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Air Sealed, Insulated Basements

Guide

Guide describing how to insulate a basement to improve the overall thermal performance of the building and provide more dry, usable conditioned space for home occupants and HVAC equipment.

Pumpkin Ridge Passive House video #006: Insulation Details

Video

Video describing the EPS foam used to insulate the exterior of a passive house.

This exterior insulated slab-on-grade monolithic grade beam foundation is protected from pests by termite shield at the sill plate, borate-treated framing, flashing at end of wall insulation, brick veneer over slab-edge insulation, and rock ground cover.

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Insulate a monolithic concrete slab above the slab with rigid foam

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Insulated concrete forms (ICF) provide an insulated below-grade foundation wall; the floor is connected to the ICF wall with joist hangers and ledger bolted into the concrete core of the ICF

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A monolithic concrete slab is insulated on the exterior slab edge with rigid foam

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Exterior XPS basement insulation is correctly installed to completely cover the foundation wall

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The slab edge of this floating slab and the stem wall are insulated to thermally separate the conditioned living space from the garage

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The concrete slab is thermally isolated from the concrete foundation stem wall and the stem wall is insulated for cold climates

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Stucco is installed over rigid insulation, which is installed over a drainage plane consisting of a drainage gap and building wrap layer over the sheathing

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Foil-faced rigid foam and spray foam can be used to insulate a basement on the interior; use good moisture management techniques to keep the basement dry

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Exterior fiberglass insulation on this new home was (incorrectly) cut to terminate below-grade after backfill, which will expose the above-grade portions of the foundation wall to cold temperatures

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This basement is insulated on the exterior with rigid foam over dampproofing, with granular backfill and footing drains to facilitate drainage away from the foundation, a termite shield to protect from pests, and cellular PVC to protect the rigid foam.

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Insulate a post-tensioned monolithic concrete slab: A) Install rigid foam in form before pouring concrete for slab, B) After concrete cures, install a second layer of rigid foam and protection board on the exterior perimeter of the wall

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Right – Insulated concrete form (ICF) blocks are stacked like bricks, then rebar is set horizontally and vertically in the plastic spacers, then concrete is poured; the rigid foam and spacers stay in place to add support and thermal resistance to the wall

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Increase Seismic Resistance and Thermal Performance of Basement, Crawl Space, and Crawl Space with Cripple Wall Foundations

Guide

Guide describing different options for providing seismic and thermal resistance for homes with basement foundations, crawlspace foundations, or crawlspace foundations with a "cripple" wall.

DOE ZERH HIA 2017 Case Study: United Way of Long Island, United Veterans Beacon House, Huntington Station, NY

Case Study

Case study showing project and performance data and energy-efficiency measures for a DOE 2017 Housing Innovation Award winning home that was certified to the DOE Zero Energy Ready Home criteria.

Rigid foam is installed behind the brick veneer and at the slab edge and perimeter to thermally isolate the concrete floor slab from the stem wall

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Moisture Control for Residential Buildings

Reference

Report providing extensive guidance on controlling moisture in building envelopes through proper selection and installation on air, water, thermal, and vapor barriers.

DOE ZERH HIA 2014 Case Study: M Street Homes, Smartlux on Greenpark Houston, TX

Case Study

Case study describing a DOE Zero Energy Ready Home 2014 Housing Innovation Award winner that scored HERS 45 without PV and 32 with PV and is the first home in the world to use a tri-generation system to supply electricity, heating, and cooling on site.