EEBA Academy

Since the 1990s residential buildings have shown dramatic and consistent improvement in their energy efficiency: Average energy use per square foot is down substantially, and so are average energy use per household and average energy use per household member. How do we account for this extraordinary progress, and what can architects do to continue to improve energy efficiency in residential architecture?

This is where the building science rubber meets the architect’s road. Steve uses his many high-performance projects to show how high performance is translated into actual assemblies, with real materials, and with tried-and-true project management done cooperatively with the architect and builder. 

The building science principles forming the foundation for high performance are how heat moves, how moisture moves, and how the two always work together. 

Although below-grade waterproofing and insulation are out of sight, they are integral to a building’s thermal performance. While there are countless steps you can take to make homes more energy efficient, starting from the ground up is the best approach.