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Evaluating the risks associated with insulating exterior masonry walls from the interior on a three-story school constructed in Toronto, Ontario in the late 1950s. Reprinted with permission from… Read More

Can a 150-year-old house approach zero energy use? Three case studies point the was from the 19th to the 21st century. Reprinted with permission from Fine Homebuilding, April/May 2008, pages 51-57.

So-called double-façades (DF) or ventilated façades, environmental second skins, etc. have attracted great interest as modern building enclosures. The DF label actually covers a wide range of… Read More

Today’s houses make it easier for mold to find the food and water it needs to thrive. The cure is a quick cleanup and smarter choices in materials. Reprinted with permission from Fine Homebuilding,… Read More

By creating a path for air to move, structural vents are supposed to prevent the buildup of moisture in an attic. This article was first published in Builder Magazine, January 2006.

Smarter strategies can save money, speed construction, improve energy efficiency, and cut down on jobsite waste. Reprinted with permission from Fine Homebuilding, October/November 2005, pages 50-55.

This article reports on field experience of unvented cathedralized (UC) attics in the U.S. Traditionally, in some regions of the country, slab on grade construction is a preferred mode of… Read More

Think $50 per square foot and $50 a month for utilities are unattainable? Government-sponsored research proves otherwise. Reprinted with permission from Fine Homebuilding, June/July 2005, pages 56-61.

Top ten blunders that rot your house, waste your money, and make you sick. Reprinted with permission from Fine Homebuilding Magazine, April/May 2004, pages 52-56. 

Brick veneers are essentially transparent to water. Wood clapboards, fiber cement siding, and vinyl siding also leak, each in its own special way. In the real world all claddings leak sooner or later… Read More