Instagram story viewer> @greenbuildingadvisor> Posts

Green Building Advisor

@greenbuildingadvisor

39.4K

followers

153

following

Dedicated to sharing accurate and complete information about designing, building, and remodeling high-performance homes.

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

Download All

Recently on the @finehomebuilding Podcast, we had an interesting conversation about the cost of humidification, specifically the differences between steam and evaporative humidifiers. Both turn liquid water into vapor, but they get the energy to do it in very different ways.

Figuring out which method is less expensive is a little complicated. One thing is certain: humidifying a house isn’t free. Turning liquid water into vapor takes energy. The question is, where does that energy come from?

Dive into the details at the link in bio 🔗 Basement with HVAC equipment and a mounted humidifier. Text overlay reads: "Green Building Advisor What Does It Really Cost to Humidify a House? by @greenbuildingadvisor

21

2

3 days ago

Rachel Wagner, architect at @justhousingsbc, spent 10 years thoughtfully improving her 1903 Duluth home and along the way learned plenty of lessons about renovation, design, and living well in an older house. Now she brings her experience to her clients.

New episode of the GBA Conversation is out now! Listen exclusively on Green Building Advisor. Link in bio 🎧 by @greenbuildingadvisor

18

1

6 days ago

Raised-heel trusses improve insulation at the eaves, but are they worth the added cost? Experts weigh in to help answer a GBA members question ⬇️

"FortLivingRoom" is planning to build a Pretty Good House in Climate Zone 5. His roof design calls for trusses with 22-in. raised heels and R-60 blown cellulose, but his builder is pushing back. Dropping the raised heels would save money, the builder says, and most of the attic would still reach R-60. Only the perimeter would have less insulation.

Fort isn’t convinced. He suspects that the intersection of the trusses and exterior walls may be one of the worst places to skimp on insulation. But how much raised heel is enough—and at what point are you paying for more heel than you really need?

Check out recommendations from passive-building expert Josh Salinger, as well as what some of our forum members had to say at the link in bio 🔗

Image: The Engineered Wood Association by @greenbuildingadvisor

74

2

10 days ago

How do you attach a deck ledger through continuous exterior insulation (CEI)?

As more builders adopt continuous exterior insulation, properly fastening deck ledgers while maintaining the water, air, and thermal control layers has become an important design challenge.

This detail from Leah Karmaker of Just Housing shows one approach that addresses structural attachment while protecting the building enclosure.

Read the full GBA article at the link in bio 🔗 and be sure to check out GBA’s library of 1,000+ construction details by @greenbuildingadvisor

125

5

12 days ago

"We already know how to build better homes. The challenge is building them consistently enough to refine the process, reduce risk, and improve performance over time."

@emilymottramarch breaks down how repeatable home construction can reduce cost, improve quality, and make high-performance housing easier to deliver consistently.

Read her latest blog at the link in bio 🔗
Photo: Michael Wilson by @greenbuildingadvisor

82

1

14 days ago

Here’s a unique application for the X Bracket System from @Insofastllc: creating a floor assembly with space for ductwork, plumbing, and electrical runs. by @greenbuildingadvisor

35

3

19 days ago

Using a thermal image camera and hygrometer to indicate condensation and mold risk of indoor surfaces. Testo has had this feature for about a decade.

The number shown on the display is the approximate relative humidity of the thin layer of air immediately adjacent to the wall surface. 0-59% is good, indicated by the green color on the screen. 60%-79%, the yellow areas, indicate potential mold growth. The red areas are above 80% and show elevated risk areas.

If an area shows yellow or red, it may not mean condensation or mold are present, only that the risk is present. Further testing would be required.

#testo #diagnostictools #buildingscience #construction @testonorthamerica by @greenbuildingadvisor

26

0

21 days ago

Light-emitting diode (LED) technology has long been touted as the energy smart choice for homeowners, offering a combination of efficiency that incandescent lighting could never match.

Putting aside the longevity and lumens-per-watt benefits, new research conducted by two professors from University College London (UCL), published earlier this year in Nature, indicates that widespread LED use is contributing to growing health concerns.

Read the story at the link in bio 🔗 by @greenbuildingadvisor

61

5

25 days ago

Here’s a look at @powerwool, a newer mineral wool insulation option on the market. Dan tells us a bit about their solutions for continuous exterior insulation at @buildshowlive. by @greenbuildingadvisor

45

3

a month ago

These wall and roof panels are made in a modern facility, install quickly, and are at the core of a high-performance enclosure. But is panelization right for your next build?

@benbogie lays out the pros and cons of off-site construction and panelization based on his experience with a recent high-performance build. Link in bio 🔗 by @greenbuildingadvisor

66

0

a month ago

Small houses are at a disadvantage when blower door testing and using the air change per hour at 50 Pascals (ACH50) metric. Thankfully there's another option, cfm/square foot of surface area. This metric began with the 2021 IECC (energy code). That code cycle allows homes under 1500 square feet that achieve less than .30 cfm/square foot of surface area to meet the intent of the air tightness requirement. If your area has not yet adopted the 2021 IECC codes (or the 2024 IECC), chat with your local building official, they may except this metric for small homes.

#blowerdoortest #blowerdoor #buildingscience #longliveourbuildings #residentialconstruction by @greenbuildingadvisor

88

7

a month ago

Creating an airtight connection between a frost-protected shallow foundation and the wall framing can be done several ways. This is one of the most reliable methods Randy (@northernbuiltpro) has used, though it requires some planning and construction sequencing that may not work for every project.

With a frost-protected shallow foundation, rigid insulation is often installed at the slab edge before the concrete is poured. The problem is that gaps between sheets of insulation—and between the insulation and other materials—can make it difficult to create a continuous exterior air barrier.

Randy prefers a different sequence ⬇️

The slab is poured without the vertical slab-edge insulation in place. Once the exterior walls are framed and stood, there is still access to the joint between the concrete slab and the wood framing. This allows the wall's exterior air barrier to connect directly to the concrete, creating a continuous air seal at this critical transition. Siga Majrex tape is one option that can be used to make this connection.

Once the air sealing is complete, the rigid slab-edge insulation is installed over the connection. The key isn't necessarily the specific tape—it's the sequencing. By delaying the slab-edge insulation, the transition between the foundation and wall can be seen, accessed, and air-sealed before it disappears behind the insulation.

Green Building Advisor has many articles about creating a continuous air barrier. Check out the link in bio for one to start with 🔗 by @greenbuildingadvisor

138

2

a month ago