In the summer of 2012, Lawrence Landherr undertook a project to replace a very energy inefficient house in need of substantial repairs on the North Shore of Lake Superior with a state-of-the-art energy-efficient home.
The REMOTE Wall System: The project utilized a method of construction developed by the Cold Climate Housing Research Center in Alaska called the REMOTE (Residential Exterior Membrane Outside-insulation Technique) wall system. It consists of standard 2 × 4 sidewalls covered with a membrane on the exterior sheathing and 6 inches of styrofoam insulation over the membrane to give an insulation factor of R-30.
What’s in an R-value? The effectiveness of home insulation is rated using an R-value, which measures the thermal resistance of the materials used for insulation. The higher the value, the better insulated the house. To put the R-30 rating into perspective, Minnesota residential building codes stipulate that the minimum R-value for a standard wood-framed side wall of a home built in Schroeder, MN is 21. The styrofoam insulation used in the REMOTE system is covered with vinyl half-log siding. The siding is backed with more styrofoam, which adds an additional R value of 3, for a total sidewall R value of 33. All the windows are triple pane with Low E values—meaning they emit a low amount of heat outside the house—manufactured by Jeld-Wen. The roof is built using pre-manufactured rafters, and the cavity between the rafters is filled with styrofoam sheets for a roof R value of 50.
Other Measures: The basement was constructed utilizing styrofoam insulating concrete forms (ICF) that remain in place after the walls are poured. The styrofoam forms can be locked together to create the length of a wall; concrete is then pumped into the form to create a sturdy foundation. The basement floor has two inches of styrofoam below the concrete. This provides excellent insulation for the basement, which can be a significant heat sink in cold climates. The house is extremely airtight and has an air exchanger unit which includes a state-of-the-art heat exchanger. The home is heated with a Steffes electric furnace and utilizes off-peak electricity to provide the heat. All appliances are ENERGY STAR rated and all lights are either CFLs or LEDs. The carpet pad is even manufactured from recycled Nike tennis shoes!
Major Savings: “Needless to say, I am very pleased with my new energy-conserving home,” says Mr. Landherr. “The electric bill for my Schroeder house for January 2013 was $169. After one deducts the base charge of $43 per month for operational costs, that leaves a total electric bill for off-peak heat, running my refrigerator and hot water heater (off-peak) of $126.” We should note that Mr. Landherr spent most of this time in Arizona, but he did have family staying at the home for a long weekend in January using all of the usual appliances: electric range, washer and dryer, 32 inch LCD TV, stereo and lights. The home’s energy efficiency keeps its residents toasty and warm, even during the North Shore’s overnight lows in the negative twenties—negative forties if you count wind chill. According to data provided by Arrowhead Electric, January 2013 was 13% colder than January 2012 in Cook County, and that makes Mr. Landherr’s efficiency improvements seem even smarter.
Photos: See more photos of the project in the slideshow below:
Learn more: For more information about home energy weatherization, check out these resources:
- Insulation resources from the Minnesota Sustainable Housing Initiative at the UofM
- Energy retrofits and remodels resources from Richard Stone, UofM Extension Educator in Housing Technology
- The Home Envelope guide from the Minnesota Department of Commerce, Division of Energy Resources
If you’d like to learn more, you can email Lawrence Landherr.
