Energy-Efficient Materials used in The Farmhouse result in reduced energy consumption during construction as well lower energy use by those living in the home.

Structural Insulated Panels or SIP's : The enclosing walls for The Farmhouse (exterior walls) are built from Structural Insulated Panels, better known as SIP's. These sandwich panels are factory-produced and shipped to the site for rapid assembly. They are strong, lightweight, and arrive ready for installation by a regular wood framing crew. Because they are so quickly installed, and since insulation comprises the middle of the SIP sandwich, SIP's save considerable labor, time, and expense during construction.

Premier Building Systems and Agriboard: Two types of SIP's were used in The Farmhouse. The main enclosure panels are by Premier Building Systems. These highly insulating panels have inert expanded polystyrene, or EPS, encapsulated between oriented strand boards. Premier SIP's have superior insulating qualities and are readily available throughout the U.S. They can also be shipped to remote building sites for rapid and economical construction. Another SIP system employed in the construction is Agriboard with wheat straw insulation. Agriboard panels exhibit excellent insulating qualities and should be available to the public in the near future.

Engineered Lumber: Since The Farmhouse is a testing ground for energy and resource efficient products, engineered lumber with non-toxic, bio-degradable sytrofoam insulation is also used in various portions of the home. As a construction system, engineered lumber offers an alternative to solid wood framing. The difference is that engineered lumber is factory produced from wood fibers, strands, chips, and slices. These materials are shaped and pressed into structural shapes such as beams and boards which are uniform in size, have predicted strengths, are generally lighter in weight than their solid wood counterparts, offer ease of installation, and reduce energy requirements on the jobsite.

Refer to the Resource Guide for Energy-Efficient Material companies whose products are used in The Farmhouse.