Walls and Roofs

Don't let your walls become a mold incubator. Here we explain the dew point in plain English to show you exactly how to keep moisture out of your home’s structure. Why your walls get wet: a 'building science made easy' guide to understanding the dew point Understanding the dew point in a home is like knowing the…

Reduce bird collisions by 90% with specialized window films. This expanded guide covers installation, energy efficiency benefits, and the latest building code requirements for bird safety. Bird films on windows: a homeowner's & pro's guide to protecting our feathered friends Millions of birds die annually due to…

Maximize efficiency and safety in your attached garage. Learn about high-performance door selection, heating strategies, floor drainage, and air sealing to protect your home's energy performance. Best practices for attached garages: a homeowner's & pro's guide Designing an attached garage requires a sophisticated…

How modern steel and aluminum cladding compare to wood in terms of durability, cost, and home protection. This guide provides a comprehensive look at the key aspects of this topic. Below is an overview of the sections we will cover, allowing you to jump directly to the information you need. Comparison: metal vs…

Which is the best roof design for a home? Learn how roof shape impacts insulation, overhangs, snow loads, and long-term durability for high-performance homes. Choosing a roof for a home: a homeowner's & pro's guide Deciding on a roof profile is one of the most consequential steps in residential design, influencing…

There is so much to consider when choosing the best windows for energy efficiency - frame type, Low-E coatings, triple or double pane, and gas filled windows. Should you include Argon and Krypton gas in windows. For anyone looking to replace windows or build a new home, the options to weed your way through can be…

Insulation focuses on R-values while windows show R-values and U-values. Learn the difference to help choose materials and design efficient homes. Understanding U-values, how are they different to R-values? Most homeowners have a general idea of what R-value mean, and it is the most commonly understood metric for…

What is the best insulation material available and what are the best insulated windows? Aerogel is a super-insulator for walls and windows that may revolutionize how we design and build homes. Aerogel in sustainable building: Is this the best new insulation material? Aerogel is often called 'frozen smoke' because of…

Vapor variable membranes - what are they and when to use them? Learn when its better to have vapor barriers that regulate moisture. Vapor open membranes and smart vapor barriers: what they are and when to use them Vapor variable membranes, often called smart vapor barriers or vapor open membranes, are one of the…

Don't let your R-value drift away! Learn which foam insulation materials lose thermal performance over time and why the Long-Term Thermal Resistance (LTTR) is the only number that matters for a high-performance home. Thermal drift in insulation: are insulation R Values accurate and why do they change? Thermal drift…

An authoritative resource on graphite-infused EPS insulation, covering its superior R-value, fire resistance, global terminology (GPS, G-EPS, Neopor), and best practices for energy-efficient building projects. This guide provides a comprehensive look at the key aspects of this topic. Below is an overview of the…