TAM 12 - Energy Efficient Housing Rehabs: A Building Science Approach to Understanding What Works

Tuesday, May 17, 2005  ·  8:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Energy Efficient Housing Rehabs: A Building Science Approach to Understanding What Works

We have learned a lot about how houses work – or more accurately don’t work - in the last twenty years. However we have done a poor job getting this information out to the residential construction industry, in both new construction and existing houses. If you, or those you finance or employ, are still focusing on replacement windows, caulking, and weatherstripping to reduce heating and cooling costs, you really should attend this short course. Learn why employing a contractor skilled in “dense packing” insulation is so important, especially if your housing stock includes balloon framed or story-and-a half houses.

By attending this session, participants will

1. Find out how sealing cracks and holes at the top of the house – between the conditioned space and the attic – will not only reduce heating bills but will prevent frozen pipes in the crawl space or basement

2. Recognize that installing a high efficiency furnace and leaving the water heater vented into the old chimney can be deadly

3. Learn why insulation installed in homes often does not perform as expected

Keywords: affordable housing, air sealing, attics, building envelope, building science, carbon monoxide, combustion appliance, diagnostics, duct leakage, energy efficient, fundamentals, depressurization, mold, residential, R-values, thermal bypasses, tight construction, venting

Topic(s): Introductory Sessions, Affordable Housing, Building Science, Techniques for Retrofitters, Durability & Health
Type: Half-Day
CEU: American Institute of Architects (AIA)  

Course Presenter(s):

• William Hill