FLeX House- Zero Energy House Prototype
The project is to research, design, build, and evaluate an affordable, modular, pre-fabricated, Zero Energy Housing prototype for a hot humid climate to be deployed on a large scale as single or multi-family housing. Because of its flexibility and quickly deployable nature the system could be used as long term zero energy disaster relief housing. The prototype will function as an exhibition of energy efficiency and Zero Energy Home [ZEH] technology for the University community and the general public. The project will feature the most cost-effective combination of renewable solar energy and high levels of building energy efficiency. The building will incorporate the latest energy- efficiency technologies and renewable energy systems to achieve the most reliable results.
About You
About You
First Name
Stanley
Last Name
Russell
About Your Organization
Organization Name
University of South Florida
Organization Website
Organization Phone
813-974-4031
Organization Address
4202 E Fowler Ave.
Organization Country
United States, FL, Hillsborough County
Country where this project is creating social impact
United States, FL
Is your organization a
Non‐profit/NGO/citizen sector organization
How long has your organization been operating?
More than 5 years
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Innovation
Entry Form title
FLeX House- Zero Energy House Prototype
Describe your project
The project is to research, design, build, and evaluate an affordable, modular, pre-fabricated, Zero Energy Housing prototype for a hot humid climate to be deployed on a large scale as single or multi-family housing. Because of its flexibility and quickly deployable nature the system could be used as long term zero energy disaster relief housing. The prototype will function as an exhibition of energy efficiency and Zero Energy Home [ZEH] technology for the University community and the general public. The project will feature the most cost-effective combination of renewable solar energy and high levels of building energy efficiency. The building will incorporate the latest energy- efficiency technologies and renewable energy systems to achieve the most reliable results.
What stage is your project in?
Idea phase
What makes your project unique as it relates to the theme of this competition?
Although there have been several examples of ZEH built in recent years. Most of them have been for an upper income bracket but have not addressed the problem of affordable, sustainable housing. To be implemented on a large scale ZEH must be affordable to someone on a moderate to low income. FLeX House achieves cost effectiveness by the pre-fabrication construction methodology and by the economical use of materials and systems. The high degree of energy efficiency of the building means that less solar power is necessary to operate it and the solar panels can be designed economically for an optimum output. For the homeowner or renter the operating costs of the house will be very low because there will be no net electric power expense over the course of the year. Widespread implementation of ZEH will mean a higher standard of housing for low to moderate income people as well as a healthier environment with reduced fossil fuel emissions. FLeX House is uniquely designed for a hot humid climate and provides an environmentally responsive affordable prototype that will be effective throughout much of the SE United States as well as Caribbean countries. More than just a house, FleX House is a modular building system that can expand to accommodate larger families or to become multi-family housing. Using a limited kit of parts FleX House can take on a variety of forms to adapt to an urban suburban or rural scenario. In a disaster relief situation Flex House could be quickly deployed to provide permanent housing.
Share the story of the founder and what inspired the founder to start this project
Florida buildings account for almost 84% of total electrical energy use in the state. Homes account for more than 51% and commercial buildings account for more than 32%. Electricity is largely generated using fossil fuels that pollute the environment. A recent study by ACEEE states that building energy use can be reduced by 25-35% using energy efficient technologies, saving Florida many millions of kilowatt hours annually. The U.S. DOE Building America program “Research Toward Zero Energy Homes” clearly states the research goal of creating homes that are super-efficient and can operate using small quantities of on-site PV power.
Stanley Russell began studying energy conservation in buildings in the late 1970s during the oil crisis. In 2009 Russell received a grant from the Florida Energy Systems Consortium to design and build a ZEH learning center for the USF campus. Russell put together a team of researchers from 4 major Florida Universities. It was determined that in order to have an impact on electrical energy use in the state, ZEH must be affordable so that they can be implemented on a large scale. Efficiency is a key to affordable construction so a modular, pre-fabricated building process was decided on. Modular construction systems lend themselves to quick setup at the site and arte ideal for providing long or short term housing to those displaced by a natural disaster. FLeX House is a building system that could be implemented to house people in a single home scenario and can also adapt to a multi-family scenario in a dense urban area.
Social Impact
This Entry is about (Issues)
Who or what (i.e. youth, women, environment, etc.) benefits from your project, and why is your project critical?
The project benefits those on a moderate to low income because it is a model for affordable sustainable high quality housing that can be implemented quickly on a large scale. The project benefits society as a whole by the reduction in the need for costly centralized power generating capacity. The reduced need for generating capacity means that fewer fossil fuels need to be burned relieving stress on delicate and vulnerable eco-systems. The environment benefits from the reduced use of fossil fuels and everyone benefits from a cleaner environment.
Please describe how your project has been successful and how that success is measured.
The project has brought together students and faculty from 4 major Florida Universities in a common cause of creating affordable, sustainable housing. The team has progressed to the construction stage and has been successful in creating a plan for the implementation of FLeX House. FLeX house was one of 20 houses chosen by the Department of Energy to be exhibited in the 2011 Solar Decathlon. The design was also given and honor award by the local chapter of the American Institute of Architects and has captured the attention of many companies and professional organizations interested in supporting the project. The broad support by many factions adds certainty to the fulfillment of the projects long term goals of broad scale implementation. In the short term after the prototype is complete it will be a living lab of ZEH technologies and its systems will be constantly monitored to test their efficacy. Through the continual process of installing and monitoring systems in the prototype the most successful, efficient and economical combination of materials and systems will be determined.
How many people have been impacted by your project?
101 - 1,000
How many people could be impacted by your project in the next three years?
More than 10,000
What barriers might hinder the success of your project and how do you plan to overcome them?
The poor economic conditions for building have made it difficult for many companies to participate in or support our project. Once the economy has recovered and the building industry returns to health we expect the FLeX House concept to be adopted by a housing manufacturer and the commercial sales and widespread implementation will begin. Shipping is always an obstacle to affordability in prefabricated homes so FLeX house was designed to fit within the prescribed size limitations for highway transport. Implementation in the Caribbean will depend on partnering with existing local industries or establishing new manufacturers in Caribbean locations.
How will your project evolve over the next three years?
FLeX House will be entered in the DOE’s Solar Decathlon in the fall of 2011. Taking the house to Washington DC will test the limits of shipping constraints and provide valuable lessons about shipping the house in the future. After the competition the house will be brought back to the USF campus where it will become a living laboratory of ZEH technologies and a learning center for the community. Housing manufacturers will be approached about producing the prototype as a commercially available product and the potential for producing houses for the Caribbean region will be explored.
Sustainability
For each selection, please explain the financial and non-financial support from each
Individuals- Individuals who have heard about the project through the media have offered their support as volunteers lending expertise and technical support and have also contributed small amounts of financial support through our websites donation tab.
Businesses- Several business from the building industry and power utilities have provided financial or in-kind donations.
Regional government- The Florida Energy Systems Consortium [FESC] is financed with a State of Florida Grant. Flex House is being financed in part by a grant from the FESC.
How do you plan to grow and/or diversify your base of support in the next three years?
We have asked for support through several articles and programs in the media and we will continue to do so over the next 3 years. Some local business organizations have offered to help get the word out to their memberships. As the nature of the project changes from construction to transportation to testing and monitoring different business will be approached for support according to the type of work that needs to be done. We will continue to pursue government and private grant possibilities over the next 3 years. We have begun to develop a support group using various internet tools and those efforts will continue and intensify in the next 3 years.
Collaboration
Please select your areas of intervention in the home improvement market
Is your innovation addressing barriers in the home improvement/progressive housing market? If so, please describe in detail your mechanisms of intervention
Are you currently collaborating with private companies, or have you partnered with private companies in the past? With which companies?
Please describe in detail the nature of the partnership(s)
Select the unit(s) with which the partnership was formed
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| single family floor plan.jpg | 121.97 KB |
| section.jpg | 152.24 KB |
| single family.jpg | 152.85 KB |
| 2 family.jpg | 175.45 KB |
| multifamily.jpg | 147.57 KB |
| modular system.jpg | 130.27 KB |
 | 118 weeks ago Stanley Russell updated this Competition Entry. |
| 118 weeks ago Stanley Russell updated this Competition Entry. |
| 118 weeks ago Stanley Russell submitted this idea. |
