Tilt-up is not a technique that has often been used for residential construction. Primarily that is because there isn’t enough floor space to lay out and cast the panels and because of the need for a larger crane to lift the panels. Tierra Concrete Homes, a CHBC member, however, has developed a method for constructing all-concrete homes with insulated tilt up panels. The homes they design and build incorporate passive solar strategies, so much so that they have won two Energy Star New Millennium Builder Awards and seven NAHB Energy Value Housing Awards.

Both interior and exterior wall panels for a Tierra home start with positioning of a steel perimeter frame, reinforcing steel, and electrical boxes and conduit atop a slab that will be used as a floor in the home. Exterior walls also incorporate 3 inches of foam insulation on the outside of the concrete. Window and door blockouts are secured in place, concrete is poured, and allowed to cure.

Panels are stack cast, meaning that 3 or 4 panels are cast atop one another. While the walls are curing, workers excavate the foundation and leveling pads are poured. Exterior wall panels are then raised by crane and braced in position. Adjacent panels are then tilted and the panels are welded together. The exterior walls are generally finished with stucco including accents of cultured stone or brick; the interior walls are textured and painted, or finished with other decorative treatment. 

Judy Fosdick, president of Tierra Concrete Homes, feels it is important that the whole building be considered as multiple systems working together. The aspects that she considers are important are:

• Orientation for passive solar design
• Durable concrete building materials
• Window management with selective glazing and calculated shading
• High insulation levels
• High efficiency equipment, appliances, and lighting
• Indoor heath considerations
• Wheelchair access
• Disaster proof

Concrete walls also make it possible to build safe rooms, vaults, climbing walls, decorative rock textures, round openings, and other unique features. [ return to top ]