Arts and Crafts - Insulating Concrete Form (ICF)
Graceful Arts and Crafts home has a classic character and an energy efficient soul
This beauty features crown molding, high ceilings, five-panel doors, a custom-built fireplace mantel, and beautiful hardwood floors of ambrosia maple. The kitchen, which is open to the main living area has solid surface countertops and the cabinetry is custom-built in a 1920s style.
Even with so many windows and the open living area, this house is comfortable in all seasons. There's no heat loss or drafts. The house won a hard-to-achieve five-star-plus rating and an index score of 56 on its home energy rating certificate. The home’s energy efficiency prevents the emission of about 30,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide every year.
There is semi-rigid polyurethane foam insulation in the wall cavities and attic rafters, and an extremely efficient geothermal heating and cooling system. With foam, an attic in summer will average only about 5 degrees hotter than the inside of the home, and in winter it’ll be about 5° cooler. The basement, with radiant heat coils, is built using insulating concrete form (ICF) technology.
A home like this costs between 2% to 5% more to build, but is really money paid up front on future utility bills. Not only is there an increased level of comfort and safety, but the environment benefits as well. You also save a lot of money down the line as utility rates rise, so you win again. Carbon, comfort, and cash!
Originally the owners intended to build the home themselves to save money and had a home designed with thick 2"x6" walls. But once research revealed that there's more to energy efficiency than thick walls, they realized they changed their minds. “My advice to anyone thinking of building their own house is: Don’t do it!” the owner said. “We didn’t have the expertise or
time and it would have been a big mistake for us. If I had done it myself, I wouldn’t have done geothermal or ICF or foam. I
would have used fiberglass batts in the walls."
This beauty features crown molding, high ceilings, five-panel doors, a custom-built fireplace mantel, and beautiful hardwood floors of ambrosia maple. The kitchen, which is open to the main living area has solid surface countertops and the cabinetry is custom-built in a 1920s style.
Even with so many windows and the open living area, this house is comfortable in all seasons. There's no heat loss or drafts. The house won a hard-to-achieve five-star-plus rating and an index score of 56 on its home energy rating certificate. The home’s energy efficiency prevents the emission of about 30,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide every year.
There is semi-rigid polyurethane foam insulation in the wall cavities and attic rafters, and an extremely efficient geothermal heating and cooling system. With foam, an attic in summer will average only about 5 degrees hotter than the inside of the home, and in winter it’ll be about 5° cooler. The basement, with radiant heat coils, is built using insulating concrete form (ICF) technology.
A home like this costs between 2% to 5% more to build, but is really money paid up front on future utility bills. Not only is there an increased level of comfort and safety, but the environment benefits as well. You also save a lot of money down the line as utility rates rise, so you win again. Carbon, comfort, and cash!
Originally the owners intended to build the home themselves to save money and had a home designed with thick 2"x6" walls. But once research revealed that there's more to energy efficiency than thick walls, they realized they changed their minds. “My advice to anyone thinking of building their own house is: Don’t do it!” the owner said. “We didn’t have the expertise or
time and it would have been a big mistake for us. If I had done it myself, I wouldn’t have done geothermal or ICF or foam. I
would have used fiberglass batts in the walls."