Building an insulated wall to meet code is a no-brainer; the code book will tell you what to do. But if you're trying to surpass code and build, say, a Passive House or a zero-energy home, there's no simple road map.
In this article's four sections, JLC brings you real-world examples of high-performance wall systems, each designed and built by a different team, but all tailored to roughly the same New England climate. We asked each team to draw and describe its wall system's construction details, including the tie-in to the roof and foundation, and to explain how its system handles heat conduction, air infiltration, and moisture control.
Each wall beats code, and each has its pros and cons. All four of the building/design teams are learning as they go, and these examples are at various points in a process of constant improvement in materials and methods.
For reasons of space, we've left out an important topic: detailing the window and door openings. Look for more about that at jlconline.com in the weeks and months ahead.
—Ted Cushman is a freelance writer based in Peaks Island, Maine. He is editor of the Coastal Contractor newsletter and has been a regular contributor to JLC since 1993.
