GeoCottages Rely on Above Grade Superior Walls Products

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For the past 12 years, builders John MacDonald and Pat McCarthy have incorporated precast concrete walls from Superior Walls® into their new home projects. Now, more than a decade later, they specialize in creating exceptionally energy efficient homes for residents of upstate New York using Above Grade (AG) Wall Systems.

GeoCottages Rely on Above Grade Superior Walls Products Image coutesy of Superior Walls

“Our geothermal home construction relies on the affordable, energy-efficient wall products produced by Superior Walls,” says MacDonald, co-partner of GeoCottages. “The housing market demands innovation. Thanks to products like the AG Wall™ Systems, our projects stand on their own.”

GeoCottages Rely on Above Grade Superior Walls Products

Specially designed for use in above grade applications, the Superior Walls precast concrete product can be used in conjunction with foundation panels and stacked to create multiple stories as part of a complete wall system building solution. Whereas conventional wall construction with block and wood framing can take weeks, the AG Wall™ Systems can typically be installed in just hours. This is because the AG Wall™ panels are pre-engineered and custom manufactured off site and delivered directly to the jobsite for immediate installation.

“For our current DuLac GeoCottage project being developed in Pompey, N.Y., there’s 2,050 square feet of heated space built within the AG Wall™ panels,” says MacDonald. “We’re building green in every aspect. We estimate the cost of the electricity to run the geothermal heat pump unit will be about $400 a year. That’s for heating, cooling and hot water. And, if this location had incorporated solar panels, the cost would have been zero. That’s green energy we’re excited to incorporate into our projects!”

Back in 2001, MacDonald and McCarthy started using precast concrete panels from Superior Walls of Upstate New York as foundations for the homes they created. The value they found in using the panels for walk-out basements started them thinking about using the energy-efficient panels for above grade applications.

“We first used the concrete panels for above grade applications in a home in 2005,” says MacDonald. “From there the idea took off and this is the only way we now build homes.

“The different wall types available from Superior Walls allow almost unlimited residential design options for a builder. More importantly, when used to create affordable, beautiful and very efficient homes with lasting value, these walls have no equal.”

Superior Walls products are resource efficient, using up to 70 percent less concrete in a new home than conventional foundations. The energy-efficient walls help lower energy costs and reduce energy leakage while providing increased living space in a comfortable setting. For details on Superior Walls products, visit www.superiorwalls.com.

Last modified on Thu, Mar 21, 2013
Superior Walls

Available nationwide through licensees in a variety of states, Superior Walls foundations have been installed since 1981 when the company introduced the original R-5 Superior Walls precast foundation system. Superior Walls products are the first and only foundation systems to have attained the Green Approved Product designation by the NAHB Research Center, earning builders points on a project toward a National Green Building Certification. The company is a member of the International Code Council and the US Green Building Council. For more information, call 1-800-452-9255 or visit www.superiorwalls.com

Website: www.superiorwalls.com
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