Proper site work and foundation construction are as critical to the overall quality and healthfulness of a home as the building shell that is constructed above grade. As a result, a builder’s job begins before the very first shovel of dirt comes out of the ground, not after the foundation is completed. The physical processes at work below grade--processes related to temperature, water, moisture, and air--can cause a variety of problems that not only affect occupant health, but may also compromise the building structure. And, mistakes made in site drainage and foundation construction are the most difficult and costly to fix. External factors further highlight the need for the program: reduced insurance coverage for mold and moisture related claims; high asthma rates; high radon contamination rates; increasing consumer awareness of the health and safety issues of indoor environments; and client dissatisfaction that can lead to litigation.

The Building Shell
Friday, February 12, 2010 - Mitchell Center, University of Southern Maine, Gorham
No registration fee, but pre-registration required: 
Visit www.efficiencypros.org to register.

Simply put, a new home’s building shell is comprised of the structural elements that separate the inside from the outside: walls, roofs, windows, doors. The shell’s function, however, is anything but simple. It has to protect its occupants from rain, wind and snow. It has to control the flow of energy and heat between indoors and outdoors. It has to control the flow of air and moisture. It has to provide light and a mechanism to enter and exit. It has to provide a means for pollutants and contaminants to flow out of the building. It has to create an environment that is comfortable indoors, when conditions outdoors are not. And, it significantly determines the affordability and energy consumption of a home. This program presents practical techniques building professionals can achieve all of these goals and still provide healthy IAQ.

Ventilating New & Existing Homes

Friday, March 5, 2010 - Mitchell Center, University of Southern Maine, Gorham
No registration fee, but pre-registration required: 
Visit www.efficiencypros.org to register.

Building and renovating homes in Maine’s climate is a challenge. While most customers demand that their homes be constructed and renovated to minimize heat loss - most customers don’t make similar demands for adequate ventilation. Yet ventilation of a Maine home, particularly an energy efficient home, is one of the most critical construction issues Maine builders need to address. Properly ventilated homes minimize the risk of exposure to indoor environmental pollutants (radon, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, combustion pollutants, chemicals) and minimize the risk of moisture damage in the building envelope and subsequent biological contamination. This program stresses why controlling ventilation in a home is necessary to protect occupant health. It will discuss the most common sources of indoor air pollution in homes and how they get there, and what physical processes are present (air flow, pressure, moisture) that affect indoor air quality. The program provides practical strategies to achieve core ventilation goals.