Project Updates
 
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Project Update: Building Site - Energy expert Steve Easley checks in from the EnergyWise House building site. The plans are in code check with the local building department. Once final approvals are received, the site will be cleared and work can begin.  Watch Video!
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Project Update: Model Home Tour - Energy expert Steve Easley tours a model home built by EnergyWise House builder Dennis Cunningham. The home, which has 50s-era flair, incorporates many of the design elements that will be featured in our Palm Springs, Calif., project house. Watch Video!
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Project Update: Site Grading and Foundation Work - Steve Easley visits the EnergyWise House building site where foundation work is well underway. The site has been cleared and graded, and the concrete slab is ready to be poured. Watch Video!
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Bob on Location
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The Building Envelope - Building science consultant Steve Easley joins Bob Vila to discuss a few of the key elements that help our home in the desert beat the heat. R-Control structural insulated panels, Bonded Logic natural fiber insulation, Philips Products Marquee 9000 Series windows, Touch N’ Foam sealants, CertainTeed FiberCement Siding, and L-P TechShield roof sheathing, all featured in the project, are discussed. Watch Video!
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In Hot Water - Bob Vila and building consultant Steve Easley examine how hot water is efficiently used and distributed in the EnergyWise House. Eemax tankless, on-demand water heaters supply hot water for bathing, cooking, and cleaning. Seamless PEX tubing from Vanguard Industries is used to distribute hot and cold water around the house. Radiant heat for the home is supplied by a zoned Wirsbo in-floor radiant heating system. Watch Video!
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Energy Efficient Appliances - Bob Vila and Steve Easley take a sneak peak at a few of the appliances that will be used in the EnergyWise House. A Kenmore He3t Energy Star washer and dryer will handle laundry chores, and Kenmore Elite Energy Star appliances will be outfitted in the kitchen. An added touch for cool desert nights is the Heat-N-Glo direct-vent fireplaces gas fireplace. Watch Video!
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Weatherproof Doorframes - Bob Vila is joined by Rick Hagel of BMS Framesaver to preview the unique doorframes that will be installed in the EnergyWise House. By adding a section of composite materials to the base of the doorframe, Framesaver doorframes eliminate damage caused by moisture and insects. Watch Video!
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Sponsor Videos
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A.O. Smith Water Products - A.O. Smith Water Products’ Chris Hopkins visits the EnergyWise house to discuss the company’s high efficiency water heaters. The company’s low-emission gas fired water heaters are specifically rated to meet California’s tough requirements for energy efficient appliances. Hopkins recommends higher a certified installer to perform all water heater installations to ensure proper venting of exhaust gasses. Watch Video!
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Bonded Logic Insualtion - Bonded Logic UltraTouch Natural Cotton Fiber Insulation, made of post-industrial cotton and denim fibers, brings fire, fungi, and corrosive resistance to batt insulation that is formaldehyde and resin free, requires no warning labels, and can be installed without protective clothing or gear. The thermal bonding process allows Bonded Logic to offer finished products in a wide range of thicknesses and densities to ensure superior soundproofing, maximum thermal performance, and fire resistant insulation free of noxious chemicals. Watch Video!
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CertainTeed WeatherBoards FiberCement Siding - Steve Easley is joined by CertainTeed's Steve Booz to discuss the siding being used on the EnergyWise House. CertainTeed WeatherBoards FiberCement Siding is manufactured in the exclusive DuraPress System, from silica, portland cement and post-industrial recycled wood fibers. The result is siding with a far greater life span and durability for less money than wood and wood composites. The DuraPress System creates more authentic and consistent wood grains, with an extra precuring step that dramatically reduces chalking. WeatherBoards has a higher interlaminate bond strength - up to 60 percent stronger than competitive sidings - for superior freeze/thaw protection. The proprietary FiberTect Sealing System is more than a primer, bonding with the panel, then bonding to an acrylic latex topcoat for a long-lasting, better-looking finish. FiberTect seals against moisture significantly better than competitive priming systems, and WeatherBoards requires painting less frequently than wood. Watch Video!
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Convenience Products - Larry Ratliff from Convenience Products joins energy expert Steve Easley to talk about strategies to fill the 1000s of tiny gaps around windows and doors in the average home. Touch 'n Foam products are expanding polyurethane foam sealants developed to fill and seal holes, cracks and gaps that can be major sources of air leakage in and around the home. Unlike caulking materials and other sealants that are solid, heavy and non-insulating, Touch 'n Foam products expand to completely fill these voids and provide the most effective barrier available against energy loss. Watch Video!
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Custom-Bilt Metals - Need a roof that will last a lifetime? Custom-Bilt Metals' "LastTime" Metal Roofing Systems are most commonly selected for use over solid decks, light structural buildings, residences, and in modified form such as soffit and facades. The features of the CB-150 Titan Standing Seam Panel include stiffening ribs (optional), a panel height of 1.5 inches, and a choice of panel width from 12 inches to 24 inches. All of Custom-Bilt Metals standing seam panels are coated with a new, premium cool coating called ULTRA-COOL. This coating dramatically increases the reflectivity to such a degree that Custom-Bilt's product meets the Energy Star specifications for cool roofs. Watch as the individual roof panels are formed on site, and learn more about the features and installation of the "cool" roofing product. Watch Video!
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Eemax - Tankless hot water heaters provide on-demand hot water without the need to continually store and heat water 24 hours a day. Aaron Siegel from Eemax joins Steve Easley at the EnergyWise House to explain how the company’s products supply hot water for applications ranging from hand washing to drench showers, with a sophisticated thermostatic control to ensure precise outlet temperature. Whole-house units are activated by water flow and demand to draw only the energy required to meet hot water demand. Watch Video!
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Framesaver - BMS FrameSaver’s Rick Hagel and energy and building systems expert Steve Easley take a look at a new exterior door frame system built to provide the warmth and workability of wood while eliminating the decay, rot, and insect damage that plague exterior wood doors. FrameSaver combines the rot resistance of a composite wood product, made from recycled wood fibers and resins, with conventional wood framing. Watch Video!
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Guardian Industries Low-E Glass - Guardian Industries' Performance Plus II Low-E can save significant energy dollars when incorporated into a window such as the Philips Marquee 9000. This high performance low-E coating is designed to keep heat where you want it, so warm rooms stay warm in the winter, and cool rooms stay cool as the summer sun is reflected away from conditioned interior spaces. Homes with high performance low-E glass use less heat in the winter and less air conditioning in the summer, resulting in significant consumer energy savings. Watch Video!
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Heat-N-Glo - The EnergyWise House’s fireplaces use state-of-the-art technology to produce clean, efficient heat. Ross Morrison from Heat-N-Glo joins energy expert Steve Easley on location for a preview of a few of the heating technologies that will be used in the home. On display are 33,000 Btu direct-vent model capable of heating up to three rooms, and indoor/outdoor model that does not require a flue, and a portable “campfire” style that can run on propane or natural gas. Watch Video!
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Hot Spring Spas - To relax in our desert home, the EnergyWise House will be equipped with a hot tub from Hot Spring Spas. These portable spas bring energy efficient design and operation to hot tubs that are easy to operate and maintain. Hot Spring Spas use technologically advanced heating, cleaning, and circulation systems. They are fully insulated and foamed with fitted covers for better temperature retention and lower operating costs. Hot Spring Spas offers a dedicated circulation pump for continuous water filtration at a lower usage rate than traditional pumps that cycle on and off, and a warm air induction system that captures warm air produced by the jet pump and transfers it to the tub water. Watch Video!
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Kenmore Appliance by Sears - Appliances play a central role in reducing the amount of energy a home consumes. In the EnergyWise House kitchen, Sears Kenmore Elite appliance will handle cooking and cleaning duties. Matt Gibbons from Sears Brand Central is on location to explain some of the Energy Star-rated Elite-series dishwasher features. Also on tap for the home is a set of Kenmore “HE3t” front loading washer and dryer units. Watch Video!
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LP TechShield - TechShield radiant barrier sheathing can help homeowners conserve energy by keeping up to 97 percent of the sun's radiant heat from entering the attic. TechShield, the only radiant barrier sheathing with post-lamination incising, effectively allows moisture to escape from the foil side of the board should it get wet. Studies have shown that using a radiant barrier can effectively reduce the amount of energy required to cool the home by up to 20 percent. And TechShield radiant barrier sheathing adds no additional time or labor costs to the construction, because the foil is already laminated to the board. Watch Video!
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Monitor Products - Steve Easley is joined by Monitor Products’ Matthew Connolly to discuss the condensing boiler that will heat the hot water for the EnergyWise House’s radiant floor system. This compact wall-mounted boiler is a direct-vent condensing heat source that exceeds the California Clean Air Standards by 66 percent. It needs no chimney, is vented directly to the outside, and condenses the gases within the system to recuperate heat lost and reduce nitrous oxide emissions. Watch Video!
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Nutech - Nutech Energy Systems’ Scott Harrison joins energy expert Steve Easley to discuss how fresh air will be circulated throughout the EnergyWise House. Lifebreath clean air products help enhance energy efficient homes and combat the negative effects of tight house construction by continually exchanging household air and recirculating fresh, clean air throughout the home. Lifebreath systems work on three levels to combat the effects of indoor air pollutants on respiratory health: they provide air exchange, humidity reduction, and the removal of particulates from the air. Watch Video!
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OpenJoist 2000 - Open Joist 2000 is an engineered wood system designed to maximize solid-sawn lumber strength while minimizing lumber waste. This truss and joist system features fully trimmable joists that are ordered to length from an inventory that is maintained by the manufacturer. These joists feature an open-webbed design that allows wiring and pipes to be run through the joists, without the need for a drop ceiling or lost headroom. Watch Video!
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Perform Guard EPS Termite Control - Insulation helps keep people comfortable. Unfortunately, insulations are susceptible to termite infestation. Termites love to live, work and eat in comfortable and protected surroundings. All insulation can potentially provide this environment. R-Control Perform Guard EPS is a termite resistant expanded polystyrene insulation for all types of R-Control construction. It is used in Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs), Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs), Perimeter and Under-slab Foundation insulation, EPS Geofoam, and other R-Control Building Systems. Watch Video!
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Philips Products Marquee 9000 Windows - Philips Products Marquee 9000 Series windows offer an innovative design comprised of 3 pieces of insulating glass, with two sealed airspaces filled with Argon gas. When combined with Low-E glass, these windows provide an energy efficiency increase of up to 90 percent over the average Low-E, Argon-filled vinyl window on the market. Solar heat gain coefficients are also improved by up to 40 percent with Philips' unique insulated vinyl windows. Philips' insulating glass package is up to 1 1/2 inches thick, compared with the 3/4 inch to 7/8 inch packages of other vinyl windows, and comes in a variety of styles and finishes. Watch Video!
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PoolPower Salt-Water Chlorinators - PoolPower Salt-Water Chlorinators use electrolysis to harness the power of salt and unleash the chlorine within to create a self-cleaning chlorination system for your pool. The process begins with salt, which is converted to chlorine. The chlorine then sanitizes the pool without the use of noxious chemicals-so no more shocking. Finally, the chlorine reconverts to salt and is used to power the next sanitation cycle, the moment the filtration system kicks in. Watch Video!
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R-Control SIPs (Structural Insulated Panels) - R-Control has created building systems for walls, floors, roofs, and ceilings. Covered with a skin of OSB (oriented strand board) to provide an even, continuous nailing surface, these panels are made of expanded polystyrene cores to provide superior insulation without the settling or looping typical of fiberglass, rock wool, and cellulose-based insulation systems. Watch Video!
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Spacepak - Spacepak’s Jay Jones is on location to explain the company’s unique central heating and cooling system. It is designed for use in residential and commercial buildings, where installation of ductwork would be disruptive or impossible. Spacepak's simplified installation and quiet, efficient operation consist of a high static fan coil unit with a pre-insulated air distribution system that moves conditioned air through the building via 2-inch diameter I.D. aluminum ductwork. Spacepak's unique aspiration method gently mixes cool air with room air, and works equally well whether outlets are located on floors, walls, or ceilings. Watch Video!
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Syngenta Impasse Termite System - Syngenta’s IMPASSE™ Termite System is a construction-grade, termite-proof sheet with the termiticide "locked in" between outer polymer layers. First, long strips of IMPASSE™ Barrier are rolled out side-by-side to cover the home's entire "footprint," including exterior footings, and the panels are then heat-seamed together. Specially designed IMPASSE™ Boots are placed around the plumbing and electrical penetrations and heat-seamed to the barrier, resulting in wall-to-wall protection underneath the home. Concrete is poured directly on top of IMPASSE™ Termite System - providing a high level of termite protection. Watch Video!
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Taco - The EnergyWise House’s radiant in-floor heating sytem is kept flowing with water pumps from Taco. The company’s Mark Chaffee joins Steve Easley to discuss the company’s computer controlled and monitored water distribution systems. Unique features include self-contained cartridge-style pumps that eliminate costly repairs, and indoor and outdoor temperature sensors to maintain even heating within the home. Watch Video!
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Therma-Tru - Steve Easley is joined by Therma-Tru’s Terry Seamon to discuss the energy efficient fiberglass doors that will be used in the EnergyWise House. Fiberglass delivers superior performance and energy efficiency. Therma-Tru fiberglass doors feature a solid polyurethane foam core, providing five times the insulating value of wood. Combined with the company’s high-performance weather-stripping, thresholds, and glazing, energy-efficient entry systems can be designed without the added expense of solid wood doors. Watch Video!
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TXI Maximizer Concrete - Tina Ongley from TXI joins Steve Easley to discuss the strong, lightweight concrete being used at the EnergyWise House. TXI Maximizer Concrete is a proprietary formula that provides more coverage per bag than standard mixes. Using a specially formulated aggregate, Maximizer stretches concrete's ability to cover, finish, and support your footings, slabs, decks, stairs, or posts. At a strength of 5,500 psi (pounds per square inch), Maximizer is stronger when cured than traditional concrete mixes, which average between 3,000 and 4,000 psi. When compared pound per pound, Maximizer also delivers 67 percent more coverage than traditional mixes. Watch Video!
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Tyco - Reducing loss through leaks in ductwork is an important step in creating an energy efficient home. Steve Easley is joined by Tyco’s Bruce Thore to learn more about the company’s tapes, flashings, and coatings. Tyco's window flashing tapes are self-adhering, butyl-based rubber tapes designed to weatherproof windows, skylights, and doors. Due to their superior thermal stability, the company’s butyl-rubber flashing tapes can provide weather protection in hot and cold climates, surpassing both paper and asphalt-based tapes for weather impenetrability. Watch Video!
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Tyvek - Wrapping a home in a protective envelope is a good building practice that helps combat a home’s worst enemies: water, moisture and air infiltration. Rich Tolhurst joins Steve Easley on location at the EnergyWise House to discuss the DuPont Tyvek weatherization system protecting the home. Tyvek StuccoWrap is a weather-resistant barrier with a specially engineered surface texture designed to meet the needs of both traditional and synthetic stucco exterior finish applications. It helps reduce susceptibility to cracking, improves stucco curing and channels moisture out of the wall. Watch Video!
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