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Wall layouts matter far beyond stud spacing and window and door locations.

Every framing decision affects the trades that follow. In this example, poor corner detailing leaves insulation installers unable to fully insulate the cavity and creates challenges for drywall attachment due to missing nailers.

Correct this at the design stage by properly planning for a three-stud corner to allow for continuous insulation throughout the wall assembly. A two-stud corner can further reduce lumber use, increase insulation depth, and still support drywall when detailed correctly.

High-performance construction requires thinking downstream. When framing is planned with insulation, air sealing, and drywall in mind, the entire wall system performs better.

#BuildingScience #HighPerformanceHomes #AdvancedFraming #ConstructionTraining #BuildingEnvelope by @constructioninstruction

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8 months ago

Ever been curious about how different insulation types handle airflow? Our latest Ci Lab demo uncovers the secrets behind cellulose, spray foam, and fiberglass insulation.

Using a simple ping pong ball, we reveal why fiberglass needs a solid air barrier—and what happens if it’s missing. Without it, fiberglass allows air to flow freely, but with proper sealing, airflow is nearly stopped. It’s a powerful reminder of why code mandates contact with an air barrier on all sides for optimal performance.

Join us in our Ci Live building science classes and see these lessons come to life. Visit our site via the link in bio to find out more!

#BuildingScience #HighPerformanceHomes #HomeBuilding #ResidentialConstruction #Insulation #AirSealing #AirBarrier #BuildingEnvelope #EnergyEfficiency #ConstructionEducation #BuilderTraining #CiLive #BuildingPerformance #BuildingBetter #DurableHomes #CiLive by @constructioninstruction

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10 months ago

“They make us build them TOO tight.”

We hear this concern from builders and contractors all the time.

But here’s the question: How tight is too tight?

When it comes to the building enclosure, intentional holes aren’t helping you build a better home.

Air leakage can carry:
• Moisture into wall and attic assemblies
• Dust and pollutants into the home
• Outdoor noise inside
• Unwanted drafts and comfort issues
• And in cold climates, the potential for condensation within the assembly

That’s why airtightness has become such an important part of high-performance construction.

And while codes have progressively moved from 7 ACH50 to 5 to 3, there’s no technical reason to stop there.

In fact, getting below 1.5 ACH50 can help reduce the risk of moisture-related problems while improving comfort, durability and overall performance.

The goal is to build an enclosure that controls where air, heat and moisture can and can’t move.

Join us at our Advanced Building Science class on December 8-9 to learn more. Space is limited, so register today to secure your spot. Link in bio.

#BuildingScience #HighPerformanceHomes #HomeBuilders #BuildingEnclosure #Construction by @constructioninstruction

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4 days ago

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6 days ago

Part 1 & 2 of my conversation with Ed May now posted on you Favorite podcast platform.

Or go to buildtankinc.com for a

@constructioninstruction #passivehouse #passivehousedesign @phius_official #homebuilders #homebuildersassociation #buildingcode by @constructioninstruction

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10 days ago

Tighter homes need smarter ventilation.

As homes become more energy efficient, getting ventilation right is more important than ever.

Join Construction Instruction’s Mark LaLiberte and Panasonic’s Russell Pope for a FREE one-hour webinar on the practical ventilation challenges facing today’s high-performance homes.

We’ll cover:

• How tighter homes are changing ventilation needs
• Airflow and pressure fundamentals
• Ventilation, IAQ, comfort, moisture & durability
• Common field challenges
• When and where ERVs make sense
• Key considerations for selecting and installing the right system

Plus, we’ll wrap up with 15 minutes of live Q&A.

📅 Wednesday November 4, 2026
⏰ 12:30–1:30 PM ET
🎟️ FREE TO PARTICIPATE

If you build, design, or work on high-performance homes, this is one you’ll want to attend.

👉 Register today. Link in bio.

#BuildingScience #HighPerformanceHomes #Ventilation #HVAC #IndoorAirQuality by @constructioninstruction

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11 days ago

Your R-30 wall may not actually perform like R-30. 👀

Here’s why: Every wood stud is a thermal bridge.

Heat can move through that framing far more easily than through the insulation in the cavities.

So while the cavity insulation might have a great R-value, the wall assembly as a whole tells a different story.

One way to improve that performance is with continuous exterior insulation.

A layer of rigid foam or rigid stone wool over the exterior sheathing helps interrupt thermal bridging across the framing and keeps the wall assembly warmer in cold weather.

The takeaway here is to stop looking at the R-value of the insulation alone and instead look at the effective R-value of the entire wall system.

#BuildingScience #HighPerformanceHomes #HomeBuilders #WallAssembly #ConstructionTraining by @constructioninstruction

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13 days ago

Your next big building-science improvement might start with a trip to Denver. 👇

Jeremy Farner with BYU came to Construction Instruction’s Advanced Building Science class looking to learn.

He left with practical knowledge, hands-on experience, and ideas he could take straight back to his work.

That’s the goal of Ci Live.

🔹 Hands-on lab testing
🔹 Real-world building challenges
🔹 Expert instructors
🔹 Open discussion and questions
🔹 Knowledge you can put to work immediately

And you don’t have to be one of the biggest builders in the country to benefit.

Ci has partnered with 75% of the Top 20 home builders in the USA, helping teams large and small make meaningful improvements in how they build.

Bring your team to Denver for our next Advanced Building Science class on December 8–9.

👉 Save your spot: Link in Bio.

#BuildingScience #HomeBuilders #HighPerformanceHomes #HVAC #ConstructionTraining by @constructioninstruction

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14 days ago

Your HVAC filter isn’t your first line of defense against poor indoor air quality.

In a tighter, more energy-efficient home, good IAQ starts before the air ever reaches the filter.

Think about it as a hierarchy:

→ Control pollutants at the source
→ Exhaust pollutants effectively
→ Dilute with mechanical ventilation
→ Filter what remains

That means materials, exhaust fans, building tightness, ventilation, ERVs and filtration all have to work together.

The goal is to prevent pollutants from building up in the first place.

Our latest article, “Clearing the Air,” takes a practical look at this IAQ hierarchy and the connections between these systems.

👉 Read the full article through the link in our bio.

#buildingscience #highperformancehomes #homebuilders #hvac #constructionknowledge by @constructioninstruction

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18 days ago

What happens to an ERV when airflow conditions change?

A clean, perfectly balanced ERV in a lab is one thing. A ventilation system in a real home can face changing conditions every day.

Dirty filters. Duct restrictions. Dampers opening and closing. An air handler changing speeds. Even small changes in system resistance can affect airflow and ventilation balance.

That’s where the auto-balance technology on newer ERVs gets interesting.

In this Ci Lab demonstration, the Broan AI Series 210 CFM ERV starts at roughly 80 CFM. We introduce a restriction by closing motorized dampers, and the airflow begins to drop.

Instead of simply accepting the reduced airflow, the ERV responds by increasing motor power to help maintain the target airflow. In the test, power consumption rises from about 44 watts to 94 watts as the system works against the added resistance.

For builders and HVAC pros, features like this can help make balanced ventilation more forgiving of real-world operating conditions while also helping maintain the intended ventilation rate over time.

And some ERV systems can even alert homeowners when conditions such as a dirty filter are affecting performance.

The takeaway: ERV commissioning still matters, but smarter systems and controls can help maintain performance when the conditions inevitably change.

#BuildingScience #ERV #HVAC #HighPerformanceHomes #IndoorAirQuality by @constructioninstruction

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20 days ago

Speaker spotlight: Gord Cooke

Gord Cooke is a Partner with Construction Instruction Inc. and a professional engineer with more than 25 years of experience in low- and high-rise residential construction.

A sought-after educator, consultant, and presenter, Gord has a unique talent for turning complex building-science challenges into clear, practical strategies professionals can apply in the field.

Hear from Gord at the Cold Climate Building Science Conference, October 12–14 in Bozeman! taken in Rocky Mountains by @constructioninstruction

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22 days ago

One outdoor unit. Two indoor applications. One cold-climate heat pump system. 👀

This is the kind of HVAC technology that’s worth seeing in action.

At Ci Live, we’re demonstrating a Daikin R-32 Aurora system that can connect to multiple indoor units, including:

🔹 A 9,000 BTU wall-mounted unit with built-in Wi-Fi
🔹 A 1-ton multiposition air handler
🔹 Independently controlled zones
🔹 350–450 CFM airflow on the air handler
🔹 Cold-climate performance down to -5°F

For builders and HVAC professionals, the bigger takeaway is the flexibility.

Instead of thinking about each indoor unit as requiring its own outdoor unit, this type of inverter system can serve multiple strategically placed zones from a single outdoor unit.

That can open up more options for zoning, comfort and system design, particularly in high-performance homes where loads are lower and right-sizing matters.

And this is just one of the systems you can see, operate and talk through at Ci Live.

Come to a class at our Experience Center in Denver to get hands-on with the technology and see how these systems actually work in a high-performance home.

#BuildingScience #HVAC #HeatPumps #HighPerformanceHomes #EnergyEfficiency by @constructioninstruction

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25 days ago