Project Overview
Traditional home construction follows a somewhat formulaic process, particularly when it comes to the building materials used. Wood is generally most common, serving as framing, flooring, roofing, and more. But while the cost of building a single-family home in the United States continues to rise, innovation is lacking. Further complicating matters, the materials used are often vulnerable to a variety of external factors, including extreme weather, fire, and the passage of time. Aiming to reconceive the way we think about an efficient, high-performing single-family home, an engineer at Wells in Albany, Minn., chose to pursue the construction of a total–precast concrete home. Designed for resilience, energy efficiency, and sustainability, this home, located in Saint Joseph, Minn., will ideally serve as a benchmark for future concrete residences in the United States and beyond.
From Drab to Dynamic
This resource-efficient home, dubbed the Dalsing House, is built entirely with precast concrete, including the walls and roof. It includes four bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a three-car garage. Precast concrete erection was completed during 11 hours in just one day. Wells crafted the architectural and prestressed panels for the project. While Dalsing House functions as a personal residence, it serves as a proof of concept, putting the world on notice that high-performing precast concrete housing can be cost-effective, aesthetically pleasing, and, perhaps most importantly, accessible for the residential market. Built with all-white cement mixes, a sandblasted exterior finish, and a flat white roof with passive solar performance, the home balances architectural simplicity with modern, functional design. By leveraging concrete, no paint, drywall, trim, or flooring materials were used.
By using concrete block interior walls instead of wood and drywall, all mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems were surface mounted rather than placed inside a cavity wall. This choice improves durability and longevity, and facilitates future maintenance. One of the major advantages of a total–precast concrete residential home is the thermal efficiency of the structure. With high R-values, graphite polystyrene rigid foam insulation, and an airtight envelope, Dalsing House is thermally efficient enough to operate entirely on electricity, even though it’s located in a northern U.S. climate.
“After living in the house for six months, an important noticeable benefit is the thermal mass of the concrete and the effect it has on indoor occupant comfort,” says Ben Dalsing, plant engineer at Wells and the owner of the home. “When windows are closed, the indoor air temperature and humidity are unaffected by outdoor changes. This house takes energy efficiency to the next level.”
Also taken to the next level is the home’s sustainability. Beyond its high thermal mass, Dalsing House’s total–precast concrete construction delivers a long-lasting, low-maintenance structure compared with conventional wood-frame homes. The house’s passive solar design includes nine south-facing windows to maximize solar heat gain during winter months, while a 2-ft roof overhang provides effective shading in the summer. Because the home is all-electric and has no gas service, it has the potential to operate as a zero-energy building with the addition of solar panels. Additionally, refurbished interior materials, including kitchen cabinets and bathtubs, were used to reduce waste. Even with all these options and advantages, the cost of the home came in at just under $750,000, making it competitive with traditional single-family home builds while providing advantages not offered by conventional construction methods.
“This project shows that it’s possible to build an affordable precast concrete home,” Dalsing says. “It’s an effort to educate the community about the benefits of resilient and energy-efficient home construction using precast concrete. Nationally, any precast company that produces insulated sandwich wall panels and prestressed floor panels can build similar homes.”
Mason Nichols is a Grand Rapids, Mich.-based writer and editor who has covered the precast concrete industry since 2013. |