In this issue...
Home-Run Plumbing Systems Can Provide Big Savings
All lines are home-run back to a central distribution manifold.
Home-run plumbing systems act as manifolds for hot and cold water that feed supply lines into individual fixtures. Also called "parallel" installations, these systems eliminate interim and often hidden connections and offer a 1/8-inch decrease in the overall pipe size, allowing water and energy savings. A recent NAHB Research Center study showed that parallel systems can offer 17 to 35 percent annual hot water energy savings, when used in combination with a centrally-located demand heater. Although traditional copper piping can be used with this technology, cross-link polyethylene, or PEX, piping lends itself especially well to home-run systems.
Plumbing manifolds can be installed more quickly than rigid plumbing systems, with fewer fittings and no need for piping tees and elbows. The cost of home-run systems is typically competitive, and PEX piping is often less expensive than copper piping.
The systems benefit homeowners by permitting several fixtures to be used simultaneously without dramatic changes in pressure or temperature. By downsizing supply plumbing, the systems also increase water velocity and deliver hot water to fixtures more quickly.
Despite these advantages, the technology has not achieved rapid acceptance into mainstream building practices. One drawback is that PEX can become stiff and difficult to use in cold weather. Additionally, because PEX looks similar to polybutylene (PB) piping, contractors who remember PB failures (and their resulting class-action lawsuits) may be deterred from using PEX, even though it does not have the same problems.
Circuits can be labeled at the manifold.
PEX piping has not yet received code acceptance in all areas, though this may not be an issue for long. According to Vanguard Piping Systems, their MANABLOC product (one type of home-run system) has received blanket approval in all states except California and Massachusetts, where it must obtain acceptance jurisdiction by jurisdiction.
Several builders have installed the systems as part of PATH field evaluations. Under real-life conditions, these evaluations offer numerous tips for easing the transition from conventional plumbing to plastic manifold systems.
In 1999, the crew for the Model reMODEL project in Philadelphia, Pa., immediately saved time installing PEX piping. It took only 10 minutes for the first run of half-inch tubing to the fourth floor—a fraction of the time it would have taken to install copper piping.
In 2000, the Oakwood Homes Green Valley Ranch project in Denver, Colo., found that the waste and vent pipes should be installed in advance in order to prevent epoxy from damaging PEX piping. They also recommended flushing the main supply from the street before running water through the manifold in order to flush sand and dirt from the street line. To ease overhead work, the crew used stilts commonly used by drywall contractors.
Both the Model reMODEL and Green Valley Ranch field evaluations can be found on the ToolBase website, as can additional evaluations and PEX plumbing installation information. Plastic plumbing manifold systems were recently selected as one of the PATH Program's "Top Ten Technologies"—a list of high-priority technologies for transfer into mainstream residential construction.
EVHA Builder of the Year "Walks the Walk" with Energy Efficiency
Chuck Miller Construction´s gold award-winning 2,800 square-foot custom home cost a mere $730 to heat and cool for one year.
Chuck Miller Construction, LLC, recently received the top honor among the nation´s most energy-efficient builders as the 2004 EnergyValue Housing Award (EVHA) Builder of Year. The Boise, Idaho, building company, which has been in business for just five years, also won 2004 EVHA gold and silver awards.
Characterized by the EVHA judging panel as a builder who "walks the walk" of energy efficiency, Chuck Miller Construction was selected as the company that best typifies energy value and reflects the goals of the EVHA program. Several of the company´s best practices can easily be incorporated by other builders striving to improve the energy efficiency and comfort of their homes.
Participating in energy-efficiency programs is an excellent way for builders to distinguish themselves. All of Chuck Miller Construction´s homes are built under the ENERGY STAR and Building America program guidelines. According to Chuck Miller, the company´s president, joining the programs "allowed us to demonstrate in a concrete way what differentiates us."
Both of Chuck Miller's award-winning homes feature optimum value engineering (OVE) framing techniques. OVE reduces the amount of lumber used to build a home while maintaining its structural integrity, resulting in lower material and labor costs and improved energy performance. Miller found that the key to successfully incorporating OVE practices is educating both structural engineers and framing contractors about OVE goals and techniques.
Their gold award-winning 2,800 square-foot custom home "won hands down in terms of its thermal performance," according to the judges. The home features spray foam insulation with an additional half-inch of foam sheathing, ENERGY STAR appliances, a condensing furnace, and ductwork sealed with mastic and contained in conditioned space, and cost a mere $730 to heat and cool for one year.
In addition to incorporating energy efficiency into design and construction, builders must also ensure that their homebuyers are aware of the benefits. All of Chuck Miller's marketing materials tout efficiency features, and include energy-efficiency program logos. The corporate website, www.ChuckMillerConstruction.com, is no exception. Proudly displaying the tagline, "We Build Energy Efficient Homes for a Lifetime of Comfort," at the top of each page, the website acts as a resource that includes uncomplicated explanations of energy-efficient features, links to energy program websites, and an "energy-efficient checklist" that invites homebuyers to compare Chuck Miller´s practices with those of other builders.
Miller suggests that builders interested in initiating or upgrading their company's energy-efficiency practices should first review the EnergyValue Housing Award Guide, available through the NAHB Research Center's online bookstore (www.nahbrc.com/bookstore). Miller describes the book as a constant reference and resource for incorporating energy efficiency into all aspects of the building process.
The EVHA is managed by the NAHB Research Center, and operated in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy through its National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and NAHB. For more information on the EVHA program, including other winners, visit www.nahbrc.com/evha, or email evha@nahbrc.com. For more information on Chuck Miller Construction, email Chuck Miller at chuck@chuckmiller.com.
Square Footage Q & A
Q. There is a disagreement concerning the finished area of a home we recently built. What is the standard method used to calculate the finished area of a home?
A. ANSI Z765 Standard for Single-Family Residential Buildings, Square Footage Method of Calculating is a voluntary standard used by builders, real estate professionals, mortgage bankers, and others connected to the residential market. The standard does not supersede any legal or otherwise required existing area measurement. However, this standard provides a benchmark, or measurement method, to clear misunderstandings concerning the finished area of a home.
Q. When did the ANSI Z765 Standard come out?
A. The standard was first approved on April 8, 1996. The second edition was issued in late 2003.
Q. What is different between the first and second editions?
A. Two provisions were added to the second edition. The first to instruct a disclosure method for situations where it is difficult to physically measure the entire home, and the second to allow the inclusion of finished rooms that have stained or etched concrete floors as part of the finished area of a home.
Q. We build townhouses and multifamily condominiums. Can we apply the ANSI Z765 to our homes?
A. ANSI Z765 applies to single-family detached duplexes, row houses, and townhomes. This standard does not apply to multifamily condominiums, apartments, buildings with mixed residential and commercial use, or to commercial buildings.
Q. Is there a living area measurement standard for apartments or multifamily condominiums?
A. At the present time there is no standard for these types of dwelling units.
To purchase a copy of the latest edition of the ANSI square footage standard, visit www.nahbrc.com/bookstore.
Quick Facts About Using FPSF
"We save approximately $10 to $15 per lineal foot over conventional deep foundations ... a $1,500 to $4,000 savings on most of our homes or remodeling projects." Bill Eich, builder/remodeler, Spirit Lake, Iowa
As noted in the last issue of ToolBase News, a panel of industry experts has selected Frost Protected Shallow Foundations (FPSF) as a building technology whose time has come. Through the technology transfer efforts of the PATH program, several initiatives are already underway to educate the home building industry on the cost and energy-saving benefits of this promising technology. For builders and remodelers who are already interested in building with FPSF, below are a few facts to keep in mind.
- COST SAVINGS: If you're building with slab-on-grade, crawl spaces, or walk-out basements, and live in the northern half of the United States, FPSF, when compared to slab-on-grade foundations, will result in significant cost savings, ranging from $800 to over $6,000. The wide range of savings is attributable to different local frost depths and other factors.
- CODE COMPLIANCE: The latest (2003) version of the International Residential Code (IRC) allows various methods for building unheated, attached garages. This was one of the only remaining challenges with this technology, according to the industry panel that put FPSF at the top of the PATH "Top Ten Technologies" list.
- HELPFUL INFORMATION: There is a substantial body of information on FPSF available on the ToolBase Services Internet Portal. The resources available include the names of builders who currently build with this system and would be happy to talk with you about the benefits and challenges they've experienced.
Boardwalk Builders: Best Practices, Impressive Results
McDaniel (center) and Boardwalk staff.
Patty McDaniel's remodeling firm knows customer service—and she´s got the book of business to prove it. McDaniel's company, Boardwalk Builders (www.boardwalkbuilders.com) of Rehoboth, Del., received a National Housing Quality (NHQ) Silver Award in the Remodeler Division earlier this year. The NHQ Award represents the highest recognition by the housing industry for quality achievement.
Boardwalk Builders' mission is "to build high-quality remodeling projects and custom homes, offer personalized service throughout the construction process, and build a business whose reputation for professionalism and customer service is unparalleled by our competition." The company strives to achieve this mission through efforts including regular employee training and thorough customer feedback surveys.
McDaniel acknowledges that the market demands a better-educated workforce with more fine-tuned skills than ever before. She explains, "We want to continue to grow as a sophisticated company of smart people, gaining in our ability to deliver on our promises because we will improve our knowledge, skills, and self-confidence to become the most efficient, effective, and responsive company in our region. To accomplish this, we hold interactive, monthly training meetings and send our employees to remodelers' shows. I also enjoy sharing information and ideas in peer groups, such as NAHB's Builder 20 and Remodelers' Advantage."
Each month, Boardwalk's training meetings focus on a safety issue, feature a presentation from a product manufacturer on installation and use, and discuss company goals and customer survey results. Topics have included window and door installation, and wall flashing and rain screens. The firm sometimes sends its employees to outside technical training, too. Boardwalk's staff appreciates being current on skills and the newest industry trends.
McDaniel also emphasizes the importance of relationship building with customers. In addition to the face-to-face communication common to the remodeling industry, Boardwalk sends weekly email updates to its clients. The company's employees recognize that their clients want to be listened to and cared for, and have their homes treated respectfully. Former clients frequently receive letters and magazine articles on Boardwalk's activities and projects, as well. Currently, Boardwalk's customer satisfaction ratings are around 98 percent.
As the NHQ judging panel realized, Boardwalk's quality efforts have shown remarkable results. The firm had a zero-percent turnover rate among employees in 2003, and repeat customers represent one-third of its current volume. Boardwalk carried about $1.5 million of sales into 2004, which is about triple their sales the previous year.
For information on the NAHB Research Center's NHQ Program and Award Winners, visit www.nahbrc.com/quality, or email quality@nahbrc.com.
Research Projects for Aging in Place Technologies Receive Grants
Thanks to a project scheduled to begin in Freehold, N.J., older adults may be able to start monitoring their own vital signs to detect problems before they become serious. This project, dubbed TeleCare Connections, will build on a prototype home technology initiative created by VieBridge, Inc. The premise is to use an Internet platform to help older adults with medication compliance, nutrition, fitness, and health education. The program will be put to the test by a panel of older adults recruited and trained by the Monmouth County (N.J.) Office on Aging.
This project is just one of this year´s recipients of an Assistive Technology Grant aimed at promoting the concept of Aging in Place, which many Americans say they would like to do. The NAHB Research Center's National Center for Seniors´ Housing Research, in cooperation with the U.S. Administration on Aging, awarded Monmouth County $15,000 to fund the TeleCare Connections project.
The grant initiative is part of the Assistive Technology and Aging in Place demonstration program to develop, identify, and promote the use of innovative assistive technologies that support independence and aging in place. The grants provide funding to stimulate greater public awareness and innovative approaches for addressing the common needs of older adults. In their applications, all of the winners emphasized the importance of getting their research findings into the hands of those who can really benefit from them. Some of the other practical proposals of grant winners include:
- The Iowa Association of Area Agencies on Aging plans to provide Assistive Technology (AT) and Universal Design training to building contractors in five regions of their state. These contractors will receive training on home technologies that help homeowners age in place.
- The Agency on Aging of South Central Connecticut plans to disseminate information to consumers on “Keeping Your House Your Home” through AT presentations, home adaptation articles placed in Caregiver Connection, the agency's newsletter, and the distribution of information packets to members of the nation´s Aging Network and older adults, via local/senior centers, health fairs, and direct mail.
- The Marquette County (Mich.) Commission on Aging plans to host 12 informational workshops for the Aging Network on AT and assessing problems with aging in place.
- Robert Pierre Johnson Housing Development Corporation of Arlington, Va., will incorporate an AT module into their current home modifications training program which is delivered to key volunteers, including hands-on trial demonstrations of AT and home modification products.
Nine grantees will receive $10,000 to15,000 to fund their projects. Other winners include: the Arizona Department of Economic Security, Aging, and Adult Administration; Elder Services of Merrimack Valley (Mass.), Inc.; the Jefferson Area (Va.) Board for Aging; and Tompkins County (N.Y.) Office for the Aging.
ToolBase.org Gets a Facelift: Same Great Info, Brand New Look
In March, the ToolBase Internet Portal (www.toolbase.org) launched a new design. The ToolBase site has always been an incredibly robust resource on new technology and innovation for the home building industry. Now it’s even easier to navigate.
For those who have visited the portal before, many elements will look familiar. The most dramatic change is the look of the homepage. It is now organized to help visitors more easily identify the “hot issues” and areas of interest within the site. In the center section, new navigation tools highlight issues of current industry interest, innovative technologies to check out, results from the field, and ToolBase newsletter articles. Featured items in this section will change periodically, in order to keep visitors up-to-date with what’s new in the world of home building technology.
An enhanced search feature has also been added to the Field Results area of the portal, which provides detailed information on PATH field evaluations and demonstrations that promote the use of new housing technologies with builders, remodelers, and manufacturers across the country. Visitors can now search for results by the technology that was used and by the state in which the testing took place. There is also a new help feature in this section that explains how to interpret the information presented in each evaluation report, for those of us who don't speak "research."