Green Homes News

We hope to put a concrete-free floating ply floor in our slightly below grade walkout basement. Our contractors are not experienced with this floor, and we would like to provide…

Climate zone 8, I would like to use 2 inch of ROXUL inside 4" closed cell spf and then 1"x6" tongue and groove board lumber in my cabin. Can anyone…

I've heard of commercial buildings that utilize "light shelves", either interior or exterior horizontal surfaces that direct natural light deeper into a room, and I wonder if anyone has seen…

Has anyone tried the Fresh-R HRV units? I learned about them from Josh Salinger's comment on this Q&A Spotlight, which as far as I can see, is the only place…

For new build considering having a portion of the attic conditioned for hvac equipment and the rest unconditioned in an effort to save on the cost of a fully conditioned…

Help me weigh options here.Looking at a crawl space for a 20 year old small addition. It was constructed difficult to access but was recently found to be very problematic…

An architect sets out to build his personal home as a hands-on experiment in Passive House performance

Previously it was generally accepted in America that many energy efficiency building strategies could reduce operating costs, but generally wouldn't pay off quickly. So they have been considered more for…

A plenum truss is one method to keep ductwork inside the conditioned space of a home

I'm in South Louisiana building new home, 2x6 wall construction.Considering installing 2" poly foam board, then r-13 faced fiberglass batt in exterior wall. The siding I'm using is rated as…

I'm working to air seal & insulate a small cantilevered floor system in climate zone 4C (western WA). It's about 6'x8' and framed with 2x8s, between which is some unfaced…

One of the glossy magazines I get had a spread on a house sided with a product called "Kebony," which is a brand of furfurylated wood. You can read about…

Residential battery systems are rapidly gaining popularity as homeowners look for backup power, energy savings, and resilience during outages. Here’s an overview of the different types on the market.

I am retrofitting an ERV in my finished home and I need advice on where to locate exhaust air (i.e. intake) registers in my kitchen.This is an exhaust ducted system…

A Senate-approved bipartisan housing bill and a proposal to make homebuilding materials tariff-exempt are making the rounds.

I want an awning to allow sun in during the winter and block it during the summer. Is there an online calculator where I can put in my latitude and…

From toilet placement to grab bars and bidet seats, better bathroom design can improve safety, hygiene, and comfort—especially as homeowners age

My house is slab on grade, membrane underneath. We have been monitoring radon and it varies from .13 to 8.5 pCl/L, depending on whether the windows are open, cracked or…

I noticed this was a new feature of the forum, maybe to prevent spam bot posts.At what point after posting does a question become archived?

Hello,I am beginning construction on a new home this spring. Most of my plans are in place but I just realized that the steel board and batten siding I plan…