# Presentation: 738591

## Case Study - Jones Residence

**Case Study - ****Jones Residence**
**Hickman, Kentucky**

**Notes:**
Case study residence is actually located in Richland, WA.  Hickman, Kentucky is assumed for inputs into MECcheck.

## Building Envelope

- Conditioned Basement

- Conditioned Main Floor

- Building Section

**Notes:**
The conditioned area or building envelope is the first thing that needs to be defined for MECcheck inputs.

The highlighted areas on the plans and building section show the areas of the house that are conditioned.  

## Ceiling Area

- 2415 s.f.

**Notes:**
The ceiling area in this residence corresponds with the main floor area because the ceilings are flat.  If this plan contained vaulted areas, the ceiling area would need to be adjusted for the larger ceiling area created by the vault.

## Raised Heel or EnergyTruss

**Notes:**
Vaulted ceilings are not the same as raised heel trusses.  This photo shows raised trusses (energy trusses or raised heel trusses) that allow for insulation to be evenly distributed along the truss rather than being compressed at the ends like standard trusses.  In MECcheck the user is asked if the truss is “all-wood joist/rafter/truss” or “all-wood raised joist/rafter/truss”.  The trusses in this case study are not raised trusses (see section, slide 15).

## Basement Wall Areas

- Above Grade Bsmt Walls (exterior wood) =  **837  s.f.** (93’ x 9’)
*     **(entered as wood frame wall not a basement wall)*
- Below Grade Bsmt Walls = 1044 s.f.
*Side basement walls = ****360 s.f.**** (*16 x9’ + 24 x9’)
- Back basement wall = ***684 s.f.**** (*76’x9’)
*(solid concrete or masonry)*

- Above Grade
- Bmst Walls (exterior wood) – **837 s.f**.

- Below grade basement walls –
- 360 s.f. side walls, 684 s.f. back wall

- Solid concrete or masonry

**Notes:**
Basement Walls:  
The “walkout” side  of the basement is an exterior wood wall with windows and doors and is entered as “wood frame wall – 16” o.c.”.  The perimeter length of this wall is 93’.  This length multiplied by the basement wall height of  9’ equals 837 square feet.

The “side” basement walls are assumed to be more than 50% below grade (see slide 6) so the entire wall is considered a “below grade basement wall (solid masonry)”.  Refer to p. 28 of the Council of Building Officials (CABO) Model Energy Code (MEC) Commentary (1995 Edition) for clarification.   The perimeter length of these side walls equals 40 feet (360 s.f.).
The “back” basement wall is totally below grade and is considered a “below grade basement wall”.  The length of the back wall is 76 feet (684 s.f.).  

The area of all the below grade basement walls is 1044 square feet (116’ x 9’).

## Basement Walls -
below grade

- Basement Walls -
- below grade

- >50% below grade  =
- below grade concrete basement wall

**Notes:**
The “side” basement walls are assumed to be more than 50% below grade so the entire wall is considered a “below grade basement wall (solid masonry)”.  Refer to p. 28 of the Council of Building Officials (CABO) Model Energy Code (MEC) Commentary (1995 Edition) for clarification.   

## Basement Walls -
MECcheck inputs

- Basement Walls -
- MECcheck inputs

- “back” below grade basement wall

- “side” below grade basement walls

**Notes:**
Screen shots of the below grade basement wall MECcheck inputs are shown.

The back basement wall is assumed to have 7’ of the 9’ basement wall below grade (the 2’ above grade portion is the crawlspace section adjacent to the basement wall).  The entire wall is assumed to be adjacent to the crawlspace for simplicity (this assumption is conservative).  Users can separate the “back” basement wall into two sections (one adjacent to the crawlspace and one adjacent to the garage (9’ below grade) if they wish.

The side basement walls are assumed to be 4.5’ below grade.  This assumption takes the average of the front of the wall that is totally above grade and the back section which is 9’ below grade.

## Exterior Wall Areas

**9’ Ceilings**

**9’ Ceilings**

**12’ Ceilings**

- 9’ Exterior Walls - **2180 s.f.**
- 12’ Exterior Walls - **689 s.f.**
- 3’ knee walls (between 9’&12’ sections) –  **153 s.f.**

**Notes:**
Exterior Walls:
The area of the exterior walls depend on the ceiling height of the space that the wall encloses.  The highlighted sections on the main floor plan show the ceiling heights in various areas of the residence.  The perimeter length of the exterior wall enclosing the space is multiplied by the wall height for the given area.  This wall height includes the depth of the rim joist, see slide  10.

The knee walls between the 9’ ceiling and 12’ ceiling sections also enclose the conditioned space.  See slide  9 for an example of an insulated knee wall between spaces with different ceiling heights.

## Insulated Knee Walls

**Notes:**
Insulated knee wall between spaces with different ceiling heights.

## Including Rim Joists in the Exterior Wall Area

**Notes:**
The exterior wall height of the main floor walls includes the depth of the rim joist.

## Floor Area

- Crawlspace Area - 783 s.f.

**Notes:**
The area of the floor above the crawlspace is entered as a “floor” in MECcheck.  The floor is insulated between the floor joists.

If the crawlspace wall had been insulated rather than the floor above the crawlspace, the perimeter length of the foundation stem wall would have been entered with the “crawlspace” tab in MECcheck.   

Note:  Do not enter a floor component (area)  if you enter the floor as a crawlspace (with perimeter “crawl wall” insulation).

The area of the crawlspace is highlighted in the above floor plan (783 s.f.).

## Slab Perimeter 

- Slab Perimeter - 93 linear feet

- Line represents the slab edge to be calculated in linear feet.

**Notes:**
The “front edge” of the basement exterior wall  (above grade) is entered as a “slab” in MECcheck.  The perimeter edge measures 93 feet.

##  Perimeter Slab Insulation

-  Perimeter Slab Insulation

**Notes:**
Example slab edge perimeter insulation.

## Insulation Levels 

- Insulation Levels

- Roof/Ceiling - R-38 batts
- Wall - R-19 batts
- Floor - R-19 batts
- Slab - R-5 rigid (24” vertical)

**Notes:**
Building Sections are used to clarify insulation locations and levels for MECcheck inputs.

## Window/ Door Area 

- Window Area - 533 s.f.; U-value = 0.40
- Glass Doors - 40 s.f.; U-value = 0.50
- Opaque Doors - 40 s.f.; U-value = 0.50

**Notes:**
Window and door areas are listed to simplify MECcheck inputs.

## Window/ Door Areas 

- Window/ Door Areas

- Window Area – **533 s.f.**
- Glass Doors - **40 s.f.**
- Opaque Doors - **40 s.f.**

- AreaCalc

**Notes:**
AreaCalc was used to calculate the window areas of the case study residence.  The screen shots of these calculations are shown above.