Mandalay Homes built this 1,690-square-foot affordable home in Phoenix, Arizona, to the high performance criteria of the U.S. Department of Energy Zero Energy Ready Home (ZERH) program.
These affordable four-bedroom, two-bath, one-story homes were value engineered to be cost-effective to purchase and cost-effective to own with low utility bills of about $100 per month.
Deep overhangs and covered porches keep high summer sun off of windows and walls.
ENERGY STAR appliances and water-saving plumbing fixtures add to energy and water savings in the efficient home.
ENERGY STAR ceiling fans and all LED lighting add to energy savings while reducing the cooling load in these Phoenix homes.
A high-efficiency, 16-SEER, 9.6-HSPF heat pump heats and cools the home while an energy recovery ventilator provides fresh supply air and continuously removes stale air from the airtight home. The whole house was air-sealed with an aerosol sealant process that uses a blower door kit to pressurize the home while nontoxic aerosol particles are sprayed into the home and carried directly to the point of any leaks in the building envelope. In this home air leakage was cut from 1,350 CFM to 100 CFM.
Spray-foam inside and rigid foam outside wrap the home’s walls in a continuous layer of thermal protection.
The value-engineered home was constructed of 2-by-6, 24-inch on-center walls that were sheathed with house wrap and R-4 of rigid foam, then wall cavities were filled with R-15 of open-cell spray foam with OSB applied only where needed for structural support.
The HVAC ducts are covered during construction to keep debris out of the air distribution system. The attic will be spray foamed with 5.5 to 7.5 inches of open-cell spray foam providing a protected environment for the ducts and a temperate area for attic storage.
Native, drought-tolerant plants and a moisture-sensing drip irrigation system minimize water use outside while inside all of the home’s plumbing fixtures are EPA WaterSense-certified and a compact plumbing design and recirculation pump were installed to ensure no more than a half-gallon of water is wasted before hot water reaches the tap.
“[Our] homes consume less, conserve more, and give homebuyers the most comfortable and healthy living experience possible.”
– Geoff Ferrell, Mandalay Homes
“Mandalay homes consume less, conserve more, and give homebuyers the most comfortable and healthy living experience possible. They can focus on the features and options important to them, and take comfort that the home will perform amazingly for them for years to come. The customer satisfaction that comes from that core is beyond measure.”
– Geoff Ferrell, Mandalay Homes
