne Manning at 613-991-0967 or [email protected]
The CCHT web site can be found at: http://www.ccht-cctr.gc.ca.
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