If Walls Could Talk: Energy and Cost Performance for Common and Experimental Wall Retrofits

This presentation will provide an overview of a three-year, multipart study into the viability of multiple retrofit approaches for residential wall systems, conducted in partnership by the Pacific NW National Laboratory, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and the University of Minnesota. The study focused on the thermal, moisture and economic performance of 14 wall assemblies (cavity fill, interior and exterior approaches with/without removing existing siding), including traditional and experimental approaches, using a typical residential wall as a baseline. Each wall retrofit system was physically tested at the University of Minnesota and then simulated for energy and moisture performance. Along with the physical performance of each wall, researchers worked with a local cost estimator to gather material and cost data to assess the techno-economic viability of the wall systems. We will present overall findings including an overview of the wall systems chosen, energy and moisture performance along with the economic analysis. Additionally, we will discuss findings related to constructability and installation for each wall tested.