Green Homes News

Low-VOC labels are a good starting point, but they're only part of the story

Thank you https://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/author/Antonio_Bettencourt for reminding  us about managing domestic hot water to avoid Legionnaire's Disease, for example in this article: https://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/article/the-myth-of-energy-efficiency-are-we-measuring-the-wrong-thing#0Our federal government's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)…

We're building a pretty good house in Nova Scotia. 30 x 60 ft single storey on screw piles. We have planned a double wall assembly, so from inside to out…

I have a question regarding a smart wall design that is both affordable but well built. My initial design was 2×4 framing, cdx sheathing, peel and stick wrb, 1 1/2"…

Hi all. I'm a homeowner looking to get some feedback on my garage HVAC. It’s a 2-story detached garage with a gambrel roof. Zone 5. I’m going to be doing…

Hello, Addition in No NH shed roof terminates back of house wall. Contractor plan shows pine boards (ceiling) on rafters, 8 inches polyiso, 2 layers of strapping for ventilation, 5/8…

I need advice on radon mitigation. My home was built in the 1940s in the Appalachians of Virginia. It has a dug out basement with a crawl space. The basement…

A clogged downspout turned into an unexpected fountain, offering a reminder that managing rainwater is one of the most important parts of protecting a home from moisture damage.

I have a project coming up in Charleston, SC (Climate Zone 3A) that's elevated on wood pilings — the space under the house is open to the outdoors, only enclosed…

Greetings,I'm a general contractor in Eastern Iowa, working on a mixed commercial and residential remodel on a historic building. This is a complex remodel; we have started from scratch in…

Energy efficiency measures how much energy we use. Exergy asks whether we're using the right kind of energy in the first place.

Im looking for something other than acoustical caulk (since it's a mess to work with) to seal 6 mil poly sheeting when using it as an air barrier. Poly to…

Hi all, I’m framing the second floor of our home using Doug fir post and beam. The joists are 4.5”x9.5” (a 3-ply 2x10) spaced 30” oc, and in some places 36”…

Hello, I am looking for advice on how to add insulation to my roof. The tricky part of it is I want to do it from the outside when I…

A Colorado company that manufacturers altitude-control systems for residential, commercial, and industrial uses is now making headway in the hospitality sector.

I'm renovating a 2,200 sq. ft., 100-year-old home in southeast Alabama (Climate Zone 3A). The original house has 2×4 heart pine framing, a vented crawl space and attic, R-13 fiberglass…

I'm looking at a frost protected shallow foundation for a zone 6a garage. Code calls for a 12" thickened edge for the "footing", and then I intend to use a…

Hello everyone,I am developing a modular roofing and siding platform focused primarily on TR-BIPV (Thermal Recovery Building-Integrated Photovoltaics).The primary goal is to put thermal harvesting front and center. Instead of…

What does device-level energy intelligence mean for builders, homeowners, commissioning, and residential electrification?

I am looking for some advice on how to better calculate the size of an HAVC system for use in a 4500 SIP home.  The home is a combination ICF…