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Wrong – No air barrier installed between the walls and a larger gap between the walls that needs sealing

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Wrong – If the insulated sheathing will serve as an air barrier and drainage plane, any cuts and seams must be taped or sealed.

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Infrared thermography during depressurization testing reveals air leakage at corner of spray foam-insulated room where wood-to-wood seams in framing were not air sealed

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Right-- IR photo shows how effectively spray foam insulated/air sealed attic kneewall and the floor cavities under kneewall

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Construct exterior walls with insulated concrete forms (ICFs) that provide insulation without thermal bridging, as well as air sealing, a drainage plane, and high structural strength.

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Right – Structural insulated sheathing can provide racking strength (lateral load resistance), and serve as an air barrier and thermal barrier if installed according to manufacturer’s specifications with taped, sealed seams

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Right – This attic knee wall and the floor joist cavity openings beneath it are being sealed and insulated with spray foam.

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The attic kneewall and the open floor cavities under kneewall are both sealed and insulated in one step with spray foam insulation

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New Whole-House Solutions Case Study: Pine Mountain Builders, Pine Mountain, Georgia

Case Study

Case study describing a builder in Georgia that designs energy-efficient homes for a green community, yielding homes with HERS scores as lowas 59 and electric bills as low as $50 a month.

The thermal boundary for a gable roof can be located at either a) the flat ceiling with a vented attic or b) the roof line for an unvented attic

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A low-sloped shed roof with the thermal boundary located at either a) the flat ceiling with a vented attic or b) the roof line for an unvented attic

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A 1- and ½-story home with a room located in the attic and the thermal boundary located at either a) the walls and ceiling of the attic room with small vented attic spaces or b) the roof line for an unvented attic

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Technology Solutions Case Study: Preventing Thermal Bypass

Case Study

Case study describing techniques used to prevent thermal bypass in new homes.

Advanced Framing vs Traditional Framing

Video

Video describing traditional 2x4 16 inch on center framing versus advanced framing with 2x6 stud walls at 24 inch on center, insulated corners and headers, wall stud-ceiling joist alignment, etc. providing a strong wall with more room for insulation.

Attic Eave Minimum Insulation

Guide

Guide providing guidance on insulating attic eaves in new and existing single-family homes and multifamily buildings.

Builders Challenge Technology Information Packages - Cold Climate: Chicago

Case Study

Case study describing building in cold and very cold climates.

Well insulated slab

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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.

New Whole-House Solutions Case Study: Lancaster County Career and Technology Center Green Home 3 - Mount Joy, Pennsylvania

Case Study

Case study describing the Green Home 3 project, which achieved a 44% whole-house energy savings over the Building America New Construction B10 Benchmark, DOE Zero Energy Ready Home certification, and National Green Building Standard Gold-level certification.

Technology Solutions Case Study: Stand-Off Furring in Deep Energy Retrofits

Case Study

Case study describing a stand-off furring strategy that minimizes the physical connections to each existing wall stud, uses spray foam to encapsulate existing siding materials (including lead paint), and creates a vented rain screen assembly to promote drying.

Wrong – No air barrier installed between the walls and a larger gap between the walls that needs sealing

Wrong – If the insulated sheathing will serve as an air barrier and drainage plane, any cuts and seams must be taped or sealed.

Infrared thermography during depressurization testing reveals air leakage at corner of spray foam-insulated room where wood-to-wood seams in framing were not air sealed

Right-- IR photo shows how effectively spray foam insulated/air sealed attic kneewall and the floor cavities under kneewall

Construct exterior walls with insulated concrete forms (ICFs) that provide insulation without thermal bridging, as well as air sealing, a drainage plane, and high structural strength.

Right – Structural insulated sheathing can provide racking strength (lateral load resistance), and serve as an air barrier and thermal barrier if installed according to manufacturer’s specifications with taped, sealed seams

Right – This attic knee wall and the floor joist cavity openings beneath it are being sealed and insulated with spray foam.

The attic kneewall and the open floor cavities under kneewall are both sealed and insulated in one step with spray foam insulation

New Whole-House Solutions Case Study: Pine Mountain Builders, Pine Mountain, Georgia

The thermal boundary for a gable roof can be located at either a) the flat ceiling with a vented attic or b) the roof line for an unvented attic

A low-sloped shed roof with the thermal boundary located at either a) the flat ceiling with a vented attic or b) the roof line for an unvented attic

A 1- and ½-story home with a room located in the attic and the thermal boundary located at either a) the walls and ceiling of the attic room with small vented attic spaces or b) the roof line for an unvented attic

Technology Solutions Case Study: Preventing Thermal Bypass

Advanced Framing vs Traditional Framing

Attic Eave Minimum Insulation

Builders Challenge Technology Information Packages - Cold Climate: Chicago

Well insulated slab

Mass Save Deep Energy Retrofit Builder Guide, GM-1302

New Whole-House Solutions Case Study: Lancaster County Career and Technology Center Green Home 3 - Mount Joy, Pennsylvania

Technology Solutions Case Study: Stand-Off Furring in Deep Energy Retrofits

1 inch exterior insulation sheathing as attic eave baffle and vent

Double Walls for More Insulation

Continuous Rigid Insulation Sheathing