Johns Manville

Scope Of Work

Description: There are few more recognizable houses in Colorado than the Sculptured House, or “Sleeper
House,” situated atop Genesee Mountain approximately 45 minutes west of Denver. Designed in the 1960s
by architect Charles Deaton, the cantilever-style home was famously featured in Woody Allen’s 1973 film
“Sleeper” and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. But when Larry Winkler and his wife
purchased the home in 2011, they quickly realized that its unique design was where the innovation ended.

Challenges: “The aesthetics and architecture of this house are over-the-top, but unfortunately we had
some utility bills that were equally over-the-top,” said Winkler. “The home was not comfortable and we
found ourselves wearing jackets and covering up with blankets just to stay warm. Our goal was to make
the home more comfortable and livable so that we can enjoy it for years to come.”
The Winkler’s monthly utility bills reached as high as $1,400 and the home’s interior stayed at a chilly 55
degrees. Freezing pipes led to additional damage and maintenance costs. Winkler called on Denver-based
About Saving Heat to tackle much-needed energy efficiency upgrades through a three-pronged approach,
including adding insulation, installing a new boiler and replacing the home’s single-paned windows with
more energy efficient versions.

Solution: Steel beams support the home’s concrete interior and exterior shells – before tackling energy
efficiency upgrades, gaps between the two shells ranging from 6 inches to 30 inches had little to no
insulation. About Saving Heat installed more than 15,000 lbs. of Johns Manville insulation products in the
walls. JM Spider® Custom Insulation System was selected for its high thermal performance in some of
the narrower wall cavities offering an R-value of 4.3 per inch. JM Climate Pro® blow-in loose fill fiber
glass insulation, which provides an R-value of 4 per inch, was used in larger cavities. Both products were
selected to better fill the home’s non-standard spaces and, because the products are made of fiber glass,
there was reduced tendency for shrinking or settling.

Winkler credits the combination of JM insulation products, a new boiler and new windows with making
the home significantly more comfortable and energy efficient. In fact, his average winter utility bill is now
around $400 per month with a consistent interior temperature of around 70 degrees.

“We wanted to create a more comfortable indoor environment and insulation was a key component of
the solution,” said Winkler. “This is an amazing, iconic property, but we wanted the home to live up to its
potential and be livable. I think we achieved that goal and our utility bills certainly reflect that.”