Green Homes News

Designing high-performance homes in California requires more than meeting basic building standards. 

Hey all, I am building my first home (a small 600sqft timber frame) in Southern Vermont. I am leaving all my framing members exposed, because in my opinion that's half…

We have a new build and an ERV installed. The ERV runs constantly on a low speed and boosts when anyone is in the showers or in the kitchen when…

Why prefabrication hasn’t delivered the cost savings many expected—and what that means for how we build today

I am building a single-story 1600 sq ft passive home on a frost-protected shallow foundation in northern Ontario, Canada, in Climate Zone 4 and Growing Zone 4b.  My HVAC design…

My basement is wet, cold, and uninsulated and I need a plan to make it less cold. Here's my situation:- 1906 house in Maine- 50% rubble stone foundation, 50% cement (extension…

I'm located in midWest (Zone 4) and I'm planning to install R-10 insulation under vapor barrier, under basement slab. In this application, the perimeter footings and concrete basement walls are…

I am working on a project with 2.5’ long eaves on the non-gable sides.  The plan is to keep angled soffits and to use vented metal soffit panels and metal…

I'm helping a neighbor here in MA get insulation installed around the perimeter of her slab. Another neighbor did this and had termites enter her house by passing behind the…

I am building a new home that will have an unvented or conditioned attic, ERV and dehumidifier.  I am in Houston, Texas, so it's mostly hot and humid.  Framing is…

A look at materials, installation strategies, and testing methods that make airtightness achievable on real-world projects

Does anybody have an architectural detail for joining an (Element) ICF frost wall to a 12" wide double-stud wall?  The double-stud wall has a 2x6 structural exterior wall with a…

I am doing a DIY house build right now and doing some heat loss calculations. I attempted to use some actual software but there were too many aspects of the…

about leaving it exposed to sun, rain and wind?  Is 30 days OK?  90 days?  Night temps could be down to mid 20s or so but generally warmer now in…

Achieve optimal indoor air quality through balanced ventilation

So I have been wondering what to do with the 55f discharge air off my hot water heat pump heater. I had it piped for the longest time in my…

Hey all, does anyone have any experience with Concretta FS?  https://meodedpaint.com/product/concretta-fs/I recently toured a renovation project where they used this to coat over existing tile in their showers, the aesthetic…

Greetings GBA community. I'm in the late stages of a DIY major expansion and remodel (new second floor, rebuilt first floor) of a 1910 house in Portland OR. Unsatisfied with…

CZ 3A/4A2001 gut renoWe have Knauf EcoBatt R-38 batts in our vented attic, and we plan to put a top layer of blown-in on top to help prevent thermal bridging…

At Missouri’s Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, natural buildings, shared spaces, and low-impact living offer lessons about sustainability that go beyond energy performance