North Hill Place Apartments200 Cahal StreetHattiesburg, MSSite Inspection: 9/14/2016

Energy Savings from the EZ Retrofit ReportThe savings for this complex were generated using 8 separate building models, one for each building on site. Aggregating the savings of each model was conducted within the EZ Retrofit program.

General Observations and CommentsCondensed to a few sentence, the North Hill Place Apartments are a mix of efficient but dated mechanical systems, fixtures and building elements. Both the HVAC and DHW systems are a mix of old and relatively new components that should be updated or made more uniform. Air Source Heat Pumps should be seriously considered as an upgrade alternative in that they will significantly increase the efficiency of the cooling systems and exponentially increase those of the heating system. Lighting should also be updated throughout the residential spaces with LED lamps and throughout the common area spaces with more efficient florescent and LED lamps as well as occupancy and daylighting controls. Finally, a hot-roof (unvented roof) insulation assembly should be considered for all of the buildings to reduce conductive and air leakage energy losses in both the building envelope and the HVAC duct systems.

Section A, page 4 of the EZ Retro Fit Report details proposed building system upgrades, savings, costs, and payback periods for select building measures. While the benefits of any upgrade depend on the particular measure installed, the assessment below provides details on energy benefits as well as the potential for improved building performance and durability that a given upgrade may provide. They are site specific and supported by images when possible.

Estimated Complex Wide Energy Savings at the end of each section are offered as snapshot of the potential savings efficiency measures outline in the EZ Retrofit Report may bring to the property. Fuel and/or water specific savings are listed as is the percentage reduction the measure(s) would bring to the total current energy or water load of the property.

EnvelopeNorth Hill Place are all slab-on-grade buildings. Based on the age of the complex it is assumed that no slab insulation exists and that the cost to install perimeter insulation would be prohibitively expensive.

A visual inspection of wall insulation was not possible, yet a quick appraisal using infrared (IR) scans detected no serious deficiency in the wall assemblies that were examined.

Typical exterior wall Thermal image of typical exterior wall

As with Village Apartments and Lincoln Gardens, the North Hill Place ceiling insulation and roof assemblies have several problems, many of which have low cost/no cost solutions. While the insulation levels are in alignment with the current IECC code, the insulation suffers from severe wind washing. Soffet baffles are either improperly installed or are missing entirely and while sufficient insulation levels exist, directing the attic air flow over, and not through the insulation will greatly enhance the performance of that specific assembly as well as the building.

Attic insulation without soffit vents Thermal image of attic & roof assembly

Estimated Envelope, Complex Wide Energy Savings Electric Savings: % Reduction Energy Load:

HVACThe split system AC units with an integrated heating coil that exist in all of the apartment units have respectable efficiency rating but should be upgraded when system replacements are required. The EZ-Retrofit Tool recommendations on page 4 address this very subject. However, changing the system to that of an air-source heat pump (ductless mini-split) for both cooling and heating would guarantee greater levels of savings since they operate with high coefficient of perform ratings in both modes.

Programmable thermostats should also be considered for work day and late evening saving opportunities.

Estimated HVAC, Complex Wide Energy Savings Electric Savings: % Reduction Energy Load:

Domestic Hot WaterDHW systems, both residential in-unit and for the central laundry facility can be improved by insulating the tanks and the hot water piping or, when possible upgrading to air-source heat pump water heaters or on-demand systems since the existing fuel type is electric. If possible, and if gas in on site or could be brought on site, gas on- demand heaters could generate additional saving but at a substantial upfront cost.

Estimated DHW, Complex Wide Energy Savings Electric Savings: % Reduction Energy Load:

Clothes WashersUpgrading to higher efficiency washers and washers with Tier 1 MEF (modified energy factor) ratings would decrease energy and water use during each wash cycle, and energy use in the drying cycle. An analysis of these savings is not currently available in the EZ-Retrofit Tool.

Estimated Clothes Washer, Complex Wide Energy Savings Electric Savings: % Reduction Energy Load:

Water Savings: % Reduction Water Load:

Kitchen AppliancesAs with the clothes washers, higher efficiency refrigerators are available. Replacements should be specified when end of life schedules allow them to be updated. The savings potential for this measure is quite low.

Estimated Kitchen Appliance, Complex Wide Energy Savings kWh Savings: % Reduction Energy Load:

LightingThe use of LED lamps in the tenant spaces would be the most cost effective upgrade to this complex. Also within the tenant spaces, the replacement of T8 linear fluorescent with T5 or LED “tubes” is an obvious upgrade. Common area space with T8 and T12 lamps should be upgraded and lighting controls used in all appropriate locations – low use areas.

Estimated Lighting, Complex Wide Energy Savings Electric Savings: % Reduction Energy Load:

Motors & ControlsNot applicable.

Air SealingAn elegant, though a more costly solution to the ceiling wind washing and ducts in conditioned space problem would be to create a hot roof assembly. Use spray foam to seal in and insulate the eaves, soffits and the entire roof deck. Air movement and air leakage would no longer a problem, and 100% of the ducts would be brought inside of the thermal envelope doing away with the losses that are currently occurring. Whole building blower door testing would be a recommended to establish a baseline air exchange rate from which potential energy savings could be calculated. A 10% to 20% reduction in HVAC energy use would not be an unreasonable expectation when following this strategy.

Estimated Air Sealing, Complex Wide Energy Savings Electric Savings: % Reduction Energy Load:

Duct SealingA visual inspection of the ductwork shows sufficient levels of tape and mastic. However, a reoccurring problem that was identified was that ducts within unconditioned spaces were not well insulated. With the insulation levels and attic configurations of this complex the ducts would benefit from being buried under 10 to 12 inches of insulation. As measured on the day of the site visit the “exposed” ducts were baking in 130 degree attic temperatures.

. Insulation levels in attic Exposed ducts in attic Thermal image of attic

Additionally, a common problem found at this site as well as others is that the HVAC ceiling vent boot assemblies are not sealed to the drywall. The loss of conditioned air through these poorly installed assemblies could be felt during the site inspection. This is a quick, low cost fix and the energy savings could be best determined with blower door and duct testing protocols. The maintenance staff was instructed on how to remedy this situation.

Unsealed ceiling register duct boot

Estimated Duct Sealing, Complex Wide Energy Savings Electric Savings: % Reduction Energy Load:

Water Conservation & Water SavingsWater fixtures throughout the complex are predominately low flow but from a dated standard. Newer, lower volume fixtures now exist and would show marginal improvements in the water consumption at the property.

Estimated Water Conservation, Complex Wide Water Savings Gallon Savings: % Reduction Water Load: