Training

This session delivers an overview of building science principles of heat, air, and moisture flow and their impact on buildings. Building professionals will understand how to implement energy efficient and green construction measures in their everyday practices and in order to help the industry along a path of continual improvement. This session targets the Ci goal to create or renovate buildings that are ever safer, healthier, more comfortable, durable, and more energy efficient.

Learning Highlights:

• Green building is not a niche – in this session, we share our experience about where the industry is going, and provide an understanding of the history of changes in both the construction industry and consumer expectations
• Energy – understand the big picture overview of the movement of heat, air, and moisture through the lens of physics
• Moisture Management – examine water flow states and the relationship of the influences of climate, building design, and lifestyle
• Indoor Air Quality –control IAQ through material choices, source control, behavior patterns, and ventilation options
• Process Integration – identify how the integration of building science is necessary in the process of planning, designing, and constructing buildings

This session outlines the ever-increasing challenges presented to the industry from increased air tightness and R-values of wall assemblies, and makes the connection between material and design choices to creating high performance walls that lead to improved water and airflow performance. We examine key connection points – foundation to wall and wall to attic. We also look at new and existing insulation techniques to safely increase the thermal effectiveness of wall assemblies and identify the increased importance of key air and weather barrier details to maintain long-term durability.

Learning Highlights:

• Identify the increased importance of key air and weather barrier details to maintain long-term durability
• Understand the total thermal effectiveness of wall systems and how/where to safely increase it
• Review details for improving connections of the wall to foundation and wall to attic
• Identify construction detail options for the installation of different exterior insulation strategies in a traditional wood framed wall system

This session outlines a sales process that works best specifically for the new home and residential remodel high-performance building markets. Participants gain understanding of the recent and pending compelling changes to codes and green building programs and the economics and marketing complexities of the building industry over the last 3-4 years. Participants also learn how to talk to buyers about home performance and strategies for integrating building science messages into the sale process and apply terminology that appeals to homeowners to help them understand the comfort and value of an energy efficient high performance home.

This session teaches application techniques and the real science and parameters of insulation. Learn the chemistry behind spray foam, how fibrous insulation really works, and how heat, air, and moisture flows impact the effectiveness of insulation materials, especially in attics.

Learning Highlights:

• Understand the physics of how insulation works in buildings
• Learn tips on how to recognize high-quality insulation projects
• Learn tips and tricks to increase R-value and air seal attics
• Gain an understanding of common ice damn causes

This workshop explores cost effective opportunities to implement energy efficient and green technologies and strategies into remodeling projects. The fundamentals of building science – air, heat, and moisture flow – are applied to help participants understand how elements of a house all work together as a system. We review the most common remodeling and rehab projects and the opportunities for energy savings (roofs, windows, kitchen & bath, basement finish, re-siding) and compare the cost effectiveness of enclosure (shell) improvements vs. mechanical improvements while providing hints for implementing both. Participants gain a full understanding of the importance of combustion safety, indoor air quality, how tight is too tight, and effective ventilation strategies.

This workshop discusses matching new technology to old materials, methods and designs, and provides successful cold climate case studies. Participants split into groups and work together on two separate case studies with a budget and opportunity to improve each project. Outcomes are shared with the group. Participants leave with a better understanding of how to implement energy efficiency improvements properly and cost-effectively into every remodeling project they undertake.

Learning Highlights:

• Changes, both past and future, that can affect the performance of buildings
• The fundamentals of building science
• Applying building science principles to the various components of homes
• The connections between basic building science, improved building performance, and green building