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SIPS
Structural insulated panels (SIPS) are high performance building panels used for floors, walls, and roofs in residential and light commercial buildings. The panels are typically made by sandwiching a core of rigid foam insulation between two structural skins of oriented strand board. SIPS are manufactured under factory-controlled conditions and can be custom designed for each […]
R Value
When someone says, “what is the R-value of a wall”, what they’re really talking about is the resistance to heat flow. The higher the number, the greater the resistance. R-Values are derived buy testing materials in a laboratory under ideal conditions. A lot of the time, entire systems are not tested but rather just the […]
Photo Voltaic Panels (PV)
Photovoltaic or PV systems are devices used to convert sunlight into electricity. Photovoltaic systems are a safe, reliable, low-maintenance source of solar electricity. They have a life expectancy exceeding 40 years, produce no pollution or emissions, incur few operating costs, and are easy to install on most Canadian homes. With rising energy costs and concerns […]
Passive Solar Design
We live in a predominantly heating climate. So if we are to reduce with any significance, our energy bills over the course of the year. We need to start taking a look at using that big red fire ball in the sky to help out with some of the bills. I read somewhere that: “Enough […]
Moisture Flow
Controlling moisture flow into and out of the building is essential in the effort to ensure that they stay healthy and structurally sound. Moisture comes in three phases: as a solid, as a liquid and as a gas. Moisture can move in four ways: by gravity, by capillary action, with airflow and by diffusion. In […]
Materials
It has been observed that we are living in a world much different than our parents and much much different than the one our grandparents lived in. the ease at which we have slipped into this “disposable” world is more than a little disconcerting. Which makes it essential for us to consider the nature of […]