Back in 2011, when the housing market was just starting to rebound, builder Pete Marino did something fairly unusual — he built a spec home. Not just an average-sized spec home, but a one-million dollar-plus custom home … and he constructed it with a Superior Walls precast concrete foundation.

Marino believed that as long as he built sensibly, there would be buyers for high end custom homes. To him, that meant starting with a solid, energy-efficient R-5 foundation system from Superior Walls of the Tri-State.

Custom-made to the exact specifications of a home, the damp-proof energy efficient wall system can be set in place by a certified crew in less than 12 hours, creating a fast start for a home’s construction process.

“I’ve had good experiences with Superior Walls foundations in the past which led me to using one on this custom home in Indian Hill outside of Cincinnati,” says Marino. “We’re confident that the homebuyers will see the value in having added living space in their basement area afforded by the Superior Walls foundation. That space can be transformed into a game room, home office or entertainment area to maximize the livability of the entire house.”

The individually-created Superior Walls R-5 panels include built-in openings for windows and doors. Pre-engineered access for wiring or small plumbing elements along with smart stud facing for easy drywall installation are included and help speed up the installation process.

The first and only insulated precast concrete wall system to earn the Green Approved Product designation by the Home Innovation Research Labs, Superior Walls products use up to 70 percent less concrete in a new home than conventional foundations. Stud facings eliminate the need for additional wood framing prior to interior finishing. Using fewer materials helps reduce the carbon footprint of the new home’s construction process.

“We specialize in creating LEED certified homes,” says Marino. “When we use the R-5 foundation system, we can earn up to 10 points on our project toward a National Green Building Certification.”