Take control With
BUilding science
Why Traditional Building Fails…
Traditional construction often relies on prescriptive methods that fail to account for the real-world movement of heat, air, and moisture. This neglect creates inherent vulnerabilities, leading to common home issues like unexplained drafts, high energy bills, and hidden problems like condensation, mold, and structural rot within the walls. Building Science steps in where tradition fails, using engineering principles to proactively control these forces and ensure a durable, healthy, and high-performing structure.
Litigation Risk: Up to 80% of building litigation claims are caused by severe water intrusion and moisture-related failures.
Air Quality: As much as 60% of the air on the first floor may originate directly from a dirty or unsealed crawl space.
Energy Waste: Standard construction often wastes up to 40% of energy through unmanaged air leaks and thermal bridging.
Premature Failure: Poor detailing and uncontrolled moisture cause early rot, significantly shortening a home’s lifespan.
What is BUilding Science?
We don’t guess—we calculate. Using advanced Building Science, we establish a continuous 'Red Line' around your entire home, ensuring the four critical Control Layers are never broken. This unbroken boundary acts as a permanent shield, meticulously engineered to stay connected from the foundation to the roof. By maintaining this total enclosure, we eliminate the gaps and weak points where traditional construction fails.
By perfecting these layers—Water, Air, Vapor, and Thermal—we prevent the external environment from ever compromising your structure. This high-performance approach creates a home that isn't just built, but engineered for maximum durability and total indoor comfort. The result is a healthy, energy-efficient sanctuary designed to perform at the highest level for generations to come.
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The Water Control Layer is the first line of defense against liquid moisture penetration. It consists of an integrated system of materials, such as exterior claddings, flashings, and the water-resistive barrier (WRB), designed to shed bulk water away from the wall assembly. Its primary function is to prevent rain and snowmelt from entering the structure, thereby guarding against mold, rot, and structural damage.
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The Air Control Layer (or air barrier) is a continuous, interconnected plane that restricts the movement of air into and out of the building enclosure. Controlling air movement prevents energy loss through convection and stops moisture-laden air from condensing within the wall assembly. This layer is crucial for maintaining both energy efficiency and superior indoor air quality.
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The Vapor Control Layer is designed to limit the movement of moisture in its gaseous form (water vapor) through the building's materials. This layer, often referred to as a vapor retarder or barrier, is strategically placed within the wall assembly based on climate. Its function is to prevent the condensation of water vapor inside the structure where it could damage insulation and encourage microbial growth.
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The Thermal Control Layer is the insulation system responsible for resisting the flow of heat. It is a continuous layer applied strategically across the entire enclosure—walls, roof, and foundation—to minimize heat transfer via conduction, convection, and radiation. Effective thermal management maintains a comfortable indoor temperature, significantly reduces the demand on heating and cooling equipment, and is the primary driver of building energy efficiency.
Your home for generations
A high-performance home is achieved only when the four critical control layers—Water, Air, Vapor, and Thermal—are seamlessly integrated and meticulously detailed across every square inch. While traditional building methods treat walls as collections of unrelated components, we engineer the building enclosure as a unified, high-functioning system. This rigorous and holistic approach ensures that no single failure point ever compromises the entire structure, delivering a resilient shield against the elements and guaranteeing peak performance for the entire life of the home.
Water Management: Exterior drainage sheds bulk water, backed by a continuous layer that permanently shields the structure.
Air Quality: Mechanical ventilation provides fresh, filtered air while actively controlling moisture and removing pollutants.
Exceptional Comfort: Enjoy total thermal consistency with no drafts or temperature swings throughout the entire house.
Ultimate Durability: An engineered enclosure prevents water intrusion and mold, significantly extending the structure's life.
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Thermal Management ensures consistent interior temperature, eliminating drafts and uncomfortable temperature swings year-round. High-performance insulation and precise control over heat flow create a stable, pleasant indoor environment. This core practice of Building Science ensures occupants feel comfortable in every area of the home, regardless of exterior conditions.
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Effective Water Management is crucial for long-term Durability. Building science employs continuous water-resistive barriers and strategic flashing to systematically drain bulk water away from the structure. This essential protection prevents water penetration, which is the leading cause of material degradation, structural rot, and premature failure of the home's components.
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Superior occupant Health relies on meticulous Air Management. A tightly sealed enclosure prevents the uncontrolled infiltration of exterior dust, allergens, and pollutants. It is paired with controlled mechanical ventilation to introduce fresh, filtered air while exhausting stale, humid air, significantly lowering the concentration of indoor contaminants.
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Optimal Energy Efficiency is achieved through precise Vapor Management and thermal control. By correctly detailing the enclosure to prevent moisture condensation within the walls, the insulation maintains its peak effectiveness. This integrated approach minimizes heat loss, reduces the workload on HVAC systems, and dramatically lowers the home's long-term utility expenses.
Why Modern HOMES
Shouldn’t Breathe
Many still believe a house needs to 'breathe,' but Building Science proves otherwise. Ancient structures stood for centuries because they lacked insulation, allowing massive heat loss to act like a kiln that kept the interior and exterior dry.
In modern traditional building, however, letting a house 'breathe' through air leaks causes moisture to get trapped within the house, leading to rot.
By air-sealing the structure with a continuous 'Red Line,' we manage the internal environment to achieve that same legendary durability with the added benefits of modern comfort and efficiency
Crawlspace / Basement
Traditional Building VS Building Science
Traditional Building
VS Building Science
Traditional Building - Vented
In traditional building vents allow humid air to enter and get trapped under your home. This moisture condenses into mold and rot, compromising your foundation and your air quality.
Building Science - Sealed
Using building science we eliminate vents in favor of a fully sealed exterior enclosure. By blocking moisture and vapor from the start, we create a bone-dry environment that protects your structure for life.
Traditional Building - Leaks
Traditional crawl spaces often have dirt floors or vapor barriers that aren't air-sealed to the foundation walls. This "vapor drive" leads to high humidity, wood rot, and poor indoor air quality that allows for mold growth.
Building Science - Sealed
As seen in this photo during a basement pre-slab installation, our heavy-duty vapor barrier is air-sealed directly to the foundation walls. This creates a permanent, unbroken seal that ensures absolutely no moisture or compromise can enter your home from underneath.
Traditional Building - The Results
Poor moisture and aircontrol leads to a cycle of structural decay and toxic mold growth. This compromise doesn't just damage your wood and foundation; it ruins your indoor air quality by pulling damp, polluted air from the crawl space into your living areas.
Building Science - The Results
Whether it’s a crawlspace or a basement, our approach guarantees a healthy, bone-dry structure that is built to last centuries. By eliminating moisture at the source, we provide superior air quality and unmatched durability, protecting both your family’s health and your long-term investment.