COVID-19 has more Americans staying at home to reduce the rate of disease spread, and that means spending more time indoors. While few people associate indoor air with pollution, a study from Washington State University last year reported that indoor air could be much more polluted than outdoor air. This pollution is due in part to emissions that...
The current pandemic has forced many industries to develop alternative methods for their typical operations, and construction is no different. In the first of a new series we’re calling, “How Construction Will Change,” Insulation Institute takes a look at a growing trend for the building industry: virtual code inspections.
A new study from the National Association of Home Builders reveals that one-quarter of the features home builders are most likely to include in new construction homes relate to energy efficiency. Despite the popularity of energy efficiency features, some builders are conflicted about them in part because they believe they cannot recoup the...
Thomas Branch is president of Comfy House, a Pennsylvania-based home performance company that specializes in building energy modeling, energy efficiency retrofits, and energy efficiency inspections. As a RESNET and BPI certified rater with decades of experience in the business, Branch is qualified to speak about the deficiencies he sees in energy...
Video home tours are not new in real estate, but the current COVID-19 health crisis is driving an increase in these digital tours, according to Mike Swinney, a Northern Virginia-based realtor. Swinney has more than 12 years’ experience selling homes in one of the hottest housing markets in the nation. Swinney estimates a 50 percent volume increase...
Building codes serve the fundamental purpose of enabling occupant welfare and safety. However, at times the lack of clarity in building code requirements creates a barrier to compliance for builders.
Insulation contractors can take advantage of extra down time to learn new skills and techniques to help on the job with NAIMA’s extensive catalog of training resources.
In a special edition of “The Build Show” this week, custom builder Matt Risinger is joined by his wife, internal medicine physician Dr. Christy Risinger to discuss the steps that his construction company is taking to be safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. The pair outline practical tips regarding scheduling trades, distancing between workers, and...
The RESNET 2020 conference held in Phoenix this week, included a live demonstration session on getting Grade I installation with batt insulation. For anyone tasked with reviewing batt insulation jobs, this hands-on, open forum training offered a chance to review what a Grade I job looks like — and what it doesn’t.
Energy efficiency is indisputably essential to addressing global climate change. At the forefront of organizations promoting strategies to tackle the climate crisis is the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Insulation Institute spoke with David Goldstein, Co-Director of Climate and Energy at NRDC, about how the building sector in America...