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MN Renovator · 08-07-12, 09:51 PM

You mentioned concrete, concrete is very heavy though. I talked with a builder in Wisconsin at the Midwest Renewable Energy Expo that builds low energy buildings that they aren't using furnaces in. They build the entire house from basement to the top floor with insulated concrete forms. He claimed that the concrete does a good enough job with moderating temperature swings in the winter that they skip installing ductwork and dealing with natural gas and just install Daikin heat pumps. I asked about backup heat, he says that Daikin has some units with backup strips but that they are good below zero so their use is minimal. I'd assume with probably 5/8" drywall plus wrapping the house in concrete and efficient windows could be a good option. Not for retrofit, but for new construction.

08-07-12, 09:51 PM	#10
MN Renovator Less usage=Cheaper bills Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Minneapolis, MN Posts: 939 Thanks: 41 Thanked 116 Times in 90 Posts	You mentioned concrete, concrete is very heavy though. I talked with a builder in Wisconsin at the Midwest Renewable Energy Expo that builds low energy buildings that they aren't using furnaces in. They build the entire house from basement to the top floor with insulated concrete forms. He claimed that the concrete does a good enough job with moderating temperature swings in the winter that they skip installing ductwork and dealing with natural gas and just install Daikin heat pumps. I asked about backup heat, he says that Daikin has some units with backup strips but that they are good below zero so their use is minimal. I'd assume with probably 5/8" drywall plus wrapping the house in concrete and efficient windows could be a good option. Not for retrofit, but for new construction.