Insulated Siding Used in First Net-Zero Energy Remodel in U.S.A.
"In 2003, Asdal, in partnership with the Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB) Research Center, pioneered the first net-zero energy remodeling project in the United States. The structure was clad with insulated siding in an effort to achieve the highest R-values possible within the limits of remodeling an 18th century structure. What I noticed was not the R-value but the aesthetic quality. The siding had a clapboard profile and it lay flat, lacking the usual telling concave cup of most vinyl siding."
-Fernando Pages Ruiz
With the help of Insulated Vinyl Siding, this remodeled Civil War era home, located in Califon, New Jersey, became the first net zero energy remodel structure in the United States. Net zero energy refers to a building that produces as much energy as it uses over the course of a year, making it extremely an energy efficient home.
Putting insulation on the outside of this house was vital in making this an energy efficient home. Although there was cavity insulation between the wood studs of the home, energy could still pass from the conditioned inside to the outdoors through those studs through a process called thermal bridging.
To build this net zero energy home, Insulated Vinyl Siding was chosen over rigid foam board because "based on the cost estimates and primarily the labor savings with a larger coverage area, there is virtually no difference between the installed costs of each system".
