What makes the house unique is that it is a "smart" house. It will feature equipment that allows appliances, inside temperature, lights, and the intercom and security systems to be controlled from anywhere around the world with the use of a telephone and a personal pass code. The intercom system can be monitored from anywhere.

 

Planning for the Millennium Home started in September 1999 for the Fall 2000 Parade of Homes, which starts Sept. 15, and runs for four weeks. Construction began March 15, 2000, on the 2,025 square-foot house in East St. Paul-an exclusive community outside of Winnipeg, Manitoba-and will be completed by Aug. 15.

 

Winnipeg, with a population of more than 650,000, is Canada's seventh-largest city-the largest population between Toronto and Calgary. Winnipeg is also one of Canada's coldest cities with winter lows dipping to -40 C. In the summer, highs reach in excess of 30 C. In the winter the days are sunny, cold, dry and short, while in the summer they are generally sunny, hot, dry and long.

 

With such extreme temperatures, it was important to consider what would make a home in such a climate the most energy efficient.

 

So, when A & S Homes went looking for a company to supply insulation materials, it naturally looked toward Johns Manville (JM) as its preferred vendor.

 

"Johns Manville is the leader in their industry," said Frank Spezzano, manager of A & S Homes' sales and marketing division. "For the past three years we have carried all of their products in our houses, so they were a natural fit.

 

A & S Homes used a variety of JM products to make the home energy efficient, including, Johns Manville APÔ foil faced sheathing board for the exterior of the home, fiber glass batt insulation for the thermal envelope in exterior walls, Sound-SHIELD® fiber glass insulation for interior walls and for the Engineered Wood floor, and Climate ProÔ Blow-In fiber glass loose fill insulation in the attic.

 

A & S Homes used roughly 4,160 square feet of AP foil faced sheathing board to insulate the outside of the house. The sheathing boards reduce thermal bridging through studs and are composed of a uniform closed cell polyisocyanurate foam core bonded on each side to a trilaminate foil facer. The superior insulating properties of polyisocyanurate produce the highest degree of insulation efficiency. Used in combination with exterior wall cavity insulation, home owners are assured of a more energy efficient home.

 

Adding to the thermal envelope in the exterior walls of the house, 2,940 square feet of R-20, 15" fiber glass batts were used. JM's fiber glass batts have received the EcoLogo™ awarded by the Environmental Choice™ Program instituted by Environment Canada that certifies a product meets strict safety and environmental standards including recycled content. JM's batts contain 50 percent post-consumer recycled glass. Fiber glass batts are made of long, resilient glass fibers bonded with a thermosetting resin and rated as noncombustible. JM's fiber glass batts resist settling, breakdown or sagging from vibration.

 

For the home of the 21st century, keeping noise to a minimum was also a consideration. This included dampening noise from appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines, to voices that carry throughout the house. To create a quieter environment, A & S Homes used more than 1,550 square feet of JM's 4" x 15" Sound-SHIELD® fiber glass insulation batts in the interior walls, and 2,250 square feet of 4" x 23" Sound-SHIELD® fiber glass insulation for the Engineered Wood floor.

 

"This is the first time we have marketed Sound-SHIELD as a standard feature in our homes," Spezzano said. "We used it in all the bathrooms, floor cavities, in the basement, main floor, laundry room, den and all the bedrooms. It also was installed in all partitioned walls."

 

In the attic, 2,200 square feet of Climate Pro® Blow-In fiber glass was used. Climate Pro is a state-of-the-art unbonded product that brings less chemicals into the home. JM studies show alternative products can settle as much as 20 percent over time, losing R-value. Properly installed, Climate Pro fiber glass insulation typically settles only 1 percent to 3 percent and maintains its R-value. An important feature of Climate Pro is that is won't absorb moisture, it is naturally flame resistant and won't rot, decay, support fungal growth or provide sustenance for animals.

 

"Johns Manville's environmental component met our thermal requirements," Spezzano said. "By using their high R-value products, a typical home owner will save 15 percent to 20 percent in energy costs, compared to a normally insulated home without JM's insulation products."

 

A & S Homes and Johns Manville are dedicated to recycling efforts that ease the amount of recyclable goods being dumped into landfills. A & S Homes uses 40 percent of building materials that are made of recycled goods in all of its structures. Likewise, JM Canadian fiber glass products are made from more than 50 percent of post-consumer recycled glass at its Alberta plant and each carries both the EcoLogo seal and a certification of recycled content which is given by the Scientific Certification Systems (SCS). The SCS is the North American leader in providing third-party scientific verification that products containing the SCS name are made of at least 25 percent of recycled glass. JM has set up partnerships with recycling centers to ensure a steady supply of post-consumer glass.

 

About A & S Homes
A & S Homes is based in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada has been in business for 26 years. It is a full-service residential and commercial builder that specializes in building premiere homes and structures. A & S staff members are qualified experts that are capable in all aspects of construction - from creative designers, architects and engineers to expert trades-people. More than 10 years ago the company was recognized as a certified Master Builder, one of the highest industry standards in the construction field. It has been the largest custom home builder in Manitoba since 1984 and has won numerous awards from its peers, customers and the Parade of Homes. A & S Homes can be reached at 204-256-0863.

 

About Johns Manville
Johns Manville (NYSE:JM) is a leading manufacturer and marketer of premium-quality building products. The 143-year-old Denver-based company had sales of $2.2 billion in 1999. Johns Manville produces and markets insulation products for buildings and equipment; commercial/industrial roofing systems; and engineered products, including high-efficiency filtration media, fibers, fabric and nonwoven mats used as reinforcements in building and industrial applications. The company employs approximately 9,700 people and operates 55 manufacturing facilities in North America, Europe and China. Click on www.jm.com for additional information.