Wood frame construction has always been the preferred building system for small construction projects in the United States because of its economy and availability of materials.
But under close inspection, wood frame construction requires additional structural bracing between studs and building up walls with rigid or batt insulation and may not be the most structural or economical system after all.
This is where SIPs come in. These Structural Insulated Panels consist of a core of rigid foam plastic insulation which is sandwiched between two structural skins.  The default skins are oriented strand …

When being green used to be difficult, most eco friendly products were not exactly objects of beauty either. Luckily today, being green is not only easy but fun and there are many great products to choose from. You can build your perfect home with quality eco friendly products while being gentle to mother nature.
Fly Ash Pavers and Brick by CalStar Products are a good-looking and greener alternative to fired clay brick. Fly Ash Brick and Pavers reduce the high carbon footprint of unit paving by approximately 90% …

Every morning you look forward to a satisfying hot shower. But is it time to cut costs and energy and replace that big old bulky water storage tank with a tankless water heater? If you are building a small house or custom house plan, designing for a tankless water system can increase your energy savings immediately.
Unlike conventional water heaters which constantly heat water stored in a tank and will run out of hot water when usage is higher than the stored hot water, tankless water heaters do not store …

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Bill of 2009 has increased the tax incentive for homeowners installing geothermal heating.
Previously, any residential installation of a ground loop or water geothermal heat pump was eligible for a credit of up to $2000. The new bill increases the tax credit to 30% of the cost with no limit, making geothermal heating increasingly attractive to those concerned with limiting their carbon footprint and lowering their energy costs in a new or older house plan.
The new incentives are retroactive to geothermal heat installations that occurred on …

Heating a house takes a lot of energy, whether it’s electricity, coal, propane or natural gas. Finding a natural way to heat a home that lowers cost and doesn’t affect the environment is becoming increasingly important to everyone. Geothermal heating is one option.
We all know the power of solar energy, but you may not know that almost half of solar energy is absorbed into the Earth. This heat keeps the Earth at a temperature of 50-70 degrees Fahrenheit throughout the year. Geothermal heating takes advantage of this by bringing the …