Energy efficient building environmental control apparatus and method

Abstract

A building includes exterior walls that form spaces which are selectively vented under control of a control system. Vents are operated to retain trapped air or exhaust trapped air to improve the energy performance of the building. Vents with selectively operable dampers may be located proximate a top of a wall or wall section of wall. Vents may also be located proximate a bottom of a wall or wall section to allow drainage of liquid and circulation of air. Various specific wall constructions provide for an air gap between layers of exterior sheathing of the exterior wall. The air gap may be in addition to a space between interior and exterior sheathing, which space may include a thermal insulation material (e.g., fiberglass batting).

1 . An environmental control system for a building having at least one exterior wall, comprising:
 at least one lower vent positioned proximate a bottom portion of at least one exterior wall portion of the exterior wall of the building and which provides fluid communication between an exterior environment outside of the building and at least one space in the at least one exterior wall portion, the at least one space formed between at least a first exterior wall member and at least a second exterior wall member, the first and the second exterior wall members which form at least a portion of the at least one exterior wall portion of the exterior wall of the building, the first exterior wall member spaced interiorly of the second exterior wall member;   an upper vent positioned proximate a top of the at least one exterior wall portion of the exterior wall of the building and which provides fluid communication out of the at least one space in the at least one exterior wall portion of the building; and   a vent actuation system configured to selectively open or close the upper vent to allow air to exhaust out of the upper vent from the at least one space of the at least one exterior wall portion when open and to trap air in the at least one space of the at least one exterior wall portion when closed.   
     
     
         2 . The environmental control system of  claim 1  wherein the vent actuation system comprises:
 at least one of an electric motor or a solenoid coupled to open and close the upper vent; and 
 a controller coupled to the at least one of the electric motor or the solenoid. 
 
     
     
         3 . The environmental control system of  claim 2  wherein the vent actuation system comprises:
 at least one temperature sensor communicatively coupled to the controller provide signals indicative of temperature. 
 
     
     
         4 . The environmental control system of  claim 3  wherein the temperature sensor is posited to sense a temperature in the exterior environment outside of the building and the controller is configured to open the upper vent in response to the sensed temperature in the exterior environment exceeding a first threshold temperature. 
     
     
         5 . The environmental control system of  claim 1  wherein the vent actuation system is communicatively coupled and responsive to at least one of an independent heating or air conditioning system of the building which is distinct from the environmental control system of the building. 
     
     
         6 . The environmental control system of  claim 1  wherein the vent actuation system is communicatively coupled and responsive to at least one of a user actuated input device, a timer, a wireless communications device or an external computer system. 
     
     
         7 . The environmental control system of  claim 1  wherein at least a portion of the upper vent takes the form of a Venturi shaped conduit. 
     
     
         8 . The environmental control system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a fan fluidly coupled to the at least one space of the at least one exterior wall portion and selectively operable to cause air to flow from the at least one lower vent to the at least one upper vent.   
     
     
         9 . The environmental control system of  claim 1  wherein a first one of the at least one exterior wall is opposed across the building to a second one of the at least one exterior wall, each of the first and the second exterior walls having respective exterior wall portions having at least one lower vent and at least one upper vent, and the vent actuation system is configured to selectively open or close the at least one upper vent of the exterior wall portion of the first exterior wall separately from the at least one upper vent of the exterior wall portion of the second exterior wall. 
     
     
         10 . The environmental control system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the at least one exterior wall, wherein the at least one exterior wall portion of the at least one exterior wall further comprises a lath separating the first and the second exterior wall members to defined the at least one space therebetween.   
     
     
         11 . The environmental control system of  claim 10  wherein the at least one exterior wall portion of the at least one exterior wall further comprises:
 at least one outer flexible web material positioned proximate an interior facing face of the second exterior wall member. 
 
     
     
         12 . The environmental control system of  claim 11  wherein the at least one outer flexible web material is a Kraft paper retained by the lath. 
     
     
         13 . The environmental control system of  claim 11  wherein the at least one exterior wall portion of the at least one exterior wall further comprises:
 at least one inner flexible web material positioned proximate an exterior facing face of the first exterior wall member. 
 
     
     
         14 . The environmental control system of  claim 13  wherein the at least one inner flexible web material is a building wrap or paper secured to the exterior facing face of the first exterior wall member. 
     
     
         15 . The environmental control system of  claim 10  wherein the second exterior wall member is a cladding material. 
     
     
         16 . The environmental control system of  claim 15  wherein the first exterior wall member is a gypsum and fiberglass mat sheathing. 
     
     
         17 . The environmental control system of  claim 10  wherein at least one exterior wall portion of the at least one exterior wall further comprises:
 at least one interior wall member on an interior of the building; and 
 a plurality of studs coupling the interior wall member to the first exterior wall member. 
 
     
     
         18 . The environmental control system of  claim 17  wherein at least one exterior wall portion of the at least one exterior wall further comprises:
 fiberglass batting received between the interior wall member and the first exterior wall member between the studs. 
 
     
     
         19 . The environmental control system of  claim 17  wherein the upper vent provides fluid communication with the exterior environment outside of the building. 
     
     
         20 . A method of an environmental control system for a building having at least one exterior wall, comprising:
 at a first time, closing at least one upper vent positioned proximate a top of at least one exterior wall portion of the at least one exterior wall of the building to trap air in at least one space of the at least one exterior wall portion, and which at least one top vent selectively provides fluid communication from the at least one space in the at least one exterior wall portion, the at least one space formed between at least a first exterior wall member and at least a second exterior wall member, where the first and the second exterior wall members form at least a portion of the at least one exterior wall portion of the exterior wall of the building with the first exterior wall member being spaced interiorly of the second exterior wall member; and   at a second time, opening the at least one upper vent to allow air to exhaust out of the upper vent from the at least one space of the at least one exterior wall portion into the exterior environment.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 allowing air to continually pass through at least one lower vent positioned proximate a bottom portion of the at least one exterior wall portion of the at least one exterior wall of the building and which at least one lower vent provides fluid communication between the exterior environment outside of the building and the at least one space in the at least one exterior wall.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20  wherein closing at least one upper vent includes operating at least one of an electric motor or a solenoid. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20  wherein at least one of the opening or the inclosing at least one upper vent is responsive to a temperature. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20  wherein at least one of the opening or the inclosing at least one upper vent is responsive to a timer or a user input. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 actively moving air through the at least one space when the at least one upper vent is open.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 20  wherein opening the at least one upper vent in at least one exterior wall portion of the at least one exterior wall of the building, comprises:
 opening the at least one upper vent in a first one of the at least one exterior wall portion of the at least one exterior wall of the building while maintaining the at least one upper vent closed in a second one of the at least one exterior wall of the building.