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Technical Note (National Research Council of Canada. Division of Building Research), 1964-09-01
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Proposed Observations on the NHBA Mark IV House, R.C.A.F. Station,
Rockcliffe, Ontario
Veale, A. C.
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DIVISION OF BUILDING RESEARCH
'f
E
C
1HI N ][ CAlL
NOTlE
No.
424
R.F.L.
PREPARED BY A. C. Veale CHECKED BY H. B. D.
ｾ
APPROVED Byｾ September 1964
PREPARED FOR Research Committee, National House Builders Association
SUBJECT PROPOSED OBSERVATIONS ON THE NHBA MARK IV HOUSE, R. C. A. F. STATION, ROCKCLIFFE, ONTARIO
The NHBA Mark IV house, located on the R. C. A. F. Station at Rockcliffe, is the fourth demonstration house project undertaken by the Research
Committee of the National House Builders Association. It was constructed
during 1964. Two earlier demonstration houses known as the Mark I and Mark II were built at Preston, Ontario, in 1957 and Forest Lawn, Alberta in 1959. A
Mark I house was also built at Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, in 1958, and this same house design with modifications was later used extensively in two new subdivisions in that area. The Mark III house was built at Rockcliffe Airport, adjacent to
the Mark IV, and has been under observation by the Division of Building Research.
The objective of this program is the evaluation of new building materials and components in housing. The houses themselves are not intended to represent advancements in over-all layout or design, but are used solely as a means of assessing in actual practice the technical suitability and cost potential of the new materials and methods of construction that are included in them.
The Division of Building Research, through its representation on the Research Committee of the National House Builders Association, has agreed to assist with this program by undertaking regular obse'rvations of the performance of each experimental house project. Owing to the location of the Mark I and II houses at Preston and Forest Lawn, observations were limited to periodic visits by members of DBR staff, but it has been possible to institute more detailed observations of the Mark III and IV projects. This note outlines the extent of the observations planned for the Mark IV.
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-FOUNDATIONS
( l) Stability
Elevation reference points will be located at the perimeter of the building and tied to a reference bench mark. They will be surveyed two or three times each year to determine whether any movements of the foundations have occurred. Knowledge of soil conditions is based on information obtained for the Mark III house, which is on a site immediately adjacent to the Mark IV.
(2) Durability
The program of observations on the durability of the wood used in the basement walls will be carried out by the staff of the Forest Products Re-search Branch of the Department of Forestry.
PLUMBING
Plastic Piping
Plastic hot and cold water supply pipe was used in the Mark III house and will be used in the Mark IV between the service entrance and the Ultra-Flo control console as well as to the laundry tubs in the basement. The Mark IV installation will have 20-ft sections of both hot and cold water piping accessible for measurement and possible removal. An extra 20 ft of unused pipe has been requested and will be retained at the Division of Building Research for control measurements, which will consist of:
(a) a weekly record of temperature and pressure in the hot water line; DBR!NRC will supply temperature and pressure gauges;
(b) a program of annual measurements, at several marked points, of the diameter of all piping in the Mark III and Mark IV houses to determine creep pattern;
(c) visual examination of pipe, particularly its inner surface, after use.
Depending on the information obtained from the above-noted
measurements burst tests may be carried out on used hot and cold water piping and on an unused sample of pipe.
Performance of Vents
Three sizes of main stack vents (1 in. I 2 in., and 3 in.) will be
installed. DBR/NRC will devise suitable valves so that anyone, or none, of the vents may be operated. Secondary vents from the laundry tray will be of
i-
and Ii-in. size, with ordinary valves installed. Transparent traps have been requested so that the effect on the traps of the various sizes of vents can be observed. The non- standard, low-flush toilet, which must be installed inconjunction with the sewage tre atment plant, will have a separate vent. Provision will be made for the future installation of a standard flush toilet to be connected to the various sizes of main stack vents.
Tests on the venting system will not be started until the standard toilet is installed and will depend on the installation of the transparent traps noted above. A variety of ad hoc tests can then be performed on the system, keeping in mind that the layout of this house is particularly favourable to satis-factory operation of the plumbing system.
All vent and waste piping in the Mark IV will be polyethylene.
HEATING AND VENTILATING
The heating system in the Mark IV house is similar to that in the Mark III house in that a forced warm-air down-flow furnace is installed that uses the crawl space (the space beneath the basement floor in the Mark IV) as a hot air plenum chamber. Warm air is supplied to the basement area by a continuous series of holes at the perimeter of the basement. Warm air can be supplied to the upper floor area by either a series of holes concealed behind the baseboard or conventional registers with ducts connected to the crawl space plenum. Return air registers with dampers are provided for both upstairs and basement.
A fresh air intake with damper and an exhaust outlet to outside are also provided. A duct for combustion air is provided in the furnace room. A grille in the furnace room door permits the combustion air duct to serve at times as an exhaust outlet. An automatic humidistat and motor-powered dampers control the operation of the fresh air intake duct and the return air registers.
DBR/NRC will carry out the following tests:
(1) Continuous observations of temperature and humidity within the living area and within the basement area throughout one winter to determine the effectiveness of the heating system under winter conditions.
4
-(2) Continuous observations of temperature and humidity within the living area and the basement area throughout one summer to determine the effectiveness of the ventilation system under summer conditions.
(3) Installation of strip-chart continuous-operation recorders for obtaining records of the position of the fresh-air intake damper and of furnace blower operation.
(4) Fuel consumption records will also be obtained so that heating costs can be compared with those of typical houses and the Mark III.
RADIATION-PROCESSED WOODS
Samples of radiation-processed wood have been obtained and installed in the Mark IV for experimental purposes. The samples include a door sill and threshold, some treated plywood samples to be exposed to weather, and control samples for laboratory testing. Observations will be carried out by the staff of the Forest Products Research Branch.
SEWAGE SYSTEM
Observations of the performance of the sewage system will be carried out by the staff of the Ontario Research Foundation.
GENERAL
In addition to the specific observations noted above, it is intended to keep the Mark IV house under general observation with the object of initiating additional studies if they appear to be warranted.
