September 21, 2017
You’re building a high-performance, low energy building – maybe even a Passive House. What’s the Problem? You started construction in the summer, but by late Fall or Winter the finishes are being installed and the indoor relative humidity (RH) is high – reaching 90%. You know the vapor drive is going out and the wood […]
This video covers how to properly install INTELLO Plus membrane with blow-in insulation, such as cellulose, loose fiberglass, or Havelock sheep wool insulation. In these situations, INTELLO Plus serves as interior enclosure airtightness, smart vapor retarder, a moisture management system, and netting for packing blow-in insulation behind. Here is a list of the top install tips […]
The newest item in 475’s inventory is the first developed in-house. We’re proud to announce the arrival of the Rotary Switch, also known as ‘The Miceli’ in honor of its inventor, for Lunos e2 and eGO heat recovery ventilation fans. Our mission is to be a catalyst that pushes North American construction toward high performance, […]
GUTEX, our favorite wood fiber insulation provider, has a new system available in North America for the first time: GUTEX Thermowall. Thermowall is an external insulation finish system (EIFS) consisting of thick, continuous GUTEX wood fiber insulation board and a 3-layer stucco system. It is highly versatile and can be used in wood, metal or […]
Everyday at 475 we have dozens of conversations with builders all over North America. We often generate the ideas for this blog based on common trends, questions, and concerns… basically, things we find we’re repeating. And it’s worth repeating and repeating: don’t depend on OSB for airtightness. Why? OSB is not manufactured to be an air […]
The 475 team recently traveled to Hanover, NH joining up with LAMILUX partners to assist in the installation the LAMILUX PR-60 pyramid skylight in a retrofit of a historic home. This fully customized roof light will transform the interior kitchen space using daylight. Commitment to performance is standard for LAMILUX, and is reflected in all […]
This video covers how to properly install INTELLO Plus membrane over rigid or batt insulation in a wood frame assembly. In order to achieve a completely airtight barrier, it is important that the installation is done in a way that minimizes the potential for airleaks in the system. Here is a list of the top install tips from […]
Sarah Cobb and William Murray of Construction Rocket Inc. are dedicated to bringing about radical change in the building industry. As Passive House Certified Builders, they are committed to ensuring energy performance, even in harsh, challenging climates. And their recently completed Springhouse in Abercorn, Quebec, proves that Passive House design and construction doesn’t have to compromise […]
The Presentation 475 gave a presentation on minimizing mold risk in high-performance buildings at a Maryland Affordable Housing Coalition event in Baltimore recently. In the audience were a number of affordable housing developers. During the talk we discussed the importance of airtightness, thermal-bridge-free construction, and good ventilation. The response from the housing developers, who were […]
SOLITEX Fronta Quattro is making waves in the high performance industry as a specialty air barrier and weather resistant barrier (WRB). What’s driving the interest? Fronta Quattro offers exceptional UV protection, making it ideal for projects with so-called “open-joint” rainscreen cladding systems in which parts of the underlying WRB are permanently exposed to the sun’s rays. Other builders […]
Here’s a quick tip for installing GUTEX woodfiber boards with battens for high performance smart wall assemblies. We have a 2×4 wall with INTELLO Plus already installed on the inboard side as the air barrier system. We begin by pre-cutting battens which are positioned in line with the studs, and screwed through the first row […]
You bought high-performance windows, but is the install going to complement their performance or detract from it? The enclosure insulation, airtightness and moisture control should be continuous. But too often where the window frame meets the building we see breaks in insulation, air leaks and vapor traps – all setting the stage for discomfort, inefficiency and […]
In the spirit of 1776, 475 High Performance Building Supply is proud to reprint an update to our Declaration of Independence from Foam Plastic Insulation, first published for July 4th, in 2013. (…and picked up by Treehugger). Enjoy: ———————————————— In BROOKLYN, NY, July 4th, 2017. A DECLARATION. WHEN in the course of constructing and renovating buildings, it […]
Beauty We often talk about the extensive benefits of high-performance buildings: lower energy costs, more durable structures, reduced maintenance requirements and healthier interior environments. High-performance strategies can improve the lives of building owners and occupants. Beauty is not as quantifiable perhaps, but it can bring delight to life. And there is nothing more delightful than working on projects […]
Dense pack insulation is a great way to insulate – whether it be cellulose, wood fiber (Thermofiber by GUTEX), sheeps’ wool (by Havelock wool), or fiberglass. It can guarantee gap-free thermal protection, filling all the nooks and crannies. But typical mesh-netting systems for dense pack insulation like Insulweb do one – and only one -thing: contain […]
EcoCor’s Founder talks Passive House, Pro Clima, and his path through high-performance construction Chris Corson, of EcoCor High Performance Building Systems, talks to us about how he developed EcoCor’s signature panelized construction techniques and Passive House Institute Certified building assembly. Chris makes the powerful point that even as other industries have made quantum leaps in technology and precision […]
The Wall Street Journal article, titled online, Striving for Energy-Efficiency in New York, by journalist Keiko Morris, captures the magnitude of the sea change in Passive House building, in a quote by 475’s own Ken Levenson: In 2010, the New York region had about 50,000 square feet of passive-design building projects planned, said Ken Levenson, founding board […]
Make your way to 125 West 18th Street this Friday – and you won’t regret it. It is going to be a great day of Passive House presentations, discussions, and networking from leading professionals, practitioners, policymakers, owners and suppliers from across New York and the world. From financial analysis of Passive projects to the feasibility of […]
Monitoring real life assemblies is the best proof of performance. This is how we know Pro Clima products make construction as safe as possible. ECOCOR monitored a foam-free, un-vented flat roof in Maine and clearly demonstrated how elevated assembly humidity in a super-insulated assembly can safely dry inwards through INTELLO Plus. As we describe in the presentation High […]
Sequencing For Making Flanged Windows Airtight Flanged windows are ubiquitous in American construction. As we push toward higher levels of enclosure performance – with increased insulation levels, airtightness and vapor control – window specifications are getting more robust too. And while it can be a relatively straightforward thing to select a better window, it isn’t so readily clear […]
After HVAC systems, water heaters can be among the biggest energy sinks in a building. Although high-performance building strategies can allow you to dramatically downsize your HVAC systems, supplying hot water can remain a challenge for those seeking to reduce building energy loads. Fortunately, the ideal solution to the challenge has arrived: the SANDEN SANCO2 Heat […]
What Are We Doing? Are we kidding ourselves? Trying to be a conscientious consumer, we try to pick sustainable materials and products – making more sustainable decisions – with the desire to “vote with our wallets” and promote “green industry” that will have beneficial effects in our fight against climate change and other environmental and social […]
When advocating for Passive House buildings it’s often not very convincing to point to successful projects in other countries. People understandably want to see local professionals working successfully with local builders and local owners. Local examples of Passive House building are critical to achieving popular acceptance. Consequently, 475 is happy to support the recent publication of […]
Ensuring a continuous air barrier is top priority for high-performance building. Joint connections between different materials can be especially challenging points to airseal. Acrylic caulk adhesives can solve some of these problems, but is not always the fastest way to a robust connection. For example if you’re attaching two airtight, vapor-closed surfaces, such as the […]
Passive House Windows, Not Only For Passive House The core of Passive House is about energy performance, but the reasons we love aiming for the standard are all the other accompanying benefits. We want the comfort, the indoor air quality, and the silence. And we want the design to work for us. We saw a great example of […]
Five members of the 475 crew had the opportunity to travel to Europe over the last several weeks. The main target was to attend the 21st Annual International Passive House Conference in Vienna. While we were in the neighborhood, we couldn’t resist meeting up with a few of our favorite manufacturing partners: PRO CLIMA, GUTEX, […]
While some might have serious issues with 2016, this year is shaping up to be pretty great for your friends here at 475. We have several things in the works that we’ll be announcing in the following months. But as with any business, everything starts with the people who make it. On that note, we’re […]
The 475 team recently had the opportunity to travel to Germany and spend a few days at Pro Clima headquarters in Schwetzingen and meet not only the entire Pro Clima crew, but also with fellow distributors from New Zealand and Ireland. Of course we focused on building science, testing, development, and new innovations for the […]
475 is excited to present this guest blog post by Brad Hankins, a designer-builder from Langley, WA. Long committed to sustainability, Brad knows the environmental benefits of high-performance construction. But Brad was also interested in understanding how quickly investments in energy efficient design pays for themselves, an important factor in convincing homeowners to jump on the high-performance bandwagon. […]
Spray foam throws off two forms of toxic poison: off-gassing of the volatile organic compounds and uncured chemical dust. Spray foam is a two-component chemical system: Part A and Part B. When the chemicals are properly prepared and precisely mixed, under the right site conditions, the chemicals will have a complete reaction eventually and become inert, ceasing to […]
