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Tilt-Up Construction: Not Just for Box Warehouses Anymore
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Not your father's big box warehouse. Tilt-Up construction is now a 'smart' way to build intricate, glamorous homes. |
 Anyone who labels site-cast Tilt-Up a dull medium that’s only suitable for building box warehouse space should talk to Jerry Daugherty, president of J D Construction, Inc. in Henderson, Nev.
Sure, Tilt-Up is an efficient, cost-effective method for building big boxes, but Daugherty and his company are breaking out of that Tilt-Up stereotype.
Not only has Daugherty used Tilt-Up to build an intricate and glamorous home, he’s put his confidence on the line because it’s his home — a 10,150-square-foot, two-story home with extras and upgrades, including two master suites, a game room, an exercise area, an extra kitchen in the basement, a home theater, a secondary laundry facility and a 4,300-square-foot garage.
Although Daugherty acknowledged that his home was more expensive to build than a comparable wood frame structure, the durability and energy efficiency afforded by the foam-filled concrete walls will pay dividends in reduced maintenance and lower energy bills.
The ‘Smart Home’ Solution
Between the concrete wall construction and the smart appliances he has installed, Daugherty expects his home to be 30% more efficient than competing residences. “This home is definitely a ‘smart home,’” he says.
Selecting the building materials, equipment and energy management systems — all early design considerations — makes a difference in the long-term performance of a home. With Tilt-Up construction, the thermal mass properties of the concrete, reduced air-infiltration and higher energy-efficiency insulation systems all combine to optimize energy-efficiency and make Tilt-Up a “smart home” solution.
The “performance” of the exterior concrete walls is the key element of Tilt-Up’s insulating efficiency. Concrete located adjacent to controlled interior spaces dampens the temperature swing normally experienced with the daily rise and fall of outside temperatures. This dampening can result in substantial energy savings through reduced HVAC capacity.
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The Daugherty home under construction. | Air infiltration is a large source of heat loss and reduced energy efficiency. Tilt-Up construction counters that loss and increases energy efficiency because its large, solid concrete panel construction method reduces air infiltration, or leakage, in and out of the home.
Great Architectural Appeal, Too
But beyond energy efficiency, the Daugherty home has great architectural appeal ― both inside and out.
Outside, the home’s smooth concrete finish and six structural concrete columns create a unique and inviting entrance. Other pleasing enhancements include custom stone that surrounds the mantels encasing the home’s entire exterior.
Inside, Daugherty has included stone accent walls coupled with Venetian texture walls — with actual imprinted grapevines and leaves. His floors are a balance of slate deck, stained concrete and custom wood flooring woven with stone inserts.
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No box here. Putting "great" in the great room. | Daugherty also has added a wine cellar, two master guest suites complete with built-in custom closets, a complete theater with bar, custom burgundy Viking appliances – complete with a built-in Wok station ― and a workable shop. No stereotypical, dull big box architecture here.
And, for total outside-the-big-box thinking, Daugherty has included an infinite edge swimming pool with waterfalls, a swim-up bar and fire accents in his patio area. He also has installed a children’s play yard and a third-story deck — encased by glass walls, naturally.
Ed Sauter is the executive director of the Tilt-Up Concrete Association (TCA), which was founded in 1986 to improve the quality and acceptance of site-cast Tilt-Up, a construction method in which concrete wall panels are cast on-site and tilted into place. Tilt-Up construction is one of the fastest growing industries in the country. It combines the advantages of reasonable cost with low maintenance, durability, speed of construction and minimal capital investment.
For more information about the TCA, visit www.tilt-up.org, e-mail Sauter, or call him at 319-895-6911.
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The kitchen and breakfast area. |
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Stylish and energy-efficient child's room. |
 Building with Concrete: The Basics and Beyond
The 2006 Concrete Technologies Tour will be held June 11-13 in Phoenix. Learn about and profit from one of the fastest-growing segments of the construction industry — concrete building systems and cement-based products.
For more information, visit www.nahb.org/concretetour.
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