Introduction to Structural Insulated Panels and Green Homes Kelowna

Introduction to Structural Insulated Panels and Green Homes by Richard Bose

Structural Insulated Panel or SIP is the new buzz-word in building construction industry as 21st century "green" building material. SIPs can be used in the construction of exterior walls, floors and roofs of residential and commercial buildings offering advantages of low cost and energy conservation over traditional wooden frame construction. SIP addresses two major concerns while building "green" home - energy efficiency and diminishing natural resources.

The general characteristics of all SIPs are two exterior skins sandwiching a rigid foam plastic core made up of low cost expanded polystyrene material. The skins most generally used are oriented strand boards (OSB), plywood or gypsum board. The resulting sandwich panel is exceptionally solid, cost effective and energy conserving which can be used as load bearing walls, partitions and roof insulation.

When used as a load-bearing wall or roof insulation, the two skins act as lean columns constantly supported by the rigid core to resist buckling and compression. When bending is applied to the panel due to a live or a wind load, the skins take most of the compressive and tensile forces and the core offers resistance to shear. Skins and rigid core acts internally to provide exceptional strength to the structure.

The most important characteristic of Structural Insulated Panel which has led to rapid growth in its demand is excellent energy efficiency and improved thermal performance. Today, one of the major challenges for any home owner is to control increasing energy costs. SIPs are practically airtight panels due to the nature of material used and fabrication process. This results in less cooling during winters and less hitting in summer! Hence buildings made with SIP panels require less expensive cooling and heating systems than a normal building saving more energy and costs. A building constructed with SIPs takes less time than the one with wooden frame. This saves you labor and wastage at the job-site. Overall building a home with SIPs can save you energy, costs, time and labor too!

Design of Structural Insulated Panel requires good amount of structural drafting & design services.

To know how we can help you design SIPs for your home email us at info@outsourcestructuraldrafting.com
 or visit http://www.outsourcestructuraldrafting.com/

About the Author

Richard Bose is certified structural engineer at OSD - a leading Structural Drafting firm based in India providing quality Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) design services to its offshore clients based in US, UK, Canada and Australia. For further details email us at info@outsourcestructuraldrafting.com

For a review of your green custom home build call:

Joe Wackerbauer
President
Okanagan Custom Homes
250- 809-9519
http://www.okanagancustomhomes.com/

Understanding home construction lending in Kelowna

To build a home is the dream of many people. While it conjures up images of happiness and family life, the whole process can difficult and emotionally draining. Such a project is fraught with financial risks; the most common are delays and associated cost overrun. To minimize those risks, it is important for people to be well prepared and have a clear plan. Many people place offers on a vacant lot and approach me to arrange lending with one or two week window; which is way too short for most situations.

Financing construction is very different from getting a mortgage for an existing home. For a start, lenders typically lend up to 80% of finished appraised value without requiring CMHC insurance. Interest rates are commonly set at prime plus 2%. With construction financing, your loan may be drawn down in stages while making interest-only payments until construction is complete. Completion for homeowners means that the house is 100% complete and has its certificate of occupancy.

Different lenders may have more or less the same number of ‘funding’ stages; the following is a common example:

1. Lock-up stage: foundation, framing, windows, doors, roofing, etc (approximately 40 % of funds)
2. Drywall, insulation, wiring, and plumbing ( approximately 30 % of funds)
3. Finishing: exterior and interior ( approximately 20 % of funds)
4. An additional advance may be requested to assist in purchasing the land.
5. Additional advances may be requested subject to an appraiser’s inspections to maintain sufficient cost to complete.

Lending for construction is usually planned for 6 to 9 months depending on the project and the institution. At each stage of funds being advanced, an appraisal and inspection of the property and a lien search is typically required. The goal here is to ensure that construction is following the plan as stated in the application.

Construction loans are ‘story’ loans. That means that the lender has to know the story behind the planned construction before they're willing to loan you money. To be successful an applicant must provide most lending institutions with the following:

• a complete set of plans
• specification of materials
• cost estimate for the proposed building
• a time table for completion
• an appraiser will examine site survey plans, construction plans, specifications and cost estimates in order to produce an appraisal on a completed construction basis
• a copy of all contracts relating to the construction is a must

This list is not exhaustive and will vary between lenders. This article is meant as an overview and specifics will vary between lenders. In writing the article I searched the internet for information, and I did not find much. The reason is simple, each project is specific and each lender adapts their practice to the local environment.

For more information you can contact:

Philippe Daigle - Your Kelowna and Westside Mortgage Expert

For current rates visit my blog at http://philippedaigle.blogspot.com/

Okanagan Custom Home Build and Renovation Services for Kelowna

Custom Homes - At Okanagan Custom Homes we offer a pleasurable custom build experience and our past projects and testimonials are a great testament to creativity and proven examples of great home building.

Eco friendly and green Homes Victorian, Contemporary, Tudor and Santa-Fe Post and Beam Log Homes

Custom Finishing’s – At Okanagan Custom Homes we can be hired to put the final high quality finishing’s for your custom homes:

We specialize in the following areas of service:
Window liners and Trim Interior and exterior custom door installations Crown moulding Custom Stair cases and railings

Green Build Projects - At Okanagan Custom Homes green construction methods can be integrated into the build of your custom home. From design, construction, to build, the most significant benefits can be obtained, if the design and construction team takes an integrated approach from the earliest stages of a building project.

Potential benefits of green building can include:
Enhance and protect biodiversity and ecosystems Improve air and water quality and insulation Reduce waste streams Conserve and restore natural resources Reduce operating costs Create, expand, and shape markets for green product and services Enhance occupant comfort and health Heighten aesthetic qualities Minimize strain on local infrastructure Improve overall quality of life

Renovations - From concept to completion Okanagan Custom Homes helps homeowners meet their construction and renovation goals. Okanagan Custom Homes will help guide you through your renovation project so that any change you make in your home meets all your needs, present and future.

Additions,Decks, Heavy Timber Construction, Gazebos

For all your Okanagan Home Construction and Renovation needs Contact:

Joe Wackerbauer
President
Okanagan Custom Homes
250- 809-9519
http://www.okanagancustomhomes.com/

Get up to $1350 to renovate your Okanagan Custom Home with the Home Renovation Tax Credit Tax Credit

Canadians and home owners in Kelowna, BC who want to sod their lawns or renovate their bathrooms will get a tax break worth up to $1,350 as a key plank of the government's effort to inspire spending.

For a certain sector of consumers, 2009 could become the year of the reno, following the announcement Tuesday of a Home Renovation Tax Credit Tax Credit that lets taxpayers claim 15% of their fixups until Feb. 1, 2010.

"The HRTC will provide a temporary incentive for Canadians to undertake new renovation projects or accelerate planned future projects," the budget documents said, "thus providing timely stimulus to the Canadian economy while boosting energy efficiency and the value of Canada's housing stock."

The government said the incentive is expected to provide about $3-billion in tax relief to some 4.6 million families.
-

The credit, which is available for homes and cottages effective immediately, is designed to boost construction, forestry and other industries.Taxpayers can claim renovations on their 2009 tax returns on costs over $1,000, but not exceeding $10,000.

-

To see full article click here

-

Joe Wackerbauer
President
Okanagan Custom Homes
250- 809-9519
http://www.okanagancustomhomes.com/

How to Find the Right Architect - Joe Wackerbauer

I ran across a great article on the internet by the eHow Home & Garden Editor that lays out the steps to take when engaging an architect.Over the last twenty five years I a have seen many projects go aria due to poor early planning.

Finding the right architect for the job is an essential beginning to your custom home-building project.

Joe

Step 1 -Ask for some recommendations. Check with friends, relatives, co-workers and the real estate agent who sold you your lot.
Step 2 -Inquire about the architect on any houses you see under construction that you particularly like. The blueprints on file with the town building department will have the architect's name and address.
Step 3-Interview several architects.
Step 4-Discuss your ideas with the candidates. Bring any sketches you've made.
Step5 -Consider how closely the architect pays attention to your description of what you want in a h ouse.
Step 6-Review several plans that the architect has completed in the past.
Step 7-Ask for client references, particularly those who have been living in their new homes for a while.
Step 8-Contact the references without the architect present. Ask the owners about both the experience of working with the architect and how well their new houses matched their expectations.
Step 9-Select the architect you feel most comfortable with.
Step 10-Have your attorney review the contract for the architect's services.
Step 11-Execute the contract and begin design work.

Tips & Warnings
· Try to negotiate a flat fee for the entire design project. Hourly fees can result in disputes, particularly when you feel that excessive hours were required because the architect didn't listen to your directions.
· Make sure that the architect is familiar with the building site. Click here to read the full article

-

For a review of your green bult custom home project call:

Joe Wackerbauer

President

Okanagan Custom Homes

250- 809-9519

http://www.okanagancustomhomes.com/

Okanagan green custom built homes

Joe Wackerbauer - Benifits of Built Green™ homes

I ran across this great article on green built custom homes and the benefits of building green and I have posted for your convenience.

Joe Wackerbauer

Built Green™ is moving the home building industry forward in producing quality homes and enhancing healthy living. These benefits extend beyond the walls of your new home. Built Green™ is helping to ensure that these benefits are available to all homebuyers who purchase a home that meets Built Green™ standards. By choosing energy efficient options you'll be making a choice to help protect our environment for the future as well as make a difference to your bank account today.

Energy Efficiency. As energy costs take a noticeable chunk out of homeowner budgets, using energy wisely is being widely promoted. We also need to be aware of the source of our electricity. (For example, in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia, non-renewable resources such as coal is predominately used in the generation of electricity.) Next to a mortgage, energy costs are the most significant household expenditure. An energy efficient home offers lower energy costs.

Comfort. A less drafty home with improved ventilation increases the homeowners control of humidity and temperature. Appropriate design and orientation can take advantage of the sun's warmth in the winter and reduce the sun’s impact in the summer.

Water Efficiency. Given past drought conditions experienced almost everywhere in Canada, water is becoming a precious resource. Installing water efficient appliances such as low-flow fixtures or dual-flush toilets, Energy Star washing machines and dishwashers along with water aerators on the faucets and showers can significantly reduce the amount of water a household consumes. Planting a water-wise landscape also reduces the water demand and requires less maintenance while still adding beauty to your home.

Healthier Indoor Air. Tightening a home to make it more energy efficient without adequately addressing the ventilation can create health problems. Built Green™ encourages well-sealed duct systems, combustion appliances that are sealed and/or direct vented, controlled fresh air and uses interior building materials that reduce indoor air pollution.

Durability and Less Maintenance. Built Green™ encourages the use of building materials that are more durable both inside and outside the home. This reduces maintenance and replacement costs.

Global Benefits. Building a Built Green™ home results in some direct benefits to the owners but there are also benefits to the community and the environment in general. For example, the use of local materials is encouraged, thereby reducing transportation costs and stimulating the local economy. Also, focusing on choosing materials and products made from recycled content reduces the need and energy to extract new materials. They are resource efficient and produce less waste than typical products and usually have a long life-cycle, requiring less maintenance.

Built Green™ homes just make sense. For the building industry to sustain itself, increasingly more efficient and creative ways to build homes without sacrificing the environment and quality of life must be achieved.

To read full articlew click here

For a review of your green custom home build call:

Joe Wackerbauer

President

Okanagan Custom Homes

250- 809-9519

http://www.okanagancustomhomes.com/

Joe Wackerbauer - Green Custom Home Development

Going green is not only a great choice for the Earth it's a big seller for Kelowna and Okanagan custom built homes. Eco-friendly options abound for custom home builders: Save water in the kitchen, reduce electricity use in the office and cut back on volatile organic compounds in building materials.

Custom home developers employ a multitude of techniques to decrease a home's carbon footprint. Some of the most common steps are installing solar panels and energy-efficient appliances and using low-flow toilets. But, there is much more available to developers of custom homes, such as using recycled building materials and installing radiant floors.

• 1. Educate yourself on the requirements to become a green custom home builder and to understand the constantly evolving greener home options.


• 2. Find local providers of eco-friendly materials. In custom home development, a contractor is more likely to keep customers happy by providing many options.


• 3. Custom home community developers benefit from building green homes because the entire neighbourhood boasts a low carbon footprint.

For a review of your green custom home build call:

Joe Wackerbauer
President
Okanagan Custom Homes
250- 809-9519
http://www.okanagancustomhomes.com/

Okanagan custom built homes

Green Built Custom Homes