Touted as "Louisville's Original ENERGY STAR Builder", Kimbel Construction has been building energy efficient homes for clients since its inception in 1998.  

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The energy efficiency measures we recommend to our clients include:

- Geothermal or a High Efficiency Heat Pump HVAC

- Spray Foam Insulation in exterior walls and ceilings/rafters

- Whole House Dehumidifier

- Energy Recovery Ventilator also known as a fresh air exchanger

- Andersen Windows & Doors

- 2" Foam Board R-10 insulation on all interior foundation walls

- Obtaining a HERS Score (Home Energy Rating System)

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In 1998, Kimbel Construction was born with the plan to bring a unique and innovative building idea to the consumer.  You see, in 1998, the ENERGY STAR homes program was just getting off the ground nationally and in Kentucky it wasn't even a reality until Kimbel Construction became the first custom home builder to join forces with the EPA and the DOE and become an ENERGY STAR homes partner.  We had the vision early to build energy efficient homes and it set us apart from the competition for many years.  Over the last two decades, all of our homes have included energy efficient features in them and two homes have won awards for being the most efficient home built in the LGE/KU areas.  Our Home Energy Rating System (HERS) score (a method for measuring how efficient a home is) typically average in the 30's and 40's, which makes our homes at least 60% more efficient than a home built to code.  When you include a renewable energy source, those scores can be even more efficient!

 

Most people who come to us to build a home, want an energy efficient design with low utility costs and we deliver every time, but almost no one realizes until they move in that their home will be the most comfortable and well built home they've ever lived in.  When you install foam insulation EFFECTIVELY and when you install high quality windows/doors EFFECTIVELY and when you seal up the house for air leakage EFFECTIVELY, you not only dramatically decrease the tonnage size of the HVAC system you need in your home, but you can also afford the most efficient geothermal HVAC system that will run very quietly, for very little energy and provide just the perfect amount of heating and cooling to make your home very comfortable.  What sets us apart from the competition is that anybody can put these energy efficient products into their homes, but can they install them as EFFECTIVELY as we can?  The key word is EFFECTIVELY because a product that is not installed properly will not give you the results you desire.  We've been building energy efficient homes longer than just about everyone in Kentucky, so we know more than a few things about how to build a home EFFECTIVELY!

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Funny Story: In 2006, my Homearama client called to tell me a story about how the utility company had sent a representative to their home to inspect their gas and electric meters.  Apparently the home was flagged as a home that wasn't using as much gas service as the neighboring homes and after asking many questions and inspecting the meters to make sure they were working properly, the representative determined that the home was just super efficient compared to the neighboring homes.  What a great story and testament that what we do really does work!   Fast forward 12 years and I get a knock at the door at my personal home and I answer it to find a utility representative asking why we aren't using much natural gas.  I explain to him that I am a home builder and that we build energy efficient homes and use geothermal HVAC systems and he says "I knew it!". View the video of this interaction on our blog page.

 

When I first built my personal home, we tracked every kilowatt we used and I determined that we spent on average about $6 per month for hot water and about $40 per month for HVAC.  When you consider that hot water and heating/cooling typically make up the biggest percentage of your monthly utility costs, we weren't paying very much to live in our 3,200 sq. ft. home.  

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Nowadays, many builders can claim that they can build an energy efficient home, but I have a hard time believing that they can build the most comfortable home you'll ever live in.  Check out our Distinct Homes page, read the testimonials from our clients and understand why we build some of the best homes in Louisville. 

 

If you want Louisville's accomplished Master Builder, who handcrafts Distinct Tailored Projects with Comprehensive Integrity, Adept Professionalism and GENUINE Personalized Service for the SELECTIVE HOMEOWNER to build your next project, then contact Kimbel Construction about a complimentary consultation.