Hughes Construction: Lexington, NC

Compare the construction cost, sound attenuation capabilities, and effect on heating and cooling energy consumption and peak energy use of three structural material alternatives to conventional wood-frame construction.

Compare performance between vented and unvented crawlspaces.

• Construction cost for alternative structural materials ranged from 6-19% more than conventional wood-framed construction.
• The peak energy required for all of the alternative structural material units was lower than that for the wood units.
• Due to sound flanking around assemblies and through doors and windows, there was only a small difference in sound attenuation between alternative building materials and wood-framed construction.
• Unvented crawlspaces maintained steadier state environments with respect to temperature, humidity, and dew point than vented crawlspaces during the monitoring period.