Updates from Utah BS & Beers Event

There was about 40 people at the BS and Beers event last week in Millcreek Utah. The event was for a tour of an Energy Star Zero Energy Ready Home under construction. We were all so busy touring the home, discussing building sciences and eating tacos that all of us forgot to take pictures of people milling around looking at all the special features of the home. Note for next time, assign a photographer!

2×8 EcoSmart™ Stud Wall

This Energy Star Zero Energy Ready home built by Precedent Build uses a 2×8 EcoSmart™ Stud wall section as a comparison to the 2×6 solid stud wall system with 2″ of 2 lb closed cell spray foam backfilled with blown-in cellulose insulation. In the Utah Energy Code for new homes, this R-29 wall configuration is an alternative to using Exterior Continuous Insulation. Once a builder decides to use this R-29 insulation setup, adding 2×6 EcoSmart Studs is an inexpensive way to gain an additional 30% in wall insulation value. The 2×8 EcoSmart™ Stud wall, as seen here, will have a 100% higher insulation value than a baseline 2×6 wall with R-20 batts and 82% better than the R-29 Utah Energy Code 2×6 wall with solid studs.

All Electric Homes. Cheaper than Natural Gas?

The three homes in this development will be all-electric, utilizing cold weather heat pumps, hybrid heat pump water heaters, and induction stoves. In this case, it was less expensive to have the homes be all-electric rather than using natural gas in the development. The heat pump HVAC, water heating, and induction stove upgrade cost was less than the cost of installing the natural gas infrastructure in the development. All-electric systems were cheaper to install and will be less expensive to run for future homeowners. That counts as a win-win for everyone and is better for the environment.

Span Smart Main Electric Panel

Not having to install a 400-amp service for a home is a significant cost saving—especially for all-electric dwellings, which can also include electric car charging. By using a Span smart main electric panel, the main service was kept to only 200 amps. That is the standard service level for new homes. The Span main electric panel not only manages loads to prevent an overload from occurring but also ensures the safety of your home’s electrical system. The bonus is the Span app, provides users with their electrical usage. After solar panels are installed, power production is included also.

Ready for Solar Panels!

With the layout of this development, all three homes will have excellent roof lines for solar panels. This is where the 250-400% higher efficiency in heat pump technology shines! Electricity purchased from a utility company tends to be 2-3 times more expensive than natural gas. That is why you need 200-300% better efficiency in heat pump appliances to break even on the cost difference. Solar panel production in your home completely changes this math! With better-insulated homes, more innovative heat pump technology, and the climate zone in which Millcreek is located, it will be straightforward to take full advantage of a solar system and save a considerable amount of money on utility bills.