Architect
Birgitte Hovmøller Christensen (owner)
Builder
Steven Alvarez General Contractor
Structural engineering
Lovelace Engineering
Project size
1,700 sq. ft.
Alternative framing
Perform Wall (R40)
Roof system
Class A TPO membrane (Cool Roof) system
Active solar
Roof mounted Photovoltaic (2.4 kW); Roof mounted Ethylene glycol closed loop system provides domestic hot water and floor radiant heating
Windows/daylighting
Hopes Steel Window Company (New York) with 1” glazing, Solarban 60 Laminated glass (99% UV resistant)
Ventilation/air crculation
Radiant floor heating system; ceiling fans
Energy efficiency
Energy Star appliances; fluorescent lighting
Water conservation
Energy Star high efficiency washer & electric dryer; Hans Grohe bath fixtures; low volume toilet and shower heads
Engineered wood materials
Paralam manufactured beams; Timberstrand manufactured lumber for rough framing
Renewable materials
Rough lumber from managed forest; bamboo fencing Nontoxic materials
99% VOC-free paint products; natural wax finish on cabinets & doors Site impact minimization
Used existing pad from previous home built in 1948 Construction waste management
Paper products, plastic, steel were recycled; scrap lumber sent to mulching site
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“This project was conceived with the idea in mind to build an innovative residential design out of a safe and efficient material. It was to be as fire proof as possible, termite proof, mold proof, acoustically quiet, and highly insulating against temperature change.”
–– Reid Dienhart
With these requirements, few building materials can match Perform Wall construction. The key ingredients of Perform Wall panels are Portland cement and polystyrene beads (that’s Styrofoam to us non-chemists). The panels are about 75% polystyrene, making them light with excellent insulating properties.
The panels themselves are 10, 12, or 14 inches wide (finished wall thickness), 15 inches high, and 10 feet long. The panels can be cut with standard woodworking tools (chain saws are popular for cutting).
The panels are penetrated by a series of channels vertically and horizontally (see photo below). To construct a wall, the panels are stacked up, steel reinforcement is run through the channels, and the channels are filled with concrete, tying the structure together. Joints between adjacent panels are filled with a bonding material to make a strong, solid wall.
Perform Wall panels. Note the round channels in the panels, which are filled with steel and concrete to tie the stacked panels together. |
The joints between Perform Wall panels are filled with a bonding compound to seal cracks and prevent leaks when the channels are filled with concrete. |
The walls have a 4-hour fire rating, compared to a 1-hour rating for standard wood-frame construction. A Perform Wall structure also has a STC (Sound Transmission Class) rating of 50, vs. 34-39 for a wood 2x4/drywall combination, making it much quieter. Further, cement and plastic are a little low on the nutrition side, so they don’t support the growth of fungus, mold or termites.
Completed Perform Wall surfaces are generally covered with stucco plaster to finish. This can be applied directly to the Perform Wall and requires no additional bonding agents.
Artist’s rendering of the completed structure. |
As you can see from the artist’s rendering of the completed structure, just about every wall is curved. With traditional stick-frame construction, such a design would be a nightmare to build. The Perform Wall panels, however, are easily carved to produce a smooth curve.
Building details aside, the construction site itself is dramatic. To get to it, you drive up a hill through groves of avocado trees (the Dienharts farm 40 acres of avocados). The building site is at the top of the hill, with a wonderful panorama of the valley below.
These photos were taken in early August; by the time of the tour the home will be substantially more complete. However, you will still be able to get up close and personal with this innovative technology.
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