[GBlist] 1850s building retrofit, Gloucester, MA

[Aus <asheatsley@empire.net>]

BEWARE! L-o-n-g post!

Last spring, we purchased the historical building that we've rented as
our office space for many years. I believe it is of Greek Revival design
and was originally constructed as a school for young women in the
mid-1800s.

Having alternately felt like we were freezing/sweating to death
throughout the year (it depends on who you ask and where in the 3100
square foot building they work) and shaken our heads at the absurd cost
to heat the structure, we are making our plan tighten up and insulate
the place as well as replace the heating system. Having long 'lurked' on
this list and found it to be a wealth of information, I'm taking a turn
at asking for your help.

Our historical building is 3100 square feet -/-, two floors with 12 foot
ceilings, clapboards, little insulation, 6/6 double hung windows
w/crappy aluminum storms, dirt crawlspace, small lot surrounded by a
four feet-high granite wall. Essentially, our offices are separated by
8'6" high walls that sit directly on the floor but are open at the top
up to the 12-foot mark. And, around the inside perimeter of both floors
are built-in pew-like benches the seats of which are approximately 16"
off the floor. We are told by the Historical Commission that we can not
alter these in any way. Heat is supplied by two gas-fired horizontal
furnaces (one in the basement crawlspace, the other in the attic).
Ductwork is marginal at best. The current total building heat loss is
209,000 BtuH at a 70F design temperature difference.Our intent is to
tighten up the building and blow the walls and attic with cellulose
(R-10 & R-38 respectively). Vapor barrier on dirt crawlspace floor with
R-19 batts between floor joists above. This would reduce the total
building heat loss to approximately 90,000 BtuH.

We have been approached by a contractor who is proposing to install four
5-ton direct exchange ground source heat pump systems with ELECTRIC
strip heaters for back-up!. I am VERY hesitant to even consider this as
a possible option (given what I know about heat pumps in the northeast
AND the fact that we are dealing with a building with NON
run-of-the-mill heating characteristics). And, while sustainable
technologies are at the top of our list, it is my opinion that our needs
would be better served by a direct-vented gas-fired hydro-air
combination that would include distribution of heat by ducts AND
hydronic radiation (fan convectors, Runtal-style radiators, maybe even
radiant tubing). While some of my co-workers believe that air
conditioning is needed, I believe that we can make the structure
comfortable in the summer with creative shading and ventilation measures
(ceiling fans? continuous air circulation?)

So. Can anyone point me to architects, heating engineers and (most
importantly) contractors EXPERIENCED in the retrofit of older buildings
in the northeast? What's your opinion? War stories, maybe? I WILL
appreciate your input. My apologies for the length of my post. I hope
I've not overstepped my bounds.

Appreciate this forum,

Aus Sheatsley
Energy Manager
Action, Inc.
47 Washington Street
Gloucester, MA 01930
V:978-283-2131
F:978-283-3567
asheatsley@empire.net



______________________________________________________________________
This greenbuilding dialogue is sponsored by REPP/CREST, creator of
Solstice http://www.crest.org, and BuildingGreen, Inc., publisher of
Environmental Building News and GreenSpec http://www.BuildingGreen.com
______________________________________________________________________