insulated homes - insulating concrete form - energy efficient home design

At Energy Efficient Building Network, we believe that working with competent and experienced design and construction professionals is essential for your dream house / building project's successful completion in a cost-effective and timely manner.

A Successful Energy Efficient Building Project! ... needs all the right decisions, a team of dedicated and experienced professionals working in concert, and a whole lot more. How to do it right every time? ... We need a system, there are no short cuts, no magic wand. Energy Efficient Building Network has a system that uses the Top Ten List for successfully completing an energy efficient building project.

Every project today has energy efficiency as a key consideration -- so whether you are building or renovating your house, or it is your commercial or light industrial building -- energy efficiency a key requirement -- good thinking -- Congratulations!

It all begins with a genuine desire, a concept, a need, an idea, a dream. You want to do it right, you want a building that is energy efficient, functional, aesthetically pleasing, cost-effective, long-lasting, and that is strong, is healthy, and is comfortable -- you want it all -- and why not!

For an energy efficient building, efficient use of energy is not an after thought, it is a key consideration that impacts decisions at every step of the way from conception to completion. So as the decision is made to build, and the budget and schedule issues have been considered, we need to follow the steps in the ...

Top Ten List ...

1. Building System... select one that has energy efficiency at its core, is state-of-the-art, and is strong in its resistant to natural hazards, is cost-effective
   
2. Project Management ... create a team so that every one is a team player and has experience and expertise in energy efficient construction in one's respective discipline
   
3. Foundation... design so that it is compatible with the Building System selected
   
4. Walls... choose a compatible system that provides most energy efficiency, ease of building and allows for use of wall covering of your choice
   
5. Floors... design compatible floor system that provides for energy efficiency, occupant comfort, use of floor finish of choice
   
6. Roof... design roof structure and choose roofing system that is energy efficient, is compatible with the various sub systems of the building and affords the aesthetics and curb appeal that you desire
   
7. Doors and Windows... select type and style that are energy efficient, are durable, and meet your decor ideas
   
8. Mechanical... choose compatible system and fixtures that are energy efficient, are state-of-the-art and have proven record of performance
   
9. Electrical... design system and choose fixtures that are compatible, are state-of-the-art, meet your decor ideas and are energy efficient
   
10. Appliances-Fixtures... choose such that they add-value to your energy efficient project, are durable, are cost-effective, and meet your ideas of decor, aesthetics and curb appeal
    

So this is how it goes ...

You turn the idea into a plan -- you develop a mission. You search for a suitable location. You want your building to be cost-effective and you are concerned with not only about the building's initial cost but also its operational cost over its entire life cycle. You establish a budget and you establish a schedule.

You chart out the purpose and the function of the building. You initiate a project. You want to design it and build it so it meets all of your requirements such as form, function, aesthetics, budget, schedule, safety, security, while meeting all the pertinent rules and regulations. You want to spend your money wisely, you want to use proven cutting edge state-of-the art technology, you want your building to have a long useful life -- you want to be proud of what you are going to build -- there we go!

So, for example if you are building it in Rochester Hills, in the State of Michigan in USA, where I have my consulting practice, you have to meet all the local, state, and federal regulations -- or if your building is going to be located in the city of Toronto, in the Province of Ontario where I lived a number of years ago, you have to comply with the local, provincial, and federal regulations -- or even if your building is going to be located in New Delhi, India, where I grew up, you have to ensure compliance with all local, municipal, and federal requirements. You want your building to be designed and built right -- according to applicable codes -- be it International Building Code, International Residential Code, UBC, BOCA, SBC, MEC, and so on.

So if your building is subject to hurricanes, such as on Florida coast line where I have discussed working on a project, or in an earthquake prone area, such as California, USA, or West Coast area of Gujarat India, or in areas that were subject to ravages of earthquake and tsunami in December 2004, such as Banda Aceh in Indonesia, Chennai in India, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Phuket in Thailand, or Sri Lanka, or the devastating earthquake of 2005 in Pakistan and India, you want to ensure that your building is designed and built, to be strong so you are safe and secure not only in normal weather conditions, but also to withstand natural hazards, such as storms, tornados, hurricanes, earthquakes and fires.

To ensure a successful project, you have to think of the various facets of the project as sub systems of the building system. All parties working on the project have to work as members of a project management team.

The building design has to meet all the requirements of the plan, it has to be in compliance with the mission for the project. The design has to take into account your requirement of energy efficient building -- this requirement affects the type of construction that should be chosen -- for example from amongst stick wall, structural insulated Panel (SIP), insulating concrete form (ICF), …. and so on.

In project construction, the type of construction chosen, the design of the building, and the soil conditions at the project site will help determine the optimum foundation system -- whether to use conventional spread footings, trench footings, isolated column footings, a mat/raft foundation, or pile foundation, …. and so on.

The type of construction and the building design selected will also have an influence on design of the elements that constitute the shell of the building for example the walls the floors, and the roof.

For your choice of doors and windows you will select energy efficient doors and energy efficient windows. For mechanical you will choose the plumbing and Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC system), and for electrical you will choose the wiring and the associated components to match the type of construction and the building design. The energy efficient building's project requirements, aesthetical considerations, and choice of the walls, floors, and roof system will also have an impact on the choice of wall and floor finishes, and roof covering, and the choice of fixtures and furnishings for the building.

To build your energy efficient building you want to make sure that the building meets all of your requirements such as form, function, aesthetics, budget, and schedule, … and you want to ensure that the building is strong so you are safe and secure not only in normal weather conditions but also that the building is capable of withstanding natural hazards, such as storms, tornados, hurricanes, earthquakes and fires. And of course you want your building to be comfortable, and quiet, and you want your building to be a healthy place for you and your family and/or your workers to live, to work or to play in -- that sure is a tall order!

What would it take to fill that tall order -- DEDICATION we say, and we spell dedications as …

Dream It
Evaluate It
Develop It
Initialize Project Team
Construct It
Add Value To It
Top It With Accessories
Inspect It
Occupy It
Nurture It

The owner comes up with the idea, the idea is evaluated and authenticated, it is made into a plan, project site is located, budget and schedule are established, funding is arranged, and then the Architect, the Structural Engineer, the Mechanical Engineer, the Electrical Engineer, and the Contractor have to work as a team to carry the ball to the goal line. Every member of the team has a contribution to make -- but we believe, it is the Structural Engineer who is the Quarter Back that can take the team to victory in this tough and challenging game -- successfully leading to energy efficient building -- hurray!

As we build your dream home / building to be energy efficient, we use the same materials, design principles, and techniques to make your home / building …

• A Safe Home / Building -- safe against
  • Tornados, Hurricanes, and other extreme windstorms
  • earthquakes
  • ...

  An energy efficient home is a well built home. It is a safe home -- read more about Safe-Home ...

• A Healthy Home / Building -- safe from
  • mold
  • fungus
  • allergens
  • pollutants
  • ...
  
  Bau-biologie -- the concept originated in Germany. It is concerned with promoting the use of healthy building materials and principles with the idea of improving living and work spaces. Your dream home / building should provide for a pleasant, comfortable, and healthy environment for your family.
  
  What a tragic story in March 2006 about Mrs Christopher Reeves untimely death from lung cancer. Mrs Reeves was in her 40's and had never smoked.
  
  There is concern that naturally occurring Radon gas can cause lung cancer. A healthy home can be designed to trap the Radon gas from the basement and from near the sump pit quite easily -- it is just a question of using the right building materials and methods and paying attention to details.
  
  Mold is another concern. Although mold can not be eliminated ... but in your energy efficient house, mold growth can be controlled. With the use of right building materials, practices, and details, your dream home has got to be a healthy home.

  Bau-biologie ... what a refreshing concept in contrast to the sick building syndrome -- read more about Healthy-Home ...

• A Quiet Home / Building -- no bother from
  • Vehicular Traffic
  • Aircraft flying overhead
  • Power boats on your lake front property
  • ...
  
  An energy efficient home is a well built home. It is a quiet home -- read more about Quiet-Home ...

• Designer
• Architect
• Engineer
• Contractor
• Specialty contractor
• Surveyor
• Developer
• Supplier
• Financier
• ....