Grant: Collaborative Research and Development Grants

Building in the cold Canadian climate poses several challenges including extreme weather conditions, high cost of locally available building materials, and a higher cost of heating energy. Canadian builders are experimenting with factory-built housing to address the first two issues, and with energy management systems to address the third one. However, much research remains to be done in order for these to become truly viable and cost-effective. The research is a Collaborative Research and Development project carried out by the University of Alberta and supported by Integrated Realty Management Inc, Cormode & Dickson, and NSERC. The project involves the construction and monitoring of a building located in Fort McMurray, Alberta. In Phase 1, the first two buildings of the project are to be constructed in a factory (modular) and shipped to the site for erection, a process that is expected to reduce the construction cost. A secondary objective of this phase is to monitor the indoor air quality during the manufacturing and curing process in order to quantify the VOC emissions. Phase 2 of the project will address lower heating costs, energy efficiency, and indoor air quality. The buildings are to be heated using a combination of geothermal energy, solar energy, drain water heat recovery, and conventional electric/natural gas energy. A management system will be developed to coordinate the use of all these sources of energy. Computer-aided tools and a central management system will be developed to assess the overall performance of buildings in terms of durability, weathering, energy efficiency, indoor air quality, and cost-effectiveness. A forecast model will be developed to provide the lifecycle analysis of the building system based on changing climate conditions. The multidisciplinary nature of this research provides a unique opportunity for students, faculty, and industry partners to learn from each other, to explore together and to achieve the research goals. This research will diversify the construction industry in Canada, offer options in limiting the emission of VOCs during the construction process, and optimize a novel energy management system that has the potential of making housing more affordable.