Masonry Magazine August 1984 Page. 10
ALL-MASONRY HOME
is less than $200 per year, and the central air conditioning system is employed only in extended periods of hot weather.
Such outstanding energy savings are achieved with a combination of design, siting, materials and insulation. Below grade, the home is constructed of 12" concrete masonry, reinforced and grouted with 2" insulation board applied to the outside surface of the block. Above grade, a cavity wall of 4" split block, 3" insulation board, and 6" concrete masonry back-up units was employed.
With the exception of a few small windows, all the glass in the home is south-facing and quad-glazed. Earth berming for one-third of the first floor walls is employed on the north, east and west sides of the house. Another factor contributing to the energy saving properties is a glazed solarium which acts as a heat sink, using the masonry wall in the fireplace for heat storage. Heat is re-circulated by fans through the home by means of a concrete masonry air core system.
Concrete Masonry a Major Element
Concrete masonry is the major structural and veneer building product used in the home. Nearly 11,000 concrete masonry units were employed-5,900 for back-up and foundation walls, and 5,000 split block for veneer application. The ashlar pattern of split block used for the exterior was designed with the following units: 4×8×16", 4×8×8", 4×4×16" and 4×4×8". More than 450 ground face concrete masonry units were used for stairwell and kitchen walls.
The fire and sound resistive advantages that are evident in the home are further enhanced by the use of concrete roof tile and precast concrete floor systems. In addition, the 2,700 sq. ft. driveway employed nearly 9,500 concrete block paving units.
In the Commercial category of the design competition, the architectural firm of Shelter Resources, Inc. was the winner for its impressive restoration of a four-story brick building at 1201 Marquette Ave. in Minneapolis. The project included renovation of three floors and the addition of a new fourth floor by general contractor Kraus Anderson Building Co. The masonry work, which included the installation of 145,000 new brick, was completed by Quality Brick, Inc.
The designer comments:
"I think in the long term, as the cost of housing increases and people become aware of the true value of the products they purchase (measured in terms of maintenance costs, longevity and resale value), that all masonry construction will become a much larger percentage of the total new housing inventory than it is now .. we now know that there is a significant percentage of the home buying public interested in all masonry built homes... acceptance of the home has been almost universal."