The versatility and beauty of concrete and cement-based products are on full display at The New American Home® 2004, featured at the International Builders’ Show®, January 19-22, 2004, in Las Vegas, Nev. The visible and invisible benefits of concrete give life to a refreshing demonstration of new ideas for designing, living, and building.

The New American Home (TNAH) is an annual showcase project sponsored in part by the National Association of Home Builder’s National Council of the Housing Industry. The Energy Star® home reveals a modern “loft” design, and for the first time since 1994, concrete provides the vast majority of the structural elements.

The 5,180 sq. ft. home brings the outside in and the inside out, with excellent use of natural light and dramatic use of building materials. Insulating concrete forms (ICFs) make up the high performance envelope for the below- and above-grade walls.

Three different concrete flooring techniques, integrated with decorative finishing, appear on all three levels, as well as the exterior decks. The exterior finish features decorative concrete masonry and stucco with exposed masonry functioning as a beautiful interior wall finish.

The home has been designed to reach a Home Energy Rating System (HERS) score of 90 (well above the current Energy Star rating requirement of 86) thanks to a high number of high performance technologies including ICFs. Homes built with ICF exterior walls offer greater energy efficiency, improved comfort through less air infiltration and reduced sound penetration, and greater strength and durability – without sacrificing beauty and architectural flexibility.

Project developer Citadel Sahara, LLC and its international development team consulted with Building America’s IBACOS Consortium to design and build a home that is energy efficient as well as attractive. TNAH will use 46 percent less energy for space heating and cooling, hot water, and lighting than a standard home.

Open for Tours
During the show, TNAH will be open for scheduled tours for viewing by show attendees. The home is located in the gated community of the Lake at West Sahara, just a few minutes west of the Las Vegas Convention Center. The estimated sale price is approximately $1.8M, the final price is to be determined.

Online Resources
concretehomes.com – More information about homes built with concrete across the United States. Official website of the Portland Cement Association – Residential.
tnah.com – More information about The New American Home.
merlincontracting.com – Information about the builder.
foodforbuildings.nl – Information about the architectural consultant.
wkymmell@succeed.net - Information about the architect of record.
jiunho.com and sourcefrancaise.com – Information about the home’s interior merchandisers.

Cement or Concrete: What’s the difference?
Although the terms cement and concrete often are used interchangeably, cement is actually an ingredient of concrete. Concrete is basically a mixture of aggregates and paste. The aggregates are sand and gravel or crushed stone; the paste is water and portland cement. Concrete gets stronger as it gets older. Portland cement is not a brand name, but the generic term for the type of cement used in virtually all concrete, just as stainless is a type of steel and sterling a type of silver.

Images available
Images should be credited to: Erin O'Boyle Photographics/Courtesy Portland Cement Association.
Click here to view and download images.

About the Portland Cement Association
Based in Skokie, Ill., the Portland Cement Association represents cement companies in the United States and Canada. It conducts market development, engineering, research, education, and public affairs programs.