BUILDING QUALITY,
ENERGY-EFFICIENT HOMES
At Heartland Builders, we have been incorporating Energy-Efficient building principles into our homes long before green was cool. We love energy-efficient home construction, and we are proud of the quality of our homes!
INCLUDED ENERGY-EFFICIENT FEATURES
DESIGN
Your home’s placement on the site relative to the sun helps add the benefits of natural light and saves on energy.
Value engineering minimizes building material waste and maximizes labor efficiency.
THERMAL ENVELOPE
Most builders build 2×4 stud walls and rely on cheaper insulation alternatives. We care so much about the energy performance of your home that our standard construction is 2×6 walls. We fill the stud cavity of the walls with premium open-cell foam which is known for stopping air infiltration into a home. Finally, we wrap your home using zip-wall sheathing for a superior weather-resistant barrier.
Also, you can’t have an energy-efficient home unless you have an insulated foundation. Insulated foundations ensure warm basements and save on heating. We will either use a Superior Wall Foundation system or a poured wall with rigid foam to make sure your basement feels like it’s not just a basement, but the lower level of your home – comfy and warm!
AIR SEALING
We air seal your home to stop cold drafts. We generously use caulk and foam in your walls and attic to help us achieve a tight seal and keep the Michigan cold (and heat!) out of your home.
MECHANICAL SYSTEMS
We perform heat load calculations for your home so that we know your furnace will perform properly.
Build tight, ventilate right: your home also needs to breathe, so we use mechanical ventilation to bring fresh air into your home. Many other builders install a bath fan that runs continuously to do this job. We use an energy recovery ventilator (ERV). The ERV conditions and filters the air and does not run all day every day like a builder-grade bath fan does. Fresh air makes an enormous difference in your health and comfort! We also offer heat pumps, geothermal heating/cooling, and air-filtration options.
RESOURCE EFFICIENCY
We will help you use your water and electric resources better with water-saving faucets, duo-flush toilets, and LED lighting.
ENERGY ANALYSIS
We hire a third-party testing service to evaluate our homes during construction. They conduct a pre-drywall inspection after the insulation is installed. Then, at the end of construction, they perform a blower-door test to evaluate how “tight” your home is built. We do this on every home, because we care about the details.
HOMEOWNER EDUCATION
How our clients live in their homes will have the greatest impact on their homes’ energy efficiency. Our homeowner orientation will help you understand how your home works and how to best use its resources.
QUALITY CONSTRUCTION
The cost of our clients’ homes do not impact their quality. We build all of our homes the same way, with the same focus on quality and energy efficiency, no matter the price of the home. We want you to be proud of your home – of both its beauty and how well it’s built.
BUILD ON A FOUNDATION THAT’S DRY. WARM. SMART.
Great Lakes Superior Walls precast concrete foundation walls help builders deliver homes that stay dry, warm, and smart from the ground up. Engineered for energy efficiency and long-term durability, they install quickly with precise quality. Learn why more builders trust Great Lakes Superior Walls for a better foundation choice.
