Architect Laura Nettleton is standing in a former classroom in a 120-year-old elementary school that she helped turn into one of the most energy-efficient apartment buildings in Pittsburgh. She is talking, metaphorically, about coats. Her coat — stylish and black with wide sleeves and an open collar — is the old way of building: thinly…
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High-Performance Design and Construction on a Budget Momentum behind zero energy building design and construction is increasing, presenting a tremendous opportunity for advancing energy performance in the commercial building industry. At the same time, there is a lingering perception that zero energy buildings—which produce as much renewable energy as the total energy they consume on…
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At BuildSMART, we believe that higher expectations for building performance, durability, and occupant health make building today more challenging than ever before. Take for example the 2000 IBC, which increased the possibilities for wood construction by (among other things) officially recognizing additional fire protection strategies for wood frame buildings. As the IBC continues to evolve…
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Computerizing and automating home panelization Tedd Benson has “only a small ambition,” he told assembled guests at the grand opening of his Unity Homes factory in Keene, N.H., in 2018. “We intend to change the building industry. Dramatically.” Benson’s roots as a builder go back to the 1970s, when he helped to kick-start the timber-framing…
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Consumers are attracted to the cost savings green features provide. Nearly half of home buyers are willing to invest between $1,000 and $9,999 for $1,000 annual savings on their utility bills, with 37 percent willing to spend upward of $10,000. This according to the 2019 NAHB survey of nearly 4,000 home buyers. To achieve their…
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R-Value/SIPS Panels Information The type of insulation you choose can result in thousands of dollars saved in utility bills over the life of your home. Insulation is rated by R-Value, which measures a material’s thermal resistance. Insulating materials with a higher R-Value correspond with increasingly better performance. However, studies have shown that determined R-Values have…
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4 Undeniable Benefits of Offsite Construction It takes an average of four to six months to build the typical new construction home and in the homebuilding business, time is money. Complicating the issue for most builders is a shortage of skilled tradespeople, including framing carpenters, the constraints of weather-related delays, and countless other risks associated with construction…
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FastFlash is the first and only fluid-applied flashing to be evaluated and approved by the International Code Council Evaluation Service. FastFlash has racked up yet another industry first – it’s the first and only fluid-applied flashing included in an Evaluation Service Report (ESR) from the International Code Council Evaluation Service (ICC-ES). The organization, a third…
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Factory-made components are helping builders achieve passive levels of performance. These days, it’s not uncommon for builders to construct homes from panels. They provide an attractive combination of customization, factory quality control, and reduced construction time—at a point when the industry is facing a nationwide shortage of skilled labor. All these benefits make panelization ideal…
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The Accelerator’s second Prefab Summit showcased another series of prefab all-stars with materials and methods intended for buildings small and large. Each speaker brought a depth of experience to the event and a sense of the excitement and growth currently being experienced by so many in the prefab industry. There are too many great moments…
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