HOUSE of the MONTH

JULY-SEPTEMBER 2006

The photographs this quarter document a new "Green" subdivision in Fairbanks, conceived by Randy Doll, as part of SET Builders, Inc., a local residential contracting company in Fairbanks. All of the local community was shocked when Randy passed away in June of 2006. We are honored to show these photos in tribute to his forward-looking subdivision.

Randy Doll #1. This shows a framed house in mid-construction with exterior sheathing applied. One can still see to some degree how the foundation is insulated. Terry Duszynski, who did the energy audits on these houses, related to me that the walls will be R-30, 2 inches of styrofoam on the exterior, which is noted in this image as "R-Tech", a product made in Anchorage. The foundation is insulated with 4 inches of styrofoam on the exterior of the wall and a wing wall 2 feet out at the base of the footing to give superb foundation insulation to these houses. The interior wall insulation will be R-22 fiberglass batts.

Randy Doll #2. This is a photograph of the wall framing technique used in this series of modern energy efficient "green" housing. One of the goals is to optimize the use of wood materials and this wall in the section against which the unmounted door is leaning, is framed with only structural shear panels on the ends of the wall. No structural shear panels are in the middle five stud sections. This is a design developed by Joe Lstiburek at Building Science Corporation in Massachusetts and it has been used in several experimental buildings in regions in Alaska, even where seismic issues are a major concern. They are found to be quite rigid and save costs and materials, and yet are still very ample for structural reinforcement. It is shown as a benchmark for a new exemplary spacing of structural panels to give the wall a "box truss" structural rigidity but still save materials where extra rigidity is not needed. Notice that the wall has a double top plate for structural loading.

Randy Doll #3. A close-up view of the foundation insulation system used in the "Green" Subdivision. Four inches of styrofoam insulation are applied to the exterior foundation walls and a "wing" of 2-inch thick styrofoam is used to further protect and insulate the foundation. It is placed laterally out from the wall for two feet directly from the edge of the wall insulation and outward from the edge of the footing, below ground.

Randy Doll #4. This is a house showing the structural framing of the roof, trusses going up and the insulation of the wall and an incomplete earlier stage of the framing and wall finish. The interior wall section will be insulated with R-22 fiberglass batts. Adding that to the exterior insulation of 2 inches of styrofoam results in about an R-30 wall "plus," including the different sheathing and finishing materials. So the walls will be about R-30 insulation, below grade insulation is about R-16, which is very appropriate. All these specifications meet the existing state thermal efficiency standards and will probably be reasonably solid homes for the future that we anticipate with higher energy prices and increasing consequent energy costs.