Project Documentation

1 Abstract

EnerPHit factory building in Katunayake, Sri Lanka

1.1 Data of building

17. Year of Construction

Year of construction 2016
Space cooling 183
U-value external wall 0.33 W/(m²K) kWh/(m²a)
U-value basement slab 5.79 W/(m²K) Primary Energy Renewable (PER) 164 kWh/(m²a)
U-value roof 0.18 W/(m²K) Generation of renewable energy 19 kWh/(m²a)
U-value window 1.81 W/(m²K) Non-renewable Primary Energy (PE) 344 kWh/(m²a)
Heat recovery Pressure test n50
69 % 0.8 h-1

Special features High-performing curtain wall with low absorption or highly reflective to reduce
cooling loads. Highly reflective Roof. Wrap around heat pipes in primary AHUs
for passive dehumidification reheat.

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1.5 Specialties
18. Information about the design/ Architecture
The project’s location in a hot and humid climate, combined with its use as a manufacturing facility, resulted
in a heightened focus on strategies to reduce gains from both the sun and from equipment and occupants in
the space. The existing building’s steel structure was primarily preserved for the renovation with additional
framing added as required. The perimeter of the building features long roof overhangs as well as exterior
window shading screens to reduce solar gains in the building. A highly efficient double pane curtain wall
system with ultra-low solar heat gain glazing was used to further reduce cooling loads. EIFS was used at
the opaque portions of the façade to create a continuous thermal and air tight enclosure around the building.
To further reduce thermal bridging, thermal breaks were used at steel attachments for the window screens
and Aerolon paint was used on existing steel members that were penetrating the continuous insulation
layer. At the project’s completion, the building tested at whole building air tightness of 0.78 ACH50.

19. Information about the building services

Ventilation to the building is provided by 69% efficient energy recovery ventilators (ERVs) which help keep
heat and humidity out of the building year-round. The primary cooling system in the building is a variable
refrigerant flow (VRF) system. 2 large air handling units with heat pump coils provide cooling to the primary
work floor. These air handling units feature wrap around heat pipes to passively provide extra
dehumidification / reheat capacity to the system. These heat pipes save the project approximately 108,000
kWh/yr in dehumidification energy alone. Given the project’s unique typology as a manufacturing facility,
detailed surveys and analysis of the process loads in the spaces were done at multiple iterations of the
project to ensure internal loads were being modelled properly.

20. (if involved) Information about the building physics

N/A

21. (if involved) Information about the structural design

See notes regarding structure in section 18.

Architect Jordan Parnass Digital Architecture

http://jpda.net/

Mechanical engineering Chandana Dalugoda Consultants

http://www.chandanadalugoda.net/
MEP Kosala Kamburadeniya PE

Structural engineering Ajith Vandebona PE

Passive House project planning Dylan Martello, Steven Winter Associates

www.swinter.com

Certifying body Dragos Arnautu, Passive House Institute

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 https://passivehouse.com/

Certification ID Project-ID (www.passivehouse-database.org) 6030

Author of project documentation

Dylan Martello (Steven Winter Associates)

Date Signature

11/19/2021

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2. Abstract

Steven Winter Associates, Inc. (SWA) worked remotely with a project team across the world to retrofit
an outdated factory in Katunayake, Sri Lanka and turn it into an EnerPHit Passive House certified
garment manufacturing facility. Jordan Parnass Digital Architecture, the Passive House Designer for
the project, recruited SWA to provide technical assistance to the project team. SWA services for this
project include Passive House design analysis and recommendations, mechanical design review,
energy and thermal bridging modelling, as well as testing and verification required for Passive House
certification.

The team enlisted the guidance of the Passive House Institute (PHI) early on in the project’s
development to tackle the many complexities associated with the EnerPHit standard - a Passive
House certification that was designed by PHI for the renovation of existing buildings. The project’s
location in a hot and humid climate, combined with its use as a manufacturing facility, resulted in a
heightened focus on strategies to reduce gains from both the sun and from equipment and occupants
in the space. A high-performing curtain wall, with a solar heat gain coefficient of 0.22, was designed in
conjunction with strategically designed overhangs and external shading screens to reduce the overall
heat gain into the building.

The opaque portions of the thermal envelope feature an Exterior Insulated Finish System (EIFS) to
continuously wrap both existing and new structural components in insulation with minimal thermal
bridging. All exterior surfaces coatings have been specified as low absorption or highly reflective to
further reduce cooling loads. Mechanical systems include advanced dehumidification controls that
utilize waste heat from the cooling system to enhance the dehumidification capacity. Controlling the
humidity in the space is not only essential for Passive House certification, but also for ensuring optimal
thermal comfort for occupants.

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3. Building Elevations

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View from East. Photo courtesy of Ganidu Balasuriya Photography (2018)

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View from West. Photo courtesy of Ganidu Balasuriya Photography (2018)

4. Exemplary photo from the inside of the building

Interior Ground Floor Entry. Photo courtesy of Ganidu Balasuriya Photography (2018)

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Interior 2nd Floor. Photo courtesy of Ganidu Balasuriya Photography (2018)

Interior 2nd Floor. Photo courtesy of Ganidu Balasuriya Photography (2018)

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5. Sectional view of the building

Select wall sections. Courtesy of Jordan Parnass Digital Architecture (JPDA).

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6. Floor plans

Ground Floor Plan. Courtesy of Jordan Parnass Digital Architecture (JPDA).

2nd Floor Plan. Courtesy of Jordan Parnass Digital Architecture (JPDA).

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7. Construction of floor slab / basement ceiling
Existing floor slab remained uninsulated. It was concluded that no significant energy or
comfort benefits would’ve resulted from insulating this slab.

8. Construction of the exterior walls

The exterior walls were built around the existing steel structure to limit thermal bridging on
the project. Brick was the primary backup material for the exterior wall structure. To the
exterior of the brick is a 12mm cement board layer which acted as the substrate for the
continuous fluid applied air barrier. To the exterior of the cement board and air barrier is an
80mm thick EPS insulation layer with a drainage layer behind it and stucco on the exterior to
complete the building exterior insulated finish system (EIFS). The exterior wall has a U-value
of U-0.329 W/m2.K.

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Typical Exterior Wall Detail. Courtesy of Jordan Parnass Digital Architecture (JPDA).

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9. Construction roof / ceiling of the top floor
The existing steel structure to support the roof was largely maintained for the retrofit. The
primary roofing system is a 120mm self-supporting polyurethane insulated metal panel
system. The roof has a U-value of U-0.182 W/m2.K. To reduce thermal transmission through
the roof structure, a highly reflective coating was applied to the exterior face of the roofing
panels. Air sealing tape was applied at the roof to wall air barrier connections.

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Typical Roof-Wall Detail. Courtesy of Jordan Parnass Digital Architecture (JPDA).

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10. Windows and installation of the window
The windows are a double pane curtain wall system with Gutmann F50 thermally broken
metal frames. The EIFS system was detailed to wrap under / over the window frame to
provide continuity of the thermal insulation plane at the window to wall connection. The
thermal performance of the window system components are as follows:

- U-frame = 1.61 W/m2.K

- U-glazing = 1.20 W/m2.K

- G-value of glazing = 0.22

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Typical Window Detail. Courtesy of Jordan Parnass Digital Architecture (JPDA).

11. Airtight building envelope

The primary air tight layer at the exterior wall is a fluid applied air barrier membrane applied
to a 12mm cement board substrate. At the window to wall connection, a combination of caulk
and tape was applied to achieve an air tight connection. Additional air sealing via spray foam
was provided at the building’s perimeter where continuous steel purlins penetrated the
exterior wall assembly. The metal panel roofing structure with air sealing tape provided at the
roof to wall connections acted as the primary air seal at the roof.

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12. Layout of the ventilation system ducting
The ventilation air on the ground floor and a small portion of the upper floor is ducted directly
from the ERVs to terminal registers in each interior room. See layouts and screenshot of
efficiencies below.

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Ventalation / Ducting layout of ground floor.

Ventalatoin / Ducting layout of office portion of upper floor.

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13. Ventilation unit / central ventilation unit
The ventilation air for the main work area on the upper floor is provided via two ERVs that
are ducted into two central air handling units (AHUs) providing cooling and fresh air to the
majority of the upper floor. See layout and screenshots of efficiencies below. The two ERVs
are supplied by Desiccant Rotors International (DRI).

Ventilation / Cooling / Ducting layout of main work area on upper floor.

14. Cooling Supply

Cooling is supplied to the building via a vairable refrigerant flow (VRF) heat pump
system. The AHUs for the upper floor have heat pump coils with wrap around heat
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pipes to passively reheat the supercooled air; this allows for a highly efficient means
of enhancing the dehumdification capacity of the cooling system.

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15. Short Documentation of PHPP-Results (verification sheet)

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16. Construction Costs
Building owner does not wish to display this information.

22. User's Experiences

Utility data for the first year of the building’s operation was obtained for the project. The project is
saving approximately 60% in annual energy consumption and is tracking very closely to the PHPP
modelled energy demand. See graph below.

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23. Available Research Material / Publications
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ng1TPjN4_M&feature=youtu.be
• https://www.swinter.com/projects/project/star-garment-innovation-center-sri-lankas-first-
passive-house/
• http://jpda.net/projects/star-garment-innovation-center
• https://passivehouse-database.org/#d_6030
• Awards
o AIA New York 2020 Design Award – Sustainability
AIA New York names 2020 Design Award recipients : NYREJ
o 2021 Passive House International Award
Awardees & Finalists (passivehouse.com)

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