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David Good

Dave Good, CPHC, is the co-founder and contractor at Atmosphere Design Build, a small northern California firm focused on handcrafted, high performance buildings.

Minisplit Heat Pumps Efficiently Heat and Cool this House

Three indoor units provide the right mix of comfort and efficiency for this well-insulated but complex floor plan.
Reducing A New Home’s Resource Footprint

An organized waste stream and the use of recycled building materials were key to keeping the trash-to-materials ratio low.
Third-Party Blower-Door Test Pays Off

Verifying high-performance house metrics under California's Title 24 earns some rebates from the utility company.
Camouflaging Gutters and Hiding Downspouts

Clever flashing, thoroughly sealed downspouts, and custom channels behind the siding make the rain-management details all but disappear on the California FHB House.
Installing Standing-Seam Roofing and Cladding

Carpenters adapt their tools and water-shedding strategies to work with standing-seam steel panels.
Designing a Sprinkler System for a California Home

Plentiful well water allows for a simple fire-suppression system separate from the domestic water supply.
Windows and Doors Are Critical to a Tight House

Our air barrier gets us to 1.0 ACH50. Our windows and doors get us Passive House tight.
Staging a Construction Project for Multiple Labor Cycles

Setting up scaffolding for the duration of the job saves time on high-performance wall assemblies
Blower-Door Test Confirms High-Performance-Home Status

The air-sealing efforts pay off with Passive House–level airtightness
A split-system heat-pump water heater

Locating the compressor outdoors and using CO2 as the refrigerant eliminates some of the biggest concerns builders have with typical hybrid water heaters have.