BUILDING THE SHELL
The wall is built from Structural Insulated Panels. They are manufactured by Murus and come from Pennsylvania. The panels are fabricated in a factory and shipped to the site to be assembled like a big 3D puzzle. Each piece is numbered and fits together perfectly with the next. The panels are either 6-1/2″ or 8-1/4″ thick, depending on the load they carry.
The large main roof is also SIPS and those panels are 12-1/4″ thick to provide a great insulated building envelope. SIPS provide the structure and the insulated envelope, and are very air tight for optimum energy efficiency. The large exposed beams are wood glu-lam beams. All lumber, wood trusses, and beams is provided by Barry County Lumber Company. The structural steel is by OIK Industries in Kalamazoo.
On the interior, the drywall is mounted directly to the SIPS, and on the exterior, the moisture barrier (Tyvek) is applied first and then covered in Hardie Plank cementitious horizontal siding. The windows are Andersen, low-e high performance windows. The main roof where the solar panels will be installed is standing seam metal roofing by Firestone (Una-Clad). The balance of the home and garage are dimensional shingles by CertainTeed. The stair tower is clad in exterior metal wall panels by Dri-Design. The finish is copper anodized. The stonework is Boral Stone veneer. The existing garage got a roof over with pre-engineered wood trusses.
Michael R. Carlson, Architect 