Contributed by Matthew Brown, Engineered Wood Specialist, APA — The Engineered Wood Association
The 2018 International Residential Code (IRC) and the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) offer new provisions for HVAC duct design within ventilated attic spaces. These provisions increase the options for builders working to meet the requirements of the energy code using the performance or Energy Rating Index (ERI) method of compliance.
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Wall system design is increasingly challenging for builders and architects, as modern building practices have changed and codes have become much more stringent to meet energy efficiency requirements. Uncertainty about moisture risk associated with innovative envelope approaches can hinder adoption of new approaches and technologies.
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Ask any builder around the country about top challenges and you are pretty likely to hear three things:
Time is a precious commodity and no one wants to waste it. Managing the day-to-day obstacles that confront builders can make it difficult to keep abreast of the business-building ideas and developments in areas such as consumer trends, technological advancements and new construction practices. While the Internet may have made information more accessible, it can be difficult to synthesize the volume of it, especially given the pressing priorities that consume work hours. Podcasts, digital audio files that can be downloaded to a computer or mobile device, give busy builders and building industry professionals an opportunity to get free, quick learning on-the-go — at any time of the day in 30 – 45 minutes. Here are five practical, informative and business-building podcasts of note:
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Home builders are selling an emotional experience as much as a residence to buyers. A big part of that experience is the overall comfort of a home and insulation plays a major role in achieving comfort. But, poor quality installation can negatively impact the performance of the insulation. That’s why hiring the right insulation contractor is a must. Savvy builders know that product cost isn’t the only factor in the value equation, and while some contractors will check all the boxes and agree to meet all of the requirements for the job, there’s a level of detail involved in doing the best quality work. If the focus is on superior quality installation, builders should ask three questions of the insulation contractors who want to work for them.
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Reducing residential construction accidents requires builders and contractors increase emphasis on worker safety training.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) last November issued a final rule that updates its walking-working standard, first published 44 years ago. The new rule now makes general industry subject to the fall protection requirements, but does not change construction and agricultural standards. OSHA’s expansion of the walking-working surfaces rule signals that it views reducing worker injuries and fatalities seriously and builders and their contractor business owners should take note, says Mark Paskell, Founder of The Contractor Coaching Partnership, Inc.
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The housing industry is changing, and quality insulation installation matter more than ever before. Poor quality insulation installation can reduce energy efficiency, lower a home’s HERS score, prevent qualification for certification and incentive programs even endanger code compliance. In this new video, Insulation Institute lays out the business case for builders on quality insulation installation.
Mold in a home can create indoor air quality and health issues for the occupants, cost builders and contractors thousands of dollars to fix and result in costly and lengthy litigation. Moreover, increasingly tight construction with less natural ventilation may create indoor environments prone to moisture buildup, one of the key requirements for mold growth. The best and least expensive strategy for builders to address mold is prevention. Insulation Institute talked with Certified Indoor Environmental Consultant Mike Lanius of Indoor Environmental Professionals about the prevalence of mold in new construction, ways to prevent it and the single most common error he sees in new construction that leads to mold and what builders can do to prevent it.
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Behavioral Economics is focused on understanding how people, with all of our foibles and inadequacies, disrupt the pleasant simplicity of a marketplace full of rational actors. It began as behavioral psychologists started applying their findings to economics and marketplace decisions. The field has gone mainstream, with many best-selling books and Nobel Prizes in economics going to pioneers in the field. However, most businesses have yet to truly understand how significant this is. The building industry, largely B2B focused, has been slower than many B2C markets to incorporate this thinking. Why? Because all that behavioral economics stuff is about the average consumer, not the savvy business person making decisions, right? Wrong. We are all human, and subject to the same flaws in thinking. This issue is directly relevant in building industry purchase decisions, and we will show you why.
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Even the title of this blog adds confusion to a subject that, on the surface, doesn’t seem like it should be that complex. To say there is “proper” installation implies there is also “improper,” in other words just plain wrong. However, some think the assessment of insulation installation quality is in fact much more nuanced than that. Others prefer the more black and white approach. In the face of differences of opinion, where would most in the building industry turn for the final word? To the building code, of course. However, code language may only add to the ambiguity around this subject, and inconsistent code enforcement certainly does. In this blog, we explore the different definitions and terminology related to insulation installation, what code says about it (and what it doesn’t) and why all this matters for home construction, whether it’s code built homes or those meeting more stringent high performance targets.
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