Green Homes News

I am updating a 17x23 foot cabin located in climate zone 4. The cabin will be 3 season use with 2 or 3 short-term visits during the dead of winter. …

We’ve decided to install closed-cell SPF directly to the underside of the roof sheathing in the “devil’s triangle” attic areas adjacent to the kneewalls.The existing condition includes faced batt insulation…

Lüften, or house burping is one method of ventilation. There are better ways.

I want to install plywood beadboard ("Plybead") directly to the ceiling joists as the finish ceiling in a rental house in CZ-2.  (No drywall.)  AI says just caulk the ply-to-joist…

Hi,I’m having to replace the siding on a side of my house. On this project I’m going to be replacing a French door as well. I was hoping to find…

How traditional and modular battery systems work, how to size them correctly, and what to expect from performance, safety, and cost

I am working on a 1970s home in Zone 5A with the following exterior wall assembly: interior 1/2” gyp bd, 2x4 framing 16”oc with either original kraft faced batts or…

Hi teamNew house in Zone 6. GC wants to use Zip R12 but engineer requiring osb directly on studs for shear. Aside from obvious redundancy, any moisture or material issues…

We just had blown-in insulation installed by a company, and while checking their completed work, we noticed that a lot of our baffles have insulation in them. Some of them…

BAIE Minerals produces decarbonized minerals for building products while also remediating environmental blight

Hello,I am looking for insight into how others have dealt with the following scenario:We have an exterior wall that will have cedar shake panel siding installed over 1x4” vertical strapping.The…

I'm DIY building a simple two bedroom ~2000sf two-story house in Vermont on a site that's flat Champlain Valley Clay. The drainage is so poor that my septic permit for…

Hi all, Building slab-on-grade home in Zone 6. No basement or crawl due to high water table. Bought reclaimed 4" xps to go under and around the slab. Realized later that 2…

Hi all, excited to have an opportunity to join this community and thank you in advance. I am in the northeast, in zone 5. This question follows some advice I…

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…