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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In the quest to meet new energy code requirements of the 2012/15 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC), some builders are finding that passing that all-important blower door test is their biggest challenge. As we’ve reported earlier this year, only 40 to 50 percent of new construction homes that must now meet the 3 ACH50 blower door target will pass the first test, but builders can increase the initial pass rate, according to Cosco Jones, owner of Jones Sustainable Solutions Group. Jones is a HERS rater who’s worked with more than a dozen builders to improve the energy performance of their new construction homes. He offered his advice to builders on how to not only increase the pass rate for blower door testing but also reduce their costs in the process.
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There are more Wi-Fi devices in use than there are people on Earth and about 50 percent of Internet traffic flows through Wi-Fi networks.[1] Wireless devices are everywhere, so it’s easy to understand why Wi-Fi connectivity is critical for homebuyers. Virtually everyone has had that experience of being in a home or building that has weak Wi-Fi connectivity, and that can be a major headache for buyers who rely on Wi-Fi connections.
For builders, designing a home with connectivity in mind is essential to ensuring homeowners don’t have to keep asking, “is the W-Fi off??”
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Home Builders take pride in the quality construction and workmanship of new homes. But even the best builder will occasionally be challenged with flaws in new construction that must be corrected. The complexity of new home construction, buyers’ lack of understanding about new home warranties, and internet savvy consumers raise the stakes for new home purchases and argue for independent home inspections.
Insulation Institute spoke with Frank Lesh, past president of the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) and Mike Chamberlain, owner of MC2 Home Inspections, a certified national home inspector. We discussed the prevalence of inspections for new homes, the three most common issues Chamberlain has encountered during those inspections, and what builders can do to ensure consistent quality construction.
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Maximizing cost effectiveness is every builder’s goal and every home buyer’s expectation. Each year, an impressive group of builders is recognized by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for their forward-thinking approaches to delivering Zero Energy Ready homes. The most exemplary of the annual winners achieve this extraordinary target while keeping costs in line. Utah-based Garbett Construction is a 2017 Housing Innovation Award winner, and its winning Elizabeth model delivers notably affordable high energy performance, using proven energy-efficient construction practices and economical blown-in fiberglass insulation.
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Builders today face a number of challenges in the face of a national shortage of available and affordable housing. At the top of the list is a deficit of skilled labor, a lack of construction knowledge by consumers and real estate agents, and a declining number of experienced and qualified general contractors for both onsite and modular home construction.
Factory-built home construction advocates argue that their construction process can tackle many of these issues. To get a clearer picture, Insulation Institute spoke with Ed Hudson, Director of Marketing Research Services at Home Innovation Research Labs, and Jay Young, Marketing and Licensing Agent for William Poole Designs about the current housing situation and the future of home construction in America.
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Since 2013 the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Housing Innovation Awards has recognized the top builders of zero energy ready homes. Housing Innovation award winners represent the top one percent of builders across the country who meet the most rigorous specifications for High-performance Homes. Among this year’s 24 winners is production builder Charles Thomas Homes.
Founded in 2009, Charles Thomas Homes constructs High-performance Homes that typically command a higher price than competing builders, but also deliver on energy efficiency and comfort, which is important in frosty climate zone 5. Part of the company’s winning approach to constructing energy-efficient homes includes blown fiberglass insulation in the attic and walls, demonstrating that high-performance doesn’t have to mean high price.
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By Thomas Peterson, Institute for Super Energy Efficient Building, Founder and President
The Institute for Super Energy Efficient Building
When I first became involved with energy efficient housing back in the 1970s I figured that such housing would quickly take off. It didn’t. I was determined to find out why.
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The popularity of HERS-rated homes is clear, with 38 percent of all new homes getting HERS rated in 2015[1]. This figure is indicative of the importance of this energy performance marker to both builders and homebuyers and the growth trend is likely to continue. As builder adoption of the HERS score expands, how can HERS raters help builders make the transition from standard code-built homes to HERS-rated homes more efficiently?
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Addison Homes, a green builder in Greenville, South Carolina, certainly didn’t set out to cause trade partners to grumble, murmur or gripe. They set out to build DOE certified Zero Energy Ready Homes (ZERH) to provide their customers with the energy savings, comfort and indoor air quality such homes deliver. To do that, Addison Homes had to get local trades on board by doing things a bit differently. In doing so, they provided award-winning homes that customers rave about. They even show off the energy-efficient features included in the home (the homeowners in their winning Cobbler Lane project show their guests the pristine conditioned crawlspace…seriously).
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