Event Description

About Foundations: 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. This program highlights the physical processes at work below grade–processes related to temperature, water, moisture, and air–and how they can cause a variety of problems that not only may affect occupant health, but may also drastically compromise energy efficiency and the building structure. The session offers practical how-to guidance on ways to avoid mistakes in site drainage and foundation construction: mistakes that are costly and difficult to fix after the home is completed.

New: Time will be spent on techniques to calculate dew point on building surfaces.

Learning objectives for Foundations:

1. The how’s and why’s of foundation drainage, bulk water management, and vapor management
2. The difference between “damp proofing” and “water proofing”
3. The how’s and why’s of thermal breaks between earth and structure below ground
4. How to create true capillary breaks between earth and concrete, concrete and wood
5. The radon problem and how to minimize it
6. Strategies for successful insulation of the critical floor slab/footing/wall joint
7. Benefits of insulating basement walls and floors versus insulating basement ceiling
8. The ASTM Radon Resistant Construction Standard
9. Basic interpretation of infrared imagery
10.  How a “finished basement” will influence new construction decisions
11. How to calculate dew point on building surfaces.