Sealing common air leakage pathways is key to achieving a tight thermal envelope. Often, hidden holes in new construction homes can make achieving an airtight envelope very difficult. Knowing where these hidden holes tend to occur can help builders avoid a massive air leakage issue. Our 10 Hidden Air Leaks in New Construction Homes guide covers...

Getting accurate estimates for insulation installation jobs in new construction homes sounds like a relatively simple undertaking, but for some contractors, getting precise material quantities for jobs can be a challenge. Do you use software to estimate materials, or do you have an estimator review the construction plans? Is it necessary to...

A study commissioned by Second Nature, the nation’s largest home wellness subscription service, revealed that 99 percent of Americans want a healthy home, yet 62 percent say they could do a better job of obtaining one. One of the major ways that homeowners can ensure a healthy home is maintaining good indoor air quality (IAQ). The U.S....

For the second time in three years, North Carolina Builder Shawn Jessup has won a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Housing Innovation Award. While Jessup’s scale may be small, at two to three builds per year, he is in high demand. S.D. Jessup Construction fields constant requests from potential customers in Raleigh, NC and other areas more than...

Builder to Buyer Flood Risk Education

An astonishing 98 percent of U.S. counties have been impacted by a flood event, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and floods are the number one natural disaster in the United States. Moreover, the increasing weather risks associated with global climate change means that homebuyers...

We’ve seen hundreds, if not thousands of photos of fiberglass insulation jobs here at NAIMA, some good, some not so good…and some superb. When we came across Yudah Schwartz’s post on LinkedIn, it immediately caught our attention because we recognized an exceptional batt insulation job. The precision shown in installing the batts properly was...

RESNET Launches New HERS for Consumers Site

With nearly one-quarter of new homes carrying a HERS rating, consumers in the energy-efficient home market need to understand why this metric, similar to the miles-per-gallon rating of new cars, is key to 

How Cool! Camp Teaches Kids Construction

Introducing young people to the construction trades can be a challenge, and many high school students have never thought about a career in the industry. Enter Beam Camp: a novel summer camp that introduces kids to building things with their hands. It’s a simple concept that introduces kids to...

While the growing legalization[1] of cannabis in the U.S. may be fueling new industries and is leading to an economic boom in states where it is legal, the use of drugs and alcohol on the job site can have a devastating impact on safety. Drug and alcohol abuse is prevalent among full-time construction