Lower HERS Scores Mean Happier Energy Bills

Our whole-house systems approach on the standard Schell Brothers home has produced an average HERS Index Score of 55. For those of you not familiar with the HERS scoring system, lower is better and each 1 point decrease corresponds to a 1% reduction in energy consumption and your energy bill.

For reference, a 10 year old plus house would likely have a score in the 125 to 150 range, a new home built to minimum code would score 100, and a new Version 3.0 Energy Star home is required to score in the 75-80 range.

So our homes on average are 45% more efficient than the code home and at least 20% more efficient than a typical Energy Star home. Keep in mind these scores are based on our standard homes – all of which include Schellter™ technology.

For those looking for extreme efficiency, we just recently completed two homes that feature the addition of Geothermal HVAC and Solar Panel options, which produced HERS scores of 30 and 32.

We Publish All our HERS Scores – Ask Other Builders if They Do the Same

In August, Schell Brothers became the first Delaware Builder to enter into an agreement with the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) to publish and market all HERS scores. RESNET’s Home Energy Rating System (HERS) is the Nationally recognized system for inspecting and calculating a home’s energy performance.

To learn more about Schellter™ visit our Advanced Building Science section or stop by one of our Community Sales Centers.

Well, the future is nearing, and, based on a recent Yahoo article, the home we all remember from the Jetsons cartoons may miss the mark.  In fact, if you’re like most consumers, you’d trade all those gizmos for a well-designed home with energy efficiency, healthy indoor air quality, and longevity.

Energy Efficiency Focus

After reading Yahoo’s article about a poll taken of builders on what the “New Homes of 2015” would look like, I couldn’t agree more with the energy efficiency focus. In the survey, builders said that, in the future, they would be “embarking on the energy science that goes into a house and why it’s important for our homeowners”.

It’s just fantastic that other builders are saying to themselves: “In 2015, we will become a more energy efficient builder” It made me think:  What about today?

No More Living Rooms

The Kingfisher home plan features large open spaces and combined living and dining areas

The article also points out that homes in 2015 will not include a living room. A living room? I don’t know about you, but that’s the one room in my house that only gets the weekly dusting visits. The article explains that living rooms will eventually (in 2015, mind you) “merge” into the Great Room and other areas, allowing for a decrease in square footage. Possibly a den/study option?

Again, I couldn’t point out more that this article is right on the money:  in 2015, builders will eventually begin to merge their living rooms into other areas of the home. But what about today?

More Spaces in Other Places

Lastly, the Yahoo poll taken from nationwide builders suggests that in 2015, they expect building to change to accommodate spacious laundry rooms, walk-in closets, porches, eat in kitchens, two car garages, and ceiling fans. They also suggest that we’ll see fewer formal dining rooms and 4+ bedrooms.

Again, I couldn’t agree more with these suggestions about what consumers will need in the future.  What about today?

Schell Brothers Offers the Future, Today

Today, in the year 2011, I am proud to say that Schell Brothers has already listened to the needs of our customers and we’ve built the so-called 2015 innovations into our current homes.

We’ve adopted High Performance standards that allow us to provide impressive energy ratings and HERS scores that mean lower utility bill and healthier living for our customers.

Our designs have brought 2015 ideas into the present tense, with open floorplans, merged areas, walk in closets, two car garages, large utility rooms and the minimization of formal dining rooms.  We recently released Courtyard series floorplans in response to direct customer input, with unique designs that focus on the most important areas of the home, while merging indoor and outdoor spaces.

Although the Jetsons’ world doesn’t look promising for the future of new homes, it seems that today, Schell Brothers already has the high performance home of the future firmly in our grasp.

Read the Yahoo article “New Homes of 2015: Yahoo”

State of the art trussing technology is instrumental in designing and manufacturing today’s gabled roof designs, sturdy walls and flooring.

To meet modern day creative design challenges, the progressive and innovative thinkers at Concord Truss design and build trusses at their 45,000 square foot facility in Woodbury Heights, New Jersey. It has achieved the reputation of being one of the largest, most efficient plants of its kind in the United States.

Concord Truss’ focus on quality products, service, and integrity has made them the go-to source for trussing in the mid-Atlantic area. When asked about how they got involved in the Sussex County Extreme Makeover project, company spokesman Darin Phalines said “Chris (Schell) asked us if we wanted to help out, and we’re not going to say “no” to Schell Brothers! We’ve always had a good relationship with them- we like how they respond to us.”

The scope of the Sussex County build is enormous. “Today has been about everything,” says Darin. “The floors, the walls and the roof- it’s a big package deal.” A non-Extreme Makeover trussing project as large as this would take weeks, instead of hours, to complete.”The challenge of the day was how fast it went up, and how quick it had to come together,” says Darin.

Thank you, Concord Truss for generously provided the trussing used in our Sussex County Extreme Makeover Home Edition build.

For information on Concord Truss Company, visit www.concordtruss.com.

Selecting the options for your new home, though exciting, can sometimes be a daunting experience. You may feel overwhelmed by the numerous options from which to select, or nervous about the finality of selecting items for a house which will be your home for many years. In order to make the process enjoyable, simple and seamless, here are some tips to help you along. First and foremost, think about the way you live. By considering the following questions, you will be sure to personalize your home to best suit your design tastes, as well as your needs.

• Will this be a full-time or part-time residence?
• How many people will be living in this home? What are their ages? Do any of the residents have special needs?
• How do you plan to use the space in your home? Is a home office necessary? Would you like to designate space for a home gym? Do you love to entertain? Think about how you use your time each day and how much of that time will be spent in your new home.
• Do you have pets? Consider flooring selections carefully – the nails of animals can scratch hardwood floors and catch in looped carpets.
• What do you love about your existing home that you want to replicate in your new one? What do you wish to change?
• What do you love? Which styles and colors make you happy? What do you find visually pleasing?
• What items are you bringing with you? If you have rugs, pieces of furniture, media equipment and/or artwork you will be showcasing in your new home, consider where they will be placed. Is wall space, lighting, electrical, etc. adequate for each item?

When preparing to meet with your builder’s selections professional, you may want to consider doing some homework prior to the meeting.
• Know what is available. Research the products offered by your builder. If possible, schedule some time to look around the design center prior to your appointment day.
• Look through home design books and magazines. Bring pictures that reflect the styles you like.
• Don’t forget the exterior! It can be challenging to select the color for the exterior of your home from a small sample. Drive through existing communities and look for exteriors you like and snap pictures of them for reference.

Most importantly, have fun with it! Your home is a reflection of you and how you live. There are no wrong answers. If you love it, go for it!

Erika Fields is the Selections Coordinator for Schell Brothers and has assisted over 300 customers in choosing the options for their new Schell Brothers home.