First off the construction strategy central to the the original Steel Case House is transformed into engineered wood products in the Timber Case House. Standard steel structural sections are replaced by parallel strand engineered lumber members, and open web steel joists are replaced by wood/tubular steel truss joists. The Timber Case House eliminates the prominent masonry wall of the original Steel Case House and substitutes a wall of highly insulated Structural Insulated Panels, or SIPs. A SIPs panel consists of two skins of wood construction panels, plywood or oriented strand board, and a insulating core of foam bonded to both skins. By substituting panels that match the thickness of the original masonry wall we can achieve a insulating value upwards of R-30 for this wall. This is an insulating value usually reserved for ceiling/roof assemblies and is intended to raise the overall average insulation of the envelope which will allow for a greater balance of windows on the other 3 walls. This same type of panel is specified for the roof here, as it was in the original Steel Case House. This version however is further detailed for SIPs panels for the other exterior walls where the original utilized conventional stud construction. Panel R values will vary from manufacturer to manufacturer but generally a 4" thick wall panel will perform as well as a 2x6 stud wall assembly. Moving the walls here up to 6" panels will again contribute to balancing out a larger window area.

The energy performance of the house can be fine tuned for your particular location using the Department of Energy's free ResCheck software. This package allows you to specify your location and input different values for wall and window performance and HVAC system efficiency. Using this software you can inform your decisions about the products you use and meet your preference for for more windows or better energy performance.

This version of the Steel Case House is intended to be more accessible to the carpenter/builder. Utilizing all engineered wood products in place of the original steel frame it is a version of the Steel Case House that a wood worker can identify with. Like the SIPs version of the Steel Case House it includes the highly insulated main wall making it suitable for colder climates. Depending on the climate you may need to consider a reduction in the large number of windows in the house, as well as high performance thermal glazing in the windows that are maintained. Keep reading below the images to examine how it differs from the original Steel Case House..

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Description of Prints

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Small Design Prints: $100.00

Design Prints: $200.00

Construction Prints: $4,750.00

Facts: Two story wood framed dwelling with a crawlspace foundation, and a sloped corrugated metal roof. Ground floor spaces include the entry, living room, family room, kitchen, and "the corner". Second floor spaces include three bedrooms, two full bathrooms, and the hall with laundry closet.

Square footage: calculations are for primary conditioned living space and do not include basements, porches, terraces, or other outdoor space.

1st flr 1,180 sqft
2nd flr 900 sqft
Total 2,080 sqft

Dimensions:

foot print: 65ft x 18ft
living room: 17ft x 17ft
family room: 17ft x 17ft
kitchen: 12ft x 13ft
the corner: 8ft x 12ft
bedroom 1: 12ft x 15ft
bedroom 2: 16ft x 11ft
bedroom 3: 12ft x 15ft

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