Avalon Building Systems Blog

Everyone wants to go green. Even, the home builders are coming up with new home designs that are more energy efficient. The new Energy Star homes are designed in such a way that the energy consumption per house will be 20-30% less than a regular home.

A wide variety of homes can earn the Energy Star label if they are verified and confirmed that they meet the EPA’s guidelines. Energy Star homes include but are not restricted to systems-built homes such as the ICF, SIP, or modular construction homes. Energy Star qualified homes also include an array of advanced energy-efficient features in order to improve the home quality and also to lower the overall energy consumption and air pollution.

With the increasingly high demand of homebuyers for green building and energy efficient houses, there are builders, such as Avalon Building Systems, meeting the needs to build better energy efficient homes. These energy efficient homes save energy and help in the improvement of the environment by avoiding the excess usage of the non-renewable energy and the burning of fossil fuels. Of course, by choosing modular homes, you use less energy during the construction and building process.

These tightly-sealed homes not only improve comfort but also reduce the utility and maintenance expenses. Additionally, modular home factories produce less waste, 2%, than on-site construction which produces 30-40% waste.

In general, modular homes are a great option for those looking forward to buying or building a new home. These homes meet strict regulations and help you in protecting the environment by saving more energy. With so many energy efficient systems, there is no doubt that these homes really do consume 20-30 % less energy than regular homes.

Original Article may be seen on CleanTechnica.com

There is more and more interest in creating and buying new environmentally green homes. Green is in, and modular homes are green, but even better, their designs are versatile and appealing. Their popularity is definitely on the rise. With new methods of construction and transportation, designers and builders are cutting waste and energy consumption, and cutting production costs while achieving greater methods of sustainability.

Because modular homes are prefabricated, the modules allow you to design a home that will complement the space you are placing it on. You can change the design and make it fit the space rather than make the space fit the home. This allows for lesser cutting of trees and the use of less machinery on your lot.

The modules are built in a factory which saves time and energy. Much of the waste is recycled; however, modular home factories produce less waste than on-site construction. Modular home production generates around 2% waste whereas stick built homes generate 30-40% waste. Everything is cut with more exactness and applied and assembled more accurately. This extends the life of the home and cuts down on upkeep of the home over time. Also, less time is spent constructing modular homes resulting in lower production costs, including utilities. Ultimately, modular homes allow eco-friendly construction at a fraction of the cost to a larger consumer base.

There is better, faster way to do your home addition. Rather than the long process of traditional, stick built construction, think about a modular home addition. Regardless of how your existing home was built, you can upgrade or expand your existing home with a modular addition.

Oftentimes, after meeting with the contractor and planning out your home addition you can get disheartened about the length of time it will take for the project to come together. With modular home additions your home renovation will be completed much faster, and you will be enjoying your new space much sooner.

Not only are modular home additions more economical, with no sudden cost surprises, but they are more energy efficient as well.  Modular construction is the answer. Contact Avalon Building Systems to discuss the option of a modular addition on your existing home. With the right plan most homes can be expanded modularly. Avalon is more than happy to work with an existing home owner. We can turn your existing home into your dream home.

Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs) are prefabricated insulated structural elements for use in building walls, ceilings, floors, and roofs. Avalon Building Systems, Inc. was the designer and builder of the very first "modular SIPS" home in the United States. Potential home owners often have the initial perception that SIP modular homes are “kits” that you buy out of a catalog with predetermined floor plans. This is not the case. Modular home floor plans can be and are most often custom designed.

In doing research regarding building a new home, a homeowner will try to seek out ways to speed up the building process while lowering labor costs and energy bills. Structural insulated panels are the answer to this search.
Avalon Building Systems and the homeowner design the plans. Those plans then go to the SIP manufacturer who custom builds all the SIP components needed to build the home. So the home is a modular home, but a custom one. However, you can purchase actual predesigned homes where speed is increased and the costs are even lower.

SIP’s provide superior and uniform insulation compared to stick built homes, offering energy savings of 12%–14%. When installed properly, SIPs also provide a more airtight dwelling, which makes a house more comfortable and quiet. A home built using SIPs are typically airtight. Therefore families are not affected by seasonal allergens. Additionally, in the summer cool air stays in, in the winter, cold air stays out with no cold or drafty spots.

For a new modular home which is custom designed and energy efficient, contact Avalon Building Systems.

There are many things to consider when deciding whether to buy or to build a new home. Even though building your dream house may seem a lot more difficult than looking for a home that is already built, it can actually be very rewarding.

Pros for Building a new home:

• You can customize your new home to meet the needs of your family. You can feel free to add an exercise room, a home office, or surround sound.
• Your home may be more resalable in the future because of the modern customizations.
• Your home will have the most up to date building codes and materials, therefore it may be more resalable down the line.
• You can hire a professional to oversee the day to day issues of building a new home.
• And, keep in mind, when building a modular home, the move in time line could be the same as buying a new home. With modular construction, you could be in your new home in a couple months.
• If you already love your neighborhood and schools, but just need more space, why move? Build your new home in the environment you already love.
• With a newly constructed modular home, you know you will have a more energy efficient home that any home you would buy.
• With your home buying budget, you can build a home built with the floor plan you want and need.
• When buying a new home, you are also stuck with the problems you bought in the home unless you spend money and time fixing them.
• If you buy a home planning to renovate in the future, you have to pull permits and live in the mess until you get it done.

Modular “SIPs” or Structural Insulated Panels were first designed by Avalon Building Systems. These panels are used in their modular homes. SIPs are prefabricated insulated sides of the modules which make up the walls, ceilings, floors, and roofs. They provide more superior and uniform insulation than stud or "stick frame" construction, with energy savings of 12%–14%. Because of their insulating qualities, SIPs also make the home quieter. These modular homes easily exceed "Energy Star Standards" and are certified to meet LEEDS platinum standards for new residential construction. LEED certification is based on a point system in which a building can obtain a Certified, Silver, Gold or Platinum level certification and is an internationally recognized certification system that measures how well a building performs in energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor air quality, and more.
 
Structural Insulated Panels are made in a factory and shipped to the manufacturing facilities. Manufacturers then connect them together to construct a house. When using SIPs, the speed of construction is much faster than stick built residential construction. Shells can be erected quickly, saving labor time and money, without compromising quality. These savings help compensate for the fact that SIPs usually cost more than other construction systems, but through the modular manufacturing process which is far more efficient than traditional construction, the overall costs are much lower, so the higher costs of SIPs are negated. 

How can you reduce the construction cost of your new house? There is an easy way to save up to 30% on the cost of construction...buy a custom modular home! Avalon's modular homes are factory-constructed which are then delivered and assembled at your home site. Once assembled, your new home looks like any other home in your neighborhood, however, it exceeds all other homes in the neighborhood in terms of quality, strength, and durability.

The homes are obviously not built with bricks and mortar which take lots of time and labor. The material for the homes consists primarily of wood, steel, vinyl and weatherboard. Factory owners buy the material from their original manufacturers and suppliers at wholesale rates which are heavily discounted. We cut and mold the components and modules as per pre-set designs which reduces large amounts of waste that occurs at the individual home builder's sites. And left over material is never wasted; we use all of our material and help protect the planet by constructing homes this way. The factories transfer these savings to their customers to attract buyers in a competitive market. The savings to a buyer of a factory built home can be as large as 30% which bring your home within much easier reach.

The home is then be transported to site on one or more trucks. The end result is a quality home, built in less time and for less money! Contact us to learn more about our modular homes and how you can get started on your dream home today.

Buying a home doesn't have to be a stressful expenditure. While it is a very big step in your life maintaining a proper budget and financial goal will help move the process along smoothly.The development of a household budget is a must activity both before you build a custom modular home as well as during your ownership of that home. By preparing a budget you can better focus on mortgage payment goals and how the new house will affect your total expenses. Maintaining a budget during the time you own the home can help to prevent potential financial disasters as well as point you in a money saving direction so you have more funds available for those things that you need or want. Some of the items and information you will need to develop your budget are:

1. All current monthly loan payments.
2. All other monthly expenses
3. Records of variable expenses from the last 12 months. This will give you an estimate of your monthly expenditures.
4. Records of annual or semi-annual expenses
5. An estimate of what your new mortgage payment will be.
6. Records of other non-fixed expenses for the last year.
7. Records or an estimate of personal expenses
8. Having a current copy of your credit report can be very helpful.

Be realistic in your budget assessment. Make provisions for possible increases in some items. Then, look for ways to get and maintain control over your budget. Once you have prepared your budget the next step is to look for the dream home of your choice and what better way than to use Avalon Building Systems to help you in your quest? Contact us today to see our floor plans and how we can help to make your home a reality. 

Many in the industry have noted the encouraging phenomenon of the flourishing modular construction industry, especially given the fact that we are still experiencing a weak economy. Not only that, but the construction industry itself has taken an especially hard hit since the economy took a turn, especially housing. Nevertheless, modular construction is surging ahead.

More and more homeowners are venturing into the once-stigmatized modular home market, and more and more governments and businesses are choosing to build with modular construction, due to its lower costs and convenience.

So why the ongoing prosperity of modular construction?

Well in a weak economy where everyone is trying to save money, the most cost effective solutions are going to win out. This accounts for the recent proliferation of bargain shopping companies. Also, there is a hypervigilance in today’s business world to adapt quickly, innovate, and stay up to date with the latest economic trends. Modular construction combines cost effectiveness with the flexibility necessary for businesses to alter their physical workspaces and keep up with the changing times.

It also helps that modular construction and other forms of modular design have been increasingly associated with the green movement, due to inherent energy saving/recycling qualities found in modular construction. In essence, modular construction is a more evolved, more intelligent form of construction that seeks to address the inefficiencies of traditional construction. In times of prosperity, change might come more slowly, as the current conventions seem to work alright. However, in recessionary times, it becomes essential to rethink old techniques and adapt to harsh landscapes.

It is the combination of these elements that have propelled modular construction into one of the fastest growing industries in the world today, even in a decline. Contact us today to find out more about modular design and how it can reshape your home or business.

SIPs are very strong and in most applications are structurally self-sufficient. Designers can use them in wall, roof and floor systems in place of other structural elements. While frequently used in one- or two-story buildings, they have been successfully utilized for taller structures. We know that SIPs are a powerful addition to use in any modular home construction due to their high strength and consistency.

In walls, SIPs can bear high loads and offer great strength in racking diaphragm shear capacities. These capabilities enable the panels to be used in typical exterior walls, as well as shear walls to resist earthquakes and high winds. Extensive testing on SIPs has proven them for use in high-risk earthquake areas, including seismic zones D, E and F.

In roofs, SIPs can be used without an engineered truss system and can span long distances up to 20 feet based on design parameters. As a result, they can help create open interior spaces by reducing the need for intermediate structural supports. Designers can also incorporate SIPs into floors, typically in applications such as over crawl spaces where an insulated floor system is required.

SIPs play an important role in ensuring quality finishes. Because they are made in a controlled setting and come in large sections, they allow for straighter walls than is possible with wood stick-built framing. Their smooth and even surface can also reduce finishing labor by helping eliminate the need to shim cabinets, windows and doors.

Not only do SIPs provide excellent durability in modular homes but they are environmentally friendly and a huge cost saving technique. SIPs reduce energy costs, as well as construction waste, by up to 60 percent, and play a role in improving indoor air quality and supporting recycling. Planning, designing and constructing modular buildings is more challenging than ever. To survive, and even thrive, in the home market requires new ways of thinking . SIPs are a tried and trusted construction technique that offers a way to greatly improve light modular construction.