Product Descriptions and Benefits

SunTerra EnergyBlock is a new innovative concrete block wall system that has the ability to absorb and release natural heat in a home or building providing for an even and comfortable living and/or working environment with a major reduction in heating and cooling expense.

SunTerra EnergyBlock is an 8″ x 8″ x 16″ concrete masonry unit “CMU” that can be produced at any block manufacturer licensed to sell Sunterra EnergyBlock.

These blocks are assembled by a mason/contractor in the same manner per the same building codes as historically done, with the added benefit, to install insulation and choice of siding to the exterior or interior wall surfaces. This provides the option for choice of insulation and siding to the exterior or insulation and wallboard to the interior, creating a highly energy efficient, durable wall system.

With exterior insulation, the interior decorative wall surface produces a natural thermal battery that reacts beneficially to the living space of the building. It absorbs heat, stores heat, and gives it back as you need it for warmth in the winter. And, it absorbs unwanted heat when you want to stay cool in the summer.

    1. Financially affordable superior building system.
    2. Highly energy efficient design that reduces or eliminates heating and cooling expense.
    3. Even temperatures throughout the day and night produce a comfortable and healthy living space.
    4. Sustainable materials that will last for generations.
    5. Walls of concrete, steel and rigid foam board provide good sound insulation for a strong and quiet building.
    6. Moisture, mold, rot and pest resistant.
    7. Conventional proven construction methods provide an existing experienced contractor base.
    8. No restriction on exterior siding allows for any building design style.
    9. Variety of decorative finishes and colors for a beautiful building with added interior value.
    10. A very green product that is exceptionally eco-friendly.
    11. Better in every feature over insulated concrete forms (ICF) for less money.
    12. Can be erected with exterior or interior insulated finished surface.
    13. Provides a livable, survival environment without energy need or during a power outage.
    14. A great construction system for net zero, earth sheltered, and off-grid buildings.

Masonry Value Added

Masonry walls have the reputation of being a value added feature to homes and other buildings.

SunTerra EnergyBlock is a structural,decorative component that comes in various finishes and colors. Compare the cost of cultured stone or stone veneers applied to the interior surface of a wall of $25-$30 per square foot. Compare slate, granite or tile veneer costing $15-$20 per square foot. These expenses do not include the cost of the required structural wall they are attached to.

A polished or split face colored EnergyBlock insulated wall system costs less than $15 per square foot including all of its other benefits. And with all these benefits it’s affordable compared to standard wood framing with sheetrock interior because of the significant annual energy savings for heating and cooling expense.

Finishes and Colors

SunTerra EnergyBlock utilizes the value of decorative masonry surfaces on the interior of the exterior walls. They are available in a variety of finishes and colors.

Finish options:

  1. Smooth finish – These blocks have the finish as they come direct from the block mold.
  2. Split face finish – The blocks are molded in pairs and split in half creating an even natural/rustic look.
  3. Ground face finish – These blocks are sent through a grinder removing a thin layer exposing the graniterock and sand giving color variation to the surface.
  4. Polished face finish – This is a ground faced block polished to bring out a high gloss smooth surface.
  5. Plastered finish – Is a smooth faced natural gray block with a hand textured or machine sprayed surface of color or painted plaster.

The blocks with the natural finishes, we recommend applying a clear sealer that enhances their color and produces a long term durable surface.

Color Options:

Many colors can be achieved by adding die to the cement when the blocks are formed in the mold. Also stains can be applied to the block walls after erection.

Contact your local SunTerra EnergyBlock Dealer for the many choices of color and finish options. To optimize the thermal conductivity of these high-mass heat storage walls; dark, matt or textured surfaces absorb and radiate more energy than light, smooth, reflective surfaces.

Increase Comfort

Reduce Energy Cost

Appropriate use of thermal mass throughout your home or building can make a big difference in comfort, heating and cooling bills. Proper use of thermal mass moderates internal temperatures by averaging day/night extremes.

Continuous Insulation

Continuous Insulation

Thermal mass is not a substitute for insulation but a valuable benefit when insulated properly.

By insulating the exterior, you take advantage of the decorative feature of the masonry and maximize the thermal mass benefit within the living space.

If the masonry decorative side of the wall is desired on the exterior surface of the building, the SunTerra EnergyBlock can be turned and the continuous insulation applied to the interior.  This continuous insulation method eliminates the condensation problems with other insulation systems, while improving insulation R-value.

SunTerra EnergyBlock is high thermal mass building construction. A typical home built with concrete floors and EnergyBlock exterior walls will store 50,000 BTU’s of heat within just 1° Fahrenheit interior temperature change. This can provide multiple days of required stored heat and keep interior temperature within the occupant’s comfort range.

Enhance the use of wood stoves by evening out inside temperature swings, store more energy for the morning, improve efficiency and comfort.

Optimize passive solar heat gain without creating excessive interior heat buildup.

Take advantage of off-peak utility rates by heating your home during the low rate time to store heat for when the electrical rates are of higher expense.

Improve the efficiency of heat pumps by operating them during the warmest time of the day when they are the most efficient and store that heat to be used at night when the pumps lose efficiency with a minimum variation of inside temperature.

Reduce or eliminate the need for mechanical air conditioning.

Energy Efficient Value

SunTerra EnergyBlock changes our paradigm of concrete block construction. Before we considered block construction as a poorly insulated wall, now we have a block wall system with superior insulation value over other choices of construction. Before an exterior block wall absorbed heat from the interior and discharged it through and to the exterior, now we can construct a block wall that absorbs heat, stores it and discharges it back when we need it for warmth in the winter, or eliminates heat when we need to stay cool in the summer. SunTerra EnergyBlock with mass-enhanced, high R-value provides the best energy value for buildings today.

IECC International Energy Conservation Code

 


 
WALL INSULATION REQUIREMENTS – R-VALUE RESIDENTIAL
Climate Zone
Wood
Framed Wall
Mass Wall
Interior Insulation
Mass Wall
Exterior Insulation
Basement Wall
Interior Insulation
Basement Wall
Exterior Insulation
1
13
4
3
0
0
2
13
6
4
0
0
3
13
8
5
13
5
4 Except Marine
13
10
5
13
10
5 and 4 Marine
20
17
13
13
10
6
20
19
15
19
15
7 and 8
21
21
19
19
15
 ICF
SunTerra EnergyBlock™
SunTerra EnergyBlock™

WALL INSULATION REQUIREMENTS – R-VALUE COMMERCIAL

GROUP R
ALL OTHERS
Wood
Framed
Metal
Building
Mass
Wall
Wood
Framed
Metal
Building
Mass
Wall
1
13
16
5.7 ci
13
16
0
2
13
16
7.6 ci
13
16
5.7 ci
3
13
19
9.5 ci
13
19
7.6 ci
4 Except Marine
13 + 3.8 ci
19
11.4 ci
13
19
9.5 ci
5 and 4 Marine
13 + 3.8 ci
13 + 5.6 ci
13.3 ci
13 + 3.8 ci
13 + 5.6 ci
11.4 ci
6
13 + 7.5 ci
13 + 5.6 ci
15.2 ci
13 + 7.5 ci
13 + 5.6 ci
13.3 ci
7
13 + 7.5 ci
19 + 5.6 ci
15.2 ci
13 + 7.5 ci
19 + 5.6 ci
15.2 ci
8
13 + 15.6 ci
19 + 5.6 ci
25 ci
13 + 7.5 ci
19 + 5.6 ci
25 ci
 ci = continuous insulation 
SunTerra EnergyBlock™
SunTerra EnergyBlock™

IECC International Energy Conservation Code Zone Map

SunTerra EnergyBlock Wall Systems Continuous Insulation Value

CONSTANT WALL R-VALUE FACTOR
 Wall – Outside film 0.17
 Wall – Inside film  0.68
 8″ concrete block  1.00
Sheetrock or siding 0.55
Constant total 2.40

 

WALL ASSEMBLY R-VALUE  –  CONTINUOUS INSULATION
Installation Location
Above or Below Grade
Above Grade Only
SunTerra EnergyBlock Wall System Number SEB-2 SEB-3 SEB-2+ SEB-3+
Constant R-value factor 2.40 2.40 2.40 2.40
2″ extruded polystyrene 10.00
3″ extruded polystyrene 15.00
2″ polyisocyanurate (foil faced) 14.40
3″ polyisocyanurate (foil faced) 21.60
Air spaces without foil 1.00 1.00
Air spaces with reflective foil 4.00 4.00
Total wall assembly R-value 13.40 18.40 20.80 28.00

As you compare and evaluate the required insulation values of the wall system types in the IEC Code you see the superior performance gained with the SunTerra EnergyBlock.

  1. Note how much less insulation is required by IECC for SunTerra EnergyBlock high-mass continuous exterior insulated wall system.
  2. Note SunTerra EnergyBlock wall system performs two times better than ICF wall in climate Zone 4 according to IECC with equivalent insulation R-value. SunTerra EnergyBlock wall system performs 2.6 times better than wood framed walls in climate zone 4 according to IECC with equivalent insulation R-value.
  3. This significantly illustrates the value of high mass construction with insulation only on the exterior surface.

We recommend you not choose the SunTerra EnergyBlock wall system that just meets the IEC Code requirement. By increasing the insulation required you gain much greater performance and significantly reduce energy requirements at a minimum added expense. Mass effect is real. SunTerra EnergyBlock walls significantly outperform low -mass walls of comparable steady state R–value.