Green Homes News

The real threats to a house aren’t imaginary—they’re hidden. A look at what inspectors and remodelers find when the walls come open.

 Dear GBA members and contributors,  We. have this roof and wall assembly and we have a hundred questions about it.  We are hoping that y’all could locate any problems with it…

Hello All: We will be breaking ground in 2 months (May 2026) for our 1,500 sq ft, 2 story home in western NY State. But we have an issue with…

Any recs on a decent indoor air quality monitor? I'm trying to get a more objective measure of whether I need to install an ERV

I'm attaching 2 images from the DOE website showing a vented and an unvented crawlspace.What would you consider the pros and cons of vented vs unvented approaches?To me the unvented…

Several new products stood out on the 2026 International Builders’ Show floor—from insulated sheathing panels and fire-treated OSB to a lightweight ERV cabinet and a clever new approach to roof ventilation.

Hi I have an ijoist that runs along side of the rim joist in one section which results in a 5/8" gap where the webbing of the ijoist is in…

Recommended practice is to leave the bottom flange of a window unsealed (and usually with a sloped sill and/or back dam) so that any water that makes its way there…

I have a client who wants a timberframe carport made of untreated white pine, and I found a supplier who sells it green.   I would like to use a redwood…

I have a new home in Miyagi, Japan (38N), a temperate climate with hot, humid summers and winters with nights around 0 to -4C (32F to 25F). I ventured under the…

In coastal Southern California, a six-building campus district demonstrates how climate-responsive design, enclosure modeling, and mechanical restraint can cut energy use by more than 80%.

I’m converting an unused indoor concrete pool into usable floor space and would appreciate guidance on vapor barrier placement before installing geofoam.A picture of the pool area is attached. The…

Hello All, I'm working on a retrofit of a large 1980s passive-style A-frame in coastal Nova Scotia (~5,000 sq ft). Previous siding work (on gable walls) was done poorly - new…

With Rockwool being hydrophobic, can I run 2” of comfortboard, exterior from the top of footing to about 12” above top of stemwall? I was thinking having the Rockwool at…

A GBA member planning a new home in Alaska wonders if a 200-amp service will be enough for future electrification—or if installing 400 amps now would be a better long-term investment.

What is the best way to insulate a basement chimney? I read that I can’t install foam insulation against it. There is no fireplace in the basement, just a door…

I'm going to restate my previous question as I'm really curious about this, has anyone heard of windows made from CPVC? Vytex rep told me that all their windows are…

We’re building a new ground floor unit in our (mostly above grade) basement. We’ve demoed the old slab and will add 3” of GPS insulation and hope to gain about…

Hi all,I've worked on a number of older pier and beam homes in Central Texas, many of which have the classic oak flooring that is run directly over the floor…

What are the pros and cons of whirlybird roof turbines for attic ventilation