Energy eonserving home

The project California Energy Conservation Home (CECH "77") is well underway in San Jose adcording to Harry Mendenhall, executive v.p., Lumber Merchants Association of Northern California.

Mendenhall, chairman o.f the California Energy Conservatiion Home Committee, says the project was undertaken because the jndustry in California was not taking advantage of the current high interest in energy conservation incorporated into homes being constructed.

Prior to this project those homes under construction that Were considered as energy conservation homes were either research projects or were custom homes in the $100,000 and up category.

The Arkansas Story spurred consideration of energy conservation in new homes. Subsequently Arizona has developed an energy conservaiion home and other states are in the process of devcloping this type horne. Even with the high interest in energy conservation, Mendenhall points out that a total energy package has not been considered.

He formed a comrnittee of associations, manufactllrers and utilities interested in this concept and developed plans. The concept was to incorporate all currently known and marketed energy savings devices and techniques into a typical trait home plan and to market the package at a price comparable to the current tract home price. The maximum use of wood is considered.

An inner-city by-passed lot was selected because of the challenge in providing solar heating. Once the problems were resolved for a more complicated building site it would prove to contractors that building this type home would be no more difficult than the standard tract home.

Donald Tate & Associates, prime contractors for the project selected a typical tract home plan of approximately 1600 sq. ft. that was widely accepted. Only minor modifications to the plan were required. It was necessary to put 12" stubs on roof trusses to permit the 12" of insulation in the attic without compression at the eaves.

A plenum system was incorporated into the crawl space to permit the entire crawl area to become the heated or cooled chamber of the home. Metal duck work is eliminated.

The attic will have R 38 inSulation and the side walls will have R 19. Exterior bearing walls are 2 x 6, stud grade, 24" on center. Interior nonbearing walls are 2 x3,24" on center.

Insulated windows will be used throughout and additional wooden sun screens will be placed in front of windows facing the sun track. Magnetic seal exterior doors will be used. Wood siding will aid in the overall insulation.

A heat pump will provide heating and air conditioning and will also be coupled with the solar system.

Low voltage lighting systems will be used for overhead lighting. Maximum efficiency'appliances will be incorporated in the home. Electric controlled heat settings will permit automatic shut dowh of heatine and air condi-

It is estimated that a minimum of 65% savngs in energy use will be achieved and with the solar system the saving could go as high as 80%. With the ultimate in insulation the size of the heat pump is reduced saving additional energy.

Building codes such as requiring vents in the foundation were waived by keeping the heat pump on continuous low cycle to exchange the air in the plenum and in the home. With maximum insulation the home becomes extremely tight and could create a problem of staleness but the low cycle heat pump solves the problem.

Mendenhall reports that the building officials have cooperated fully in the project which is expected to be ready for open house in mid-February.

There has been considerable interest shown by building officials, energy conservation groups at all levels and the state legislators. It is hoped that the state legislators will assist in perpetuating the interest in this type home by providing a tax incentive to contractors and home buyers, buying this type home.

Story at a Glance

Energy conservation home is based on a typical tract home p lan, incorporates off-the-shelf energy-saving devices and is slated to be price competitive with the standard tract home.

Banks indicate they are interested in this type project and may provide for a reduction of points in financing the energy conservation home.

If we can start this year in construction of all family residences that provide maximum energy conservation measures we will provide a great reduction in the total home energY consumption in the years ahead, Mendenhall stated-

CHILDREN'S DRUM corp (1) enlivened one breakfast meeting. (2) Dave Swendsen, Jim Cranston, Cecil Cleveland. (3) John Zima, Dick Shrosbree, Ehno Tiddens. (4) Don Erspamer at 0uick Pitch Sales Talks. (5) Dick Short, "Chuck" Lauber. (6) Jerry Williams, Wayne Mattson, Curt Kehoe. (7) Harold Beckemeir, Cal Hutchinson. Each has recently remodeled stores. (8) Bob and Dana Harper, Dan 0lson. (9) Jerry Charboneau, Dick Johnson, 0rville Thompson.

(10) Judy and Lynn Broadhead, Roger Baron. (11) Matt Mattson, Ken Logan, Chuck Cain. (12) Gay Rochel, Merriel Smith, Mary Murphy, all WBMA staffers.

(13) Homer Greer, Tom Howell, Norm Hove.

(14) Darwin Mickelsen, David Barry, Vic Camozzi. (15) Warren and Daphne Beckemeier, Brad Bower. (16) Morrie Tarte, George Russell. (17) Collis Brinkmeyer, Mrs. Jim Hayes, Marion Nusbaumer. (18) Bob and Joan McPherson, Phil Lee, Ted and Barbara Hanson, Darrell and Diane Stewart.

(19) Brooks Robinsons,"Woody" Bailey.

(20) Much note taking at business sessions.

WBMA annual

NOTE OF "back to basics" was struck by John V. Drum. president of the Wickes Corp. and a featured speaker at the recent Western Building Material Association convention in Spokane, Wa.

"Don't be deterred by building and operating details fronr your primary goal: buying merchandise to sell," the chief operating officer of the world's largest chain of retail lumber and building materials stores told a packed luncheon meeting. The number one rule, he stressed was "to have it in stock."

Wickes takes the role of inventory in their business so seriously, Drum said, that the lines of merchandise they sell are personally approved by their chairman of the board. The responsibility is sirnply not delegated. Their pricing is not done on the basis of cost, but rather to be competitive and individual store managers do not know the cost of the merchandise on their shelves.

Their theory of advertising was described as advertising "the most wanted items at peak of season and as an attractive value." Merchandising and sales promotion are done for individual stores, not for the chain as a whole.

Drum's speech was just one of a number of first rate presentations at WBMA's 73rd annual, held this year for the first time since 1969 in Spokane at the Sheraton Hotel, adjacent to the new convention center, which drew enthusiastic response from the scores of firms exhibiting at the Building Material Mart. More than 1000 attended the three day midNovember event in the Eastern Washington city.

Terry Mullin, president of Terry Building Centers, Tarzana, Ca., and a past president of the national dealer association, forecast in his talk that there would be fewer, though larger dealers, increased consumer selling, that profit margins would hold, that products will be available (though more costly) and that remodeling will continue to increase.

Smaller towns will get more new stores. Mullin said. as most urban areas rlre at or near saturation. He sees new stores expanding in product diversity, breaking away from traditional methods of operation. He emphasized the need for additional employee training and motivation.

He described their pricing system [in partl as cost plus breakeven,"the point below which we will never go." When the lumber market is really fluctuating, he says they sometimes update their price lists (by telephone to their nine retail stores) twice daily or "as often as we have to." The firm's volume is now $25 million annually, but "we're really most interested in the profit numbers, not volume."

Pat Coleman, editor of Building Supply News, described women customers as the key to selling home improvement, especially where style and color are involved. And agreeing with Terry Mullin, she stressed that "volume is not the answer, profitability is."

Recognizing that traditional dealers have expertise in materials and nrethods the newcomers to the field in the last 5-10 years don't have, she urged

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Story at a Glance

First convention held in Spokane, Wa., since 1969 draws more than 1000 . more Building Material Mart exhibitors this year Charles Shafer elected new president . program concentrates on business improvement.

BUILDING MATERIAtS Mart booth staffer

(1) Vickie Forster from K & S display and "Mac" Mclnelly, Manke Lumber sales mgr., and Vicki Breuer, also repping K & S. (21 Don Mescher, Bob Cockburn, Chuck Heninrich, Dave Emery, Tim McMillan , Ron Linn. (3) Frank Powers, Bud Barker, Rudy Harms. (4) Mark Fulford and Joyce

Farmer, having a much better time at the show than anyone else we talked with. (5) Andy Boyd; newWBMA pres. Chuck Shafer and Chuck Link, WBMA managing officer. (6) John Kendall getting some pix for the asn. bulletin. (7) Ken Gohrick, Norman Sutliff, Bruce Gilbert. (8) Harold Beckman, Stan Beckman, Cam Kyle and Phil Harris, sales mgr. of Palmer G. Lewis Co. (9) Tom Goserud, Mark Jordan. (10) Ray Blackstone, Bud Beil. (1 1) Jack Anderson, Darrell Shoguist. (12) Ed Robinson, Barbara and Karsten Tjernagel. (13) J. Mel Bettis, Steve Davis. (14) lke Parker, Terry Mullin, Bob Slettedahl. (151 Barry Long,Jim 0lson, Ron Brookins.