Zero Energy On The Radio
To listen to the full interview about Zero Energy with Lance Manlove on WGMD Radio 92.7
click on the link below:
Green Roof
We are really excited to install one of the first residential green roofs in Sussex County and maybe Delaware. Three separate green roofs on this one house will create a great natural space as well as save energy and conserve water. The integrated rain water collection system will recycle rain water and use it to irrigate the landscape and possibly be used to flush toilets in the residence.
Green roofs have been proven to bring about significant energy savings, particularly during the summer cooling season in which single story buildings can experience a reduction of greater than 25% energy use. Plants transform heat and soil moisture into humidity, to create natural evaporative cooling. Each gallon of water that is transpired by the plants or evaporated from the roof surface liberates 8000 BTU of thermal energy.
A Green Roof extends the lifetime of the roof; typical estimates are that a green roof extends the lifetime of a roof between 100 and 200 percent, by protecting the rooftop from ultraviolet radiation, large temperature fluctuations, drying winds, and punctures. Not only does the roof last longer, but there is reduced membrane maintenance. All this brings about significant cost savings over time.
One might ask can you walk on this Green Roof and the answer is yes. You can create pathways or a garden type layout or you can plant it in a way that there is no public access – the possibilities are endless.
Foam Foam Foam
What’s all the talk about foam insulation? Does it work and what types are there?
Yes, foam is good for residential and commercial construction practices. The two main types of spray foam are closed cell and open cell foam. The closed cell foam is a vapor barrier whereas the open cell foam will allow air to pass through. Closed cell has a better R-Value per inch of application but is more expensive to install. So where is the common ground? We have found that a hybrid approach works best for us and keeps the costs down. In the 2×6 cavity, we spray a 1/2″ of closed cell foam on the back side of the sheathing and then blow in fiberglass batt insulation for the rest of the 5″. The spray foam creates a great seal to repell any air infiltration and the blown in batts fills the gaps and delivers a great composite R-Value for a 2×6 stick framed wall. It’s a great idea to also spray foam your band board in a crawl or basement. The investment will pay dividends year after year and is well worth it.
