Panelized Construction: The Energy Factor by Alex Wilson We are rapidly moving from a component-oriented building industry, to a systems-oriented one. On many construction sites, the building shell arrives, not as truckloads of lumber, insulation and sheathing, but as completed wall and roof sections or interlocking stressedskin panels. For the builder this is truly a revolution, speeding erection time and providing quality control. But what effect will it have on the homeowner's fuel bills? How do panelized houses compare with conventional stud construction in terms of energy efficiency? Bob Barr, General Manager of Amos Winter Homes of Brattleboro, Vt., described the difference this way: To get an accurate sense of energy efficiency, whether panelized or stickbuilt, you have to look at the whole system, not simply the
