Utah Homes Receive Energy-Efficient Green Air Sealing
Project Overview
Chris Brown, Knauf Insulation
The Challenge
Garbett Homes, committed to building homes with standard green features and energy ratings of HERS 40 or lower, continuously looks to improve its product and enhance value with affordable sustainability. The company explored sealing solutions that would tighten the building envelope. Building approximately 300 homes per year, Garbett is a nationally-recognized green builder with most of its homes priced from $150,000 to $250,000.
Garbett gained a green building focus after its marketing analysis and projections told the company that first-time home buyers were the niche that would help insulate it from downward pressure on the broader housing market. The builder also decided that standard, money-saving green features would be the differentiating factor between itself and similarly-priced competitors.
Before ECOSEAL, Garbett Homes had been using open-cell spray foam for sealing purposes. By adding ECOSEAL to their process, they were able to tighten their seal and reach areas where spray foam is less effective.
- Avoid using spray foam due to its lack of effectiveness in small areas.
- Maintain an energy rating of HERS 40 or lower.
- Reduce cost and lost time on the job site from spray foam installation.
The Solution
Before ECOSEAL, Garbett Homes had been using open-cell spray foam for sealing purposes. Garbett Homes turned to Knauf Insulation’s ECOSEAL after seeing a Knauf demonstration and being drawn to ECOSEAL's easy application. The company's estimator purchased a sprayer to do applications himself and then later instructed Garbett's superintendents on how to apply ECOSEAL.
"What he really liked about ECOSEAL is that it dries quickly and can be installed while other subcontractors are working at the same time," said Rene Oehlerking, director of marketing for Garbett Homes. "With spray foam, you have to have all your subcontractors out of the house for the day and it's a very big job."
"We understand the critical importance to Garbett Homes of getting the most bang for your buck with energy-efficient green solutions," noted Chris Brown, business development manager at Knauf Insulation.
"Like other builders, they've been able to reduce costs with ECOSEAL and also add speed to their sealing and insulation versus previous methods. We have a direct effect on HERS, which is more and more a huge selling point with green-focused builders like Garbett," Brown added.
ECOSEAL is now used in every Garbett Home and is featured in the builder’s "deconstruct" model homes. The models allow buyers to see behind the walls to understand how efficient and sustainable products significantly lower the monthly cost of owning a home.
"What we like about ECOSEAL is that it’s very green, it’s water-based and the application of it is green as well. It has some very nice properties that are better than spray foam. It’s a tighter seal and you can install it in areas where you can’t really use spray foam properly because of its expansion and lack of effectiveness in small areas."
— Rene Oehlerking, Director of Marketing, Garbett Homes
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