2020 promises to be a momentous year for all of us in the building industry. We’re gazing into the crystal ball, via some expert opinions, to see just what residential building trends will help shape a new decade of high-performance construction. […]
Staying on top of building code changes is not easy. No matter where you live in the US or Canada, it’s always building season. As new products flood the market and changing climates and strengthening storms change the face of construction, building codes are constantly changing [...]
We follow hundreds of influencers, builders, designers, and all-around inspiring people on Instagram. In fact, a few months ago we highlighted 10 of our favorite Residential Builders and Remodelers on Instagram. But with more than a billion active users and accounts on Instagram, we knew there [...]
ZERO. As in net zero or Zero Energy Ready Homes (ZERH). The watchword for the industry. A path forward for our buildings. This type of home, which outperforms today’s standard to-code buildings and delivers the opportunity for ultra-low or nonexistent energy bills, is also an [...]
For homebuilding in the U.S., the future is now. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has established a goal that all new buildings in the U.S. will be built to a net-zero-energy standard by 2030. With only a decade to go, the good news is [...]
We know where the current International Code Council stands, but what does the landscape look like at a state level, where we actually live and build? We spoke to Joe Nebbia, of Newport Partners LLC, to gain his insight into the sometimes confusing panorama of codes. [...]
Your roof. Excluding rafters, this two-inch layer is meant to protect the entire structure from the elements. That includes high and low temperatures, rain, ultraviolet radiation, snow, ice, and hailstones. It’s also required to stand up to hurricanes, tornadoes, microbursts, derecho storms, and blizzards. Which [...]
Driven by imagery, hashtags and live video, Instagram should be part of every builder’s marketing mix. Yet there are few who are really utilizing the platform to its fullest. Going beyond to deliver informative content that’s more than just great photos, here are 10 of [...]
Chances are that housing development going up around the corner has OSB (oriented strand board) as exterior sheathing. Indeed, when you count walls, roofs, and sub-floors, OSB claims about 70% of the wood sheathing market in North America over plywood. But why? Both products have [...]
Energy codes have big impacts on how homes are built and what goes into them. In fact, with each new release of The International Energy Conservation Code®, we’re seeing dramatic shifts in the way builders are tackling the building envelope. Why is that important to [...]
No matter where you live, you will find housewrap being used on construction sites. It’s one of the most widely applied water and air barriers in modern home building. Unfortunately, house wrap is often installed poorly — blowing in the wind, loose seams, ripped or torn [...]
In this Field Guide to House Wrap & Seaming, we’ve gathered the most important installation and seaming tape tips to build quality, energy-efficient buildings. We will cover building code best practices, how to install house wrap (the right way), how to prevent common house wrap [...]
