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Benefits of GCL Buildings
The most obvious benefits of GCL's all-concrete buildings are qualitative and esthetic. Their solid, quiet comfort really must be experienced to be appreciated. Come on by and see for yourself! This quality costs no more than a conventional stick-built structure, however. While each building will vary, in our experience, all concrete construction using our components takes no longer than a wood-framed version, and the overall cost of the primary structure is almost the same in each case. Lower Operating Costs Significant recurring savings with GCL buildings come from lower insurance and maintenance costs. Homeowners' insurance for the tour building is less than one half that of an equivalent 3,000 s.f. wood structure. Since the exterior and structural elements are wood-free, re-painting and special insecticides for termite protection are eliminated (and avoids their chemical exposures at the same time). Since our buildings are essentially impervious to the elements, storm repairs will be rare indeed (hence, the greatly reduced insurance costs). Much Lower Energy Consumption 
GCL buildings easily meet or exceed requirements for an Energy Star rating. As might be expected for all-concrete construction with double-glazed windows,
our buildings are *very* tight and have extremely low leak rates. The structure is so well insulated, in fact, that it's overall R-value is over 40.
This adds up to much lower energy consumption and greatly reduced utility bills, as can be seen in the table to the right, which was taken from an actual energy audit. Imagine - air conditioning for less than $500 a year. And this is without applying any expensive renewable energy components like photovoltaics, geothermal loops or tankless water heaters. Building it right from the beginning is just smart, and it really pays off! Please feel free to ask for a copy of the full energy report when you come by to see us! |
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Copyright 2009 Gulf Coast Lofts, LLC |
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