Videos List
1. HVAC and DUCTS
John Proctor - Air Conditioning: Smart Solutions for Customer Comfort
John Proctor is the president of Proctor Engineering Group, Ltd. and the primary development engineer on the CheckMe!® quality assurance system. John's current research projects include two new high efficiency air conditioners for hot dry climates and a low cost system for continuous monitoring of residential and small commercial system performance.
SUGGESTED READING:
Smart and cool the art of air conditioning
 SEGMENT 1 - Biggest opportunities for savings is in the duct system; what is wrong - what can be fixed; how people think is exact opposite to the truth.
SEGMENT 2 - Duct design good, bad and the ugly; Air handlers, good vs. bad.
SEGMENT 3 - Sources of good information; Getting the technicians to do it right; New systems that work; Ducts - different types - what works, what doesn't.
SEGMENT 4 - Getting the duct design right.
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Paul Raymer - Mechanical Ventilation: More Than Just a Bath Fan
 Paul H. Raymer is the president of Tamarack Technologies, Inc., a ventilation product manufacturer located near Cape Cod. He has been working with ventilation design and consulting for more than twenty-five years. Paul has developed and brought to market more than twenty products, and he is a director of HVI (Home Ventilating Institute).
SUGGESTED READING:
HVAC system pressure relief
Make room for the caddy
SEGMENT 1 - Ventilation (house as a system); Ventilation just as critical as a roof leak; Very good basic building science explanations.
SEGMENT 2 - Misconceptions about exhaust fans (how to tell if they are really working); Other ventilation strategies; How long should you run your bathroom fan; ASHRAE standards; Design considerations.
SEGMENT 3 - Reasons for venting a bathroom and how to design correctly
Verification of correct installation needed; Circulation in homes and its importance; Ideal components of an HVAC system; Why builders should care; CO in garages - in depth; Fundamentals of building science and rules to follow; ERVs; Good systems to use, and what it all depends on (special considerations).
SEGMENT 4 - Combustion safety overview; Hints that you may have a problem; Sources of problems; ASHRAE 62.2 - residential ventilation.
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Armin Rudd - Tips and Tricks for Forced Air Distribution
 Armin Rudd is principal engineer at Building Science Corporation, Westford, MA. Armin has worked in the field of buildings research and consulting since 1985, and previously worked in the construction trades. He has a wide range of experience in residential and commercial buildings and product development, especially focusing on space conditioning systems, ventilation, and indoor air quality.
SUGGESTED READING:
Discussion of the Use of Transfer Grilles
Design Process for Sizing
Refrigeration System Installation and Startup Procedures
Chasing Interior Ducts
Clean Breathing in Production Homes
SEGMENT 1 - Opportunities for savings with ducts; Dehumidification/ high performance/ IAQ/ humidity control.
SEGMENT 2 - High performance systems, systems integration, code issues, improvements, pressurization, air handler leakage.
SEGMENT 3 - Zoning for comfort strategies; Duct materials installation and sizing.
SEGMENT 4 - Misconceptions (bigger is better); Helping builders work with subs/ design spec and inspections; Duct /codes, testing requirements with building America plans.
SEGMENT 5 - Design issues with homes – simple vs. complex; water management; top 5 points for HVAC system performance; summary of the house working as a system.
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HVAC >Air Conditioning
AC Sizing
 John Proctor, with Proctor Engineering, gives an overview of the necessary step needed to ensure the proper sizing of A/C units and ducts. |
AC Installation
 Approximately 50% of the money spent on A/C systems is due to inefficiencies in the installation process. John Proctor, engineer and HVAC consultant, outlines proper A/C installation procedures and achieving optimum airflow. |
2. WATER HEATING
WATER HEATING > Gas Domestic Hot Water
Gas DHW System Overview
 Gas domestic Hot Water systems are a very prevalent type of system in today's housing. Here we learn about the different system types and general considerations for their usage. |
Gas DHW System Installation
 The installation of a gas DHW system is simple, as long as all the relevant standards are considered, as we learn in this video. |
WATER HEATING > Gas Tankless Water Heaters
Installing Tankless Water Heaters
 Instantaneous tankless Water Heaters are gaining in popularity for their efficiency and cost savings. Here we learn the details of their installation with an industry expert. |
3. WINDOWS
Chris Mathis - Solutions for Window Selection
 R. Christopher "Chris" Mathis has spent twenty-five years focusing on how buildings and building products perform - from energy efficiency to long-term durability. He has spent the past eighteen years on window performance. As president of M C Squared, Chris provides technical support and training on building science topics - especially building and fenestration product energy performance.
SUGGESTED READING:
What Should I Do About My Windows?
SEGMENT 1 - Variety of new glazing and frames that deliver results without high costs; Buildings that are easier - climate control; Changes in technology change AC load; Opportunities and challenges for builders; New labeling system (NFRC); Looking at windows as part of the house system; Brief history of windows.
SEGMENT 2 - Critical performance - indices to choose from for builders - top issues - all about how a window works and what to choose.
SEGMENT 3 - Energy code is a 4-letter word; Code is the least you can do by law; Today's windows create opportunities for builders; Key messages that HVAC contractors need to know; Water management with windows; Risk management; People vs solar gain and heat loss.
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Jim Larson - Windows: Sorting Out the Options
 Relying on his 20+ years of experience in the research and development of glass products, Mr. Larsen's primary responsibility is supporting the recognition of efficient windows through building energy codes at both the national and local level.
Mr. Larsen has a mechanical engineering degree, is a member of ASHRAE, a past chairman of the ASTM insulating glass subcommittee, currently sits on the board of directors for the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC), the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (MEEA), and the Energy And Environmental Building Association (EEBA), is a team member of the DOE Building America program, and a member of state energy code committees in Florida and Minnesota.
SUGGESTED READING:
Window strategies in the southwest
SEGMENT 1 - Windows, energy efficiency and how it effects the house as a system; How to pick windows for your climate - guidelines; Low-e; Building codes and true comfort; How a window performs; How it's built; warranties.
SEGMENT 2 - How the industry works; Process of how a window is manufactured; Role of a window; Installation critical; Flashing critical; Critical for builders to look at installation.
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WINDOWS > Fenestration
Overview
 Steve Easley gives us an overview of low-e glass and the effect it can have on a home's energy efficiency. |
Energy Performance
 Take a closer look at spectrally selective low-e glass and what the NFRC label tells about windows' energy performance. |
Window Performance
 Today's housing market often demands greater window areas, and these greater areas can conflict with energy code compliance. Here we learn generally how today's high performance windows can satisfy both the need for more window area and performance for code compliance. |
4. DESIGN ISSUES
Dennis Creech - Green Buildings: Good for You and Your Customer
 Dennis Creech is the executive director and co-founder of the twenty-three year-old Southface Energy Institute in Atlanta, Georgia. He is a recognized leader in sustainability. Dennis helped to create and develop the Southface Energy and Environmental Resource Center in Atlanta, the EarthCraft House green builder program, and Greenprints, an annual conference aimed at bringing sustainability to the southeast. (ACI Website - Board of Directors).
SUGGESTED READING:
Home performance meets green renovation
Creating Green Communities
SEGMENT 1 - Green buildings defined; how we build; environmental resources available to us; redeveloping cities.
SEGMENT 2 - Mainstreaming green buildings, healthy building design, IAQ, design examples, integrated design approaches, branding for builders, reducing liability, marketing, QA programs, people aren't stupid and they care.
SEGMENT 3 - Builders saving money by building green - real life examples; Using green building for success; good sources for further information.
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Betsy Pettit - The Architect's role in Good Building System Design
Betsy Pettit is a registered architect with over twenty-five years of experience working in affordable housing. She is the project manager for the Building Science Consortium's Building America project. The objective of the Building America program is to bring home builders, manufacturers, and designers together to create homes that use less energy, provide more comfort, and last longer than the typical house being built today.
SUGGESTED READING:
A home for cold seasons
A small home with big ideas
SEGMENT 1 - Architects, the past and new( how the house works); Systems integration and how people want to live in their homes; Design features, IAQ and building products; Understanding how mechanicals work; Summary for architects.
SEGMENT 2 - All construction trades and homeowner are a team; Making a design work as a team; Will it work? - Collaborative process; Homeowner education - bigger isn't better; Societal pressures -but it is a free country; Social commentary; Building code officials and working with them.
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5. ENCLOSURE
David Keefe - Walls That Work: Insulation, Air Sealing & Framing
 David Keefe is a former air sealing and insulation contractor who now does consulting, project management, and training with the Vermont Energy Investment Corp (VEIC). He has done hands-on energy retrofits of several hundred buildings and has audited and tested well over one thousand new and old structures. He is also an environmentalist who thinks waste is unethical and who is delighted to know that it is also unnecessary.
SUGGESTED READING:
Whittling down wood waste
Tighten up your advice about air sealing
SEGMENT 1 - Basic building science overview; Misconceptions and opportunities for builders; technical things that fly in the face of convention (science vs. what we have been doing in the past).
SEGMENT 2 - Codes - an awkward political process; building performance - good vs. bad; the struggle between codes and building science; in the field vs. what is on the plans; the few important things builders can do better - seal holes, continuity of insulation, ventilation, forced air HVAC strategies; air tightness misconceptions.
SEGMENT 3 - Framing buildings past and present; not all options are appropriate - builders have to choose what works best; building materials have changed, so how we build has to change.
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Joe Lstiburek - Lessons Learned from Building Failures
Joseph Lstiburek, Ph.D., P.E., is a principal of Building Science Corp. (BSC), in Westford, MA. He has twenty years of experience in design, construction, investigation, and building science research. Joe is an internationally recognized authority on indoor air quality, moisture, and condensation in buildings. BSC is one of the Building America teams that provide technical assistance to trade contractors. (AC06).
SUGGESTED READING:
Of mastic and mistakes
Brainy membrane
SEGMENT 1 - House as an environmental separator; United States is an AC dominated country; Building science basics; Building products guide; Geography; Configuring walls for different climates.
SEGMENT 2 - Misconceptions; Energy efficiency vs. insulation; Energy flow, water control - materials have changed and need to be applied differently; Codes transitions; Overall - failure teaches us; Elegant design and communication between the trades.
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ENCLOSURE > Cellulose Insulation
Overview
 Cellulose insulation has many unique benefits when installed properly and to manufacturer's specifications. The following video segments give a look at this recyclable material and how it is installed in a home. |
Insulating Walls
 Steve Easley and Energy consultant Rick Chitwood cover all the necessary steps to ensure the best R-values when installing cellulose in walls. |
Insulating Ceilings
 Steve and Rick discuss the methods and equipment used in blowing cellulose insulation into attics. |
ENCLOSURE > Fiberglass Insulation
Walls
 Steve and insulation expert Joe Arrigo go over the care must be taken to assure that fiberglass insulation is installed properly with no voids or gaps and in contact with all surfaces. |
Attics
 Here we see the methods for the high quality installation of fiberglass insulation. |
Floors
 High quality installation of insulation procedures for raised floors and floors over garages. |
ENCLOSURE > Spray Foam Insulation
Spray Foam
 Millions of tiny air pockets make foam insulation a very good insulation source. Take a look at how spray foam insulation works and the various methods for applying it correctly. |
ENCLOSURE > Housewraps
Housewrap Overview
 In this video we investigate where leaks can cause energy losses, how air barriers work and demonstrates why properly installed housewraps can help prevent this. Steve Easley goes over the reasons for, and the need to create, an air barrier and the benefits in terms of performance and energy efficiency. |
Installing Air Barriers
 When properly installed, a housewrap can serve as both and effective air and serve as the home's weather resistive barrier. Steve Easley and product specialist Dean Whitehead go over the proper installation of a homewrap. |
Flashing
 Steve and product specialist Kay Demey talk about the importance of flashing wall openings like windows and doors and integrating these elements into a properly installed housewrap system. |
6. CODES
John Eash - Friend of Foe: Working With Your Code Official
John Eash is an architect and assisted in writing the energy code as a former energy specialist II for the California Energy Commission. John developed the Online Training Series and co-produced over one hundred videos (www.energyvideos.com), including seven new videos on the Commission's 2005 energy code compliance option, "High Quality Installation of Insulation."
SEGMENT 1 - How to deal with your code official.
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7. CONSUMER ISSUES
Jim LaRue - The Human Factor in High Performance Homes
 Jim LaRue, The HouseMender, Inc., has been troubleshooting residential structures for years, focusing on moisture, health, and green building in new construction and rehabs. He is consulting with the National Center for Healthy Housing in the creation of a Healthy Homes Practitioner Course for public health and building professionals and Cuyahoga County Weatherization.
SUGGESTED READING:
Learning from the residents
Green your home: The Site
SEGMENT 1A - What needs to be in a homeowner manual; Maintenance, reference guide, pics of home, etc.; Back to scrapbook (homeowners manual) with pictures - use as an educational tool.
SEGMENT 2A - Margin between builder and products; Avoiding callbacks, Change orders, pay attention to details, communication and written documentation; Developers playing builder; Understanding the community they are building in Using land not normally used before; Know your client and market; Have a good set of trades (consistency); Follow up with the customer; Code is constant issue now Where is the code official coming from; New technologies to a code official, and working with the code official.
SEGMENT 1B - Greening homes is unavoidable; Basics of greening; We are living in a chemical soup; Public opinion of green construction.
SEGMENT 2B - Builders marketing green construction; Homes don't have to look "green" to be green; Don't have to be "McMansions"; Public education is very much needed; What is needed in a green home.
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Sara Lamia - What do Consumers Want?
 Sara Lamia, M.A., MCSP, CAPS, author and radio show host, creates tools and strategies for builders and consumers to work together efficiently and enjoyably. Learn more about consumer products and professional training seminars at www.buildingcoach.com.
SUGGESTED READING:
Twelve reasons why the green home market is ready to surge
SEGMENT 1 - How consumers really think; purchasing a high performance home; detailed explanation of how to market high performance homes to consumers.
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8. LIGHTING AND APPLIANCE
Larry Kinney - Everything you ever wanted to know about lighting
Larry Kinney is president of the Synertech Systems Corporation, an energy efficiency research, development, and demonstration company in Boulder, CO. Active in energy conservation-related work for thirty years, he has experience in weatherization program operations, fenestration systems, refrigeration, lighting technologies, air handling and conditioning systems, and controls. Dr. Kinney also serves as Vice President for Project Development for Sunflower Corporation, a Boulder-based company that develops daylighting systems. Principal areas of current work include energy efficient lighting, daylighting, and insulating shutter development.
SUGGESTED READING:
New Designs in Active Daylighting
Creative Uses of Fluorescent Lighting
Greening with daylightings
SEGMENT 1 - Lighting efficiency, energy and comfort; What builders need to know about lighting; CFL choices; Thermal vs. energy efficiency (can lights); pressure differences; various costs associated with lighting.
SEGMENT 2 - Misconceptions about compact fluorescent lighting; Changes in technologies; Color rendering; Fixtures, new integration; Builders - what do they need to think about; Selling green.
SEGMENT 3 - Ideal lighting for kitchens, natural lighting, bedrooms, dining rooms, living rooms, exterior lighting - and security lighting.
SEGMENT 4 - Integrating day lighting into homes - glare, efficiency, comfort, design considerations; Progressive builder solutions, integration with high quality housing.
SEGMENT 5 - Can light demo - comparison between traditional can light and a compact fluorescent can light.
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9. WATER AND MOISTURE MANAGEMENT
John Straube - Moisture Management: The Key to Durability
John Straube is a professor of building science in the Civil Engineering Department and School of Architecture at the University of Waterloo, Canada, www.civil.uwaterloo.ca/beg. John has acted as an educator, researcher, consultant, and expert witness on energy efficiency, durability, and IAQ. Current interests include the optimal system design of buildings, sustainable buildings, and moisture problem avoidance.
SUGGESTED READING:
Ventilation standards at work
Air Leakage Control: The Devil’s in the Details
Improving Attic Thermal Performance
SEGMENT 1 - Basic moisture management; discussion of common areas that fail; We must change how we build with new products - and must put them together or they won't work; What we have learned about crawlspace and roof venting, location of vapor barriers, and HVAC and ducts.
SEGMENT 2 - Ventilation of attics is covered in depth; Climate and design considerations; Codes; Building science vs. codes; Moisture management: drainage planes, airflow, heat flow, window selection, mechanical system integration.
SEGMENT 3 - The house is a system so design it as such; International examples: us vs. them - value and quality.
SEGMENT 4 - Things builders need to think about in their design process (climate, enclosure, garages and swimming pools, pressures in homes).
SEGMENT 5 - Building a house that performs - choices make a difference, how to put together a wall that works, the materials selection process; windows are a part of the product selection and we need to know its interaction between it and the wall, roof and HVAC system. |
Pre-Construction
 There are many construction process details to consider when accounting for proper Water Management in the pre-construction phase. This video covers many of these subjects, Including: inspection checklist, activate temporary electric pole, proper scheduling, vapor drive/diffusion defined and code differences in regions.
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Roof
 The roof catches and sheds a tremendous amount of water over the course of a year. How a builder details that roof impacts that buildings ability to handle that load with attention paid to:proper shingle install, valley, step flashing, cricket installation, proper sealing of penetrations and proper attic ventilation.
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Mechanicals
A home's mechanical systems play and important part in keeping it dry and free from moisture problems that can cause callbacks for builders and health and comfort problems for homeowners. In this video we will take a look at the following systems and their interrelationships;
HVAC
Proper sizing
Dampers
Outside air intake
Humidifiers
Plumbing
Proper PVC and copper install
Sealing/flashing wall and roof penetrations
Sump pumps
Ventilation
Bath fans
Range hoods
Dryer vents
Gas fireplaces |
Insulation
 How insulation is installed and detailed also impacts the management of moisture in a new home. A number of issues must be properly addressed, as in this video and: Kraft faced insulation, insulate behind tub/shower units, proper sealing of penetration, caulking and seal where you see light.
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Exterior Cladding
 Like the roof, the walls and their exterior finish must be properly detailed to shed a tremendous amount of direct, run-off and wind-blown rainfall. In order to properly handle that water, care must be taken with the following details;
Siding
Wood (Vinyl/Aluminum Siding, Hang Siding, Proper J channel/starter & strip installation)
Cement Board
Brick
Head and bed joints
Maintaining a clean air space
Weep holes
Lightweight Stone
Double layer weather membrane
Scratch coat
Proper door and window flashing
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Flashing and Runoff Controls
 Finally, dealing with the holes in the various building elements and how we direct water away from them and the main building elements is critical to moving the water out. In this video we take a look at a number of these issues, including: window and door flashing/sealing, review all roof and wall penetrations, proper gutter and downspout sizing and installation, splash blocks and final grade details.
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Proper Installation Guidelines for Fiberglass Insulation
 Fitting fiberglass Batts in stud bays
Fitting around outlets and pipes
Compressing the batts
Friction fit vs. Stapling
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10. CONSTRUCTION PROCESS
Rob De Kieffer - Specifications/Verification/ Best Practices for Managing Trades
 Rob deKieffer is the managing partner of Boulder Design Alliance. He has been working in both new and retrofit construction for over twenty years. Rob's recent work has focused on helping builders meet the new IECC codes, enhancing and implementing the EPA Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program, and evaluating energy conservation programs.
SUGGESTED READING:
Greening of a home performance contractor
SEGMENT 1 - Specifications, plans; biggest problems are in the field; training for everyone in the field; specs and reinforcement.
SEGMENT 2 - A comprehensive approach is vital; every decision effects subs; implementation of new plans and specs.
SEGMENT 3 - Why builders want to build better; figuring out who is a good or bad sub; quality control; verification of jobs; documentation; how to get started with changes as a builder; working towards best practices.
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11. FOUNDATIONS
John Tooley - Foundation details: Building for Success
 John Tooley, a former builder, began building closed/unvented crawl spaces in Orlando in 1989, and began retrofitting existing crawl spaces in 1990. He has trained more than 2,000 builders on designing and building closed/unvented crawl spaces. In January of 1996, John joined Advanced Energy, a non-profit corporation that helps utility, industrial and residential customers improve the return on their energy investment. AS a building science consultant and senior trainer, he has developed the standards and conducted the training for the design and implementation of the duct diagnostic and repair programs for both Advanced Energy and Florida Power. In addition to training manuals, John has authored and co-authored numerous scientific papers and articles.
SUGGESTED READING:
Closed crawlspaces do double duty
Inproving crawlspaces in NY multifamily buildings
SEGMENT 1 - Foundation/design process; Crawl spaces; Risk management; What is important in a crawlspace; Most important things to consider when building a foundation.
SEGMENT 2 - Codes/Liability; Insulation crawlspace walls - technique/proper installation; Stakeholders - Termite control, Fire issues; Storage in crawls; Foundation part of the system/legal liability; Builders warranty costs.
SEGMENT 3 - More detail on water management; Roof leaks; Bulk water, roof and drainage planes; New products in the market place; testing.
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12. RENEWABLES
Residential Photovoltaics
 Expert PV installer Bill Brooks goes over the basics of a Solar Photovoltaic system, how they work, and the various components and considerations for a PV system. |
PV Installation
 Bill and Steve get into greater detail on the siting, sizing and installation of a solar PV system. |
Wind Power
 This desert-dweller has installed and lived with a Wind Power system for a number of years, and shares her insight on these systems, their installation, maintenance and use. |
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Variety of new glazing and frames that deliver results without high costs; Buildings that are easier - climate control; Changes in technology change AC load; Opportunities and challenges for builders; New labeling system (NFRC); Looking at windows as part of the house system; Brief history of windows.
Bruce Harley is technical director of Conservation Services Group (CSG) and chair of the RESNET Technical Committee. He has worked with and trained in retrofit, new construction, HERS, codes, and building science since 1990. His book, Insulate and Weatherize, was published in 2002 by Taunton Press.
Mac Pearce is an environmental health consultant who is a pioneer in studying the relationship between mold and indoor air quality. He has investigated thousands of homes and buildings for mold and moisture problems, and has taught hundreds of classes and seminars on IAQ-related issues.
John Ouellette is a retired internist / allergist specialist who has been interested in the field of indoor air quality (IAQ) as it relates to human health for the past fifteen years. He has a special passion in understanding how building science can be applied in developing interventions to fix an IAQ problem.