The Zero House is designed to have zero net energy use, zero carbon footprint and zero toxins. But it is also designed to be completely prefabricated and modular! It features prefab wall panels, floor panels and roof panels that can be fabricated off site and assembled quickly. Prefabrication allows many benefits, including controlled conditions for construction, ease of construction and affordability.

The Sustainable New Construction student team is currently assembling the wall panels for Zero House. We are employing a number of wall systems:

• Double stud with cellulose insulation & wood fiberboard

  – This wall type is the most conventional approach, featuring:

  • 2×4 frame construction
  • Cellulose insulation from Applegate Insulation. Cellulose insulation is made from recycled newsprint and offers excellent carbon sequestration and is non-toxic, while providing excellent thermal and moisture handling properties.
  • MSL SONOclimat ECO4 wood fiber board on the exterior side. Fiber board is made from recycled wood fibers, for excellent carbon sequestration and non-toxicity. The 1.5-inch boards (which come in 4×8 and 4×9 foot sizes) offer an R-value of 4. The product has a perm rating of 25.9 perms, meeting our requirements for a vapour-open wall assembly.
  • ReWall EssentialBoard on the interior side. EssentialBoard is made from 100% recycled beverage containers, for excellent carbon sequestration and non-toxicity. The 1/2-inch boards (which come in 4×8 and 4×9 foot sizes) and meet code requirements for structural sheathing.
  • This wall assembly is 12-inches thick and offers a total R-value of R-40.

• Prefab straw bale with fiber board

  – This wall type is a new approach to prefabricated straw bale panels, and features:

  • 2×4 framing around panel
  • Straw bale insulation. Straw is a locally available resource, composed of the dry stalks from grain crops (wheat straw, in this case). Straw is a renewable resource with remarkable carbon sequestering capacity, a good insulation value and is non-toxic with excellent moisture storage capacity.
  • MSL SONOclimat ECO4 wood fiber board on the exterior side. Fiber board is made from recycled wood fibers, for excellent carbon sequestration and non-toxicity. The 1.5-inch boards (which come in 4×8 and 4×9 foot sizes) offer an R-value of 4. The product has a perm rating of 25.9 perms, meeting our requirements for a vapour-open wall assembly.
  • ReWall EssentialBoard on the interior side. EssentialBoard is made from 100% recycled beverage containers, for excellent carbon sequestration and non-toxicity. The 1/2-inch boards (which come in 4×8 and 4×9 foot sizes) and meet code requirements for structural sheathing.
  • A small amount of cellulose insulation from Applegate Insulation provides a tight fit between the straw and the sheathing materials. Cellulose insulation is made from recycled newsprint and offers excellent carbon sequestration and is non-toxic, while providing excellent thermal and moisture handling properties.
  • This wall assembly is 17-inches thick and offers a total R-value of R-39.

• Prefab straw bale with Mycofoam sheathing

  – This wall type is a radically new approach to prefabricated straw bale panels, and features:

  • 2×4 framing around panel
  • Straw bale insulation. Straw is a locally available resource, composed of the dry stalks from grain crops (wheat straw, in this case). Straw is a renewable resource with remarkable carbon sequestering capacity, a good insulation value and is non-toxic with excellent moisture storage capacity.
  • Mycofoam insulation from Ecovative on the exterior side. Mycofoam is an insulation made by growing mycelium (the roots of mushrooms) in a mixture of agricultural waste fibers. This material is one of a number of exciting developments in the field of growing building materials. Using natural processes that happen with a minimum of inputs, this type of insulation offers extremely low ecosystem impacts, carbon sequestration and a great R-value of R-4 per inch. It is natural non-toxic and fire resistant.
  • Wall EssentialBoard on the interior side. EssentialBoard is made from 100% recycled beverage containers, for excellent carbon sequestration and non-toxicity. The 1/2-inch boards (which come in 4×8 and 4×9 foot sizes) and meet code requirements for structural sheathing.
  • This wall assembly is 17-inches thick and offer a total R-value of R-41.

The panels are currently under construction, and being stored until the whole building is ready for assembly. Stay tuned for more blog posts…