Sustainable Building System

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a sustainable building system (SBS) that is affordable, capable of being replicated at a small and large scale, significantly reduces both the heating and cooling loads of the building as well as the total energy that the building consumes. Energy consumption can be reduced sufficiently that the building is capable of net-zero-energy status. That is, a building made using the system, method and components described herein can, with the inclusion of appropriate renewable energy technologies, generate on site all the energy that the building needs. Specific to this SBS is the design of a super-insulated and nearly air-tight building thermal envelop, that is, to the greatest extent possible, thermal-bridge-free and that has incorporated into that envelope high performance windows and doors.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for modular assembly of a building, the system comprising a plurality of building modules including a plurality of outer building modules and an envelope patch,
 each of the outer building modules including at least one exterior face having a portion of an envelope as a component of the exterior face,   the building modules being assemblable to form a building having the envelope on the exterior faces thereof, and   including sufficient envelope patch to bridge the inter-module gaps in the envelope.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further including an energy-conserving air exchanger and ventilator that can be assembled with the building modules to form the building. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an energy monitoring system that can be operably assembled with the building modules to permit monitoring of energy use within the assembled building. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each building module has shipping dimensions wherein its height is not greater than 12 feet, its length is not greater than 70 feet, and its width is not greater than 16 feet. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the shipping dimensions does not include the vehicle used for shipping the module. 
     
     
         6 . A method of assembling an energy-efficient modular building, the method comprising
 assembling a plurality of building modules including a plurality of outer building modules
 each of the outer building modules including at least one exterior face having a portion of an envelope as a component of the exterior face, 
 the building modules, when assembled forming a structure having the envelope on the exterior faces thereof and having inter-module gaps in the envelope, 
   patching the inter-module gaps with an envelope patch, and   sealing all remaining perforations in the envelope with an energy-conserving air exchanger and ventilator to yield the energy-efficient modular building.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein at least some heat-conserving apparatus are selected from the group consisting of a window, a door, and an energy-conserving air exchanger and ventilator. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein at least one heat-conserving apparatus is an energy conserving air exchanger and ventilator. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising installing within the building an energy monitoring system for monitoring of energy use within the assembled building. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein at least some of the building modules are assembled at a site more than 100 yards distant from the site of the building. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein each distantly-assembled building module has shipping dimensions wherein its height is not greater than 12 feet, its length is not greater than 70 feet, and its width is not greater than 16 feet. 
     
     
         12 . A building made by the method of  claim 6 .