Insulation Institute Blog

Under Construction: A Resource for the Skilled Workforce

Building professionals across the country acknowledge one of the central challenges facing construction today is recruiting talented tradespeople. Ryan Miller, Founder and Executive Director of North Carolina Building Performance Association (NCBPA), a five-year-old not-for-profit association, is working on a solution: a toolkit of career resources for individuals interested in joining the high-performance building industry as a tradesperson. The resources will help guide students and others interested in the trades on the various career pathways in high-performance residential, commercial, and industrial buildings.

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Under Construction: A Resource for the Skilled Workforce

The Best Time to Air Seal

According to Home Innovation Research Labs’ recent Builder Omnibus Survey, air sealing ranks number four among a list of 18 top challenges for builders in meeting current energy efficiency requirements for new homes. Roughly 10 percent of builders reported difficulties meeting new airtightness levels. With contractors playing a significant role in helping builders reach these targets, is it time for home builders to reconsider the best time to air seal a new home? Michael Schettine of Accuframe believes builders must re-think their approach to air sealing to ensure success.

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The Best Time to Air Seal

HERS Raters Boost EE Competency for Builders

With 27 years’ experience as an insulation contractor in the Dallas/Fort Worth Area, Cardice Howard’s knowledge base about energy-efficient home construction is extensive. She’s seen that builders who work collaboratively with all trades achieve the best results, a better HERS score, and the desired home energy efficiency or air tightness targets. Leveraging her experience as an insulation contractor will be vital as she steps into her role as the Acting Deputy Director of Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET®), where she will work with raters to help builders construct more high-performance, energy-efficient homes.

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HERS Raters Boost EE Competency for Builders

Our Top Five Blog Posts of 2018

With 2018 coming to a close, we reviewed the most read blog posts of the year. Air sealing was our most popular topic. With more states adopting stronger energy codes, readers were very interested in how to use high-performance building practices and proper air sealing to achieve new air tightness targets.

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Our Top Five Blog Posts of 2018

New Video Covers 5 Top Air Sealing Areas in New Homes

Many builders challenged with meeting new, more stringent residential building energy code requirements like the 2012 or 2015 IECC have been having a tough go of it. One HERS rater reported earlier this year that roughly 50 percent of builders in his region of Texas would fail an initial blower door test under the 2012 IECC, which requires a 3ACH50 air change rate.

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New Video Covers 5 Top Air Sealing Areas in New Homes

Technology is a Bullet Train, Home Building a Bicycle

If technology is a bullet train, home building is a bicycle. Technological changes occur at a dizzying pace, but the main design of the bicycle – like that of a home, has changed very little in centuries. However, while home design principles haven’t changed much, architects and builders have more knowledge than ever before of building science and how it can improve building durability and performance.

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Technology is a Bullet Train, Home Building a Bicycle

5 Traits Great Project Managers

Deadlines, details, and demands are part and parcel of any construction project, whether residential or commercial. Project managers are largely responsible for overseeing all the aspects of a construction job and a well-trained, experienced, and attentive superintendent or project manager can be the difference between having a flawlessly executed build or major, expensive headaches during construction. Identifying the traits that make for a great project manager is a must for builders that want to maximize productivity and keep costs in line.

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5 Traits Great Project Managers

3.2 Billion Pounds of Progress!

No, we’re not talking about a collective Weight Watchers group-loss goal or the number of plastic straws no longer used by quick serve restaurants, but insulation. According to the results of a new survey released by NAIMA, its member companies in the U.S. and Canada used 3.2 billion pounds of recycled materials in the production of residential, commercial, thermal, and acoustical insulation products in 2017. This achievement is an extension of the industry’s longstanding commitment to substantial use of recycled content in the production of fiberglass and mineral wool insulation products.

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3.2 Billion Pounds of Progress!

Prepping for the Zero Energy Home Future

While only two U.S. states currently have a mandated goal of zero net energy (ZNE) home construction after 2020, Oregon and California, it’s becoming increasingly clear that ZNE homes will be much more prevalent in the not-too-distant future as states and municipalities look for ways to reduce carbon emissions and ultimately mitigate the impact of climate change. In fact, 280 U.S. cities and counties, 10 states and 2,717 signatories have committed to support climate action with the We are Still In agreement, which aims to reduce climate impact by among other things, lowering greenhouse gas emissions.

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Prepping for the Zero Energy Home Future

Should Solar Generation Trump Energy Conservation?

As communities and municipalities look to adopt improved building energy codes to meet climate or resiliency goals, including additional requirements for solar PV energy production is a common discussion point.

There are often suggestions to allow for a larger PV system and forego other energy efficiency improvements that were included in the last few energy code updates. It’s argued that if a home has a solar PV system included, it is more cost-effective to expand that solar PV system than to make efficiency improvements such as improved windows, walls, or ceiling insulation. The question is, more cost effective for whom?

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Should Solar Generation Trump Energy Conservation?