When you are designing building envelopes, knowing the real energy efficiency of your walls is essential to success. The walls are a large surface area of the house and are often the least energy efficient. There are ways to improve the energy efficiency of your walls without significant changes to the way you build. One …
Wood framing is still the dominant technique employed when constructing North American homes. While this is a cost-effective method, designers and builders should keep in mind that with new energy codes there are ways to increase the amount of wall insulation, reduce the amount of lumber used, and reduce thermal bridging by introducing advanced framing techniques.
This year’s hurricane season has been brutal with damage to property and loss of life causing many whose homes have been affected to rethink their rebuilds. As construction professionals, offering raised-wood flooring options could really level up your game.
Intersecting walls pose an energy-efficiency conundrum. The usual way to address the situation is through ladder backing (as opposed to 3-stud wall bucks) and continuous sealant for the top and bottom places along the stud edges. But this incredibly clever solution is easier, and provides room for more robust insulation.
Essex Homes builds over 350 homes each year while maintaining their small-town personal touch and strong commitment to values. They focus on energy efficiency to provide homeowners with effective building envelopes that are environmentally friendly.
