| Icynene® helps the New Southern Home keep its cool at the Southeast Building Conference in Orlando, FL | |
 Rendering of the New Southern Home in Orlando, Florida  Roland (left) and James Krantz, owners of James M. Krantz Construction Corporation | Built for display at the 29th annual Southeast Building Conference (SEBC) held from July 12 to 14 in Orlando, Florida, the 2007 New Southern Home incorporates design, luxury and technology – setting the pace for new home standards and the lifestyle of the South. Backed by the Florida Home Builders Association, the New Southern Home is vastly considered the premiere show home in the Southeast, with its roots dating back to 1988. James M. Krantz Construction Corporation (www.krantzconstruction.com) was selected to design and build the 2007 New Southern Home (www.newsouthernhome.com). This spectacular 10,200 square foot “Southern Cottage” style home boasts the charm of an era gone by. Although the history of the Shingle style house is founded in the New England coastline, much of the inspiration for this home came from the builder's roots in |
| the Lower Peninsula area of Michigan. The home has the open, flowing floor plan to cater to the active Florida lifestyle, yet uncompromisingly blends all the warmth and charm of a true summer retreat. By design, this home is also highly energy efficient and built to withstand the extreme weather conditions that Florida can sometimes experience. One of the products selected to help the home achieve optimal energy efficiency and moisture management to protect against extreme weather conditions is Icynene®. When sprayed into walls, ceilings, floors and attics, Icynene® softly expands to fill every nook and cranny. It minimizes air leaks and energy loss, saving homeowners up to 50% in heating and cooling costs every month. | |
To complement the Insulated Concrete Form (ICF) construction of the Home, Icynene® was professionally installed in the attic space by Custom Design Insulation, an Icynene Licensed Dealer based out of Debary, FL. “We chose Icynene® to insulate and air-seal the attic of this home,” says Vice President Roland Krantz. “The hot Florida sun normally heats up a vented attic assembly to about 130 degrees or more on a normal summer day. But creating an unvented attic assembly by applying Icynene® to the underside of the roof deck and the frame walls (sealing soffit vents) helps to maintain temperatures within the low to mid-eighty degree range. In this unvented attic space, the HVAC equipment and ductwork will function more effectively. This will reduce the load on the air conditioning unit, resulting in significantly lower utility costs." |  Icynene® was professionally installed by Icynene Licensed Dealer, Custom Design Insulation |
| In addition to energy efficiency, Icynene® also helps manage moisture problems that stem from two major sources – bulk water intrusion (from severe storms, for instance) and air leakage issues (up to 99% of the total moisture movement through a building envelope is carried in air). | |
 Icynene® was applied to the underside of the roof deck and the frame walls, creating an unvented attic space | Sealing the attic with Icynene® helps protect against bulk water intrusion caused by severe storms. By eliminating rainwater and moisture ingress into the attic, homeowners can minimize the potential occurrence of moisture damage to the insulation and ceiling materials and benefit from a more durable structure. Icynene® is one of the few insulation products approved for use in an unvented attic application. After the last two years of hurricanes in Florida, builders and homeowners are well aware of the damage that can be caused in homes with traditional vented attic systems. As a qualified air barrier, Icynene® also helps reduce the movement of airborne moisture through the building envelope. Combined with proper mechanical |
| ventilation, Icynene® helps control the indoor relative humidity between 35% and 50% - a level at which the growth of mildew, dust mites and other allergens can be minimized. Keeping the attic space in the New Southern Home dry helps reduce the possibility of condensation on the ductwork, along with potential problems such as mold growth. | |
“Another one of the main goals for the house was to be as environmentally friendly, or ‘green' as possible”, says Mr. Krantz. To achieve this, the project utilizes the latest advances in water conservation, solar energy and low maintenance landscaping. 100% water-blown and environmentally friendly, Icynene® adds a little “green” to the New Southern Home. The material does not emit harmful gases in its cured form, whereas other insulation can continue to off-gas over time. Not only would these harmful emissions compromise indoor air quality, but they can also diminish the insulation's rated R-value. By minimizing random air leakage, Icynene® also will reduce the intrusion of outdoor allergens and pollutants into the New Southern Home. Ultimately, the mission of the New Southern Home is two-fold: to celebrate innovative and creative architecture, building and interior design; and to encourage industry suppliers and community members to join forces. “We are pleased that Icynene® plays such a key role in the New Southern Home,” says Shawn Rippon, Vice-President of Marketing at Icynene. “This is a great opportunity to demonstrate the many benefits that Icynene® can offer when used in unvented attic applications.” |  In the unvented attic, the HVAC equipment and ductwork will function more effectively, reducing the load on the air conditioning unit and resulting in significantly lower utility costs  |
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