Dow Study Confirms That A Small Upfront Investment In Energy Efficient Construction Can Yield Long-Term Energy (and MONEY) Saving Results
RAYCORE Structural Insulated Panels has been telling people since the mid ‘80s that building with their unique SIPs will save you money. Dow’s first-year data from their five-year energy-efficiency study indirectly confirms this claim.
RAY-CORE Structural Insulated Panels Produce a Continuous Super Insulated, Super Airtight Fortress Against The Elements
In the fall of 2011 Dow teamed up with Cobblestone Homes in Midland, Michigan to build 12 energy efficient test homes, specifically designed to gather data regarding home energy efficiency based on whole-house insulation, air sealing and real-world living conditions. Looking for a way to sell skeptical buyers on the idea that a small upfront investment in energy efficient construction can yield long-term energy (and money) saving results, Cobblestone Homes owner Mark Whal came up this this idea and pitched it to Dow.
The study includes 3 different homes of similar floor plans, and builds these homes to each of four different design and resulting energy standards. These standards range from a baseline of the 2006 International Conservation Code to the exceeding the 2012 Energy Conservation Code. Varying types and resulting varying R-value levels of insulation were used in each installation. Materials included fiberglass insulation bats, spray polyurethane foam and Dow’s Styrofoam exterior continuous insulation. Sensors in each home will provide important energy usage data over a five year period while the homes are used as rental properties. With the intended purpose of this study is to gather important whole-house energy efficiency data, Jim Morey, residential market manager of Dow Building Solutions stated, “The results will enable builders to make a stronger case to homeowners and potential buyers that high-performance solutions can cost-effectively maximize home value and comfort while lowering homeownership costs.”
First-year data results show that building with continuous and closed-cell insulation shows a 30% improvement in air leakage over homes built to the 2006 standards using fiberglass batt insulation and conventional housewraps. Homeowners and builders worrying that increased energy efficiency can only come with a extremely high cost, this study shows that with an investment of about $5,000, homeowners will receive a lifetime of energy cost savings. So where does RAY-CORE's Structural Insulated Panels fit into all this?
Although RAYCORE was not included a part of this study, the outcome when utilizing the practices is the same. Overall performance results when using RAYCORE’s closed cell polyurethane foam SIP wall panels, and SIP roof panels with integrated radiant barrier, and coupled with their insulated headers, results in continuous super insulated, super airtight, fortress against the elements that would easily meet and most likely exceed the results found in this study. And all this for even LESS than Cobblestone’s $5,000 upfront investment!
And remember, the higher the R-value and tighter the envelope, the smaller the HVAC system required. Because of the RAYCORE Structural Insulated Panels, many of RAYCORE's customers have been able to reduce the size and associated purchase cost of their heating and cooling system up to 1/2, making the the cost of their RAY-CORE SIPs ™ panels virtually free!
To learn more about Dow’s TEETH homes and view a chart outlining the construction approaches used and results for each home in this study, visit Remodeling Magazine’s August 2013 article.
And for more about how RAY-CORE SIPs ™ can help save energy and money for the lifetime of your next home,
By Email at: info@raycore.com or by Phone: 1.877.552.2440 or…
