Residential Single Family
Unlike multifamily buildings, detached single-family homes are not inherently green and have an uphill climb to get there. A lot of considerations go into building, renovating, or maintaining a green single-family home:
- home size
- energy efficiency and onsite renewables
- water use and reuse
- site and location
- hygrothermal performance
- products & materials
- indoor air quality
- thermal comfort
- passive design
- whether to pursue certification
Location and transit access can be particularly important for single-family homes since studies have shown that energy efficiency does not usually make up for transportation energy used for driving. And hygrothermal performance—how well homes manage moisture relative to energy—is crucial but often neglected.
Residential Single Family
Product Guidance
Unbiased information from our product experts helps you separate green from greenwash.
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HydroGap Drainable Housewrap Doubles as Air Barrier
Product Review
HydroGap housewrap creates a free-draining air space without fussy rainscreen detailing-and serves as an air and weather barrier too.
In The News
We break news down to the essentials and provide expert analysis.
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Six Gulf Coast Homes Achieve Resilience Star Certification
News Brief
Projects in Mississippi and Alabama are certifiably hurricane-resilient under a Department of Homeland Security program.
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Group Seeks to Bring DC Power to Homes
News Brief
EMerge Alliance has expanded its efforts to advance direct-current (DC) power distribution by launching a new initiative to develop a residential standard.
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NAHB Green Home Standard Ups Ante on Energy, Water
News Analysis
The NAHB Standard for homes has increased requirements with the release of its first update and offers new guidance for remodeling.
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LEED for Homes Crosses 20k Threshold
News Brief
Since LEED for Homes launched in 2008, more than 20,000 homes have achieved certification; a recent study says one-third of residential construction will be green by 2016.
Perspective
Thought-provoking opinions from the most trusted minds in sustainability.
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Installing Insulation With the X-Floc Ventilated Dry Injection System
Blog Post
X-Floc claims the blowing equipment they use delivers cellulose at a more consistent density, and they were willing to prove it with this demonstration.
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Pete’s Puzzle: Mold on Painted Clapboards is Food for Thought
Blog Post
There is mold on the factory-primed, latex top-coated wood clapboards on the south but not the north side of our house
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Combining Sheathing With a WRB and Air Barrier
Blog Post
How well do Zip and ForceField sheathing integrate a structural panel with bulk water and air management?
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Installing Basement Waterproofing from the “Negative” Side
Blog Post
Of course the best way to waterproof any below-grade assembly is from the exterior—but what works if you have to go from the interior?