Every four to five years, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration surveys American households about energy use and affordability. Preliminary results from the 2024 Residential Energy Consumption Survey (RECS) point to a notable increase in energy insecurity—a trend that policymakers, builders, and industry stakeholders cannot ignore.
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NAIMA released two publications this week highlighting a significant gap between the labeled R-values and the actual thermal performance of reflective insulation products. These publications can help designers, engineers, and contractors make informed decisions about using these products.
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The exploding U.S. energy demand, particularly for electricity driven by data centers, electrification, and broader economic activity, makes a compelling case for expanding insulation to manage consumption. The release this week of the Business Council for Sustainable Energy’s and Bloomberg NEF’s 2026 Sustainable Energy in America Factbook provides comprehensive year-over-year details and data-driven trends that only bolster the case for insulation to help manage the resulting impacts.
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Moisture is involved in most building envelope performance problems, including mold growth, metal corrosion, and other material degradation. In fact, home repairs due to moisture-related issues cost an estimated $32B annually, according to the Federal Reserve Bank.
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One would be hard-pressed to find anyone in the housing industry who disagrees that affordability remains the biggest challenge in the U.S. today. Yet affordability doesn’t tell the whole story – a deeper dive is necessary to explain the issues plaguing our housing market now. Here are three underreported housing stories that deserve more attention.
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NAIMA has just released a new publication, Retrofitting Vented Attics: Solutions That Work. The guide details how to properly insulate vented attics while allowing proper air flow through various types of vents, including soffit, ridge, box/slant, gable, turbine, and power vents.
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While home affordability has risen to the top of the national challenges list in recent years, Habitat for Humanity has been tackling the issue for nearly 50 years to benefit low-income families. Insulation Institute recently talked with Adrienne Goolsby, Habitat for Humanity’s senior vice president, U.S. and Canada, about the company’s builds and how it keeps the cost of ownership, not just home building, at the center of its operations.
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New home construction defects are far too common in residential buildings. According to a white paper from Professional Warranty Service Corporation, 25 percent of new homes may experience some form of structural defect, and most latent defects appear between the first four to seven years. Most of those problems can be avoided with good, thoughtful design and good training.
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Insulation does more than keep homes warm in the winter and cool in the summer. It is the foundation of resilient, affordable, environmentally friendly, and sustainable living. As the national dialogue around housing affordability grows, it’s worth noting these four ways that insulation creates homes that last, save, and sustain.
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