SEAL GUARDS'  SCHUCO WINDOWS WERE CHOSEN FOR THE SNBA ENERGY HOUSE!

German Engineered Schuco windows installed by Seal Guard Systems

“Conservation-Innovation”

That’s Energy House III!

Soaring energy prices in 2005 were a real wake-up call for Americans. Locally, we felt the pain at the pumps and in our winter heating bills. Additionally, the storms that rocked our area made us think about solid, more energy efficient materials before we repaired our battered homes.

As you look for a new home, perhaps those issues are on your mind and you have a lot of questions. Elk River’s Energy House III (EH 3) is the place to stop for answers on our New Home Tour. EH 3 contains an amazing collection of innovative building practices and materials that are available today. From steel roof shingles to a unique home monitoring system, EH 3 shows you how you can reduce/reuse/recycle in very exciting and practical ways.

EH 3 is built in the Nordic Hills development on the northeast side of County Road 1. The Suburban Northwest Builder’s Association (SNBA) owns EH 3 and Northwoods Custom Homes is its building contractor. Greg Holst, Northwoods Custom Homes Co-Owner and President, says, “It has been a lot of work and taken a lot of time but it has also been a lot of fun and I’ve learned a lot.”

Holst has spent months evaluating a myriad of options to include that will be innovative, attractive and practical.  “We recognize that an individual homeowner would not include every one of the materials and methods we’re using in EH 3, however our first goal is to educate homebuyers about what is out there. We’re giving them plenty of options and information so they can make intelligent decisions that best suit them.”

The SNBA will have its offices in EH 3 for at least two years and then it will be sold. Holst says, “It will always have our name on it so the house is also packed with attractive features and plenty of curb appeal.” Holst is proud of the overall home’s design. Northwoods’ draftsman maximized living space in what appears from the outside to be a lovely rambler. But inside, Holst says they gained 1,000-square feet of living space in the form of two bedrooms, a bathroom and a huge storage room in what would typically be the attic. “We still want people to walk in and say, ‘Wow it looks like any other house. It’s beautiful and energy efficient’.”

Year ‘Round Efficiency:  A Geo Systemnt natural gas furnace!”

How does a Geo system work?

The “M” Word

Mold. It is a dreaded word. From a health perspective it can be deadly or at least very irritating to those with sensitive respiratory systems. From a construction perspective, it means moisture and moisture eventually means rot. The construction practices used in EH 3’s foundation and walls totally eliminate mold.

T-Mass, which is an integral foundation system, is used for the basement. T-Mass foundation forms already contain insulation and concrete is poured in it. T-Mass eliminates the need for an energy wall (fiberglass insulation) in the basement and having no fiberglass in the basement severely limits the potential for mold growth.

Home Automation System

We’ve all heard about the benefits of using off-peak electricity and programmable thermostats. EH 3 has an automated home system from KinSáile Technologies, Elk River. “From touch pads in the house or from any web browser, you’ll securely log into your home’s system and from there, you will be able to look at the performance of your systems,” explains Scott Hagen, Vice President, KinSáile Technologies. “With the HVAC system, for example, you can learn what the current temperature is inside and outdoors and control your heating and cooling setbacks based on that. You can learn historically about your house’s heating and cooling on/off cycles. These tools help control energy use and costs.”

The home’s security system can be programmed/accessed the same way. Staying home to let in a repairperson will be unnecessary with this system. By logging into a secure web browser, you can disarm your security system to let the person in and re-arm it when they are done. Additionally, the system monitors specific doors and windows and there are cameras in the house so you will know if other areas of the house have been accessed and how many times while you were away. Lighting scenarios can be programmed and accessed too.

“The house is totally IP (internet protocol)-based,” continues Hagen. “All the technology we use is available on the open market today, and since it is built into the infrastructure of the house, it’s easy to update or add new features in the future. Anything that is IP- ready or IP-enabled can be controlled from one user interface.  This includes the intercom, phone messages, in-home music, video content, thermostat, lighting and security systems connected to this system. We’re all about lifestyle and making sure your home fits your lifestyle and not the other way around.”

Under Slab Radiant Heat

Another comfy feature of EH 3 is under slab radiant heat. Electric panels are installed in the sand below the concrete slab. They work off-peak radiating heat through the concrete to keep floors comfortable even for bare feet. Some of these panels also are installed in the ceilings under the sheet rock in storage areas that will be used for displays while the Builder’s Association offices in EH 3.

And the entire driveway and sidewalk are heated electrically to evaporate, not melt, snow and ice. A sensor finds temperature and humidity and when it starts snowing, it turns on automatically.  This may not sound efficient but Alternative Energy Concepts’ Greg Houle says it costs only $2/hour to run this system and, “who can get somebody to shovel for that?”  It’s also a marvelous safety feature.

Walls and Windows that Out-Perform

SIPs (structurally insulated panels) are used on the exterior walls and roof. “I really like working with these panels,” says Holst. “They are like two pieces of plywood sandwiched around polystyrene foam. They are stronger than traditionally framed walls because they are all glued and screwed together to form one piece. In a strong storm, you’d really feel how solid a SIP house is.”

The SIPs use polystyrene foam as insulation so there is no fiberglass in them. All the things that cause mold in a house (fiberglass, inadequate air circulation, leaks) are gone. In addition, Holst says the SIPs have a better R Value (insulation value) than fiberglass does. “Typical fiberglass wall construction has an R19 value. The SIPs are R24. You’ll be cutting your heating and cooling bills year after year, while you breathe cleaner air indoors too.”

EH 3 has German-engineered Schuco Windows, which have the lowest U-value of any window that Holst researched. U-value is a measurement of energy efficiency for glass. The Schuco windows are triple pane and krypton gas, not argon gas, is their insulation. The windows are vacuum-filled and -sealed so you can be sure they are 100% filled for the best insulating value.

Cleaner Indoor Air

That new house smell is really products degassing VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) and you’re breathing them in. Low VOC products in flooring, paint, furniture, decking, etc., were used in EH 3 wherever possible to help optimize air quality. EH 3 has a number of respiratory-friendly systems that improve indoor air quality. Already mentioned are the elimination of mold-causing materials and using an air exchange system throughout the whole house.

A radon mitigation system and carbon monoxide detectors are installed. Additionally, the ground source heat pump eliminates the potential for deadly carbon monoxide from furnace combustion.

The entire ventilation system is sealed with paintable mastic to prevent any air leaks into or out of the runs prior to the registers.

EnergyStar Appliances and Lightsare installed.  The homebuyer roeir mortgage

Recycled for Beauty, Durability

Some of us still have misconceptions about recycled products. However, many manufacturers are using recycled products all the time and we don’t realize it. EH 3 has MarmoleumÒ recycled vinyl flooring and the carpet throughout the house is all made of recycled materials. It’s beautiful, comfortable, durable, and you’ll be impressed.

Steel shingles cover the roof. An asphalt coating makes the roof more visually appealing and the shingles have a 50-year warranty. The recycled steel siding complements the exterior with matching durability.

Landscaping will be done with plenty of composted materials for a truly “green” lawn!

Curbside Waste

It isn’t just the materials going into EH 3 that we watched; it’s also what went out. Veit Disposal provided the dumpsters used at the jobsite and they sorted out the materials for recycling that the construction crews threw in. “That started us thinking,” relates Holst. “We asked our crew to just be more aware of using the construction materials more completely wherever they could. We began saving short 2x4s and using them for sheet rock backers when possible and we reused other materials we normally threw away. It wasn’t more time consuming and even though we might not have saved a lot more materials on one house, over the course of 100 houses, the wasted materials (and subsequent costs) really add up. It’s a practice we want to change from here on.”

Learn More

You might be wondering how Holst found those windows (and the other products they used), how easy are they to get and what they cost. “We invited suppliers to sit down and tell us about their products. Performance was the key because they are used in an energy efficient house. Many of the suppliers gave us discounts and/or donated services to make this many energy efficient options affordable in one house. Suppliers recognized the impact this marketing tool can have on their own businesses,” explains Holst. “Nevertheless we were constantly balancing cost with value. While these products are more expensive initially, their efficiencies and longevity, compared to their traditional counterparts, are definitely worth looking into.”

Information about the products that are used is presented in Energy House III.  Since the SNBA has its offices in the house, their staff is available to answer questions about the performance of the house and tours can be arranged by calling them (763-241-9536). The home’s automated system will tell all its secrets, too. You can also visit www.energyhouseonline.com any time.