1 of 3
2 of 3
3 of 3
Question: I am planning to build a new, lumber-framed, “stick-built” house but I’ve heard they aren’t the most energy-efficient option. I want my home to be very efficient, but still livable. Are there other construction methods I should consider?
Answer: You are wise to think about the livability of a house in addition to efficiency measures. You should always balance a home’s efficiency with comfort and convenience, and you can have the best of both worlds—if you pay attention to the details of how your home is constructed.
Many of the typical “to-code” stick-built houses—homes constructed entirely or largely on-site—are not very energy efficient, due primarily to air leaks and the fact that they contain a bare minimum of insulation. However, it’s easy to dramatically improve a stick-built house during construction by having more insulation put in and by upgrading to higher-quality windows and doors. You should also pay close attention to the vapor/air barriers during construction, making sure that the finished house is as airtight as it can be.
There are alternative construction methods that are inherently more efficient than a rectangular, lumber-framed, stick-built home, but as with any building choice, you have to consider the trade-offs and your budget in order to decide if they are right for you.
Round panelized construction
A round house is particularly energy efficient for several reasons. A circle provides the greatest amount of indoor floor space with the least amount of exterior wall surface. Less wall area means less heat loss. Also, wind tends to flow smoothly over the exterior, resulting in fewer air leaks. A circular panelized house, like those from Deltec Homes, can be built using a series of 8-foot-wide, flat panels made specifically to your house plans. A combination of insulation inside the hollow panels, and thick foam sheathing on the exterior, results in a high level of insulation.
Steel-frame construction
Although it seems counter-intuitive because metal conducts heat, steel-framed houses provided by companies like Kodiak Steel Homes can be very energy efficient. Steel members replace the lumber in the walls, so these houses look virtually identical to a standard, stick-built, lumber house. Their efficiency advantage comes from the fact that the supports are spaced very far apart. You can’t insulate studs, so fewer supports means there are fewer thermal bridges inside the walls. Bonus: Steel supports don’t settle, so the home stays airtight through its life.
Foam-block construction
Foam-block houses are assembled from what look like giant Lego pieces. The lightweight blocks from companies like Eco-Block, are stacked on top of one another to create the basic structure. Then the channel inside the blocks is pumped full of concrete to create an extremely strong, thick wall with a very high insulation level. This construction method also offers a great deal of architectural design flexibility.
Structural insulated panels (SIPS)
SIPS, like those from a company called Winter Panel, are very strong panels with thick insulating foam in the center. They are also called stress skin panels because the interior and exterior skins provide the structural strength for the house. These long panels are factory-crafted to fit your house plans. With the high insulation level and few joints needed between the panels, these houses are another efficient option.
Send questions to Energy Q&A.