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Insulation

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Walls That Work: An Introduction to the Four Control Layers

Watch Brian Pontolilo's webinar about the building envelope details that make homes durable, comfortable, and energy efficient.

By Brian Pontolilo

There’s more than one way to build a durable and efficient wall. Like most things, the devil is in the details–and in this case, the details refers to the four control layers. For a comfortable home and a wall that won’t fail, you must control water, air, vapor, and temperature. In this webinar we’ll study the four control layers, take a look at building codes and various climates, and open up a handful of walls that work.

Originally recorded Wednesday, April 1, 2020 at 7 pm est. with Brian Pontolilo

Read more about control Layers:

Crash Course in Control Layers – You need to carefully manage water, air, vapor, and temperature in order to build a home that is durable and comfortable.

Brian Pontolilo Green Building Advisor editor Brian Pontolilo has combined a few of his passions to make a career of 17 years—and counting—mostly as an editor at Fine Homebuilding.

Brian left FHB in 2018, spent the winter building and installing cabinets, and came back to the Taunton Press as editor of GBA in 2019. He spent last fall researching and writing three articles on designing and building walls, and will share what he has learned in this webinar.

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Energy Efficiency
  • Understanding Energy and Houses
  • Building Energy-Efficient Homes
Air-Sealing
  • Air-Sealing Basics
  • Air-Sealing Tools and Materials
  • Foundations and Floors
  • Walls, Windows, and Doors
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Choosing Insulation
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Installing Insulation
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  • Insulating Walls
  • Insulating Floors, Footings, and Slabs
  • Insulating Foundation Walls
Water Management
  • Water-Management Principles
  • Materials
  • Installation Methods

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