Builder Ryan McCoon, LEED APH of Endura Performance Homes, has more than 30 years' experience in the residential construction industry and has built 60 homes ranging in price from $500 - $1.5M in Traverse City, MI area. As a high-end custom builder, Ryan has the weight of his client's expectations at the forefront of his mind as he completes their...

COVID-19 Vaccination Plans in Every State

Homebuyers are increasingly concerned about the safety of the products that are used in their homes. When it comes to insulation, there’s a lot of information out there, but it can be hard to separate fact from fiction. Insulation Institute has just released a new guide, Fiberglass Insulation A Guide to Better Indoor Air Quality, which details the...

Architect Terry Smith of TDSA Architecture in Washington state recently contacted NAIMA with a question about how to properly insulate various types of roof trusses – both conventional and scissor type. Terry rightly pointed out that insulation is intended to be most effective when uniformly applied or layered to cover the full extent of the space...

Despite the pandemic, demand for HERS-rated homes increased 24 percent in 2020 versus 2019, according to Residential Energy Services (RESNET). In 2020, 299,755 homes received a HERS Index Score, breaking the record for the number of rated homes in a year. The previous record from 2019 was 241,664 rated homes.

At the Insulation Institute, we aim to deliver the most useful educational content on energy efficiency and best builder practices for our readers. Here are the topics that proved to be the most highly ranked among our loyal readers this year. If you missed any of these, let’s hope the slower pace as we wind down 2020 will offer you a chance to...

A new report from E4The Future says energy efficiency (EE) – the largest U.S. energy sector — can repower America's economy as we work to overcome the pandemic's economic effects. The annual report highlights the significant job losses due to COVID-19. Overall, employment is down nearly 14 percent in 2020 versus 2019, a loss of 321,900 jobs.

A newly released study of the insulation industry's economic contributions to the U.S. economy in 2019 details more than 564,000 jobs generated and $36 billion in payrolls that supported families and communities around the country. Those jobs in the manufacturing, distribution, and installation of insulation will be a critical component of the...

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has released a long-awaited study detailing archaic building codes' impact on communities. The report concludes that 65 percent of counties and municipalities in the United States have not adopted modern building codes. These communities incur an additional $1.6 billion a year in property damage due...

In any roof system with an attic, ventilation is crucial as it allows airflow to come through the attic and exit out the roof vents, which manage hot air and moisture. Installing baffles between the roof's rafters and trusses will stop the insulation from blocking the airflow through the attic space. Baffles should be installed in the attic...