Insulation Institute Blog

The Health of U.S. Homes

Did you know that 40 percent of U.S. homes have at least one health or safety hazard? In fact, 35 million U.S. homes place their occupants at risk for health hazards, according to the National Center for Healthy Housing.[1] These homes have a range of problems, from mold and air leaks to toxic chemicals. Some states fare better than others. As consumer concern about healthy homes increases, access to data about the health of U.S. housing stock by state is useful to inform the marketplace and position new construction homes as a healthier option than many existing homes.

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The Health of U.S. Homes

Getting Granular on Clean Energy Jobs

E2 has published new, interesting data on clean energy jobs by congressional districts. Clean energy employment[1] (jobs in renewable energy and energy efficiency) accounts for 3 million U.S. jobs, and the sector will likely grow following the passage of the massive infrastructure bill. E2’s searchable database allows users a closer look at where those jobs are.

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Getting Granular on Clean Energy Jobs

25 Checkpoints for Inspecting Insulation Jobs

Most home builders have a point-person responsible for ensuring that tradespeople are completing their work as specified. For some, that means there’s someone physically walking through homes after the insulation has been installed to ensure that the job is done properly. But do they know where to look? Our 25 checkpoints guide can help.

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25 Checkpoints for Inspecting Insulation Jobs

Award-Winning Construction with Fiberglass

Each year since 2013, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Housing Innovation Awards recognize forward-thinking builders who construct homes that are Zero Energy Ready (with net zero achievable with the addition of solar panels). Among the winners of the 2021 Housing Innovation Awards is Milwaukee-area builder Tim O’Brien Homes, which took a top prize for a 3,000 square foot high-performance custom home insulated with blown-in fiberglass insulation.

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Award-Winning Construction with Fiberglass

The Most and Least Efficient States

While some states have aggressive stretch energy code requirements, other states lag in their efforts. A new report from WalletHub, a personal finance company, analyzes data from various government agencies in 48 states and ranks each in their building, auto, and transportation efficiency. The report finds that Utah is the most energy-efficient state while South Carolina is the least. So how does your state rank?

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The Most and Least Efficient States

Smart Tech Can Drive Sustainable Homes

Peggy Smedley hosts the No.1 digital transformation and internet of things podcast in the nation. She has spent the better part of the past two decades teaching companies about the disruptive and innovative capabilities of technology and how to leverage those technologies for a better world. A passionate advocate for sustainability, Smedley believes that smart home technology can play a role in helping home builders affect national sustainability goals.

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Smart Tech Can Drive Sustainable Homes

5 Red Flags That Derail Recruiting

Author and Marketing Expert Kelly McDonald of McDonald Marketing recently offered sage advice to insulation contracting company owners attending the 2021 Insulation Contractors Association of America (ICAA) conference in San Antonio last month: You must get smarter about recruiting and retaining employees. McDonald laid out proven strategies to hire and retain workers and called out five big mistakes that companies make that derail their recruiting efforts.

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5 Red Flags That Derail Recruiting

October 6 is EEDay 2021 – Help Spread the Word

Next Wednesday, October 6, marks the sixth celebration of Energy Efficiency (EE) Day 2021 (EEDay2021). EE Day is a collaborative effort including dozens of energy efficiency advocacy groups in the U.S., including the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), Alliance to Save Energy, National Resources Defense Council, and regional energy efficiency organizations. The goal is to encourage consumers and organizations to save money, cut pollution, and create jobs by focusing on energy efficiency.

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October 6 is EEDay 2021 – Help Spread the Word

Great Insulation and Air Sealing at Lower Costs

In home construction, getting great air sealing and insulation are the Holy Grail in delivering a high-performance home with an effective thermal envelope. The prevailing belief among many in the building industry is that only spray foam insulation can deliver the thermal performance and airtightness that is required but that simply isn’t true. Moreover, installed costs are a top consideration for most builders, thus finding products that can help builders meet thermal performance and airtightness targets for less is important. Insulation Institute looks this week at new case studies for residential construction that show even the most aggressive airtightness targets can be met cost-effectively without using spray foam.

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Great Insulation and Air Sealing at Lower Costs

ENERGY STAR Falls Behind in Thermal Envelope Performance

For more than 25 years, the ENERGY STAR® Homes program has positioned itself as the market leader in cost-effective, energy-efficient new home construction. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) advertises that homes built to ENERGY STAR specifications are 10 to 20 percent more efficient than homes built to code1. But behind the advertising claim, what does an ENERGY STAR really demand from homes bearing its label? The ENERGY STAR Homes program reference designs for Versions 3 and 3.1 include 2009 and 2012 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) envelope requirements, respectively. Oddly, the program’s inspection checklists only require the thermal envelope to meet 2009 IECC prescriptive requirements. ENERGY STAR also allows homes to go below 2009 IECC insulation2 levels if improved air sealing is achieved.

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ENERGY STAR Falls Behind in Thermal Envelope Performance