I'm interested in developing more sustainable prefabs rather than the ordinary terrible ones. All off the grid, prefab, and even preferably recycled materials.
I’ve been looking into passive houses for a while and would love to build one but it just isn’t realistic for our income level.
We live somewhere in the temperate climate zone, fairly cold winters with very occasional snow but horribly humid summers. We honestly can live through winters even without heating but it’s not fun due to my health issues. Not looking to build anything bigger than 1400sqft and willing to go as low as 1000sqft.
What should we look for knowledge wise in a contractor to build an energy efficient affordable home and what specifically should we ask them to focus on to get the most out of our money for the area?
If we’re able to find someone willing to do it we are considering doing all the interiors ourselves (painting, flooring and possible kitchen with prebuilt cabinets).
Working on a Passive House in Climate Zone 5A. The plan is to use vinyl lap siding as the cladding, but we are struggling to determine the best way to install this, given that the wall assembly includes 3" of rigid foam board insulation between the sheathing and the siding.
We have been struggling to get installation guidance from vinyl siding manufacturers, as this installation with this thickness of foam is not explicitly called out in their technical materials.
Looking for recommendations on installation (e.g., should we use furring strips, nail directly into sheathing/studs through the foam, etc.) and recommendations on siding brands. Thank you in advance!
Efficient House Features
Passive Construction: A house designed to use minimal energy for heating, utilizing insulation and heat recovery.
Smart Home Technology: Automation systems that manage lighting and heating to maximize savings.
Modular Architecture: Quickly constructed, eco-friendly homes with high energy efficiency.
Looking for recommendations for a building science consultant or architect experienced with phased retrofit work in mixed-humid climate zone 4A (Eastern Panhandle of WV / Berkeley County area, though remote consulting could also work).
We purchased a 1984 pier-and-beam home and after purchase uncovered some concealed structural, moisture, and termite damage that had been concealed by the seller. The issues appear localized rather than systemic, and we’re using the opportunity to thoughtfully rebuild portions of the house with better envelope details rather than just patching things cosmetically again.
Current/planned scope includes:
- structural repairs
- replacing T1-11 and adding proper WRB + rainscreen
- likely exterior insulation
- window replacement/reinstallation strategy
- cathedral ceiling / roof assembly considerations
- air sealing and durability improvements
- phased DIY approach with contractor support where needed
I’m pretty experienced with DIY and renovating, so considering doing as much of the work myself as I can. I’ve been going through the Build Science 101, 201 and 301 courses on YouTube and have a pretty good idea of how to approach things. Mainly need someone to bounce questions off of and to be the Building science adult in the room to make sure I don’t mess anything up too bad.
Someone who works virtual and is familiar with my climate zone would be great.
I’m looking less for “full custom architecture” and more for someone strong in retrofit building science, sequencing, and assembly detailing who is comfortable consulting with an engaged homeowner.
Any recommendations for consultants, architects, or builders who are especially good at this kind of work?