Building a Custom Energy-Efficient Home: Where Do You start?

Mar 22, 2016

If you are thinking about building a custom energy-efficient home, where do you start?

Climate Considerations

Many will first go to the internet (thanks for reading my blog) to get their information. This is a great place to gather lots of opinions, but be sure you are looking at opinions based on your specific climate. Here in Virginia, we are in a mixed humid climate. Your climate impacts many decisions and solutions that are viable for the creation of a custom energy-efficient home.

Know Your Builder

Outside the building science decisions, there are other factors that will impact your success in achieving energy efficiency in a custom home. Probably the largest is knowing what is possible / typical by builders in the area. While all builders are able to use any method of construction (sticks, concrete, SIPS…) it is not wise to have a builder learn a new system on your project. In our area, there are drastic differences in the various builders. However, some systems are not used at all here, which leads to uncertainty, more time required, and higher prices. Knowing these skills will benefit the end quality of your home, as well as the final costs.

Product Availability

Product availability is another major force that can impact the success of your project. Knowing and selecting what building supply companies stock vs. special order will save you money. It also gives you the opportunity to find information about the products you want to use. All building supply companies know the products they stock and can offer feedback based on past projects. This expertise will help you avoid mistakes that have been made in the past.

Pick the Right Team

Building a new home is complicated. Building a custom home that is specific to your needs requires careful design and many conversations that will not be found in a magazine or by designing it yourself. Adding the goal of energy-efficiency brings a challenge that can only be achieved with the right team in place. Be sure your team understands your goals, building science, and the local level of product availability and skills available. Here are some other resources that might be useful:

Harrisonburg Sustainable Farmhouse

As always, this event is free and open to everyone, and refreshments will be provided by Gaines Group Architects.

Series Name: An Interlude of Water

Medium: Hand-cut Montage

Artist Statement: “An Interlude of Water

The stillness of a hot, lazy summer evening broken by the laughter of good friends as fishies bite and the sun slowly slips towards the horizon.

The pond collection swirls and twirls like the eddies at the shoreline. Developing slowly to capture the quiet aspects of what creatures could quietly inhabit a pond within the Shenandoah landscape.

The past eight months have been a creative frenzy of exploration, joy, and personal contentment, from envisioning a cohesive grouping of collages that share a color palette to letting my imagination play. The resulting collection has stretched my artistic skills and broadened my perception of interpretation and idea development.

My Process:

Each collage starts as a line drawing, creating a detailed map of the imagery to be included within the work. Moving the drawing to the wooden panel entails many bits of hand-cut paper, acrylic mediums, and acid-free paste. A sticky mess, but it so satisfies the need for detail my brain requires. All papers used are colored with acrylic paint applied with painting tools or a Gelli plate. A lot of time is spent pressing (lever press, heavy books, etc) and drying the glued papers before and after mounting on the wooden surface. Acrylic varnish provides a protective sealant for the completed collage. From concept to finished work, the process takes, on average, four weeks.”

Artist Bio: I’ve always been one to dabble in new trends and techniques. Treading water, seeking the thing that would capture and devour my imagination. In 2018, when life was overwhelming and my soul needed an escape, I fell back in love with collage. Over the intervening eight years, my artistic practice has settled into an obsession, forcing a growth in style and technique with results that personally bring me joy. A relocation to Harrisonburg, Virginia, has allowed me to establish a permanent studio space, adding momentum to my artistic journey.

*Accessibility Note: This building was previously restored from a fire. The elevator shaft is currently not functioning and there is an absence of ramps in the space. Because the show is on the 2nd floor, this may pose an issue for those who have mobility challenges. We are aware of this need and we apologize greatly if this changes your ability to attend.

This event is free and open to everyone. Snacks and refreshments will be served and we look forward to seeing you there!

Each month we host a new artist in our building’s 2nd floor gallery at the Chesapeake Western Depot at 141 W. Bruce St. (second floor entrance is on Chesapeake). Artwork will remain on exhibit through the month. Come view the show anytime and get a tour the Depot!