Building Dreams, Saving Energy through Sustainable Home Building

Don Ferrier of Ferrier Homes presented to my class on December 22^nd. He is the owner/ CEO of Ferrier Homes.  Don is the third generation of general contractors/ stonemasons. The Texas state capitol and several bridges and roads are just a few of the projects that generations before him built. In 1984 Don Ferrier formed Ferrier Builders which later became Ferrier Custom Homes in 2004. Ferrier Custom Homes focuses on sustainable new construction as well as remodeling existing homes. The company’ S mission is “To advance, communicate and facilitate energy- efficient and sustainable building practices to the home building industry and into the homes and structures we build.”

Don presented a special project to the class: His daughter, Heather’s first home. He went over the details of the project and different sustainable practices they used during the construction of the home. Below is a picture of Heather’s Home.

One of the most interesting facts I learned was the importance of the south side of a house. Since the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, the south wall of a house has a unique purpose.  Don used a porch to shade the windows located here. This allowed for sun to heat the house. He also suggests using trees as protection against the sun.

Don highlighted several technologies that make a home more efficient. I am familiar with dual-flush toilets and low-flow showers since my husband works in that industry. Also, I have seen spray foam used in homes on HGTV. One technology that I found interesting and foreign to me was SIPS. SIPS stands for Structural Insulated Panels. It requires less energy as well as raw materials to produce. It also reduces waste because it is customized by job.   Ferrier Homes partners with Fischer SIPS for its building materials. Below is an informative video on SIPs.

http://www.fischersips.com/about/benefits 

I love the idea of preserving the earth for future generations. Until Don’s lecture on home building, I assumed the sustainable materials were very expensive and not probable for someone like me. It was great to see that certain technologies are the same price or slightly more. When my husband and I go to build a home in the future, we will be looking for certain technologies that Don highlighted in his lecture.

                 

REFERENCES:

http://www.ferriercustomhomes.com/home/

http://www.fischersips.com