| One of the most compelling
reasons for building a home with concrete is energy efficiency.
As your concrete home builder, we use the latest in
technology which enables the storage capacity of your home
to stay warmer in winter and cooler in summer than traditional
wood frame homes. External air infiltration is eliminated,
thanks to airtight concrete home construction and rigid
insulation. This keeps indoor temperature consistent and
comfortable.
The concrete walls and floors are poured at the same time
(a monolithic pour). The concrete flows into every nook
and cranny in the wall. It flows around doors, windows and
conduits forming a continuous barrier blocking any air movement
through the wall. Unlike conventional wood framing that
has thousands of cracks, joints and gaps in the wall construction.
Concrete by nature is a very dense material. Concrete weighs approx. 4000 lbs/cubic yard. Our typical home utilizes over 250 cubic yards. That equates to a total weight well over 1,000,000 lbs. This density
gives it the ability to "soak" up the thermal
energy of the air inside a structure. It then has the ability
to store that energy for a period of time based on the volume
from the external elements, much like our forefathers putting
heated stones at the foot of their beds. The stone is the
mass that stores the heat, and blankets are the insulators
that keep the air from cooling the stones. The lack of air
infiltrating into the structure and the ability of the concrete
to store the thermal energy are the two building blocks
that lead to a very energy efficient home.
In fact, the Energy Star home program of the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) has consistently given a five-star
rating to homes built with systems like ours. Homes with the Energy Star label
are designed to use less energy and help protect the environment.
Depending on your lifestyle, climate and number of people
in the household, the typical family can save 40% to 50%
on energy costs. Also, your homes furnace and air conditioner
can run during off-peak times, taking advantage of power
rate discounts from the utility companies. Within a few
years, energy savings on heating and air conditioning can
total thousands of dollars.
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