Page 51 - Green Builder Sept-Oct 2019 Issue

of cost, McGee says. “But if you are super
energy efficient you are choosing to buy
materials not just based on aesthetics but
also on climate change, energy efficiency
and durability,” he notes.
In the end, McGee believes that the insur-
ance companies will have an impact on how
we build, and smart builders will get out
ahead of that. “Even if your house didn’t
burn in Northern California, you’re going
to get an insurance hike. Insurance compa-
COURTESY OF BORAL INDUSTRIES impact on what products can be used based
nies are going to require things—have a real
on what certain climate zones are experienc-
ing, like hail or fire.”
McGee matches Herro when it comes to

Metal (over)head. Owner C.R. Herro selected Boral Steel-Stone Coated Roofing, a product that mission orientation. “What we do for a liv-
ing just keeps getting more complicated, and
comes in five profiles, including the enhanced high-definition, two-color blend Cottage shingle.
because of that we need an overall conversa-
To address fire resistance, the team went low-cost timber construction, which can tion on the nitty gritty of long-term costs,” he
through the design and decided that there degrade in this wet mountain climate,” says. “Why are we doing what we are doing?
would be no wood in the project (except Herro notes. What is the conversation we are trying to
for finished interior wood/cabinetry). The The upshot is that building for climate raise up? We need to help prioritize these
roof is a fire-resistant assembly, with Boral’s change and severe weather adds a little bit issues for the industry.”
stone-coated steel roofing. “We addressed
the roof and how air moves through it,”
McGee says. “The assembly allows heat to
go up and out, and stops heat conduction
from the sun or fire. We have a good handle
from the energy model how it will perform
so that operations and maintenance costs
won’t be a wild card.”
That’s just one example, McGee contin-
ues. The entire house was looked at through
numerous lenses: thermal bridging, fire resis-
tance, water resistance. “The industry used to
do what met building code and was cost effec-
tive,” he says. “Then, when people added in
energy efficiency, things like drainage planes
and durability got the focus. Now, we are add-
ing climate change and radical weather.”
To further reduce the ongoing operating COURTESY OF PREMIER BUILDING SYSTEMS
costs of the home, the team specified prod-
ucts that would hold up under the windy,
wet conditions of the site—notably, products
made from concrete and steel. “This house Productive paneling. The VISION House® uses Premier SIPs, which install 65 percent faster than
can last forever as opposed to conventional traditional roofs, offer increased strength capacity of roof sections, and are super energy efficient.

www.greenbuildermedia.com September/October 2019 GREEN BUILDER 49

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