Energy-Efficient Building Materials

Building an energy-efficient home is a great idea. Most modern buildings are built with the issues of energy efficiency in mind. There is a wide range of energy-efficient building materials available in the market for builders. Let's take a look at some of the efficient building materials you can use. 

Recycled steel

It only takes six scrap cars to build an average house. The steel beams are more efficient than the wooden ones and can be used for specific designs. The other major benefit is that steel is long lasting and can be used in areas that are prone to high winds and earthquakes. 

Insulated concrete forms

Insulated concrete forms have been in the market for more than fifty years and are getting more popular because of their high energy level efficiency. The concrete can be used in building blocks and free standing walls. 

Plant-based polyurethane foam

Plant-based polyurethane is a safe building material made from natural materials such as hemp, kelp and bamboo. It is has high resistance to heat, moisture and offers great protection to pests and mold. It is far much better than polystyrene and fiberglass that have been used for long. 

Straw bales

This is another resilient energy-efficient building material that's been used for many years for making beds and for roofing. Straw bales have great insulation properties and if it is kept free of moisture it can last for a very long time and bond well to plaster.

Cool roof

Cool roofing technology has been in place for quite sometimes. This technology enhances heat dissipation and lowers your home temperature during the hot days. It is also environmental friendly because of its ability to reduce the heat in the atmosphere. They have high ability to reflect the sunlight, leading to heat reduction in your house.

Structural insulated panels

Structural insulated panels are made from a layer of foam insulation sandwiched between cement panels and plywood. One of its major advantage is that it is fire-resistant, making it effective for foundations, floors and basements. There is a wide range of the materials to choose from, but the level of energy efficiency is the same.

Plastic composite lumber

This lumber is made from wood fiber and waste plastic and can last for many years compared to the conventionally treated wood. In addition, it has high resistance to mold and rot. Plus, it's stronger in the cold and more pliable in the heat compared to plastic building materials.

Low e-windows

Low e-windows- also known as high performance windows- are a perfect substitute for regular glass. They help reduce heat during summer and block infrared radiation. They are coated with metal oxide and help keep your house warm during the cold season.

Vacuum insulation panels

These panels are mostly used for commercial refrigeration units and may be used for general home building in the future. They are made of textured silver rectangle that encloses a core panel in an airtight envelope. This means that there is a reduction of heat loss leading to greener homes.

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Keep the Home Energy Efficient by Installing the Correct Control Layers

If you are a builder, one of your chief concerns should be ensuring the energy efficiency of your homes. This involves using the correct building materials and installing appropriate control layers.

Total control is the key to building a high performance home. The four control layers that determine the performance of your home are: water, air, thermal, and vapor.

It might sound surprising, but many builders still don't understand the properties or uses of various construction materials. For example, many of them don't understand what a house wrap is. All builders understand that a house wrap is a control layer. But what is it that it is supposed to control?

Most builders seem to believe that a house wrap is an air barrier. Some builders believe that it is a vapor retarder. There are also builders who believe that it is a bit of both.

If you are a builder, you should control the following elements in a home.

·         Heat

·         Water

·         Air

·         Vapor

Here is an overview of the materials and technologies that you can use to control these elements:

Controlling heat

You can regulate the flow of heat around the home by using proper insulation. There are many different kinds of insulation materials. Some insulation materials also act as vapor retarders or air barriers.

Controlling air

There are still many builders who believe that you must not air-seal a home too much. But that is not true. The old theory that the house should be able to breathe no longer holds water. As a builder, you need to keep air leakage at the lowest possible level.

Controlling water

This is more important than anything else. If you fail in this department, your house will fail to achieve the desired level of energy efficiency. This is where a house wrap helps. It helps you control water. It is a drainage plane that protects the permeable materials behind it by keeping water away. House wrap isn't the only drainage plane. Several other materials are also available.

No matter what material you choose, you need to control water using all possible means.

Controlling water vapor

So you thought the house wrap was a vapor barrier. It does have some properties of a vapor barrier, but it is not an efficient vapor barrier. The truth is that it is not as effective as a class III vapor retarder. As far as vapor control goes, there are times when you need to control it and then there are times when you should let it flow. When the climate is really cold, you should keep the vapor on the inner side of the wall but not on the outer side.

If the home is situated in a semi-humid climate, you don't need a vapor retarder on the inside or the outside of the walls.

Creating the perfect wall

The perfect wall is one that has got all the control layers in place. By installing all proper control layers, you can keep rain water outside and conditioned air inside. The control layers will also make your home durable, healthy and comfortable. So control the flows.

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Picking a Lot for an Energy-Efficient Home

Building a home that boasts energy-efficient qualities is easier than transforming an already-built home to conserve energy. Building from the ground up ensures that only the best and most efficient features and appliances can be added to the home for maximum energy conservation.

Perhaps the biggest decision when building an energy-efficient home is where you will put the home. Picking a lot for your home involves a few factors that you should be aware of.

How energy-efficient is the lot?

When you scope out building sites, you should measure the potential of the particular lot in terms of energy efficiency. Here are some things to look for and consider:

Solar exposures- Since this is a major key to building energy-efficient homes, you need to figure out what the latitude of the lot is and the sun’s path over a year’s time at that attitude.

Water- Of course homeowners need water to live, so the water situation should be analyzed. How is the water supply? Are there any water problems in the area? Will the home need a well? There are many questions to answer as far as water is concerned.

Prevailing winds- For energy-efficient homes, prevailing winds are very important in ventilation and cooling the home. You want a lot with a great natural breeze in the summer.

Future plans for area- Are you building a home on a lot near train construction or a highway that’s planning on expanding? Find out before you begin construction.

Will local building codes support the home construction?

Before you build an energy-efficient home, you need to find out whether or the area has local building codes that support your plans. To find out, you can ask the local homeowners association or the local building department. You can also get information about the costs for fees and permits as well. It’s a good idea to talk with local contractors and builders to get information and advice on building an energy-efficient home in the area.

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A History of Log Cabins

If you’re building a vacation home, you might consider a log cabin. You just can’t beat the coziness and down-to-earth appeal of a log cabin home! Whether you want to build a vacation home or a major home for you and your family, log cabins are a great investment. They also have a rich history throughout the world.  

 

Log cabins are shelters typically made of logs hewn together. Traditionally, these houses were single roomed or storied. Log cabins are believed to have their original roots in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe and were probably first built in the Bronze Age period. Straight pine and spruce tree trunks in the Scandinavia facilitated construction of the cabins, and this still goes on today.

 

Europeans continued building log cabins as frontier shelters when they migrated and settled in North America. Some historians believe that the settlers built their first cabin in 1638 in New Sweden. Construction of log cabins continued in other colonies.

 

As the early settlers built more formal houses, log cabins served as animal shelters and outdoor stores. Some famous personalities like Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Jackson among others were born in log cabins. Cabins have currently transformed into leisure homes but their interesting history remains unforgotten.

Foundation

Pioneers of log cabins had to choose an ideal site to offer the inhabitants good drainage and access to sunlight. Cabins foundation was set on stones. Large stones were used especially for the corners. More stones were also used along the sill or bottom log for very large cabins. The stone foundations kept the shelters from damp soil. Space between earth and the cabin served as storage. Cabins that were constructed on earth floors needed no stone foundations. Cabin floors were normally made from hard-packed clay.

Walls

Traditional log cabins had walls that were made out of straight tree trunks placed one on top of another. The trunks or logs were later interlocked at the corners and notched at the ends. This made the structures very strong as no nails were used, just like today’s log houses.

 

Complex joints were developed over the decades. Spaces that were left between the trunks and at the joints were sealed using moss or other soft materials from surrounding plants. Small window openings were allowed on the log walls to allow in some light and warmth. A fireplace also existed in the cabin for more warmth which also served as a cook stove.

Roof

As for the roofing, log cabin pioneers used rows of overlapping short boards. The size of the house depended on the length of the tree trunk. Similar sealing was used on roofs to keep away moisture. Traditional log cabins also had smoke allowance which served as chimney.

 

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The Basics of Building Science

We all live in buildings, but how many of us actually understand how these buildings work? As a builder you know how to build a home. But do you know how exactly a home works? Chances are, you don't. Builders and contractors know how to build. Even so, many of them don't understand the fundamental rules of building a home. Don't worry. Building science isn't all that complicated.

Here are the three fundamental rules that govern all buildings:

A building is a system

A house is basically a system consisting of a number of components that interact with one another. Your plumbing, electrical, framing, HVAC - they all work together to create a home. You will hire different contractors to install these systems and in most cases, they are only interested in their work. A plumbing contractor may overlook the impact of their work on the electrical or HVAC system. This is a mistake.

The performance of a home depends upon three elements - building envelope, weather shell and the mechanical systems. The job of the weather shell is to keep the elements out. The building envelope is the boundary between the conditioned space inside and the unconditioned space outside. The building envelope comprises insulation and an air barrier. The building envelope can get compromised in many ways.

The mechanical systems also play a significant role in determining the performance of the home. Besides increasing or decreasing the temperature levels, your cooling and heating systems also affect the pressure and moisture content inside and outside the home. All of these things play an important role in making the home efficient, comfortable and healthy. Make sure that your cooling and heating systems are of the proper size.

Consider the climate

The same house can't be built in all climates with the same specifications. While building the home, you need to consider the weather elements. Vapor barriers that work in one climate zone will not work in another climate zone. This explains why you should pay attention to the climate. The climate can be dry, wet, hot, cold or mixed.

Homes in Miami or Minneapolis will probably need a vapor barrier, but you don't need it in Memphis. The purpose of a vapor barrier is to reduce the diffusion of vapor into the wall cavity. It tends to work in one-way climates. For example, in Miami, the humid air tends to be outside the home, so the vapor retarder/barrier also goes outside. On the other hand In Memphis, the humid air is inside the house for six months and outside the house for the remaining six months. So if you install the barrier inside the house, you will be wrong for half of the year.

Don't forget the rules of thermodynamics

Hot air moves up and cold air moves down. In the same way, moisture tends to move from wet to dry. These are the basic laws of thermodynamics. If you are planning to build against these rules, you need to be extra careful. If you want to control moisture, you should know what climate the home is in. This will help you decide what type of cooling and heating systems you need to install.

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Fire Resistant Siding and Roofing Materials

All buildings can catch fire. But buildings that are built of fire-resistant materials give the residents enough time to escape in the event of a fire. Fire-resistant materials need not necessarily be noncombustible, but they possess properties that slow down the spreading of fire.

Here is a quick overview of fire-resistant siding and roofing materials:

Fiberglass-Based Asphalt Shingles

Asphalt shingles are the least expensive residential roofing materials. They are also fire-resistant. Fiberglass-based shingles offer excellent fire resistance, especially when they are installed with underlayments that comply with fire codes.

Metal Tile

Metal tiles aren't combustible and when they have fire-resistant barrier materials under them, they offer excellent protection from fire. These tiles are lightweight and don't require much maintenance.

Clay Tile

Clay tiles are not only durable but also noncombustible.

Recycled-Rubber Tile

Roofing materials made of recycled rubber are light weight. They are also quite cheap. Better still, they meet tough fire resistance requirements.

Slate

Nothing can beat slate in terms of elegance, beauty and versatility. These tiles are almost indestructible and noncombustible. Slate tiles are heavy, so you need to ensure that your roof is strong enough to support them.

Fiber Cement

Fiber cement shingles have excellent fire resistance. They are made from a mixture of sand, wood and Portland cement. They can withstand high heat for up to 4 hours. If you are planning to use fiber-cement sidings, you need to add gypsum-board underlayments. This will offer maximum protection against fire.

However, you need to remember that you can't get protection from fire by simply cladding your house in fire-resistant roofing and siding materials. If there are cracks or holes in the walls, the embers will find their way inside.  Other inflammable surfaces also increase the risk of fire. So don't forget to enclose soffits and eaves with a fire-retardant trim.

Stone Veneer

Stone veneer is another noncombustible natural material that you can use to wrap your roof. By using fire-rated mortar and repairing cracks periodically, you can prevent the stones from popping off under the heat of a fire.

Exterior Insulation Finish Systems (EIFS)

An EIFS finish does not look much different from stucco. It is created by applying an acrylic cement finish over a fiberglass lath. By adding a foam insulation layer to the back of the cement, you can prevent cracking. Note that some EIFS products don't have fire ratings because the noncombustible materials in them will readily fall off when they are confronted with heat. However, EIFS will not make the underlying wall system vulnerable to fire.

Treated Wood

Natural wood is highly inflammable. However, several roofing and siding companies now sell shingles and clapboards mixed with fire-retardant chemicals. If you use them, you should retreat the wood periodically to retain its fire resistant property because chemicals can leach out over time.

Masonry

Fire retardant stucco walls and bricks offer decent protection from fire provided that they are of the required thickness. While these materials are slightly expensive, they will last decades if they are properly installed and maintained. A layer of gypsum is more than enough to slow down the conduction of heat from your siding to your framing.

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How to Save Money on Construction Costs

If you are building a home, you might have thought of ways to cut costs. There are mainly 3 ways to save time and money on construction costs. First, avoid unnecessary mistakes. Second, cut back on upfront costs. Third, make the home less expensive to occupy.

Before undertaking a home construction project, you should communicate with your contractors. Specify your requirements clearly. Misunderstandings between the builder and the contractor can lead to costly mistakes. Do you want the project to be finished before a certain date? Let the contractor know about your deadline.

Make the home safe

Choose fire resistant materials for building the home. They are not exactly cheap, but they make the home more salable. Many of these materials are combustible, but fire takes long to affect them. This gives occupants enough time to escape. Fire resistant windows in particular are popular with buyers.

Use reclaimed materials

You will perhaps want to explore the possibility of using reclaimed materials in the project. Objects bought from home improvement stores also tend to be less expensive. If you can find a Habitat for Humanity store somewhere near you, you will be able to find good quality cupboards and other fittings for deeply discounted prices. If there are items that you want to procure on your own, you should communicate this with the contractor.

Add sustainable features

Buyers now look for sustainable features that will make the space less expensive to occupy and hence the builder needs to incorporate them into the building. Install water efficient fittings in the bathroom and the kitchen. They will reduce the utility bills of the occupant.

Many builders now install solar panels and home wind turbines. While the upfront costs can be high, they help reduce the energy bills of the homeowner. The builder can also quote a higher price for these homes.

Prefabricated homes

If you really want to save money, you should consider prefabricated homes. Modern prefabricated homes are well-built and energy efficient. Better still, they look stunning. In certain areas, you can construct homes with reclaimed shipping containers.

Reduce labor costs

Labor costs can add up to the cost of construction. Before your workers arrive, make sure that they have everything they need to work with. This includes construction materials and tools. If you make them wait around, you will incur huge losses.

Obtain all necessary permissions

Before starting the project, you have to ensure that you have obtained all necessary permissions. A stop work order can cause costly delays and also invite fines.

Don't compromise on quality

As a builder you will want to save money on building costs, but remember that for the buyer the home is an investment. Hence, opt for fittings and features that will make the home more salable over the years.

Appliances with WaterSense and Energy Star labels are becoming popular with buyers. WaterSense is the measure of an appliance's water efficiency. An appliance needs to be at least 20% more water efficient than conventional appliances to qualify for this label.

Buyers, in particular, are looking for materials that will recoup their cost while they sell the home. Laminates may be less expensive. But hardwood or tile flooring makes the home more salable.

While building the home, saving money alone cannot be the sole objective of the builder. Instead, builders need to look for ways that make the finished project more salable and livable. This involves adding energy efficient features and fittings that recover their cost.

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