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Home > Archive > Building and Construction > February 2007 > Looking for Energy Efficiency Information
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Looking for Energy Efficiency Information
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| Frank Taco 2007-01-26, 3:25 am |
| I'm considering building a new home on an empty lot next to my existing
home. It would be my new residence and I would sell the home I am in
now. Since the existing home is old and very inefficient, I am
particularly interested in building a very energy efficient home. I am
just beginning to research energy efficient construction methods and
and hoping that some of you can steer me toward some websites that will
help educate me on energy efficient construction methods and materials.
Thanks in advance for your help.
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| Frank,
You don't mention where you live, and what types of thing specifically
you have to work through. For example, I'm in Iowa and the house I
just built is out in the middle of a field. The wind is horrible, so
it's important to me to have a house that's very tight, and control the
air exchange with a air-to-air unit. I built with ICF, considerd SIPS
but choose not to, the dealer ended up being an a$$, his loss.
What kind of heating load will you have? Is the radiant barrier in the
attic an option for you? Do you have room for geo thermal? If so, is
it really the way you want to go? I didn't use geo since the payoff
with ICF is almost at the expected life of the geo unit. Do you want
radiant heat in the floor, if so, there's some very specific things to
do that will help with efficency.
Check out the Building Sciences and Oak Ridge National Labs research
work. Is there a university close, check with their Extension office
on the latest research driven methods. Go to the home shows with your
eyes wide open...lots of ideas...but also lots of crap and everyone has
the best product. Vinyl window/sidning salesmen are great...but I
wouldn't have either. It's a choice.
My point here is many will have answers, and it's your job to pick an
choose what will work for you. I think there's many quality products
out there, and you just have to be diligent and start googling your way
around.
I'm still working on our house that my wife and I are building, and we
started with many of the same questions you have...so I've been where
you are not long ago. We'll be drywalling next Tuesday...so that's a
great milestone to hit. We've done ALL the work ourselves, including
the ICF's. Wouldn't have it anyother way.
Reply back with additional information or off line and I'll be happy to
share what I've picked up along the way.
Good luck,
DAC
On Jan 26, 12:03 am, "Frank Taco" <frank.t...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I'm considering building a new home on an empty lot next to my existing
> home. It would be my new residence and I would sell the home I am in
> now. Since the existing home is old and very inefficient, I am
> particularly interested in building a very energy efficient home. I am
> just beginning to research energy efficient construction methods and
> and hoping that some of you can steer me toward some websites that will
> help educate me on energy efficient construction methods and materials.
>
> Thanks in advance for your help.
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| Good idea since energy prices seem to keep going up, up, up!
Of course you would want thicker walls and more insulation. The higher the
R-Value the better. And windows can be double or triple pane.
An electric water heater can be 30% of an electric bill. Might want to check
out solar water heating systems. Search google.com for solar water heating.
Then new Energy Star heating systems can be so efficient, the flue is PVC
plastic and not metal!
Here is a good site for saving energy in general (Energy Star)...
http://www.energystar.gov
Then searching google.com for Energy Star homes gets a ton of web sites...
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Energy+Star+homes
A search for Energy Star windows gets a lot of sites as well...
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&...G=Google+Search
Energy Star appliances...
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&...G=Google+Search
Energy Star heating...
http://www.google.com/search?num=20...ing&btnG=Search
"Frank Taco" wrote in message
> I'm considering building a new home on an empty lot next to my existing
> home. It would be my new residence and I would sell the home I am in
> now. Since the existing home is old and very inefficient, I am
> particularly interested in building a very energy efficient home. I am
> just beginning to research energy efficient construction methods and
> and hoping that some of you can steer me toward some websites that will
> help educate me on energy efficient construction methods and materials.
>
> Thanks in advance for your help.
>
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| StLouisMike 2007-01-28, 1:25 pm |
|
Frank Taco wrote:
> I'm considering building a new home on an empty lot next to my existing
> home. It would be my new residence and I would sell the home I am in
> now. Since the existing home is old and very inefficient, I am
> particularly interested in building a very energy efficient home. I am
> just beginning to research energy efficient construction methods and
> and hoping that some of you can steer me toward some websites that will
> help educate me on energy efficient construction methods and materials.
>
> Thanks in advance for your help.
We're just finishing our first full year in our SIP home and I am=20
very, very impressed with it's efficiency. We used 4" exterior walls=20
(urethane, not styrofoam; better R value and nicer esthetics I=20
believe) and 6" roof panels (rather than 8" which the polylstyrene=20
would require for similar R value). We have a 110,000 BTU 90+ Energy=20
Star furnace (RUUD), and only a single zone 3 Ton AC for 3,800+ sq ft.=20
We are on track for paying $350-$400 in total heating costs this=20
winter (at $1.667/gal). When it's partly sunny and at least 50=B0 and=20
no cooler than 38-40=B0 at night, the house gets up to 75 - 77=B0 and we=20
can usually go without the furnace all night due to the incredibly low=20
heat loss even though we have an abundance of glass on one wall. The=20
windows are low E, argon filled. The balance of the house is electric=20
including 80 gal hot water energy star Kenmore, well pump, etc. etc.=20
Electric runs $65 (Oct) - $210 (July) per month.
Link for more details and photos of construction (not elaborate;=20
single page to give you an overall idea of the construction):
http://home.earthlink.net/~mikefran...ouseRelease.htm
One other suggestion is to research everything and leave no question=20
unasked. Good luck!
StLousMike
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| Frank Taco 2007-01-29, 3:25 am |
| Thanks to all of you who replied with suggestions and comments.
That's a ton of great information to get me started.
DAC, I'm in eastern Washington state. Daily lows right now in the
lower 20's, highs in the low 30's, which is fairly typical for much of
the winter here with occassion dips into the teens and single digits.
Dry climate with relatively little wind. I would be building in an
older neighborhood on a 50' wide x 100' deep lot. Lots of mature
pine trees keep the lot partially shaded.
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| tmurf.1@juno.com 2007-01-29, 9:25 am |
|
On Jan 28, 11:08 pm, "Frank Taco" <frank.t...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Thanks to all of you who replied with suggestions and comments.
> That's a ton of great information to get me started.
>
> DAC, I'm in eastern Washington state. Daily lows right now in the
> lower 20's, highs in the low 30's, which is fairly typical for much of
> the winter here with occassion dips into the teens and single digits.
> Dry climate with relatively little wind. I would be building in an
> older neighborhood on a 50' wide x 100' deep lot. Lots of mature
> pine trees keep the lot partially shaded.
I just went out and bought a load of those compact fluorescent light
bulbs which last much longer and use much less energy. I can even use
brighter bulbs and still save. Now I have a big box of used light
bulbs which you can buy.
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| For information on ICF go to www.futurestone.com or www.nudura.com. With
the thermal-mass of the concrete you will get walls that perform up to r-50.
That's better than any other type of construction.
"Frank Taco" <frank.taco@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1169791406.203473.136130@a34g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> I'm considering building a new home on an empty lot next to my existing
> home. It would be my new residence and I would sell the home I am in
> now. Since the existing home is old and very inefficient, I am
> particularly interested in building a very energy efficient home. I am
> just beginning to research energy efficient construction methods and
> and hoping that some of you can steer me toward some websites that will
> help educate me on energy efficient construction methods and materials.
>
> Thanks in advance for your help.
>
>
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| I'm finishing my ICF house and only hope for the r-50...but not
banking on it. Here's an article that indicate different findings
<http://www.ornl.gov/sci/roofs+walls...papers/thermal/
results.html>. Beware of the hype surrounding ICF or SIP constrution
methods.
At one site one time I was reading that in a typical 2x6 construction
in the mid 11's was the BEST anyone could get assuming the insulation
was installed PERFECTLY. I choose ICF for the sound deading
abilities, and to stop the air infiltration. Regardless, ceiling
insulation is increadibly important and I'll be putting in 14-16
inches of cellulose.
DAC
On Jan 29, 3:55 pm, "abarr" <abarr...@swbell.net> wrote:
> For information on ICF go towww.futurestone.comorwww.nudura.com. With
> the thermal-mass of the concrete you will get walls that perform up to r-50.
> That's better than any other type of construction.
>
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| Good comments, you might consider using a open cell spray in foam it the
rafters of the house. Creates an envelope to hole in or keep out heat. If
you use ICF and don't do something significant in the attic you are just
moving the energy problem from the wall to the roof.
"DAC" <darwincam@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1170257242.011911.310600@v45g2000cwv.googlegroups.com...
> I'm finishing my ICF house and only hope for the r-50...but not
> banking on it. Here's an article that indicate different findings
> <http://www.ornl.gov/sci/roofs+walls...papers/thermal/
> results.html>. Beware of the hype surrounding ICF or SIP constrution
> methods.
>
> At one site one time I was reading that in a typical 2x6 construction
> in the mid 11's was the BEST anyone could get assuming the insulation
> was installed PERFECTLY. I choose ICF for the sound deading
> abilities, and to stop the air infiltration. Regardless, ceiling
> insulation is increadibly important and I'll be putting in 14-16
> inches of cellulose.
>
> DAC
>
>
> On Jan 29, 3:55 pm, "abarr" <abarr...@swbell.net> wrote:
>
| |
| Dennis 2007-02-01, 8:25 pm |
| Looking at the IRC (I don't know if Washington is using this code or not)
you are probably in Zone 5 which would require R-38 in the ceiling, R-19 in
the exterior walls, and R-30 in the floor (if over unheated exterior) or
R-10 for a basement wall. (Those are the minimums.)
As one commenter pointed out, R vales are misleading; especially in the
attic where it's most important. What is known is that porous insulation
such as fiberglass & and cellulose, allows heat too rise through it and this
slight airflow draws cold, outside air into the insulation. (Convection).
In this process, the colder it gets outside, the greater the convection, and
the lower the R values drops (in a study published by Oakridge National
Laboratory.)
Truthfully, the published R values on insulation is under ideal, testing
conditions, in sealed cavities and in dry air (which is almost never seen in
real-world conditions. For example, an R-19 wall (actually R-18 or R-17
after installation - due to compression from 6 inch or 6.5 inch expanded
thickness into a 5.5 inch cavity) will drop to an R-9 value at -18 deg F. (A
more realistic figure would be R-14 at 19 deg F.) Anyway, the R value does
drop due to air infiltrating the insulation; up to 1/2 when you need it
most.
http://www.monolithic.com/plan_design/rfairy/index.html
Much of the money spent for high values of insulation is actually wasted in
a cold climate. A better choice is to consider ICF or rigid foam (both have
certain drawbacks not readily apparent), or best, sprayed-in-place foam
(which does not suffer from these defects.) It does cost more, but remains
constant when exposed to very cold temperatures (unlike fiberglass &
cellulose) thereby returning it's extra cost faster than conventional
insulations. It's hard to beat a conventionally framed home insulated with
spray-in-place foam. Excellent R values, seals all points of infiltration
(excluding windows, doors and intentional air ducts).
There are several websites available on "green" housing, some (in
Washington) require NO extra energy to heat or cool (mostly solar and
passive) but they are documented. Energy efficiency STARTS with the design
of the home (the layout facing south has the greatest effect.) Super good
insulation and efficient doors and windows (a very large source of loss) and
your well on your way to recovering every extra dime you put into it. (Don't
overlook the solar aspect as it has a very important part in dropping (or
raising) energy costs if ignored in the design phase. Roof overhangs,
placement of glazing, mass storage (masonry walls), solar panels, all these
and so much more all play a part. (In an unrelated example, I seen a show on
cable where FedEx has an entire hub (large building) powered by solar and
actually sells electricity back to the local utility.
I would say a good payback is 10 years. (Wishful thinking but energy costs
are only going to go up in the future, so in ten years, you very well could
see a full return.)
"Frank Taco" <frank.taco@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1170043711.394701.294580@v33g2000cwv.googlegroups.com...
> Thanks to all of you who replied with suggestions and comments.
> That's a ton of great information to get me started.
>
> DAC, I'm in eastern Washington state. Daily lows right now in the
> lower 20's, highs in the low 30's, which is fairly typical for much of
> the winter here with occassion dips into the teens and single digits.
> Dry climate with relatively little wind. I would be building in an
> older neighborhood on a 50' wide x 100' deep lot. Lots of mature
> pine trees keep the lot partially shaded.
>
| |
| Andy Asberry 2007-02-02, 1:25 pm |
| On 25 Jan 2007 22:03:26 -0800, "Frank Taco" <frank.taco@gmail.com>
wrote:
>I'm considering building a new home on an empty lot next to my existing
>home. It would be my new residence and I would sell the home I am in
>now. Since the existing home is old and very inefficient, I am
>particularly interested in building a very energy efficient home. I am
>just beginning to research energy efficient construction methods and
>and hoping that some of you can steer me toward some websites that will
>help educate me on energy efficient construction methods and materials.
>
>Thanks in advance for your help.
Here is how I did my house with SIPs.
http://www.asberry.net/home_building.htm
--Andy Asberry--
------Texas-----
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| VinylEfficiency 2007-02-12, 5:25 pm |
| These sites could be useful to you:
http://www.vinylnewsservice.net/
http://www.vinylinfo.org/
------
Frank Taco wrote:
> I'm considering building a new home on an empty lot next to my existing
> home. It would be my new residence and I would sell the home I am in
> now. Since the existing home is old and very inefficient, I am
> particularly interested in building a very energy efficient home. I am
> just beginning to research energy efficient construction methods and
> and hoping that some of you can steer me toward some websites that will
> help educate me on energy efficient construction methods and materials.
>
> Thanks in advance for your help.
| |
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| Solar News 2007-02-17, 3:25 am |
| On Feb 14, 5:21 pm, "TKM" <nom...@no.net> wrote:[color=darkred]
> "VinylEfficiency" <vinyln...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>
> news:1171313008.737840.289520@l53g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
>
>
I know this is saving folks some money Just FYI
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All electricity is subject to surges from time to time, which result
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appliances and wiring. In extreme cases electrical spikes can cause
burns, blow outs and power cuts. Now, thanks to the XPower Energy
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consumption each and every month.
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Therefore, the amount of electricity purchased from the utility
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resulting in power savings for the home or office.
http://savebucks.myfti.biz/FTI2006/xpower.asp
| |
| Concrete Is Green 2007-02-17, 8:25 pm |
| On Jan 26, 12:03 am, "Frank Taco" <frank.t...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I'm considering building a new home on an empty lot next to my existing
> home. It would be my new residence and I would sell the home I am in
> now. Since the existing home is old and very inefficient, I am
> particularly interested in building a very energy efficient home. I am
> just beginning to research energy efficient construction methods and
> and hoping that some of you can steer me toward some websites that will
> help educate me on energy efficient construction methods and materials.
>
> Thanks in advance for your help.
Frank,
Check out these web sites:
www.forms.org/
or www.indianaconcretehomes.com
Brian
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| I suggest you also look at www.futurestone.com for information about
building with NUDURA ICF. Because of the thermal mass of the concrete you
can up-to achieve R-50 performance in your walls.
"Concrete Is Green" <blutey@irmca.com> wrote in message
news:1171757370.681523.302570@t69g2000cwt.googlegroups.com...
> On Jan 26, 12:03 am, "Frank Taco" <frank.t...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Frank,
> Check out these web sites:
> www.forms.org/
> or www.indianaconcretehomes.com
>
> Brian
>
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