Energy-Smart Details

Building or remodeling a home to be more energy efficient than the average home doesn’t necessarily have to cost more money, but it does take careful planning and smart construction details. Browse through this collection of articles to get a better understanding of what makes high-performance homes work.

Three Ways to Insulate Basement Walls
For interior insulation, you'll need to use either rigid-foam boards or spray polyurethane foam.
Five Rules for Wall Design
Energy expert Martin Holladay outlines some basic principles to guide designers of high-performance homes.
Two Ways to Insulate an Old Cape
Cape Cod–style homes can be challenging to insulate; here are two possible solutions.
How to Reduce Heat Loss Through Footings
Pouring a concrete slab on top of a thick layer of rigid foam is an effective way to create a super-insulated foundation.
Insulating Unvented Roof Assemblies
If you plan to insulate a sloped roof, you need to decide if you want a vented or an unvented assembly.
Joe Lstiburek’s Ideal Double-Stud Wall
This wall design ensures good performance and solves the problems of inside and outside moisture.
Adding Insulation to Basement Walls
Learn how to choose and install the best insulation for several types of basement walls (but fix water-entry problems first).
Creating a Sealed Crawlspace
Properly designed unvented crawlspaces have a number of advantages compared to vented crawlspaces.
5 Ways to Insulate a Flat Roof
Learn several reliable ways to build an energy-efficient low-slope or shallow-pitched unvented roof, which is much easier and less risky than building a vented one.
Attic-Ventilation Strategies
Energy advisor Martin Holladay offers some key points to consider when venting a roof.

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