Gravitas Blog

Solimpeks Corp has unveiled a hybrid solar panel, Volther hybrid photovoltaic-solar thermal collector, that incorporates both Photovoltaic technology, as well as providing domestic hot water.

Typically, one of the larger impediments to efficient energy harnessing from a PV system, is the fact that as the panel heats up, the efficiency drops off.  By tying the two systems together, the domestic hot water collector acts as a cooling device for the PV portion of the panel, not only limiting the footprint of a dual system, but also improving the performance of the PV portion.

Traditional PV systems loose efficiency at the rate of 1/2% per degree of temperature increase.  Research and Develompent at Solimpeks claims that PV efficiency has been tested as high as 28%, while producing 104-160 degree water.  By stabilizing the panel at 113 degrees, approximately 20% more electrical output is produced, as when compared to a traditional PV system with the same peak output.

According to the company, tests by independent organizations have shown that an average single family residence in Northern Europe would need 270 square feet to meet their hot water and electrical demands.

Solimpeks Volther offers two different models, emphasizing either hot water collection, or electrical energy production.  The PV utilizes monocrystalline silicon cells, and the hot water portion uses copper tubing.

The first system was installed in May, 2010 in England, and the company sells directly to the US market from Turkey.

MarkWagner<>Gravitas

The following is from a newsletter from our engineer Brian Sielaff of Tamarack Grove Engineering. Brian has been engineering our projects since the beginning and specializes in structural engineering for residential projects as well as engineering for log and timber frame homes.  Enjoy:

The common goal on any log home/timber frame design and construction is to have a client’s experience that is built on trust and understanding. From the very beginning, there are a lot of decisions that need to be made with building a structure. Often referred to as the ‘process’, one must decide on several key items such as budgets, the style of the home, floor plan layouts, total square footages, which manufacturing company to use and then finally who the general building contractor will be. One often overlooked decision in this process is the need for structural engineering design and review.

Structural engineering of your log home/timber frame structure ensures that all building elements of your final construction permit documents are:

1) Well coordinated

2) Have been properly sized for all structural components such as roof framing members (girders, joists, outriggers, ridge beams), floor framing members (girders, joists, ledgers), headers, decks, columns, foundations and retaining walls

3) Ensures that all connections and details are adequately designed using the correct building codes, loads and load paths, and

4) Verifies the building lateral loads (out-of-plane wind or earthquake loads) have been taken into account and are properly resisted.

Often the question is asked, “When is structural engineering required for my log home/timber frame structure?” Based upon where you are building your structure, some of the local building departments and/or local governing jurisdictions will require some form of professional structural engineering construction documents and calculations that are to be stamped and signed by a licensed professional engineer. These documents would include your foundation plan, floor framing plans, roof framing plan, building sections, structural details, general structural notes and structural engineering calculations. Several factors that would require or cause recommendation for structural engineering include, but are not limited to:

1) You are building within a high snow load area

2) You are located within a high wind or earthquake zone

CA FL

3) The complexity of your final floor plans and building elevations (i.e. how each floor level stacks up, is there a prow, are there a lot of exterior windows or opening placements, the column/post spacings, beam/girder spans, is there a daylight basement, etc.)

4) The local governing building jurisdiction requires sealed and signed drawings and engineering for issuance of building permits?

REQUIRED FOR ISSUANCE OF PERMIT

5) The defining site requirements in which you are building your log home/timber frame structure on (i.e. is the building pad site flat or sloped, are you building into a hillside or next to water and what are the native soil bearing types that would dictate the foundation design).

6) How complex the building connections, framing layouts and required detailing are? Do you rely on the general contractor to ‘figure it out’ in the field or do you provide a well coordinated, detailed set of construction documents?

7) How experienced is the designer, drafter or architect in sizing correctly all aspects of the structural framing components to resist all vertical/gravity and lateral load transfer?

A structural engineer can also work with your local jurisdiction to help streamline the ‘process’ and obtain your building permit in a timely fashion, this then allows you, your log home/timber frame company and your general building contractor to begin work. A structural engineer can also be available through the construction process to help answer or clarify any questions that can arise from the construction phase.

Whether it is required or not, it is highly recommended to consult with a licensed professional structural engineer on any log home/timber frame structure that you are building. The common goal for any structural engineer is to safeguard life, health, property and public welfare through the design and implementation process. When put into perspective with what typical structural engineering fees are in relation to the overall cost of your project, you will find that these fees are typically less than 1% of your overall construction budget. For the quality assurance that you are given knowing your structure is designed and coordinated properly by a structural engineer, it provides the additional assurance for your insurance in protecting your life long investment.

-Brian J. Sielaff, P.E., Managing Member, Tamarack Grove Engineering, PLLC

Specializing in Structural Engineering

(Please feel free to contact our office for any questions or comments that you might have related to this article, we can be reached at the following information noted below.)

3170 Overland Rd., Ste. B

Boise, ID 83705

208.345.8941 PHONE, 208.345.8946 FAX, 208.871.0616 MOBILE

brian.sielaff@tamarackgrove.com EMAIL

www.tamarackgrove.com WEBSITE

The following is from a newsletter from our engineer Brian Sielaff of Tamarack Grove Engineering. Brian has been engineering our projects since the beginning and specializes in structural engineering for residential projects as well as engineering for log and timber frame homes. We have posted one of his articles previously and are looking forward to more. This is good information that is often behind the scenes and overlooked, sometimes with financial consequences. Enjoy:

A Structural Engineer's Seal For Your Home

A Structural Engineer's Seal For Your Home

A Structural Engineer's Seal For Your Home

And full text version for searchability:

WHAT DOES IT DO FOR THE LOG HOME/TIMBER FRAME OWNER OR WHAT
SHOULD IT DO?

 On any project for a home owner, the goal of the log home/timber frame manufacturer is
to get their client a building permit so they may proceed with construction. Often times
in the industry it is required by the local building jurisdiction to have a fully engineered,
sealed and signed set of construction documents for issuance of a building permit. These
documents include both construction documents and structural engineering calculations.
What does this mean to the home owner?

 A structural engineer’s responsibility and duty is to safeguard the life, health, property
and welfare of the public at all times. In doing this, a structural engineer is required to
review all of the design documents for compliance to the local adopted building codes.
This includes member sizing (roof and floor loads), continuous load paths, foundations
and lateral load features (resistance to high wind or earthquake loads) of the structure.
All gravity, in-plane and out-of-plane loads on the building structure should be analyzed
for proper design and sizing.

 What should be included with an engineer’s seal? When an engineer seals and signs their
name to a document, they are stating that they have prepared and reviewed all of the
documents for proper resistance to the local building code requirements and done under
their responsible charge and supervision. ‘Rubber stamping’ is a term used by Licensing
Engineering Boards that is defined by placing your seal and signature on a document that
the individual did not prepare under their review and supervision. It is punishable by a
fine, a suspension and/or removal of their engineer’s license. If an engineer simply
places his seal and signature on a document without preparing it under their review and
responsible charge, and they are doing it simply to get a home owner or log home/timber
frame manufacturer’s client their building permit, it is not only a violation of code and
ethics, but it is cheating the home owner. In paying for the professional services of a
structural engineer, a home owner should be receiving both the engineer’s seal and
signature, but other items such as errors and omissions insurance, professional liability
insurance, their time for coordination and review of their documents, accurate member
sizing throughout their entire plan and proper notes and detailing. It is important to
make sure all of the connections, details and general structural notes are properly placed
and shown within the construction documents. Items like rebar sizes and spacing within
the foundations, concrete strengths, design loads, lag screw sizes and spacings at each
wall log lines, holdowns, column to beam connections, floor girder sizes,
hardware/fastener callouts and roof joist sizes.

The structural engineer should be checking oversized materials as well as undersized
materials. Proper placement and inclusions of notes and details throughout the entire
construction document set also helps hold the home owner’s general contractor
‘accountable’ for their construction means and methods and for what they should be
including within their services in bidding the project for the home owner. If a set of
construction documents only includes elevations, floor plans and very limited detailing,
the home owner must then rely on hiring a trusted, well-experienced general contractor
to build their home per local codes and per what the limited plans show. Without the
proper information the ‘per plans’ part can create a lot of gray areas on what is to be
included for construction labor and materials and what is not. The last thing any home
owner wants through a project or at the end of one is a long list of change order fees,
which many times can drive a home owners cost of construction beyond their originally
planned budget. Having a well designed and coordinated set of construction documents

can ensure that the information is presented within the drawings and the price given for
construction at the beginning of the project is the same price at the end of the project.

It is recommended for a home owner and log home/timber frame manufacturer when
they are pricing out different engineer’s services that they be sure to compare apples to
apples. In doing so, does the lower fee proposal include a full design and review of the
building structure? Does it include engineering calculations? Does the engineer have
insurances to cover their errors and omissions liabilities for the home owner in the event
there is an issue? Are they including any time to answer any agency/owner or building
department questions needed before a building permit will be issued? Are they simply
‘rubber stamping’ the documents? Make sure that for the investment the home owners
are making with their new home they are investing enough time on the structural
engineer’s scope of work they are hiring. Be sure to compare scope of works for each
engineer’s fee proposal that are received. Review and discuss with each engineer that
they are keeping the home owner’s best interests in mind at all time with their services.

In closing, regardless if the local jurisdiction requires sealed and signed documents are
not, make sure the final construction documents include the previous items discussed. It
is in the best interest of the home owner and their project. It is strongly recommended to
have each and every log home/timber frame project engineered, regardless if the local
jurisdiction requires it or not. If the jurisdiction does require the final documents to be
sealed and signed, make sure that the home owner is being provided with the important
items and services noted that should come with a seal and signature. It will help protect
their lifelong investment and not just simply provide them with a building permit.

 -Brian J. Sielaff, P.E., Managing Member, Tamarack Grove Engineering, PLLC

Specializing in Structural Engineering

 (Please feel free to contact our office for any questions or comments that you might have related to this article, we can be reached at the following information noted below.)

 3170 Overland Rd., Ste. B

Boise, ID 83705

208.345.8941 PHONE, 208.345.8946 FAX, 208.871.0616 MOBILE

brian.sielaff@tamarackgrove.com EMAIL

www.tamarackgrove.com WEBSITE

Tamarack Grove Engineering has just surpassed 2 ½ years of offering professional structural engineering services to meet the demands and needs of our diversified client base.  We bring a total of 15 years of combined experience in permitting log home/timber frame structures throughout the entire United States and into Canada.  It is our goal to provide a one-stop shop for all of our clients related to their structural engineering/permitting needs.  By this coming spring, it is our goal to offer engineering services in all 50 states.  As such, we’d like to share with you also that beginning in January of 2010, we will be launching our updated, interactive website www.tamarackgrove.com that will be designed to offer an informative website related to the log home/timber frame industry.

Tamarack Grove Licensing Map 2009

This is an article our favorite engineer wrote about the importance of engineering your residential project. Professional engineering is recommended on all projects and more and more it is being required by many local jurisdictions or on the state level. All of our projects in California, Colorado, New Mexico, New York require the project be stamped by a professional engineer. We wanted to share with our readers why it is important on all projects from the engineer’s perspective, enjoy. -Derek

Structural Engineering: Assurance for Your Insurance

The common goal on any log cabin design and construction is to have an experience that is built on trust and understanding. From the beginning, there are a lot of decisions that need to be made with building a log cabin structure. Often referred to as the ‘process’, one must decide on several key items such as budgets, the style of log cabin, floor plan layouts and total square footages, what log cabin company to use and the general building contractor. One often overlooked decision in this process is the need for structural engineering design and review.

The structural engineering of your log cabin ensures that all elements of your final construction documents are:
• Well coordinated
• Have been properly sized for structural components such as roof beams, floor joists, girders, headers, decks, foundations and retaining walls
• Adequately designed connections and details using the correct loads and load paths
• Designed for the proper resistance of building lateral loads (out-of-plane wind or earthquake loads)

Often the question is asked, “When is structural engineering required for my log cabin structure?” Based upon where you are building your structure, some of the local building departments and/or local governing jurisdictions will require some form of professional structural engineering construction documents and calculations that are stamped and signed by a licensed professional engineer. These documents would include your foundation plan, floor framing plans, roof framing plan, building sections, structural details, general structural notes and structural engineering calculations.

Several factors that would require or cause recommendation for structural engineering include, but are not limited to:
1) You are building within a high snow load area,
2) You are located within a high wind or earthquake zone,
3) The complexity of your final floor plans and building elevations (i.e. how does each floor level stack up, is there a prow, are there a lot of exterior window or opening placements, what is the column/post spacing, what are the beam/girder spans, is there a basement, etc.),
4) Does the local governing building jurisdiction require it for issuance of building permits
5) What are the site requirements in which you are building your log cabin structure on (i.e. is the building pad site flat or sloped, are you building into a hillside and what are the native soil bearing types).

A structural engineer can work with your local jurisdiction to help streamline the ‘process’ and obtain your building permit in a timely fashion, then allowing you, your log cabin company and your general building contractor to begin work. A structural engineer can also be available through the construction process to answer or clarify any questions that can arise during construction.
Whether or not it is required, it is highly recommended to consult with a licensed professional structural engineer on any log cabin structure that you build. The common goal for any structural engineer is to safeguard life, health, property and public welfare through design and implementation. When put into perspective with what typical structural engineering fees are in relation to the overall cost of your project, you will find that these fees are typically less than 1% of your overall construction budget. For the quality assurance that you are given knowing your log cabin residence is designed and coordinated properly by a professional, it provides additional insurance in protecting your life long investment.

Brian J. Sielaff, P.E., Tamarack Grove Engineering, PLLC