Lessons From Our House That Could Be Applied More Affordably

Yes, our house cost a lot more than I would have liked, but many of the ideas used in it could be implemented more affordably

Report on Our Ductless Minisplit Heat Pump

Testing the limits of the air-source heat pump in our new house with this cold weather

What’s New with Water-Resistive Barriers

We’ve come a long way from the early Tyvek housewrap: our experience with Pro Clima Solitex, a WRB from Germany

EcoSeal: A New System for Air Sealing Homes

Knauf EcoSeal, a sprayable caulk installed prior to cavity-fill insulation, can provide a significant reduction in air leakage

Installing Cork Insulation

Climbing the learning curve in working with a new insulation material

Cork Insulation on Our Farmhouse

Why we chose cork exterior insulation for our net-zero-energy house

Extending Window Openings for a Deep Energy Retrofit

For weather-tight window installations, we prefabricated the window surrounds and used advanced European tapes

Serious Materials Exits the High-Performance Window Business

Serious Materials' venture into window manufacturing received lots of press attention, but press attention alone wasn't enough to save the business

Flanged window as in-betweenie in a double-stud wall — head detail

Air Barriers

An Air Barrier Is an Essential Part of the Building Envelope