At Newphire, we're dedicated to providing our customers cutting edge performance and energy efficiency. The constant is a super tight, super insulated envelope. By keeping the air leakage to a minimum and the insulation to the maximum, our homes are far more durable and less expensive to operate than an average new home. The result is a home that is relatively easy to make into a Net-Zero Energy Home (a home producing as much energy as the home uses) with a comparatively small solar PV array.
So how do we accomplish this? Some builders are only comfortable stick building, others are only comfortable using concrete. At Newphire, we are experienced with a variety of systems that provide the performance that we strive for in a package works best for the home owner's preferences, such as:
Stick built- we have devised a cost-effective system for stick building that meets the stringent Passive House standard for our climate. It was designed in a collaborative effort with architect Jay Fulkerson and is referred to as the "jayPhire" wall. Stick building is obviously a system that all of the trades are comfortable with.
Pre-Cast Concrete- Our favorite precast concrete provider is Ideal Building Systems out of Durham. They are very flexible and will work to accommodate any plan as much as possible. They have collaborated with us over the years to make their wall system a better fit for our needs and for the needs of our clients.
http://www.idealbuildingsystems.com/home.aspx
Insulated Concrete Forms- ICFs are recognized as a proven way to build a super tight, very well insulated house. They can also provide a very secure structure that can keep you safe from storms or the zombie apocalypse... Our favorite ICF provider is Quad Lock. Their system is very modular in nature and is easy to work with. One of the cool options that they provide is the ability to make the roof and floor systems out of concrete in addition to the walls. If there was a giant storm coming, there is no other building that I would want to ride it out in.
Want a log cabin that is super efficient? Seems like an oxymoron, but we have recently discovered a system that can provide just that thanks to an interested client. The company is called Timber Block. They provide a panelized, heavily insulated wall assembly that has all the beauty of a log home without the leakiness and lack of stability associated with a traditional log home.
https://timberblock.com/why-timber-block/
For us, this is the opposite of the old saying that it is about the journey, not the destination. In this case, it is about the end result- a super insulated, super tight, net zero certified Passive House Plus. We can get there by any number of paths, all with their own merits. Let us know which wall assembly is right for your project!