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Marine Climate

Reference

How to Design a Home for a Cold Climate

Reference

Article summarizing for potential homeowners items to check or demand from the builder in designing a home for a cold climate.

Cold Climate Building Techniques & Concepts: Furring In an Outside Wall

Video

Video describing a furring in framing technique to further insulate a pre-existing Alaskan house.

Building America's Optimized Solutions for New Homes: Cold Climate

Case Study

Case study describing Building America's Optimized Solutions for energy efficient home construction in cold and very cold climates.

Building America's Optimized Solutions for New Homes: Hot-Dry Climate

Case Study

Case study describing Building America's Optimized Solutions for energy efficient home construction in hot-dry and mixed-dry climates.

Building America's Optimized Solutions for New Homes: Mixed-Humid Climate

Case Study

Case study describing Building America's Optimized Solutions for energy efficient home construction in a mixed-dry climate.

Building America's Optimized Solutions for New Homes: Hot-Humid Climate

Case Study

Case study describing Building America's Optimized Solutions for energy efficient home construction in a hot-humid climate.

2021 IECC Climate Zone 4C: Unvented Attic, 2x4 Wall, Unvented Crawlspace (with notes)

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2021 IECC Climate Zone 1A: Unvented Flat Roof, 2x4 Wall, Monolithic Slab on Grade

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2021 IECC Climate Zone 3A: Unvented Attic, CMU Wall, Monolithic Slab (with notes)

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Construction Guide - Next Generation High Performance Walls in Climate Zones 3-5, Part I: 2x6 Walls

Reference

Part I of the Guide addresses walls constructed with 2x6 wood frame studs, wood structural panel (WSP) sheathing as exterior sheathing, gypsum board as interior sheathing, and a cladding system installed over WSP sheathing in low-rise residential buildings up to three stories in height.

2021 IECC Climate Zone 3A: Vented Attic, 2x6 Wall, Basement with Interior Insulation (with notes)

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Building America Existing Home Case Study: Insulated Siding Retrofit in a Cold Climate, New Paltz, New York

Case Study

Case study describing the application of insulated siding on an existing home.

2021 IECC Climate Zone 4C: Unvented Attic, 2x6 Wall with Exterior Insulation, Frost-Protected Shallow Foundation

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2021 IECC Climate Zone 4C: Vented Attic, 2x4 wall with Exterior Insulation, Basement with Interior and Exterior Insulation

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2021 IECC Climate Zone 3A: Spray-foamed Roof, 2x6 wall, and Floor on Pier Foundation (with notes)

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2021 IECC Climate Zone 1A: Unvented Flat Roof, 2x4 Wall, Monolithic Slab on Grade (with notes)

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2021 IECC Climate Zone 3A: Unvented Attic, 2x4 Wall with Exterior Insulation, Unvented Crawlspace (with notes)

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This assembly for above-grade and below-grade garage walls in any climate zone uses continuous rigid insulation along the interior of the wall.

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2021 IECC Climate Zone 4C: Unvented Attic, 2x6 Wall with Exterior Insulation, Frost-Protected Shallow Foundation (with notes)

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2021 IECC Climate Zone 4C: Vented Attic, 2x4 Wall with Exterior Insulation, Basement with Interior and Exterior Insulation (with notes)

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2021 IECC Climate Zone 3A: Unvented Flat Roof, 2x4 Wall with Exterior Insulation, Monolithic Slab on Grade (with notes)

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Building America Special Research Project - High R-Value Enclosures for High Performance Residential Buildings in All Climate Zones, BA-1005

Reference

This report will review, and summarize the current state of understanding and research into enclosures with higher thermal resistance, so-called “High-R Enclosures.” Recommendations are provided for further research.

2021 IECC Climate Zone 3A: Unvented Flat Roof with Continuous Insulation, Steel Frame Wall, Monolithic Slab on Grade (with notes)

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This assembly for above-grade or below-grade garage walls in any climate zone uses a hybrid of continuous rigid insulation and cavity insulation on the interior side of the wall.

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Heated recirculation plenum spaces can be installed in parking garages in cold climates to prevent pipes from freezing and warm the floor of occupied space directly above the garage.

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This assembly can be used to thermally isolate heated or partially heated garages with slab foundations from the exterior in multifamily row houses/townhouses in IECC Climate Zones 3 and higher.

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This wall assembly for above-grade garage walls uses cavity insulation and should only be used in IECC Climate Zones 4 or lower due to the risk of condensation on the interior surface of the concrete wall.

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Double Walls for More Insulation

Guide

Guide describing construction and insulation techniques for double wall framing.

Mass Save Deep Energy Retrofit Builder Guide, GM-1302

Reference

Guidebook providing useful examples of high performance retrofit techniques for the building enclosure of wood frame residential construction in a cold and somewhat wet climate.