Be fussy about flashing and sealing windows and skylights
Leaky windows and skylights cause structural and indoor air quality problems.
Water leaks are expensive to fix and can cause major damage. Air leaks result in heat loss and unwanted moisture-laden air entering the home. Thorough attention to flashing and air-sealing here is important. Follow practices recommended by building scientists. See the articles below.
Green Points
LEED for HomesLeadership in Energy and Environmental Design. LEED for Homes is the residential green building program from the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). While this program is primarily designed for and applicable to new home projects, major gut rehabs can qualify. : 3 to 5 pts. EA 1,2,& 3: window choices affect performance; EA 3.1 reduced envelope leakage is a requirement; EA 3.2 - 2 pts for greatly reduced envelope leakage; EA 3.3 – 3 pts for minimal envelope leakage
NGBSNational Green Building Standard Based on the NAHB Model Green Home Building Guidelines and passed through ANSI. This standard can be applied to both new homes, remodeling projects, and additions. /ICC-700: under Chapter 7, Energy Efficiency: up to 15 pts for third-party verification; up to 3 pts for no verification; insulation and air-sealing includes: spray or rigid foam insulation; ICFInsulated concrete form. Hollow insulated forms, usually made from expanded polystyrene (EPS), used for building walls (foundation and above-ground); after stacking and stabilizing the forms, the aligned cores are filled with concrete, which provides the wall structure. or SIP(SIP) Building panel usually made of oriented strand board (OSB) skins surrounding a core of expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam insulation. SIPs can be erected very quickly with a crane to create an energy-efficient, sturdy home. wall systems; spray foam attached to top, bottom and both sides of cavities; voids are less than 2% of the total; exterior rigid insulation is tightly fitted (703.3.1)
Learn more in the Green Building Encyclopedia:
Further Resources
Building Science Corp.
Profiled in our Product Guide
