| Oregon Energy Star Homes Saves You Money |
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Can you imagine building or owning an Oregon Energy Star home that is 259% more energy efficient than Energy Star requirements? Can you even guess how much that would save you in utility costs? To be certified and earn approval for an Energy Star Home the home must meet strict guidelines for energy efficiency. These guidelines are set by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency). These homes must be at least 15% more energy efficient than international building code set in 2004. Over all they tend to be 20% to 30% more efficient than conventionally built homes. A man by the name of Bruce Carpenter in Medford Oregon has created a home that is 259% more energy efficient than Energy Star requirements. In a blower door test- one of today's most effective ways of measuring energy efficiency this home achieved 2.7 ACH50 or 259% higher efficiency than what's needed for ENERGY STAR® certification. The home is all electric, and the utility bill for the chilly month of November, 2009 was just $74. This energy efficiency system of home building is comprised of a 4 piece system. The system is steel framing, radiant barrier sheathing, continuous exterior rigid insulation, and a pad foundation. The steel framing is the cornerstone of this energy efficiency. Compared to wood which twists, bows and warps creating inefficiency in a home, steel framing is precision manufactured so that it fits together perfectly. This create a solid base for the rest of the system. Next in this system is radiant barrier. Radiant barrier is plywood or OSB that has a reflective material that is glued on one or both sides. Radiant heat is the biggest culprit of heat loss and heat infiltration into a home. Radiant barrier blocks up to 97% of radiant heat getting into the home during the summer. It also blocks up to 85% of the radiant heat trying to escape during the winter. Continuous rigid exterior insulation is the next major component. This is 4 to 5 inch foam board. This creates an air tight envelope around the home. This continuous insulation stops thermal bridging as well as air infiltration. Air infiltration is the second biggest source or heat loss and infiltration just behind radiant heat. And finally the pad foundation is the final piece to the puzzle. A concrete pad foundation has thermal properties, retaining heat during the winter and staying cool during the winter. It also stops air infiltration as well. As hot air rises cold air is sucked in from any point below the attic. A crawl space foundation allows air infiltration through the floor on the entire foot print of the home. By combining these simple materials and processes an extremely energy efficient home was born. This could be the beginning of a new era in green construction of single family homes in Oregon. For the sake of our environment and our lovely state of Oregon we can only hope so. |