House features

Back again!  So here are some of the features of the house.

   The house is small, 32' x 24' footprint that equates to 1536 sf of conditioned space.  We kept the footprint small for several reasons.  First a larger house means we have to buy more stuff to fill it up thus reducing the Funstuff Funds.  We'd rather go play than buy another sofa.  Secondly, if we keep it small we can add other features to the house, LEED certification for instance.  Lastly, LEED rewards smaller homes.  Not suprisingly larger homes consume more resources, not just building materials but also heating and cooling.  They award smaller designs through the Home Size Adjuster (HSA).

   Based on informal studies and published data, within the context of LEED, a 100% increase in home size equates to an increase in annual energy usage of 15% - 50%, depending on the region.  Also the same increase equates to an increase in materials usage of 40% - 90% depending on the design.  So smaller homes can earn extra points towards certification based on the number of bedrooms and square footage.  So the SCF house will 5 points based on the square footage and bedrroms.

   We've tried to keep as many penetrations out of the exterior walls as possible.  You'll notice that the only fixture mounted on an exterior wall is the sink in the Master bath.  Believe me we tried every possible combination to get it off the wall.  The reason we kept out of the exterior walls is that every penetration is a potential air leak.  Air moving inside the thermal barrier sets up all kinds of potential problems with moisture in the walls as well as reducing the efficiency of the walls.

   "Smart Framing" will also be utilized in the construction.  Smart framing incorporates techniques such as aligning roof trusses and wall studs so that the trusses bear directly on the studs.  This eliminates the need for a second top plate on the wall.  Also no headers in non-load bearing walls, sizing headers to the exact size needed, studs and rafters spaced greater than 16" on center and no trimmer studs at window and door openings.  All of this amounts to significant reductions in the amount of wood needed top build the house.  Also less wood in the walls means more room for insulation.

 Well lunch is over, back to the grind.  More to follow.