| Building Practices |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| Building a new or remodeled your home can be both environmentally friendly and energy efficient. *Using sustainable materials Wood / Concrete / recycled materials * Constructed to limit waste Designed to utilize materials / recycle materials from your remodel * Seal the envelope (Discussed more In "Seal the Envelope") Wrap and seal the home to limit cold / heat / wind penetration * Insulate your home right Higher R values in the fiber insulation Using CMU and ICF construction * Low VOC imitations from chemicals Paint / Glues / Carpets and floorings / Finishes |
| Certified Sustainable Lumber Certified Lumber comes from forest that are known to be sustainable. The lumber is followed from logging to mill to retail store. It is then certified to have come from Sustainable Forests . Always use KD (Kiln Dried) lumber. Using dry lumber will keep moisture out of the walls and keep mold from building up in the walls. Using wet lumber may be less expensive, but over time the drying of the wood causes the lumber to twist and curl which makes finishing the home more difficult. |
| ICF Walls ICF walls are both eco friendlily, they are also energy efficient. They are made up of recycled Styrofoam with concrete in the center. Not only are they very strong they loose 30 to 45% less energy just by using them. CMU Walls CMU walls are also very strong. They are made up of concrete or concrete and Styrofoam mix. Again they can cut down on your energy usage and energy costs. |
| Insulating Insulation is one of the most important things you can do to keep your home warm and energy efficient. With many products available today we can help give you the information on each to decide which will work best for your home. Most insulation is either fiberglass batting or celluloses blow in. We like the new soy bean insulation which swells in the walls and seals all holes that might be in your walls from electrical, plumbing, framing or other trades. |
| Stagger Stud Construction Staggered wall construction takes more materials to construct, but the advantage is that more insulation can be installed. Your typ. wall insulation for a 2x6 wall is R21. With 2x4 staggered construction you can use R30 in your walls. This allows you to use less energy to heat or cool your home. You are also able to use smaller lumber for your studs. We use a 2x8 top and bottom plate, so this will makes your walls thicker. The studs are still put 16" OC, but depending on your local building codes 24" OC could be used. SSC also makes it easier for our electricians and plumbers to make their runs of electrical wiring and water tubing. |
Click on image to enlarge
| Alternative Building Materials Tires, Hay bails, rammed earth or under ground homes are all good alternatives to be environmentally friendly and save energy. |
