Houses That Work Sessions
Learn More About Houses That Work™ Educational Series
Educational Session |
What to Expect |
Session Description and Outline |
|---|---|---|
| Intro to Houses That Work | In this session participants learn how the many complex changes in home design, building materials, mechanical systems, appliances, consumer lifestyles and expectations over the last 30 years makes every builders, suppliers and trade contractors job more complex and demanding. The segment outlines the basic building science physics of air, heat and moisture flow that every builder should know so they can understand why some buildings work and others don't. |  |
| Houses That Work Full Day | In this session participants learn how the many complex changes in home design, building materials, mechanical systems, appliances, consumer lifestyles and expectations over the last 30 years makes every builders, suppliers and trade contractors job more complex and demanding. The segment outlines the basic building science physics of air, heat and moisture flow that every builder should know so they can understand why some buildings work and others don't. | |
| HTW for Existing Homes | This NEW workshop explores cost-effective opportunities to implement energy efficient and green technologies and strategies into remodeling projects for existing homes. The fundamentals of building science - air, heat and moisture flow – are applied to help participants understand how elements of a house all work together as a system and how this knowledge can be used by remodelers to reduce risks and find the most cost-effective energy improvements for individual homes. | |
| Selling HP Homes Full Day | This presentation applies proven sales techniques to the task of helping sales agents educate home buyers on the technical features of High Performance Homes. | |
| Selling HP Homes Half Day | This presentation applies proven sales techniques to the task of helping sales agents educate home buyers on the technical features of High Performance Homes. | |
| Insulation and Air Sealing | This session helps participants understand key principles to attain optimal insulation effectiveness in high performance homes. The session will review physics of air, heat and moisture flow covered in the HTW I workshop and essential questions related to creating an effective thermal barrier. | |
| Indoor Air Quality | This session empower participants to sort through the quagmire of IAQ information that is currently available and give them practical and affordable tools and strategies they can use to help their clients make better decisions and to incorporate healthy indoor initiatives into their building projects. | |
| Water Management | This session trains builders and designers apply building science to address the highest risk element of new home construction – water management – keeping buildings dry. | |
| Ventilation Strategies | Participants will gain a thorough understanding of the cost of ventilation – both installation and operation, as well as learn the key benefits of proper ventilation to both they and their homebuyers when they are applied in high performance homes. | |
| Air Sealing/Remodeling for Energy Savings and Comfort | This workshop will teach participants essential information about airsealing as it applies to single family residences. The house is a system and every component in it works together. Adding insulation and sealing air leaks can improve the energy efficiency of a home and improve the home’s comfort and durability. However, every change made to the building’s envelope (walls, floors, and ceiling) and components will affect how the home works to keep out the elements and keep the occupants safe and comfortable. Tightening the building envelope without providing appropriate ventilation can cause pressure imbalances or negative pressure in the house. This negative pressure can set up the conditions for backdrafting of fireplaces or fuel-burning (combustion) appliances and may draw pollutants into the home. A trained contractor understands how systems work together to keep the house operating as it should. Participants will learn the basics about air leakage and the details and techniques for airsealing. They will gain practical and affordable tools and strategies they can use to help their clients make better decisions. Participants will be equipped to avoid potential risks and identify new opportunities for marketing their services. | |
| HVAC System Replacement | This workshop will teach participants essential information about HVAC System Replacement as it applies to single family residences. When homeowners purchase a new high-efficiency HVAC system, they expect it to perform at the advertised capacity and efficiency. Unfortunately, more than half of all HVAC systems in U.S. homes are believed to perform poorly due to one or more installation issues, which wastes energy and can increase peak load. By purchasing high efficiency equipment and having it properly installed and tested, a homeowner can lower their energy bills, increase comfort and extend the useful life of the equipment. Participants will learn the basics about HVAC system replacement and the details and techniques for a quality installation. They will also gain practical strategies they can use to help their clients make better decisions. Participants will be equipped to avoid potential risks and identify new opportunities for marketing their services. | |
| Siding and Window Replacement Water Management of Above Grade Walls | This workshop will teach participants essential information about Siding & Window Replacement as it applies to single family residences. Millions of American homes will beretrofitted in the coming years to improve their energy efficiency, make them more “green” or add features their owners want. Participants will learn the basics about above‐grade water management as it applies to siding and window replacement and its impact on the building and occupants. They will gain practical strategies they can use to help their clients make better decisions. Participants will be equipped to avoid potential risks and identify new opportunities for marketing their services. The information presented in this session will build on the basics of building science covered in the popular EEBA full day Houses That Work session. Participants for this Siding & Window Replacement session are encouraged to attend a Houses That Work session before taking this workshop. | |
| Remodeling for Improved Indoor Air | This workshop will teach participants essential information about air sealing as it applies to single-family residences. The house is a system and every component in it works together. Adding insulation and sealing air leaks can improve the energy efficiency of a home and improve the home’s comfort and durability. However, every change made to the building’s envelope (walls, floors, and ceiling) and components will affect how the home works to keep out the elements and keep the occupants safe and comfortable. Tightening the building envelope without providing appropriate ventilation can cause pressure imbalances or negative pressure in the house. This negative pressure can set up the conditions for back drafting of fireplaces or fuel-burning (combustion) appliances and may draw pollutants into the home. A trained contractor understands how systems work together to keep the house operating as it should. Participants will learn the basics about air leakage and the details and techniques for air sealing. They will gain practical and affordable tools and strategies they can use to help their clients make better decisions. Participants will be equipped to avoid potential risks and identify new opportunities for marketing their services. The information presented in this session will build on the basics of building science covered in the popular EEBA full day Houses That Work session. Participants for this Air sealing session are encouraged to attend a Houses That Work session before taking this workshop. |
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