By “great performance” we don’t mean an outstanding horse show; we’re referring to excellent building performance. Each of our Vision Design Build Remodel clients want their project to perform well for them when they move in. They want their remodeled home or commercial building to be more comfortable and healthy while also helping to save on energy costs and natural resources. As a Certified Green Professional (CGP) Cody takes into account all these performance concerns with every project we design and build, because the underlying concept behind Green actually is performance.
Cody applied his knowledge of Green building science standards while he was in the design phase for the Equestrian Center we recently completed.
Choosing to use post-frame construction, in which the posts are spaced farther apart than studs, created a large wall cavity that provided ample room for insulation. The tack room, office, and bathroom are insulated with full cavity batt fiberglass insulation.
We used a radiant barrier called EcoFoil Reflective Double Bubble foil insulation on all the walls and roof—behind the metal structure and on the underside of the roof—to reflect heat away from the building and prevent condensation. Reflective bubble insulation allows the building to maintain a more uniform temperature in all extremes—both hot and cold—for energy efficiency and cost savings. Each of the ceiling fans running in the breezeway will help the air feel approximately four degrees cooler for the average cost of two cents per hour.
Numerous skylights were installed to make use of natural light for illuminating the interior of the barn and save energy. A Skylight is located in each horse stall, as well as in the wash stall and throughout the riding arena. The electric lights throughout the horse barn are all LEDs that are cool to the touch, do not generate extra heat into the space, are energy-efficient and long lasting. We included several three-way switches throughout the building in just the right locations, so our clients never need to walk all the way to the opposite end of the barn to shut off a light that was accidentally left on. The camper horse trailer has its own designated circuit to keep the batteries charged.
We installed a propane Rinnai tankless hot water heater for the wash stall and the bathroom. A tankless hot water heater saves energy because it doesn’t need a big tank of water that must be kept hot at all times. With a tankless unit, water is heated instantaneously on demand and is never ending. This was a great choice so they will never have to give the horses a cold bath!
See more photos of the horse barn, read about the design phase and more information about the post-frame construction.
If you are contemplating building a horse barn, garage, or any other large building and would like the benefits of great performance, please contact Vision Design Build Remodel. We would enjoy working with you.
