Structural Insulated Panels

Do you need some tips on the whole "owner-builder" building process and you want to get with the Green kick and learn about eco-friendly, healthy or energy efficient features and methods that are in use today? Visit this blog by clicking the icon below!



http://sjodindreamhome.blogspot.com

We want to implement the latest and best green design principles in the most cost-effective and/or affordable way. We are in the process of building our home in Austin Texas (one of the hottest places in the U.S.) and feel we will be a good test case being in such warm climate where we live in energy-sucking, air-conditioned abodes.

We will blog as often as possible - letting you know our successes and pitfalls (hopefully very few!) as well as tips and non-sales biased reviews of materials or products we want to use.

Here are the green design features we hope to have for our home:
- Rainwater collection
- Structural Insulated Panel (SIP) walls and roof
- Solar water heating
- Geothermal cooling/heating
- Geothermal mass
- PVs (Solar panels)
- Stained concrete floors with fly ash
- Bamboo flooring
- Space efficient design (2419 a/c sf, 4 bedroom, 3 bath space)
- House orientation to sun
- No VOC paints
- Graywater use
- Compost use
- Dual, low e windows
- Use of recycled materials (for our concrete countertops and catwalk)
- Eco-smarte chlorine-free pool sanitation

We want to do a lot ourselves (DIY) and are trying our hardest to minimize costs without compromising quality. It's not an easy feat, but we are up for the challenge! Please visit our blog and feel free to contact me with questions or suggestions!