Alternatives to Wood
Wood is still the predominant material for creating the shell of a house, but a number of builders have abandoned wood in favor of a variety of newer materials.
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Advanced Framing Basics
Optimum Value Engineering — or simply advanced framing — has two main benefits.
Read our Green Framing Resource
Information about best practices, framing materials and a transition guide give you an ov…
Passive Solar Design – Location and Climatic Conditions
Whether the house is new construction or a retrofit, local weather patterns are a basic planning tool for a zero energy home. Data should include precipitation records, average temperatures by month and preferably by day over the last several years. Lo…
Passive Solar Design – A History
Does this scene sound familiar? A culture facing an environmental crisis. Their primary building resource — wood — was in high demand for ships and buildings, making the primary heat source for comfort — charcoal — inc…