Rasbach House - Houston, Texas 

Partnering with the Citizen League for Environmental Action NOW (CLEAN), an environmentally conscious community organization, FAS’s Building Technology Program is constructing a home in Houston, Texas to demonstrate the use of structural insulated panel construction as part of a safe, environmentally-friendly, and cost efficient home. FAS will be constructing a single family home using fiber cement board panels with expanded polystyrene cores. These panels passed rigorous test requirements established by the International Code Council (ICC), which dictates standards for building in the United States, as well as additional tests conducted by FAS that looked at structural and fire safety under extreme conditions.

In designing the home, the FAS Building Technology research group established a list of criteria including cost and energy efficiency when compared to traditional, stick-built homes, attractive architectural details, safety in wind and fire, resistance to mold and pests, and environmentally friendly materials. The design, provided by Houston architect Roger Rasbach, was specifically formulated for panel use, thus easing construction and further lowering costs.

The home is currently under construction, and is scheduled for completion during the summer of 2009. Construction updates, with images and video, can be found on the building technologies program blog.