Icynene® takes the gamble out of green building in a familiar Vegas Neighborhood
Carrying forward the yearly tradition, The National Association of Home Builder’s New American Home® (TNAH) 2009 demonstrates the use of innovative building materials, cutting edge design, and the latest construction techniques, providing homebuilders with an example for producing more energy efficient, durable homes without sacrificing style. Built on a half-acre lot in a popular Las Vegas neighborhood right across some property owned by Mr. Las Vegas, Wayne Newton, TNAH® 2009 attracted thousands of visitors, acting as a laboratory providing education tools and product information that went in constructing this net-zero energy home.
A desert contemporary architecture, the home features 8,721 square feet of living space. The project is a collaborative effort between architect Danielian Associates and builder Blue Heron.
The home incorporates elements such as builders’ best practices for creating energy efficient, comfortable, and healthy living environment. To ensure energy efficiency and innovation, IBACOS, Inc., a Building America team, has worked closely with the National Council of Housing Industry to provide Design and Engineering support.
The home’s three stories are conditioned using a gas-engine driven heat pump and zonal air distribution system. State-of-the-art green building technology such as photovoltaic cells, a gas-powered mechanical HVAC system along with the superior Icynene® spray foam insulation helps create a more energy efficient envelope.
Most exterior walls and basement foundation walls were constructed using an insulated concrete form system (R-21.7). The attic is unvented, air-sealed with Icynene® insulation and air barrier and indirectly conditioned. Sprayed directly on the underside of the roof deck at 5.5 inches (R-13), Icynene® significantly contributed in minimizing air infiltration to ensure the warm exterior air stays out and any duct leakage from the ductwork located in the attic remains within the conditioned space. This allows for more efficient performance of the HVAC system, significantly reducing energy costs.
Total utility cost for the house, which include electricity and natural gas usage, are expected to be about $2,500 per year (not including service charges). Energy savings for the cooling systems are estimated to be 75% with heating system savings are estimated to be 67%.
With its unique air-sealing properties, Icynene® helps TNAH® meet these goals. Air leakage tests conducted on the home achieved 0.21 ACHnat translating to 70% less energy for heating and 61% less energy for cooling compared to a house of comparable size in the Hot Dry climate zone. Icynene® also helped the home achieve a Five Star-Plus HERS rating of 57.
The New American Home® 2009 is a Gold Level Green Home and has been certified by the NAHB Research Center to be in substantial conformance with the NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidelines.
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