blog posts with the latest industry insights. Some basic facts on batts are that all binders used are now formaldehyde-free, and batt manufacturers lure green buyers by including re- cycled content. Treatments and facings are applied by many of the manufacturers including mold inhibitors, flame and fire retarders, and smart membranes that change permeabil- ity based on humidity.


While insulation may be regarded as the most essential en- ergy-saving tool, effectiveness of any material is minimized without sealing to ensure a continuous air barrier. Weather- resistive barriers (house wraps) are required by code for all exterior sheathing. Proper caulking and weather-stripping are also essential.


Insulating with foam offers superior penetration and la- bor savings because there is no added labor required to do air sealing, but it is the most expensive method. Just like any other building material, there are differences in qual- ity; when it comes to foam, this is dictated by the physical properties of the foam and of course, the level of skill of a particular company’s applicators. Foams differ by their


Most people would say when it comes to windows, the more the better. Thanks to modern technology, more doesn’t always have to mean extrav- agant energy loss.


Photo, courtesy of Andersen® Windows


tures, thereby reducing the heat transferred into the building below. According to the Metal Roofing Alliance, a white- painted metal roof has the highest solar reflectance value of any roofing product available and can save up to 40 per- cent of a home’s annual energy bills. Furthermore, highly emissive metal roofs can reduce urban air temperatures by as much as 12 degrees Farenheit.


Te Cool Roof Rating Council was created in 1998 to de- velop accurate and credible methods for evaluating and la- beling the solar reflectance and thermal emittance (radia- tive properties) of roofing products and to disseminate the information to all interested parties. Coolroofs.org offers a directory of various products offered by its members.


Windows & Doors


While they are thermal weak spots in the building enve- lope, windows and doors are, of course, essential, and more openings are highly desirable to most buyers.


Tankfully, Metal roofs have a high solar reflectance value.


sustainable and green attributes as well as their R-value per inch. PDBE and HFC are the bad words in foam, so look for foams that are free of these toxins.


Intumescent coat-


ings applied over foam insulation for fire protection are a hot (pardon the pun) selling point. Coatings such as Johns Manville’s TPR2 Fireshell and CertainTeed’s CertaCoat are designed to swell with high heat, increasing the volume of the foam but decreasing its density, which can delay or even prevent ignition.


Roofing


Common sense tells us to take measures so that we don’t have to put all the preventative insulation technologies to the testing extremes. In Texas, that means using a cool roof. Cool roofs can significantly reduce the roof surface tempera-


technology has increased the use of higher-performance windows and doors across all home price points. Fenestra- tion ratings help builders to compare one product to an- other—the lower the U-factor, the better the insulating per- formance. But once again, best building practices are also essential to maximizing performance; proper flashing and sealing are paramount.


You’ve heard it all before about low-E glass, glazing, and multi-panes with spacing and special gases between them. So what’s next in window technology?


Early “smart win-


dow” products entering the market now have the potential to adjust to let heat in when it is needed, keep it out when it is not and make better use of daylight. Instead of being a weak spot in a building’s energy efficiency, windows could be a source of solar energy that makes a net contribution to building energy use. Tis is accomplished using glass films that use the energy from the sun to darken and lighten the glass tint depending on the heat and light conditions.


VXIII GREATER DFW METROPLEX BUILDING SAVVY MAGAZINE 15


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