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Mold-Resistant Gypsum Tops Housing Technologies List
The Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing (PATH) Breakfast of Innovators at NAHB’s International Builders’ Show in Orlando, Fla. last month provided a foretaste of the new technologies that are in the process of transforming the nation’s housing through faster construction, greater safety and efficiencies of every stripe.
The new technologies unveiled this year also were seen responding to ideas for harnessing the elements at a time of rising energy costs and protecting structures from the levels of devastation that have been seen in the hurricanes and tornadoes of recent years.
“The updated 2007 Top 10 Technologies hold the most promise for improving the quality of our homes,” said Darlene F. Williams, assistant secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Policy Development and Research. “These technologies are ready now and they can perform in the houses that we build tomorrow.”
The Top 10 Technologies list was first introduced in 2004 to alert builders and home owners to valuable innovations ready for adoption in U.S. housing.
The Top 10 Technologies are:
- Mold-Resistant Gypsum. Treated gypsum wallboard products resist mold by being less moisture absorbent than typical gypsum board and using paperless surfaces that don’t support mold growth.
- Solar Water Heating. Although they have been commercially available for some time, solar water heaters are gaining in popularity as an environmentally sound way to reduce energy bills.
- Recycled Concrete Substitutes and Aggregates. Industrial byproducts such as coal ash, blast furnace slag and various solid wastes like fiberglass and granulated plastics are being substituted for sand, gravel and stone.
- Combined Heat and Power (CHP). These systems can supply electricity much more efficiently than power plants. Using fuel such as natural gas to produce heat and electricity simultaneously, a CHP system can act as a built-in emergency generator when the grid goes down. The electricity can power lights, appliances and any household appliance, and the heat produced can provide water and space heating. Home-sized units range in capacity from about 1 to 6 kilowatts and are about the size of a major appliance.
- Horizontal Axis Washer/Dryer. Costing less than two separate units, the two-in-one washer/dryer runs automatically from wash to dry, and its compact size makes it ideal for apartments and condominiums. The machine runs quietly and requires no venting, so it can be installed almost anywhere. The high-efficiency horizontal-axis washer reduces water and energy consumption, and the high RPM spin cycle enables the dryer to use less energy.
- Hydrophilic, Impact-Resistant Windows. A window coating that causes water to run off the glass surface like quicksilver prevents water spots and makes the glazing easier to clean, and composite laminates provide windows with the strength to withstand high winds, projectiles and even bullets.
- Super-Sized (Vertical) ICFs. While providing all the energy efficiency, strength and building-speed benefits of conventional insulating concrete form walls, these go up faster and easier because fewer pieces are assembled on site. Composed of two polystyrene panels held together by plastic or steel I-beams and filled with concrete, the wall sections are sturdier than conventional ICF walls and require less bracing.
- Induction Cooktops. Heating elements under a ceramic-glass surface use electricity to produce a magnetic field that heats only the cooking container, and the cook is able to go from extremely low to extremely high settings and back again nearly instantly. Food heats much faster, which saves energy. Induction cooking is about 90% energy-efficient, while gas and electricity are about 50% and 60% efficient, respectively.
- GPS for Land Development. This satellite-controlled software simplifies site grading, dramatically reducing labor and material costs. The software enables excavation machines to more efficiently and accurately cut and fill grade while also reducing the potential for soil erosion. It eliminates the need for grade stakes, while letting the operator know exactly where the machine is and its relation to the final grade.
- Permeable Pavers and Pavement. Rainwater seeps through these pavement systems and filters naturally through soil on its way to groundwater aquifers and surface waters. This reduces the amount of unfiltered, nitrate-laden storm water running off paved surfaces into drainage gutters. Permeable pavement systems are also a less costly alternative to curb and gutter storm drainage systems for developers and municipalities.
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