VTI Energy Systems will be having an open house from noon to 1pm Friday June 17, Saturday June 18 and Sunday June 19.
Please call 920-993-0735 to setup a walk thru of the Trend Home located at 104 Moore St. Ogdensburg, WI.

Stop and visit our booth at the 22nd Annual Energy Fair in Custer, WI after going thru the open house in Ogdenburg.

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VTI Energy Systems will be at the 2011 Energy Fair June 17-19 in Custer, WI.

Stop in and see Enercept SIPS and TF System ICF’s first hand.

For more information on the 2011 Energy Fair go to www.the-mrea.org

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VTI Energy Systems and Milbach Construction Services, Co. will be at the WDUX Home Show April 2 & 3.
Come visit our booth and check out Enercept SIPS and TF Systems ICF’s.
WDUX Home Show
Saturday April 2 from 9am-5pm
Sunday April 3 from 10am-3pm
Admission $2.00
187 Grand Seasons Dr. Waupaca, WI

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A tax bill signed into law in December 2010 does extend the tax credits but at a lower level.
Homeowners can recieve 10% of the amount they pay for qualified energy efficiency improvements this year but it is capped at $500.00 a year.
There are also individual category caps:
Windows $200.00
Advanced air circulating fans $50.00
Furnaces or Water Heaters $150.00
Any item of energy-efficient building property $300.00
The new rules change the previous energy efficiency tax credits on Energy Star products.

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Join us at the Lake Home & Cabin Show

January 28-30, 2011

At the Alliant Energy Center Madison, WI.

Show hours: Friday Jan. 28 2pm-8pm

Saturday Jan. 29 10am-7pm

Sunday Jan. 30 10am-4pm

Go to lakehomecabinshow.com for $2.00 discount on admission.

We will be featuring Enercept SIPS panels and TF Systems ICF panels.

This years show will be featuring “Live Bat Encounter” with Rob Mies

and Cabin Time Grilling Zone with Chef Patrick Moore.

Hope to see you there.

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Structural Insulated Panel Sales Hold Up 

Structural Insulated Panel Association

Despite four years of declining U.S. housing starts, the structural insulated panel (SIP) industry a top consumer of OSB has avoided the full force of the recession, according to a recent survey by the Structural Insulated Panel Association.

Results indicate that the industry experienced a modest 12% decrease in residential production volume in 2009, compared to a 28% drop in U.S. single family housing starts over the same time period.

2009 is the fifth consecutive year the industry has gained share in the residential market. It is now estimated that the panelized building system accounts for between 1% and 2% of U.S. single family home starts. SIPA executive director Bill Wachtler attributes much of the industry’s growth to the increasing popularity of green and energy-efficient homes. SIPs are composed of insulating foam sandwiched between two structural facings, creating an effective thermal barrier that can save homeowners up to 50% on heating and cooling costs.

“The rising cost of energy and concern over global climate change has really pushed green building into the mainstream,” said Wachtler. “SIPs give architects and builders an easy way to create an airtight building envelope that will improve the energy efficiency and durability of any home or light commercial building.”

Of the total 42 million sq. ft. of SIPs produced in North America in 2009, 43% went to residential buildings, 32% to non-residential buildings, and the remaining 24% were used for non-building purposes, such as industrial coolers. An estimated 1,300 commercial buildings were constructed with SIPs in 2009, including schools, retail stores, and agricultural buildings. Non-residential production declined 19% from the previous year.

“Like all industries, we are affected by the recession and the drop in new construction,” said Wachtler. “But the strong marketshare gains we’ve experienced in the residential market indicate that the SIP industry is likely to see a significant boost in production as the economy recovers.”

Several different combinations of materials are used to construct SIPs, but the basic concept remains the same. By far, the most popular facing materials are OSB and metal. Plywood and other materials such as fiber cement board account only for 6% of SIPs used in building applications.

The top regions for SIPs use are the Mountain, East North Central (upper midwest) and Pacific regions.

Article from Building-Products.com

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VTI Energy Systems will be hosting an Enercept SIPS Seminar 3:00 pm Wednesday August 18, 2010 at the Valley Home Builders Association.
Joe Quinn from Enercept will be presenting.
Please e-mail VTI Energy Systems at
vtienergy@aol.com
if you are interested in attending the seminar.

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SIPS Appraisals

A peer-reviewed study published in The Appraisal Journal shows that homebuyers are willing to pay substantially more for energy-efficient homes.  This study, titled “Evidence of Rational Market Values for Home Energy Efficiency,” concludes that people are willing to fully pay for the monthly fuel savings of energy efficient homes with higher monthly mortgage payments” which translate into higher home values.  Thus, homebuilders and homeowners who invest in energy efficiency can expect to recover the market value of their energy efficiency investments when they sell their homes.

The ICF study reviews published research on energy efficiency and home values, and presents an extensive statistical analysis of American Housing Survey (AHS) data.  The published research shows that market values for energy efficient homes appear to reflect a rational trade-off between homebuyers’ fuel savings and their after-tax mortgage interest costs.  The ICF statistical analysis explicitly tests this “rational market hypothesis” against National AHS data for 1991, 1993, and 1995, and metropolitan statistical area data for 1992 through 1996.  Both of these distinct AHS samples provide data on home characteristics (including home value, number of rooms, square feet, lot size and utility bills) as reported by homeowners in lengthy interviews with the Census Bureau.   The study presents separate statistical for each year, for detached and attached homes, and for detached housing with different heating fuels (gas, electric, or fuel oil).

These statistical results support the conclusion ”That home value increases by $20.00 for every $1.00 reduction in annual utility bills”, consistent with after-tax mortgage interest rates of about five percent from 1991 through 1996.

This research was conducted for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ENERGY STAR® Homes program.  ENERGY STAT® homes use at least 30% less energy than a Model Energy Code home while maintaining or improving indoor air quality and increasing comfort in the home.  EPA estimates that the cost to upgrade a new home to ENERGY STAR® level can range from $2,000 to $4,000, and that a typical ENERGY STAR® home reduces utility bills by $420 per year.  The ICF study indicates that $420 in annual utility savings will add about $8,400 to the market value of an ENERGY STAR® home (or to any equally efficient home), or two or four times the builder’s upgrade costs.

The study should also encourage homeowners to consider energy efficiency upgrades for existing homes.  An important conclusion from this research is that homeowners “can profit by investing in energy efficient homes even if they are uncertain about how long they might stay in the home.  If their reduction in monthly fuel bills exceeds the after-tax mortgage interest paid to finance energy efficiency investments, then they will enjoy positive cash flow for as long as they live in their home and can also expect to recover their investment in energy efficiency when they sell their home.”  This research also has significant implications for home appraisers, mortgage lenders, and housing assistance programs at the federal, state, and local levels.

Written by: The Appraisal Journal by Rick Nevin and Gregory Watson:

“Evidence of Rational Market Values for Home Energy Efficiency,” Rick Nevin and Gregory Watson, Appraisal Journal October 1999.

(Adobe Acrobat Format)  This study demonstrates the increased value of energy-efficient homes, assigning estimated incremental home value.

“More Evidence of Rational Market Values for Home Energy Efficiency” Appraisal Journal, October 1999

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Local Builders Earns Factory Certification

 Watertown, SD – May 14, 2010.  Enercept, a manufacturer of structural insulated panels, certified Mike Milbach, Dale Retzlaff, Jon Strick and Brandon Duchow with Milbach Construction / VTI Energy Systems in Appleton, WI as a Factory Trained Installation Specialists.

 To earn this certification Enercept Builders and Dealers need to complete classroom studies and hands on SIPS construction training.  While the 2½-day course focuses on the basics of SIPS wall and roof panel assembly there are also sessions on drafting, estimating and sales.  

 ”Enercept is committed to our dealers and this program is critical to the development of a well trained dealer network.”  Said Alan Case, President of Enercept.

 This is the fourth year Enercept has hosted the training session.  To attend Enercept University students must be, or be employed by, an Enercept Builder or Dealer.

 VTI Energy Systems became an Independent Dealer for Enercept earlier this year.

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