TechPractices: Medallion Homes, San Antonio, TX

TechPractices are outstanding housing projects throughout the U.S. where innovative technologies are implemented. Builders and remodelers can use these examples as models for projects of their own.

Summary

Medallion Homes, a San Antonio home building company, is committed to constructing energy-efficient and environmentally friendly homes at an affordable price. Their success is evident: in 1998, after just 3 years in business, Medallion was cited by the San Antonio Business Journal as the Fastest Growing Company in San Antonio and Largest Locally-Owned San Antonio Homebuilder.

Medallion Homes builds about 260 homes per year and has won prestigious national awards for energy-efficient building. They also have award-winning customer service programs that focus on keeping buyers satisfied after the purchase. Prices for Medallion homes range from $84,900 for a 3 bedroom 2 bath home with 1,113 square feet of finished space to $201,900 for a 3,098 square foot, 4 bedroom plus gameroom, 2 living room, 2.5 bath home.

Details

Medallion Homes participates in several national energy efficiency home programs. In 1997 and 1998, they won the prestigious EnergyValue Housing Award. They participate in the Good Cents Environmental Home Program, a utility-sponsored energy efficiency program, and the Environmental Protection Agency's EnergySTAR Homes Program.

Medallion homes are built so occupants can stay comfortable affordably in the Texas climate. Homes have radiant barrier roof decking and continuous soffit and ridge vents to reduce attic temperatures. They use greater-than-required amounts of insulation and double pane insulated windows. Energy efficient equipment includes a 12 SEER (seasonal energy efficiency rating) air conditioner, an 80 percent efficient gas furnace, programmable thermostat, and fluorescent lighting in the kitchen. Heating and cooling ducts are insulated and sealed carefully with mastic and tape. Air infiltration is reduced by applying foam sealant around all exterior wall and ceiling openings, including electrical boxes, electrical fixtures, and HVAC registers. Solar heat gain is reduced by placing garages on the western side of the home to shade the living area from the hot afternoon sun. Windows on west-facing walls are minimized. When feasible, water heaters are placed in conditioned space to minimize heat loss.

Medallion Homes not only incorporates energy and resource efficiency into their homes, but also their landscaping. Medallion Homes' landscaping qualifies as a Backyard Wildscape by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department because it promulgates native vegetation and reduces water consumption and erosion over traditional landscaping. Standard landscaping packages include water-efficient Bermuda sod and xeriscaping that uses native vegetation that requires little or no dry-weather watering. Native mulch recycled from trees helps retain soil moisture. During construction, as many trees as possible are saved and new landscaping is placed to provide shading in summer.

Medallion homes are built to minimize waste and the use of natural resources. They use recycled content materials such as concrete containing flyash, a by-product of coal-burning power plants that would otherwise be placed in a landfill. Medallion uses Thermo-Ply, an insulating exterior wall sheathing made from recycled wood fiber and fiber-cement siding, a durable exterior product made of cement and recycled newsprint that has a 50 year warranty. To minimize domestic water use, homes have low-flow plumbing fixtures. They use engineered wood products, which maximize the use of timber resources, including finger jointed studs manufactured with lumber scraps, wood I-joists, engineered wood exterior trim material, and oriented strand board (OSB) subflooring. They reduce waste by using panelized walls and trusses, and reduce materials usage through optimum value engineering (OVE) framing techniques.

Medallion Homes also considers the effects of the home construction on occupant health. Fans exhausting air to the exterior are located in every laundry and bathroom to reduce the possibility of mold and mildew growth and any negative impact on air quality. Water-based adhesives for flooring and water-based paints minimize off-gassing of harmful compounds.

Installation/Construction

Medallion educates potential buyers about energy efficiency and environmentally sensitive home building through First-Time Homebuyers seminars, a CD-Rom virtual home tour, the Internet, and testimonials. They target local citizens, those that believe they cannot afford a home, and those apprehensive of the buying process.

In addition to customer education, Medallion offers staff and subcontractor training. Site supervisors undergo weekly training sessions sponsored by the builder or vendors of energy efficiency products and materials. They, in turn, share this information on an on-going basis with the trade contractors. Despite initial resistance, area trade contractors agreed to undergo training through hands-on workshops, literature, and how-to photos. Some successes include teaching subcontractors OVE framing techniques, installing insulated ducts and sealing with mastic and tape, and improving installation techniques for insulation.

Homebuyers play an active role in many walk-through inspections, called "quality checks," throughout the construction process. Medallion uses a checklist-approach to assure that important details are observed, such as whether airtightness techniques have been properly implemented.

Medallion Homes performs energy diagnostic testing to assure homes perform as stated. Ductblasting is one of the tests conducted, which determines amount of delivery air duct leakage. Blower door testing is also used to determine air leakage pathways into the building.

Benefits/Costs

The greatest rewards from producing high quality, energy efficient homes are homeowner satisfaction as a result of a comfortable home and low operating and maintenance costs. Medallion Homes is rated highly by homebuyers and continually asks satisfied homeowners for referrals.

Code/Regulatory

Medallion performs quality checks and routine inspections to assure that homes surpass minimum code requirements.

Feedback

Medallion Homes continues its customer service efforts after a sale by making customer service representatives available to homeowners after move in. It also publishes a seasonal newsletter, the Medallion Times, which offers homeowners maintenance tips on how to minimize energy consumption and keeps them informed about Medallion's happenings, community events, and neighborhood parties that Medallion hosts.

Medallion periodically requests copies of energy bills to confirm the energy performance of their homes and solicits feedback about customer satisfaction. Medallion sponsors the Green for Green Neighborhood Program for neighborhood beautification in which they offer additional funding to homeowners for landscaping after the sale.

Contact(s)

Do you have a specific question? Try the contacts listed below:

Medallion Homes
6929 Camp Bullis Road
San Antonio, Texas 78256
210/494-2555
http://www.medallionhomes.com