Building practitioners are not fully aware how to design and build energy-efficiency and reduce RISK. To build energy efficient homes requires knowing which details, components, assemblies work best along with technical tips, tricks, and time-savers practical to low-energy, high performance construction. Virginia Tech Department of Building Construction has partnered with NetPlus Energy to offer Fundamentals of High Performance Housing August 20-23, 2013 at Bishop Favrao Hall Blacksburg Main Campus. To view the curriculum go to www.netplusenergyschool.org, to the Registration Tab and review the Four and Two day modules. The program is dynamic engaging building practitioners and students in hands on "how to, how not to, whys inherent to high-performance best practices and more".

Structural Insulated Panels (SIPS) are one of the key ingredients to an air tight building envelope that is necessary for Net Zero Energy Housing. This event should be a great learning experience, great to see opportunities for students, builders and architects to learn that net zero construction is here, it is possible, affordable and a necessary function of housing for today's picky home buyers!

SIPS have their place; they are relatively easy to make air tight and go up quickly. The downside is the cost, thermal bridging at the windows, doors and structural beams (where you have to cut out the foam to insert supports) and the fact that R60 + panels are not available easily. Plus the carbon footprint for the insulation is so much higher than cellulose. but we do need to use all the available technologies in order to get to the next level.

Given the number of Net Zero House existence proofs WITHOUT SIPs, (as in "almost all of them") methinks Innova is a bit overzealous on the SIP-advocacy end!?

And as IRC 2012 becomes more widely adopted within state building codes, the awareness and skill levels around air sealing will improve by leaps and bounds, even within the tract housing builders (much as IRC 2009 did, even at the very modest 7ACH/50 spec.)

Contractors building R13 + 5 assemblies already have a clue as to how install exterior panelized insulation, though going to R20+ on the insulating sheathing has a few more details to master than R5. In most of the US Net Zero can be done at R30 whole-wall R or less, and it doesn't take a SIP to get there. In much of TX it can be done with air-tight 2x6 construction or R12+5 (~R14 whole-wall), better planning on windows size/type/placement, a bit more attic-R, and better HVAC sizing & placement. Net Zero Capable is now required by code in Austin, but isn't really much of a cost adder until they actually put up the PV panels.

Build with SIP's, your 85% of the way there. www.buysipsonline.com