green building
Downsizing for Seniors: The Importance of Energy Star Ratings
So you’ve decided to downsize your home, and now you’re considering your options. Living under someone else’s thumb (retirement community / assisted living) does not appeal to you. But living in a little farmhouse in Vermont sounds wonderful. After all, it’s beautiful there in any season, you’ll own a small piece of history, and the last…
Read MoreDownsizing for Seniors – Consider a High-Performance Home
The other day my uncle and I time-traveled ahead to the year 2056. Since he never had a DeLorean, we used his 1974 red Simca that he had stored away in my grandpa’s barn for just this purpose. It only took a half hour to get it up to 88 MPH, but then it happened. We…
Read MoreAffordable Zero Energy Homes:Intersection of Exterior Wall & Rafter
As we continue with our discussion about (affordable zero energy homes) and High Performance Construction Methods, our subject for today’s blog will focus on a very important connection point where double-stud exterior walls intersect with the roof system. Here is where a lot of energy treatments must be installed correctly. Unfortunately, the temptation for many builders…
Read MoreAffordable Zero Energy Homes: Foundations – Part 2
In the not-too-distant past, not enough attention was paid to the slab. The foundation hole was dug and leveled, and then four to six inches of concrete we poured into the forms. Some builders still take a similar approach to the slab (especially what is under it). But concrete slabs aren’t like carpet. Once the…
Read MoreWhat’s a Smart Slab Assembly for Net Zero Construction in Vermont?
Net zero construction in Vermont requires executing high-performance building practices in every aspect of the residential project. A home built to net zero construction in Vermont assumes that the building contractor has incorporated high-performance standards within every element of construction. A high-performance home is super-insulated from the foundation to the roof, super sealed from air incursion, and…
Read MoreAffordable Zero Energy Homes: A Balloon Framed Wall does it All!
We’ve discovered that a double 2×4, balloon framed, an exterior wall with dense pack insulation performs at the highest level – satisfying both demands of thermal and fire blocking performance and cost-effectiveness. Not only that, the less I depend on using foam, the more relaxed my clients seem to be when building affordable zero energy homes.…
Read MoreYour High-Performance Custom Home Won’t Make You Sick
I asked my Dad to create the blog for this week. Here’s what he had to say: The notion that a house can become sick has always interested me. I have seen five-year-old houses that were so sick that they had to be torn down. It was a very sad situation where an older builder,…
Read More5 Reasons Why a Heat Pump May Be Great For Your Custom Home Build
Most people have heard of ductless cooling and heating systems today. You also might have seen a small indoor device installed high on the walls in a restaurant, office building or even in friends home. Here are five reasons you should consider installing a mini-split heat pump during your Custom Home Build. The Are Ductless…
Read MoreWhat’s a Smart Slab Assembly for Net Zero Construction in Vermont?
Net zero construction in Vermont requires executing high performance building practices in every aspect of the residential project. A home built to net zero construction in Vermont assumes that the building contractor has incorporated high performance standards within every element of construction. A high performance home is super-insulated from the foundation to the roof, super sealed from…
Read MoreSpecialized beads and tapes speed up the drywall finishing process
The drywall phase of a project is that major point in a build when people are able to finally visualize the interior spaces of a house. As builders, it comes as second nature to us when the walls are only framed up. I am amazed at how many clients come through after the drywall has…
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