Sources: Salt River Materials Group, Scottsdale, Ariz.; CP staff
Product, engineering, and site-labor contributions to Habitat for Humanity Central Arizona’s Net-Zero Energy home–incorporating an insulating concrete form-styled wall system plus decorative, value-added concrete surfaces–garnered Salt River Materials an “Excellence in Economic Development and Energy Leadership Award.”
Arizona Governor Jan Brewer honored the cement and aggregate producer, along with other companies and organizations, during her 2010 Rural and Regional Development Conference in Flagstaff.
Salt River partnered with Habitat of Central Arizona last year to build the market’s first Net-Zero Energy concrete framed affordable home; it demonstrated for production home builders how air-tight, high-performance construction can be achieved with locally available materials and techniques in competitive first-cost environments. The HercuWall concrete forming system, fabricated off-site and mimicking an ICF assembly with panels, combines with spray foam insulation for a robust, air-tight building envelope. Salt River contributed cement and aggregate to the project via Phoenix market customers–Arizona Materials, Hanson Aggregates and Vulcan Materials–who delivered HercuWall grout, conventional and colored ready mixed, and pervious mix loads.
Shortly after its late-2009 completion, the project was recognized by U.S. Green Building Council CEO Rick Fedrizzi for attaining LEED for Homes Platinum status. The Net-Zero Home was likewise featured during USGBC’s 2009 Greenbuild Expo in Phoenix. Portland Cement Association members and staff are mirroring last year’s Greenbuild-centered promotion by backing a Habitat for Humanity Lake County (Ill.) home; the ICF-built dwelling will be showcased during the 2010 Greenbuild, November 16-18 in Chicago.