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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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Indoor airPLUS Technical Bulletin Pest Entry Prevention

Reference

A factsheet providing information on how to prevent pests from entering the home by sealing cracks and openings.

DOE ZERH HIA 2013 Case Study: Weiss Building & Development, Custom Home, Downers Grove, Illinois

Case Study

Case study describing a DOE Zero Energy Ready Home 2013 Housing Innovation Award winning custom home in Downers Grove IL that scored HERS 35 without PV.

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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Construct Roofs and Attics for Ice Dam Prevention

Guide

Guide describing how ice dams form and how roofs can be constructed to prevent them.

Design for Extreme Heat

Information Guide

Information guide describing ways to design and build a home to be resistant to periods of extreme heat.

Right - The vent hood is flashed

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Attic Ventilation Fans

Information Guide

Information guide describing the use of attic ventilation fans to mechanically pull outside air through the attic in an attempt to cool the attic, control moisture, and prevent ice dams.

Integrated Truss House - How to install inset windows

Video

Video from Cold Climate Housing Research Center showing how to install inset windows correctly to keep cold air and moisture at bay.

Cold Climate Building Techniques and Concepts: Vapor retarder

Video

Video from Cold Climate Housing Research Center showing how to correctly install a vapor retarder for best air leakage prevention.

FORTIFIED Home Inside FORTIFIED

Reference

Website providing resources for roofers to construct high-wind, hurricane, and hail-resistant roofs from IBHS Fortified program.

Low-Slope ("Flat") Roofs

Guide

A guide describing how to install low-sloped ("flat") roofs with insulation above the roof deck that resist wind pressures during high-wind events.

Condensation Control in Attics and Roofs in Cold Weather

Guide

Guide describing causes of condensation in attics and roof assemblies during cold weather and ways to reduce this condensation.

Right - The pipe penetration is properly flashed and furring strips are installed on each side in preparation for installing cladding

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Attic Eave Minimum Insulation

Guide

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

A piece of siding is used as sill extension and to provide slope in the opening for the window, which is deeper because exterior rigid foam has been added

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Insulating sheathing is installed on exterior of an existing framed wall with water control between existing sheathing and insulating sheathing

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Residential Heating and Cooling Loads Component Analysis

Reference

Report describing a study using parametric computer simulations of 112 single-family and 63 multi-family residential building prototypes to quantify the contributions of building components such as roofs, walls, windows, infiltration, outside air, lighting, equipment, and people to the aggregate...

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.

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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gutters and good drainage

Video

Video from Cold Climate Housing Research Center explaining how to correctly 'fur' and outside wall for maximum insulation protection.

How to: REMOTE Wall System Part 2

Video

Video from Cold Climate Housing Research Center on complete wall system construction guidelines in cold climates. Part 2 of 2.

Weatherstripping

Reference

Fact sheet describing how weatherstripping can be an easy and cost-effective way to save money on energy costs and improve comfort by reducing drafts.

How to: REMOTE Wall System Part 1

Video

Video from Cold Climate Housing Research Center on complete wall system construction guidelines in cold climates. Part 1 of 2.

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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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

Indoor airPLUS Technical Bulletin Pest Entry Prevention

DOE ZERH HIA 2013 Case Study: Weiss Building & Development, Custom Home, Downers Grove, Illinois

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

Construct Roofs and Attics for Ice Dam Prevention

Design for Extreme Heat

Right - The vent hood is flashed

Attic Ventilation Fans

Integrated Truss House - How to install inset windows

Cold Climate Building Techniques and Concepts: Vapor retarder

FORTIFIED Home Inside FORTIFIED

Low-Slope ("Flat") Roofs

Condensation Control in Attics and Roofs in Cold Weather

Right - The pipe penetration is properly flashed and furring strips are installed on each side in preparation for installing cladding

Attic Eave Minimum Insulation

A piece of siding is used as sill extension and to provide slope in the opening for the window, which is deeper because exterior rigid foam has been added

Insulating sheathing is installed on exterior of an existing framed wall with water control between existing sheathing and insulating sheathing

Residential Heating and Cooling Loads Component Analysis

Mass Save Deep Energy Retrofit Builder Guide, GM-1302

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.

gutters and good drainage

How to: REMOTE Wall System Part 2

Weatherstripping

How to: REMOTE Wall System Part 1

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.

Sprinkler Insulation

New Whole-House Solutions Case Study: Nelson Construction: Hamilton Way, Farmington, CT

Freeze Protection for CPVC Fire Sprinkler Piping Guide