We finished the trench work for our natural gas and electric service lines from PG&E today.  Bryan called for the first inspection and was fortunate to schedule the appointment for tomorrow (08/04/10).  However, our PG&E Project Manager, Nathan Lee, cautioned us that the next available ‘lay in’ was two weeks out.

Meeting with Allan Courtney

Bryan met with Allan Courtney of Statewide Roofing this morning at 9:00 am.  Al liked the progress and thought the insulated skylight curbs should be raised to allow better flashing.  Bryan agreed to raise the curbs by 1-1/4 inch while reducing the thickness of the plywood from 1/2 inch to 1/4 inch.  These two changes will increase the effective curb height by 1-1/2 inches.

Also, Al reviewed photos of some bathroom exhaust fans that vented through a flat roof and recommended that we place the fan vents directly on the tapered flat roof and simply flash to them.  That works with us.

Reviewing Preliminary Home Automation with Brandon Smith

After meeting with Al, Bryan met with Brandon Smith at the job site.  Brandon walked Bryan through the home automation design and Bryan provided feedback. 

Also, they discussed possible locations and mounting alternatives for a satellite dish and a weather station on the roof.  Given our membrane roof system and other components in our house, it is critical to anticipate and plan for future needs and requirements.  We will invest in the connectivity infrastructure now, when we can, so that we will be able to accommodate different systems in the future.

Brandon will updated the home automation design plans and return them to Bryan by Friday.  Then, they will be ready for Paul Fulton to review.

Picking Up Two Loads of Sand

To complete the trench for PG&E, we picked up two loads of sand in our Dodge RAM 1500.  We got the sand from Granite Rock on Snell Road in San Jose.

Izzy, the master trencher, distributed the sand in the trench and he and Michael Bennison were able to install 3-inch conduit from the PG&E box in the front yard to the conduit in the foundation, as requested by Nathan Lee.

After completing these activities, Bryan called the Inspection Desk at PG&E and requested a ‘Trench Inspection.’  PG&E was able to accommodate our schedule and will send an inspector tomorrow.  Only after passing the Trench Inspection will PG&E schedule a Lay-In for the natural gas.  According to our Project Manager, Nathan Lee, the next available Lay-In in two weeks (08/16/10).

Laying Out the Downspout Locations

Based on the shop drawings that Leo Richardson sent to Bryan, we mapped out the locations and verified the dimensions of the insulated skylight curbs on the roof.  Given the other requirements and some conflicts, Bryan adjusted the downspout locations by a few inches and then marked the downspout locations for Izzy to trench to.

Izzy completed the trench to one of the four downspouts on the West side of the house.

Scheduling a Meeting with Matt Jung for Wednesday, 08/04

We need to get all of our geothermal ground loops completed and tested, before we can close the trenches on the East and West sides of the house.

Ken Martin completed the design and now we need 88HVAC (Matt Jung) to be on site to connect the ground loops.  Bryan spoke with Matt this afternoon and Matt will be at the project site in the morning to review the details on connecting the HDPE in each of the concrete piers.  Connecting the HPDE will require using a concrete chipping hammer, which Izzy is the master of.

Completing the Fascia

While there were several meetings and lots going on below, the two-person team from Earth Bound Homes continued to work on completing the fascia.  Francisco and Carlos finished putting in the 2x material on the lower flat roof on the North and West sides of the house, and completing the fascia on the West end of the South Gable. 

After completing the roof tasks, Francisco and Carlos raised the door height framing so it would be at the bottom of the drop beams on the West side of the house.  And, they adjusted the stud spacing to accommodate the faucets in the Upper Powder Room and between the Master Shower and Kate’s Shower.

The first partial bucket of sand is loaded into our pickup truck at GraniteRock's Snell Avenue location. This load was almost 1,900 lbs.

Given the first load was a bit heavy, Bryan asked the excavator operator to go a bit lighter and give us 1,600 lbs. He erred on the light side and gave us 1,460 lbs.

With the sand, we were able to backfill the trench and get the 3-inch electrical conduit in place. We're ready for our Trench Inspection, which will be tomorrow (08/04/10).

Izzy, the Master Trencher, quickly dug the trench to the North West downspout on the West wall. Three more to go on this side.

The fascia around the lower-, upper- and gable roofs is now complete. All of the tasks have been completed relating to installing the tapered insulation (except for completing the mounts for the solar panels).

We got it done today – the PEX is in.

PEX and the Critical Path

Since we have radiant heating (and cooling) in the house, we need to put PEX into the concrete.  Our design was different in the ground floor as compared to the lower level.

On the main floor, we had to pour at least 3 inches of concrete over the hollow core concrete panels, as it forms a composite system (the concrete and the hollow core concrete panels).  In those areas where we have hardwood floor, we will have 3 inches of concrete and 2¼ inches of hardwood flooring.  Where concrete will be the finished floor, we will have 5¼ inches of concrete.  In the lower level, we will have 3 inches of concrete where the concrete is the finished floor.

The reinforcing steel (rebar) is placed in the middle of the slab and we want the PEX close to the surface of the concrete.  Thus, on the ground floor the rebar was put down first and then we attached the PEX on top of the rebar.  In the lower level, where we have a 3 inch slab, our design is to put down 6-6-10-10 wire mesh, then attached the PEX to that.  The rebar will go on top of the PEX.

Now that the concrete was poured on the ground floor, we cleaned up the debris that fell to the lower level and had to put in the PEX.  Then, Bill Brown’s team could put in the forms and rebar.

Thus, the PEX is on the critical path.

Installing the PEX

Matt Jung sent one of his top technicians, Tom Rutledge, to install the PEX.  Bryan was his helper.

Tom arrived at the job site on time and quickly assessed the situation.  Bryan had just picked up the sheets of 6-6-10-10 wire mesh and we started. 

We laid out the wire mesh evenly over the areas where the PEX would go, cutting it to shape and securing it with nylon ties.  Then, it was time to start ‘picking rice’.  This is the term used to describe the task of laying out the PEX and then securing it to the wire mesh with nylon ties.  Just like picking rice.

It took most of the afternoon but we finished on time.  It was satisfying to see the PEX in place, ready for the rebar.

There was light rain today, which is helping the concrete to cure slowly so it won't crack (we hope!).

The PEX is done! Note the neat layout of the PEX, on 12 inch centers. Next step is to put the rebar in and place the forms around the perimeter.

After a solid day of work, Tom had a big smile knowing we met the deadline to have the PEX in place so the rebar can go in..

It was another beautiful blue-sky California day today.  Our goal is to complete pouring concrete inside the house before Thanksgiving so that means we need to have the radiant heating/cooling PEX loops inside the concrete before each pour.

We need to pour concrete over the hollow core concrete panels in the living area and the garage on the main level, and then pour three inches of concrete in the lower level.  On the main floor, there will be 3 inches of concrete everywhere and 5.25 inches of concrete where we are having exposed concrete.  The other areas will have hardwood flooring in a 2.25 inch system (3/4 inch subfloor, 3/4 inch PEX layer, and 3/4 inch hardwood flooring).

Bill Brown was confident that his team wouldn’t be on the ‘critical path’ and that the radiant heating/cooling (PEX) would cause delays in meeting the Thanksgiving deadline.

The gauntlet was thrown …

Silicon Valley Mechanical Improves on Our Initial Radiant Design

Several month ago we started working with Ken Martin of Silicon Valley Mechanical to design the radiant heating and cooling, and the displacement air ventilation.  Ken is a Professional Engineer and has extensive experience with innovative projects, including David Kineda’s Z-squared building in San Jose, which David won a USGBC Northern California chapter award for (and was presented at the USGBC NorCal Gala on 10/30/09).

We had engaged Monterey Energy Group for the initial design of the radiant layout, which they did.  After meeting with Ken and reviewing the preliminary design with him, Ken identified a number of innovative improvements that could be made in a cost-effective manner that would allow for simultaneous radiant heating and cooling across zones as well as heating the swimming pool and cooling the wine cellar.

The highlights of Ken’s design changes included:

• Enabling radiant cooling by controlling humidity inside the house (to control the dew point and resulting condensation).
• Increasing the diameter of the PEX from 1/2 inch to 5/8 inch, which reduces the pressure drop in a loop.
• Placing the PEX on 9 inch centers (vs 12 inch).
• Using a loop layout so the average temperature differential between the supply and return PEX yields the same differential.

Placing Our First PEX Loops

Matt Jung from 88HVAC met Bryan at the project site and showed him how to take the PEX off the spool and lay out the PEX.  Matt has extensive experience with radiant heating and this will be his first radiant heating and cooling project.

We are tying the PEX to the #3 reinforcing steel (rebar), which is placed 18 inches on center each way.  Bill Brown cautioned us to ensure that no PEX loop should be able to ‘float’ upward as he will be doing saw cuts to control the cracking in the slab.  With the PEX loops pressurized to 100 PSI, Ken Martin believes that we should be OK.  Bill would have preferred to have the PEX under the rebar; for performance purposes, we will be placing the PEX on top of the rebar so it is closer to the surface (but safe from the saw cuts).

A perfect beautiful blue-sky California day to start laying out our PEX.

Before Matt arrived, Bryan used our shop vacuum to clean the debris from the perimeter voids around the hollow core concrete panels.

Matt working with Bryan to lay out our first PEX loops and zip tie the PEX securely to the rebar.

We need to finalize the design on our exposed concrete floors.  The design we need to establish (decide on) includes the following elements:

1. The color, if any, of the concrete;
2. How that color is set in the concrete (stain or integral);
3. The finishing of the concrete (grind into the aggregate or just into the ‘cream’);
4. The sealant (if any); and
5. The level of polishing.

Reviewing Alternatives

Bryan spoke with Bill Clyne, who explained the differences in the various alternatives facing us, including the maintenance and other issues.  Bill recommended that we visit Safeway’s new ‘The Market‘ store in downtown San Jose.  The floor in this store is stained, sealed and polished, and has received accolades from many people.

Bryan visited the store and was fortunate to meet with Safeway’s product manager for the The Market line.  Safeway has two The Market stores, with the first store opened in southern California (Long Beach) and the second store in San Jose.

The stained and polished concrete looked great in the store.  it was a warm ’earth tone’ and not a cold gray concrete.  Jo-Anne wants our floor to have a warm earth tone and not gray concrete.

(Bryan received permission to take photos of the stained and polished concrete floor in The Market.)

Stained and polished concrete floor with saw cuts to control cracking.

Grace integral color chart against the stained and polished concrete.

Floor area with a deeper grind, exposing the aggregate.

Section of signs identifying the 'green' features of The Market.

With the rebar in place, the forms are being set in the locations where the concrete will be at 3 inches and where it will be at 5.25 inches.

Bill Brown visits our job site to review progress and discuss the findings relating to finishing the concrete.

Uponor 5/8 PEX on an uncoiling spool, ready for installation by Matt Jung (88HVAC) on the weekend.

It was a beautiful blue-sky, California day today.  A dirigible appeared in the sunshine, circling over Los Gatos and the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Dirigible flying over Los Gatos.

Discussion with Matt Jung

Matt Jung from 88HVAC met Bryan at the job site to discuss the geothermal and radiant heating requirements and timing.  The last time Matt was at the site was in November 2008 so a lot had changed since them.

We need to establish all ducting requirements prior to completing the concrete walls. (more…)

Bryan was up early this morning and on the road before 7:00 am.

His first stop was in Davis to meet with Davis Energy Group at 8:45 am.  To obtain LEED certification requires independent verification of the design and actual construction.  Davis Energy Group, located in Davis, CA, certifies buildings in northern California for the U.S. Green Building Council.

Bryan met with Patti Heath and Pepper Smith on time and presented our project to them.  They liked the project and everyone left the meeting feeling like it will be a good fit.  Next steps are for Davis Energy Group to send us a questionnaire and an agreement.

Next stop was Meline Engineering in Sacramento.  We engaged Lisa Meline and had been working with her and Josh Perkl since July but had not met either of them in person.

We met for almost 90 minutes in a conference room and walked through some of the remaining issues that needed to be addressed.  It was another good meeting and we’re looking forward to refining the geothermal design.

Leaving Sacramento, Bryan called Rusty Weston so schedule a lunch and vanilla latte.  He was available and we agreed to meet at the ‘usual’ Mexican restaurant in Lafayette.

As Bryan was driving, he called Matt Jung of 88HVAC.  Matt is a wealth of knowledge regarding geothermal and we needed to speak with him while the conversation with Lisa and Josh was still fresh.  We spoke and he gave us some deeper insight into the actual equipment alternatives that Lisa had outlined.  Also, Matt suggested that we visit one of his job sites on my way through Orinda.  That sounded great so Bryan took Matt up on the offer.

Lunch with Rusty was relaxed and fun.  After lunch, Bryan jumped on the freeway and then exited at Orinda.  It took a while to find the job site but it was worth the effort.  Matt has some excellent clients and he is definitely one of the most experienced with geothermal heat exchange projects in the Bay Area.