A Better Living Approach

When it came to building their new home in West Pasco, Washington, Betsy and Keith Peterson wanted a home that would deliver energy efficiency; a comfortable, healthy living environment; security; water conservation; and lasting durability. And their high-performance, environmentally-friendly home also had to be affordable – on par with standard construction costs in their area.

The Peterson’s chose Amvic Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs) for the home’s outside walls because of their energy efficiency and structural strength. These lightweight, hollow foam blocks are stacked like Legos® and are then filled with concrete. Virtually any exterior finish or siding materials can be used over the ICFs. With 21/2" thick expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam insulation on both sides of the wall, Amvic ICF homes typically achieve a 30-50% reduction in heating and air conditioning costs.

REHAU’s radiant floor heating system circulates hot water through PEXa pipe to warm the room from the floor up.

These well-insulated, virtually airtight walls also create a very quiet home. Having a home free from outside noise not only helps provide a good night’s sleep, the quiet promotes concentration, reduces irritability and enhances overall well-being. Amvic ICFs also minimize any threat of mold, save an average of ten trees per house and help protect homes from insects, wind and fire damage.

When it came to windows and doors, durability and energy efficiency were critical considerations. Betsy and Keith chose maintenance-free REHAU® vinyl tilt-turn window and hinged patio door designs because they offer one of the highest energy ratings on the market.

Amvic’s ICF blocks are stacked like Legos® and filled with concrete creating an air-tight, highly insulated wall.

Knowing a forced-air heating system would bring in outside pollutants and potentially create drafts, temperature swings and noise, the Petersons decided to use REHAU’s® radiant floor heating. Hot water is circulated through REHAU’s® flexible crosslinked polyethylene (PEXa) pipes installed under the floor, efficiently warming the room from the floor up. This approach also allowed room-by-room temperature control. Anyone who’s ever had to walk on cold tile or hardwood floors appreciates this energy-wise approach to space heating.

Rather than using copper water pipes, the Petersons used the same REHAU® PEXa pipe for their plumbing. PEXa offers a higher level of water purity, the ability to withstand extreme pressure and temperature differences (PEXa is freeze resistant) and also minimizes water hammer noise transmitted through pipes. Another innovative solution in the Peterson’s home – PEXa pipe performs double duty, as the same piping supplies cold water for the residential fire sprinkler system.

The integrated use of modern building materials chieved the Peterson’s goal of a home designed for “better living” that’s also affordable. The numbers are in. While ENERGY STAR® calls for a 30% reduction in energy consumption, Betsy and Keith’s home uses 50% less energy. This translates into $1,314 in annual energy savings – and they’ll save even more as energy costs increase!