Prefabricated panels made ADU construction a breeze
Unity decided to explore the use of some new materials and methods, teaming up with Certainteed, a manufacturer of multiple construction products. The ADU was built using some materials that are nonstandard for unity but are common in mainstream construction. For example, in their prefabricated panels, unity used Certainteed’s blown fiberglas insulation instead of their usual cellulose. The owners were happy to have unity do research and development with new products that would bring excellent energy use and comfort to their new ADU.
Energy-efficiency
Sensors were installed throughout the structure to collect information on temperature, humidity, energy use, volatile organic compounds (VOC), and carbon dioxide emissions. According to project manager beth Campbell, “the home is performing as modeled, which proves the credibility of the research and development assembly and materials that were used by unity and Certainteed teams.” The data collected will be used to further improve the way that unity homes builds in the future. because the roof pitch direction on their Zumette is not optimal for solar panels, the couple plans to install a photovoltaic array on the existing garage that has a south-facing roof. They understand that their actual electrical use will depend on variables such as plug loads and HVAC settings, but they’re expecting their PV system to produce sufficient power to serve the needs of their all-electric home. The Adu has triplepane windows to help maintain indoor temperature and an airsource heat pump, which is more energy efficient than a typical forced hot air system. A blower door test was performed to find any leaks in the envelope of the ADU and patch them up. Because the Adu was built very tight, a heat recovery ventilator was installed to continuously exchange the stale interior air with the outside air, while not losing the heat or cool air already created in the ADU.
Easy selection
Richard and ellen selected a package offered by unity homes that included a high-performance shell and a selection of finishes and fixtures. They opted to use unity’s standard offerings for engineered flooring, kitchen cabinets, plumbing fixtures, and siding, appreciating that they didn’t have to go through the extensive research required to specify all the fixtures and finishes for their ADU. The couple was able to keep costs down by utilizing a slab-on-grade foundation, building the ADU on a flat site that didn’t require extensive excavation work, and choosing finishes that were beautiful but moderately priced.
Quick construction
Because the panels were prefabricated in the factory, the entire shell of this Adu was assembled in just a few snowy days. Richard and ellen hired a local general contractor to prepare the site and install the insulated slab foundation. After the unity crew assembled the shell on-site, the contractor completed the home during the following months. To create a distinct outdoor living area in the backyard, which is separate from the vacation rental on the same lot, the clients hired a landscaper to transform the yard into a private space with a concrete patio, walkways, and native plants. When the ADU was complete, Richard and ellen were very pleased with the results, including the craftsmanship of the structure. unity now offers the Zumette model as part of their express or ready-to-build plans.