Most home builders have a point-person responsible for ensuring that tradespeople are completing their work as specified. For some, that means there’s someone physically walking through homes after the insulation has been installed to ensure that the job is done properly. But do they know where to look? Our 25 checkpoints guide can help.

Each year since 2013, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Housing Innovation Awards recognize forward-thinking builders who construct homes that are Zero Energy Ready (with net zero achievable with the addition of solar panels). Among the winners of the 2021 Housing Innovation Awards is Milwaukee-area builder Tim O’Brien Homes, which took a top...

While some states have aggressive stretch energy code requirements, other states lag in their efforts. A new report from WalletHub, a personal finance company, analyzes data from various government agencies in 48 states and ranks each in their building, auto, and transportation efficiency. The report finds that Utah is the most energy-efficient...

Peggy Smedley hosts the No.1 digital transformation and internet of things podcast in the nation. She has spent the better part of the past two decades teaching companies about the disruptive and innovative capabilities of technology and how to leverage those technologies for a better world. A passionate advocate for sustainability, Smedley...

Author and Marketing Expert Kelly McDonald of McDonald Marketing recently offered sage advice to insulation contracting company owners attending the 2021 Insulation Contractors Association of America (ICAA) conference in San Antonio last month: You must get smarter about recruiting and retaining employees. McDonald laid out proven strategies to...

Next Wednesday, October 6, marks the sixth celebration of Energy Efficiency (EE) Day 2021 (EEDay2021). EE Day is a collaborative effort including dozens of energy efficiency advocacy groups in the U.S., including the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE), Alliance to Save Energy, National Resources Defense Council, and regional...

In home construction, getting great air sealing and insulation are the Holy Grail in delivering a high-performance home with an effective thermal envelope. The prevailing belief among many in the building industry is that only spray foam insulation can deliver the thermal performance and airtightness that is required but that simply isn’t true....

For more than 25 years, the ENERGY STAR® Homes program has positioned itself as the market leader in cost-effective, energy-efficient new home construction. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) advertises that homes built to ENERGY STAR specifications are 10 to 20 percent more efficient than homes built to code¹. But behind the advertising...

Man-made vitreous fibers (MMVFs) or synthetic vitreous fibers (SVFs), specifically glass, rock/stone or slag wools, have multiple end-use applications but are most commonly used as insulation. MMVFs have been studied by health and safety experts for decades. Most notably, the potential carcinogenicity (ability or tendency to produce cancer) of...

Architects play a critical role in the push to decarbonize the built environment, which accounts for 40 percent of global CO₂ emissions. A new and urgent global appeal to architects to accelerate their participation in decarbonization is being driven by the founder of Architecture 2030, Edward Mazria. He recently wrote an open letter urging...