Modular home building is a fast growing segment of the offsite construction industry. Sometimes known as factory-built, system-built, prefabricated or prefab, don’t confuse this type of building with mobile homes. A mobile home or manufactured home, as they are sometimes called, can be moved to a different location. Modular homes are placed on a permanent […]
In earlier blog posts about net-zero homes and super-insulated wall construction we touched on the Passivhaus concept. With the upcoming 20th International Passive House Conference, in Darmstadt, Germany, from April 22-23, 2016, it’s an ideal time to take a closer look at this housing standard. As you may have guessed, Passivhaus is German for passive […]
Most new homes are much more insulated than in the past. Much of the improvement has been achieved by specifying thicker walls that can accommodate more insulation. However, there’s still the issue of thermal bridging where heat passes through studs and other framing and is lost to the outdoors. Also, there’s the degree of airtightness […]
In the past, cold drafty houses were the norm. We cranked up the heat to force all that chilly air out. There was also a greater tolerance for uncomfortably warm homes in summer months. But now, whole house air conditioning is so prevalent they can affect entire electric power grids during heat waves. Over the […]