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Finding Paths Forward: Ideas for When We Disagree in the Green Building Industry
It was energizing to receive quite a few positive responses to Rate It Green’s New Year’s email. Some people were appreciative of our efforts to bring the green building community to
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COP28 - Is this Glass Half Full or Half Empty?
The 28th COP, or Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, took place in Dubai from November 20 to December 13, 2023. If you're an optimist, you might think it&rs
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Major Green Building Organizations Rally Around the Common Materials Framework (CMF)
At Greenbuild 2023, leading green building organizations, including the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the International Living Future Institute (ILFI), the International WELL Building Instit
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Global GreenTag International Launches First Nature Positive Standard and Declaration
Global GreenTag International recently launched the first Nature Positive green building programs, the NaturePositive+ Standard™ and the NaturePositive+ Declaration™. Both programs call on
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Top Factors for Selecting New Windows
How do you decide what windows you need? Green Builder Matt Hoots of Sawhorse, Inc. shares some top considerations, but first he reminds us that every client, every job, every building, an
Deciding When to Replace Windows
Thanks to GreenBuilder Matt Hoots of Sawhorse, Inc. for kicking off our series on Windows and Energy Efficiency!
In this conversation, Matt explains when it’s time to start thin
European vs. American Windows - What's the Difference?
Have you been wondering what the difference is between European and American windows? (And have you had a European window seem to fall on you during vacation, and perhaps you panicked?) Check ou
Energy Efficient Steel Windows and Doors - Arcadia Custom
Arcadia Custom Windows and Doors has met the challenge to prevent energy loss and to meet or even exceed energy codes with steel doors and windows. In this video, Matt Hoots talks with M
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Strategies for Managing Summer Attic Heat - Air Sealing and Insulation
Join Matt Hoots of Sawhorse, Inc. and Amelia Godfrey, EarthCraft Program Manager for a conversation about attic heat, including why our attics get hot, why this matters, and strategies
Aiming for Higher Performance Homes - A Holistic Approach is Best
There are plenty of reasons people might not want or be able to renovate the interior of the home when trying to improve building performance. What can you do to improve performanc
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What is the Compressive Strength of ROCKWOOL Insulation?
No, you shouldn’t drive over ROCKWOOL or any other insulation, but apparently people have done it….
In this video, Matt Hoots of Sawhorse, Inc.
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How Effective is ROCKWOOL Stone Wool Insulation Against Water?
What happens to ROCKWOOL stone mineral or stone wool insulation when it gets wet? This is an important question, as insulation is installed on the outside of the house, on the roof, on t
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Reviewing the Benefits of ROCKWOOL Stone Wool Insulation
In this video, Matt Hoots of Sawhorse, Inc. and Chris Laumer-Giddens of LG Squared, Inc. share why they think highly of ROCKWOOL stone wool insulation, also known as mineral wool in
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What are Outriggers, and Why Do We Need Them?
As Matt Hoots of Sawhorse, Inc. and Chris Laumer-Giddens of LG Squared, Inc. explain in this video, outriggers are rafters or trusses that extend beyond the roof of the building. Ou
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First Net Zero Energy Community in Georgia
Even though we are in a hot building market, it is important to innovate and design based on consumers' ever-growing needs. The timing is perfect for a house that matches the realities that
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Why Air Sealing and Insulation are Both Essential
Why do we need to air seal AND insulate? The answer is that these control layers work together to protect air quality and energy efficiency, improving comfort, protecting our buildi
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Pros and Cons of an airtight house
A house needs to breathe, right?
Yes, they do, but not the way most builders or homeowners think they do. Many argue for a leaky house to allow the house to breathe. That is one method
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50% of the "perfect wall" control layers with one product
The only way to mainstream advanced building science concepts is to make them simple to install. As we designed and are building the #1920sMakeoverATL, we have to work with readily available mat
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The “Perfect Wall” defined and demonstrated
We keep using the term “perfect wall” when describing the various control layers on the #1920sMakoverATL deep enegy retrofit and learning house. This concept does deserve to be unpac
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What is a "water resistant barrier" (WRB), examples and misconceptions
A water-resistant barrier (WRB) is a material used in construction to prevent the intrusion of moisture into the interior of a building. It is an essential component of the building envelope, designed
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What is ACH50, and why does it matter?
We have been making good progress on the #1920sMakeoverATL learning house. In some content we created about this project, we have thrown out the term ACH50 without explaining why it matters. &nbs
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Clean Vapor Becomes a Land Science Certified Applicator
Rate It Green Gold Company Member Clean Vapor has become a certified spray-applied barrier applicator for the Land Science family of products. Adding spray-applied vapor barriers continu
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Hi-Velocity HVAC System for Modern Designed Homes
I worked with a high-velocity HVAC system attached to a ground source heat pump a decade ago. We had to use this system because the architect did not leave us any room for ductwork, so the
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Buildings need to dry- not breathe!
Hopefully, by now, most people understand that "Build tight/ ventilate right" is how most green building programs require you to build. Less understood is the necessity for buildings t
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There are more to toilets than just low flow
When low-flow toilets were introduced to the market decades ago, they were a complete failure. Toilet manufacturers took older models and changed a few parts to be compliant. I even rememb
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