Leading Force Contracting Services and Selah Vista Homes built this 1,701-square-foot custom home in Selah, Washington, to the high performance criteria of the U.S. Department of Energy Zero Energy Ready Home (ZERH) program.
The home’s snap-lock metal roofing helps reflect heat away from the unvented attic. Reclaimed metal roofing and reclaimed wood add a rustic touch to the walls, windows, and doors. The remaining siding is natural hydraulic lime, which produces a finish similar to cement.
With 7 kW of photovoltaic solar panels on the roof, the high-performance home scores a -12 on the HERS Index, with anticipated $0 annual utility bills and enough surplus power to operate one or two electric cars. Even without PV, the home would score a very efficient 36 on the HERS Index.
Deep overhangs and porches shade windows and walls from the intense summer sun of eastern Washington.
ENERGY STAR appliances, LED lighting, and water-saving plumbing fixtures add to energy and water savings in the efficient home.
The home is heated and cooled by three very energy-efficient ductless minisplit heat pumps that are strategically located in the front bedroom, the master bedroom, and the living/dining area.
The builder installed a heat pump water heater in a central location less than 20 feet from all faucets. Together with low-flow fixtures and a xeriscaped yard, these measures are expected to reduce water usage to less than 30% of the usage of typical homes in the region.
The concrete slab is surrounded by an ICF foundation wall and sits on a 5-inch-thick layer of reclaimed foil-faced EPS foam that was air-sealed with a durable tape to form an air, moisture, radon, and thermal barrier beneath the slab.
The home’s exterior walls consist of two 2-by-4, 24-inch on-center framed walls set next to each other to form an 11-inch wall cavity that is sheathed with 1/2-inch plywood.
The home is wrapped with a smart vapor-open house membrane that is taped with a sturdy air-sealing tape. The membrane stops drafts and liquid water but allows vapor through.
The home’s heat pump water heater and energy recovery ventilator are located in the laundry room.
“Everyone deserves to live in a healthy home.”
– Steve Weise, Leading Force Contracting Services
“Everyone deserves to live in a healthy home. … By building very tight wall assemblies, we not only save energy but create a very healthy atmosphere. We [also] know that we can save people money and quantify it with the HERS score.”
– Steve Weise, Leading Force Contracting Services
