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Insulation & Moisture, Air & Pest Barriers Articles

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  • ebuild Guide to Radiant Barrier Specifications
  • ebuild (12/6/2006)
  • Insulating a building is a proven, cost-effective method for reducing heating and cooling costs. In warm climates, however, the amount of energy required to cool a building often exceeds the amount needed to heat it. In that case, additional steps can be taken to reduce cooling loads.
  • CertainTeed MemBrain, the Smart Vapor Retarder, Installed in Great Plains Lutheran High School Dormitory
  • ebuild (12/5/2006)
  • A patented, technically advanced insulation product from CertainTeed Corporation was recently installed in a new 20-room dormitory addition at Great Plains Lutheran High School in Watertown, South Dakota. Watertown-based building product distributing company Building Products Inc. (BPI) supplied the high school with 10,000 square feet of CertainTeed MemBrain Smart Vapor Retarder for the construction project. MemBrain is a patented vapor retarder that changes its molecular permeability under varying humidity conditions to allow wall cavities to stay dry and help reduce the risk of damaging mold or mildew.
  • Artisan/Craftsman/Builder: Looking to the Zero-Energy House
  • The Santa Fe New Mexican (12/3/2006)
  • Zero Energy (ZE) homes and buildings offset the energy they use from the power grid with energy produced from renewable sources such as solar-electric and solar-thermal systems. The Department of Energy, Environmental Protection Agency, and National Association of Home Builders all are promoting the goals of the National Energy Policy Act by encouraging the adoption of economically competitive ZE building practices.The homeowner benefits of ZE construction include energy efficiency and lower utility costs, increased comfort, better indoor air quality, increased resale value, and a sense of environmental responsibility.
  • Surface Treatments
  • REMODELING Magazine (12/1/2006)
  • Remodeling Magazine staff picks the latest products. Made from naturally mold-resistant inorganic fiberglass, the Spider Custom Insulation System is a formaldehyde-free, spray-in insulation that completely fills wall cavities, eliminating gaps and voids where energy can escape. Spider's thermal performance reaches R-values of R-15 in a 2x4 wall cavity and R-23 in a 2x6 wall cavity. The material sprays in practically dry, with a lower moisture content than dry wood, and dries completely in two to six hours, allowing drywall to be put up the same day.
  • Let Your House Breathe Better, Too
  • Chemical Engineering Progress (12/1/2006)
  • DuPont (Wilmington, DE; www.dupont.com) says its recent rollout of Tyvek ThermaWrap, a breathable, metallized housewrap, reflects its commitment to its market sustainability goals, The aluminum- clad, insulation material combines high vapor permeability and thermal protection to form a quality wall defense against moisture condensation that can lead to mold and mildew growth. Because it is a low emissivity surface, the insulation increases the thermal performance of walls by ultimately reducing the transfer of radiant heat both into and out of homes. Products that either create energy efficiencies or significant greenhouse gas emissions are expected to add at least $2 billion to DuPont's annual revenues by 2015.
  • CertainTeed CertaPro Insulation Installed In New Shreveport Hilton Hotel
  • ebuild (11/30/2006)
  • One million square feet of CertainTeed Corporation"s CertaPro® Fiber Glass Batt Insulation is being installed in a beautiful, new 12-story Hilton Hotel in Shreveport, Louisiana. Once installed, the CertaPro insulation will provide the Shreveport Hilton with excellent thermal and acoustical control for years to come. CertaPro improves acoustical properties in partition or exterior walls, contributing to a quieter interior environment. It also provides excellent thermal performance, thus saving energy. The lightweight product features a friction-fit design for ease of installation and will not settle or sag.
  • Styrofoam Finishes First
  • ebuild (11/13/2006)
  • STYROFOAM brand insulation was recently named the winner in the annual brand use study conducted by ProSales magazine, published by Hanley Wood, publishers of key industry trade publications, such as Builder, Building Products and Journal of Light Construction. The study, conducted among leading dealers, distributors and lumberyards throughout the United States, named STYROFOAM brand insulation as the brand "stocked and sold most" for exterior wall sheathing applications.
  • Solar Industry Has Improved Products
  • Augusta Chronicle, The (11/12/2006)
  • Q: I saw a TV show a couple of weeks ago that talked about global warming and all the environmental problems there are these days, and they interviewed someone who recommended a solar water heater as a great alternative to the usual kind. I had one of those on my home in Texas 30 years ago and it never worked worth a darn.Now that I live in Illinois, I assume I'm in the wrong climate to even think of using one of these.

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