Some exciting innovations to consider for your home

Some exciting innovations to consider for your home

DAVID BAUER

By David Bauer, Executive Officer

Spokane Home Builders Association

Turn on the TV, open a magazine or newspaper or log on to a Web site and chances are you will find at least one story about new technology in fields as diverse as medicine, space travel and farming. Have you ever wondered what technological advances can contribute to the construction of your next home?

At the recent International Builders' Show in Las Vegas, the Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH) spotlighted a number of new technologies that are rapidly gaining prominence in the housing industry.

According to PATH, these technologies are proven, practical, easy to use and quickly drawing interest as both builders and consumers reap their benefits.

Technologies profiled by PATH are selected for their strength in one or more of the following areas: quality and durability; energy efficiency; environmental performance; safety and disaster mitigation; and affordability.

You can improve the quality and affordability of your next home by considering the following innovations when building or purchasing a home.

Frost Protected Shallow Foundations

A frost protected shallow foundation (FPSF) can safeguard your home from frost damage without the need to excavate below the frost line. Because FPSFs are protected by thermal insulation, bottoms of footings can be shallower than those of traditional foundations; this technique substantially reduces excavation costs, a savings that then can be passed on to the consumer.

There are currently more than 1 million homes in Norway, Sweden and Finland with these footings, which are recognized by Scandinavian building codes as standard practice. It is estimated that more than 5,000 buildings in the United States already have used FPSFs successfully.

Tankless Water Heaters

Tankless water heaters provide hot water on demand without storage - shaving 10 to 20 percent off your water heating bill by reducing or eliminating standby losses (energy lost from warmed water sitting in a tank).

Tankless water heaters have an electric, gas or propane heating device that is activated by the flow of water. Once activated, the heater provides a constant supply of hot water. These heaters can be used for supplementary heat, such as a booster to a solar hot water system, or to meet all hot water needs in your home.

HVAC Optimization

Proper sizing of heating, ventilating and air-conditioning equipment can mean savings in initial and operating costs of mechanical equipment and increased comfort for you and your family. To maximize efficiency, use properly sized equipment and place HVAC equipment inside the conditioned space. Savings resulting from proper sizing can offset increases in costs associated with improving the energy efficiency of a home.

Optimum Steel/Wood Combination Framing

Combination steel/wood framing systems use recycled steel studs and joists that attach directly to wood plates and bands using the same tools and methods as conventional framing techniques. The steel components are lightweight and quality consistent, and conserve lumber, speed up construction and add structural flexibility.

The relatively stable steel price makes combination framing an attractive choice for consumers. Compared to wood, steel costs less, can be used with less waste and can save homeowners up to 30 percent on insurance thanks to its high natural force resistance.

Precast Concrete Panels

Precast concrete systems can be installed in a fraction of the time needed for a poured foundation, resulting in labor savings that can be passed on to the consumer. A typical precast concrete panelized foundation, consisting of steel-reinforced concrete studs, reinforced top and bottom beams and concrete facings, can be erected in four to five hours, with no on-site concrete work. Cold weather erection is less complicated because no pouring or curing is required, and waterproofing is simplified due to the material's resistance to water penetration.

Additional top technologies named by PATH include air admittance valves, home run plumbing systems, low impact development, engineered panelized systems and shared wastewater treatment systems. For more information on these innovations, visit www.pathnet.org.

For an opportunity to see many new and innovative products and services for your home, mark your calendar now for the annual Showcase of Homes, our region's premier single-site new home tour. It's a great chance to tour fully furnished, professionally landscaped luxury homes within one of Spokane's premier developments. We'll see you at River Bluff Ranch Sept. 24 through Oct. 3.

For show information, please contact the Spokane Home Builders Association at (509) 532-4990.

The following fields overflowed: BYLINE = By David Bauer, Executive Officer Spokane Home Builders Association

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