To the extent possible, homes are sited to take advantage of natural heating and cooling, most importantly from the sun and prevailing winds. It is also important to calculate the appropriate number and location of windows and evaluate the necessary shading. Considering these factors early in the design process is common sense and good building science.

Unity homes use a combination of renewable materials for insulating the wall and roof assemblies, and we engineered to a thickness that optimizes cost and performance. While the actual insulation amounts will depend on the house location and style, typically R-33 insulation is incorporated into walls and R-38 to R-49 in ceilings. To complement the wall insulation, triple-glazed windows and well-insulated doors are included in all designs.

Unity wall assemblies includes a layer of continuous insulation that helps to minimize “thermal bridging”, which is the transfer of heat via conduction from the warm side of the wall to the cold side. Walls are engineered to allow for drying to both the inside and out, essentially eliminating the possibility of damaging moisture within the walls.

A tightly built home is designed to maintain indoor air quality through a continuous supply of fresh air. In a typical home more heat is lost through air movement (convection) than by other means. The energy and cost savings resulting from air tightness are essentially “free,” because building a tight home is more about careful workmanship than adding additional materials.

By carefully taping every seam and putting gaskets at each joint, Unity homes achieve air tightness levels below one air change per hour (less than 1.0 ACH50). By comparison, the typical Energy Star rated house has about 3 air changes per hour.

With a Unity home it will not be necessary to install a conventional HVAC system. And with a moderately-sized renewable energy system, the home can produce as much energy as it uses, making it a Net Zero Energy Home.