Author: Valerie Morris

The window industry has been waiting for this moment. Alpen’s new Tyrol series represents a quantum leap forward in uPVC window technology, offering three distinct styles that deliver what architects and builders have been demanding: exceptional energy performance, versatile design options, and construction that meets or exceeds Passive House standards.

Two Distinct Styles, One Extraordinary Performance Standard

Tyrol Edge redefines sleek modernism with its ultra-slim profile featuring just a 1/4″ frame offset, creating maximum glass visibility and an aluminum-like aesthetic perfect for contemporary designs. The squared-off frame and slim lines reduce visual bulk while achieving up to an impressive R-10 fixed and R-9 operable performance.

Tyrol Contour offers the best of both worlds with traditional rounded frame styling and a 3/4″ frame offset. The medium-depth frame provides extra insulating chambers, delivering the highest performance in the series with up to R-11 fixed and R-9 operable ratings – ideal for Passive House applications.

Performance That Sets New Standards

All Tyrol series deliver exceptional thermal performance that makes code compliance effortless:

• Whole-window R-values up to R-11 easily meet Passive House and stretch code requirements
• Air infiltration as low as 0.01 CFM/sq. ft. – well above industry standards
• Design pressures from CW-50 to CW-100+ handle extreme weather conditions
• Frame U-factors range from 0.13 to 0.18, depending on series and configuration

The innovation lies in each series’ unique construction approach. Edge and Contour feature continuous strand fiberglass with 100% recycled uPVC cores, eliminating steel reinforcement in sashes while maintaining structural integrity.

Sizing and Versatility

Tyrol windows accommodate diverse architectural needs with impressive sizing capabilities. While the original Tyrol product offers large sizes with steel reinforcement for dark colors, Tyrol Edge and Contour push the boundaries further – Edge allows dark colors up to 118″ with lighter-weight PVC reinforcement, while Contour offers similar capabilities with enhanced thermal performance.

European Functionality, American Manufacturing

Tyrol Edge and Contour feature a signature European-style operation with Fixed, Tilt-Turn, Turn-Only, and Hopper configurations available. Both will add Extra-Wide Hopper options in future phases, expanding design possibilities even further.

Color options include the stunning new Anthracite Grey in addition to white, black, and bronze. Handle colors include white, bronze, black, and nickel, complete the customization possibilities.

Manufacturing Excellence

Manufactured in Colorado using precision welding technology, Tyrol windows represent the first and only seamless weld technology in the USA. Edge and Contour utilize precision machine-built processes for consistent quality.

Ready to Transform Your Projects?

Whether you need the sleek modernism of Edge or the ultimate performance of Contour, there’s a Tyrol solution for nearly every project. Contact our team at AE Building Systems today to discover how Tyrol windows can elevate your next project. Superior performance, diverse options, and reliable American manufacturing – all backed by Alpen’s expertise.

In today’s increasingly noisy world, the sanctuary of our homes can be compromised by everything from traffic and construction to neighborhood disturbances. While energy efficiency often is the motivation behind a high-performance window choice, many homeowners are discovering an unexpected benefit that’s transforming their living experience: superior sound attenuation.

The Science Behind the Silence in Windows

What makes high-performance windows so effective at blocking sound? The answer lies in smart engineering that goes far beyond energy savings:

1. Dissimilar Glass Thicknesses: By using different glass thicknesses in the same window unit, high-performance windows disrupt sound wave patterns that would normally travel through uniform materials.
2. Laminated Glass Construction: The same technology that makes windshields safer also creates a sound-dampening barrier that dramatically reduces noise transmission.
3. Superior Air Tightness: The tight seals that prevent energy loss in passive house-certified windows simultaneously block sound waves from sneaking through gaps.
4. Specialized Spacers and Insulation: The components between glass panels contribute significantly to blocking sound transmission across various frequencies.

The Silent Revolution Happening in Homes

Trisha Hallerberg experienced this benefit in a dramatic way just two weeks after installing high-performance windows from AE Building Systems. “Someone crashed into our cars in the driveway, and we never heard a thing,” she recounts with amazement. The contrast between her new windows and remaining standard doors is drastic: “The crappy Home Depot door is so noisy compared to our new windows.” Even more life-changing, their family room that backs up to a relatively busy road is no longer filled with traffic noise. “We can actually watch TV without turning the volume up as much,” Trisha explains.

This isn’t an isolated experience. A Golden, Colorado resident is now considering replacing his remaining windows for no other reason than sound attenuation. After replacing some windows with Alpen high-performance models, the difference was so noticeable that noise reduction alone justifies completing the remaining installations.

Real-World Impact

Builder Joe Ogg witnessed the dramatic effect during a client’s home remodel walkthrough. “We could barely hear the excavation happening next door until we opened a window,” he recalls. “The sound literally blasted us when we opened the window”, making for a significant surprise. The difference was night and day.

For professionals who work from home, sound attenuation can be critical. One of our customers (also a façade expert) and his wife selected Alpen TGT (Thin Glass Triple) windows specifically for their superior OITC/STC ratings (Outdoor-Indoor Transmission Class and Sound Transmission Class) due to a construction project being built behind their home. Though performance was important, sound attenuation became their primary objective. The standard Alpen 625 TGT approach yielded results far exceeding their expectations in reducing construction noise.

Beyond Energy Savings: A New Priority

While energy efficiency continues to drive window replacement decisions, sound attenuation is emerging as an equally compelling benefit, particularly for homeowners in dense metropolitan areas or near busy thoroughfares. The ability to transform a noisy environment into a peaceful retreat represents significant value beyond monthly utility savings. With many people working from home now and needing the ability to focus and control the sound in their work environment, as well as many people who desire better sound control for sleeping, there are so many reasons why people are making this a priority! 

High-performance windows, like those from Alpen, combine multiple sound-reducing technologies that standard windows simply cannot match. The result is a quieter, more peaceful home environment that many homeowners didn’t even realize was possible.

If you’ve been considering window replacement primarily for energy efficiency, it may be worth exploring how high-performance options could simultaneously transform your home’s acoustic environment. After all, true comfort isn’t just about temperature, it’s about creating a peaceful sanctuary in an increasingly noisy world.

High-performance windows are a critical component of any energy-efficient building project.  Last month we talked about  smartwin™ by Advantage Architectural Woodwork.  Advantage offers three smartwin™ window models. Those brands are designed to meet different performance requirements, aesthetic preferences, and budget considerations. In this article, we’ll explore the unique properties of smartwin COMPACT®, smartwin SOLAR®, and smartwin ARCTIC® to help you understand which option might be best for your project.

It is important to note that for all 3 brands: Made in USA!

• They have the same interior and exterior color and finish options.  The finishes include stains and low VOC paint for the interior. The exterior has standard anodize Aluminum, or high performance Kynar paint.  Other options include wood exteriors or cladding in HPL like Trespa or Richlite materials with extreme durability.  Trespa and Richlite should be trademarked. 
• The swing and lift/slide doors are the same for all 3 brands and are called smartwin “entrance” and “sliding”.  
• All are designed so that they can be over-insulated from the exterior and there are some design considerations that are important to be mindful of. Triple glazing is the standard!
• Because they are designed to be over-insulated, the exterior look is very modern as the frames on the legs (jambs) and head appear to be essentially nonexistent from the exterior with very slim exterior lines at the head and legs. You can also case it in a traditional look, though, should you desire. High-quality wood and coatings make these not only functional, but beautiful too!

smartwin COMPACT®: The Foundation of Excellence

Smartwin COMPACT® (simply known as “Compact”) serves as the foundation of the smartwin® family, offering impressive thermal performance with a robust design. Smartwin COMPACT® is ideal for projects where budget considerations are paramount while still requiring exceptional thermal performance.

Key Features:

• Frame Performance: U-value of 0.125
• Overall Performance: Uw = 0.11 with Ug = 0.091
• Frame + Sash Profile: 86mm (3-3/8″)
• Aesthetic: Solid, traditional profile with consistent sightlines between fixed and operable units
• Glazing Options: High SHGC (0.54), Low SHGC (0.31), and custom options

Unique Properties: COMPACT® is the baseline for which we will compare SOLAR® and ARCTIC®  

smartwin SOLAR®: Sleek Contemporary Design

smartwin SOLAR® elevates performance and aesthetics with a slimmer profile and enhanced features. smartwin SOLAR® is perfect for projects where a more contemporary look is desired with maximized glass area and daylight, all while maintaining exceptional thermal performance.

Key Features:

• Frame Performance: Improved U-value of 0.118
• Overall Performance: Uw = 0.11 with Ug = 0.091 (same excellent performance as COMPACT)
• Frame + Sash Width: Slimmer 77mm (3″) with narrower mullions
• Aesthetic: More contemporary look with consistent sightlines between fixed and operable units
• Pricing: Approximately 12% increase over COMPACT

Unique Properties:

• Industry-leading, slimmer mullions for more glass area
• Narrower frame/sash for enhanced aesthetics
• Narrow lower sill rain rail as standard

Smartwin ARCTIC®: North America’s Highest Performing Window

As the premium offering, smartwin ARCTIC® represents the pinnacle of window technology, boasting the highest thermal performance in North America. These windows are the ultimate choice for projects in extreme climates, where every fraction of thermal performance matters, or for those committed to the absolute best in sustainability and energy efficiency.

Key Features:

• Frame Performance: Superior U-value of 0.095
• Overall Performance: Uw = 0.10 with Ug = 0.091
• Frame + Sash Width: 77mm (3″) with narrow posts (same slim profile as SOLAR)
• Aesthetic: Contemporary look with consistent sightlines
• Pricing: Approximately 28% increase over COMPACT
• Innovation: World’s first Passiv Haus window specifically designed for cold climates

Unique Properties:

• Recycled PET foam used for exterior of frame
• North America’s highest-performing window (Made in USA)
• All the aesthetic benefits of SOLAR with even better thermal performance

Choosing the Right smartwin® Window for Your Project

When to Choose smartwin COMPACT®:

• When working with tighter budgets while still requiring excellent performance
• For projects where a more substantial frame aesthetic is acceptable or preferred

When to Choose smartwin SOLAR®:

• For contemporary designs prioritizing slim profiles and maximized glass area
• When increased solar gains from additional daylight are desired
• Where the narrow mullions and posts would enhance architectural aesthetics
• For projects with moderate budget flexibility (12% premium over COMPACT)
• Climate zones 6 and higher

When to Choose smartwin ARCTIC®:

• For projects in extreme cold climates
• When pursuing the absolute highest performance standards
• Where sustainability is paramount (featuring recycled PET foam)
• For showcase projects highlighting cutting-edge building technology
• When budget allows for premium performance (approximately 28% premium over COMPACT)
• Climate zones 6 and higher

Ready to Take the Next Step?

Our team is ready to help you evaluate which smartwin option best meets your specific needs for thermal performance, aesthetics, and budget. We can walk you through your options for smartwin and other energy-efficient choices. Contact our team to discuss your project requirements or for any other Passiv Haus topic to increase the efficiency of your upcoming project! aesthetics, and budget. We can walk you through your options for smartwin and other energy-efficient choices. Contact our team to discuss your project requirements or for any other Passiv Haus topic to increase the efficiency of your upcoming project!

In the world of high-performance windows and doors, one brand stands above the rest in terms of quality, efficiency, and innovation: smartwin™. As American homeowners and builders become increasingly focused on energy efficiency and sustainability, smartwin™ products are emerging as the gold standard in fenestration. Let’s explore what makes smartwin™ so incredibly awesome and why it deserves serious consideration for your next building or renovation project.

Unparalleled Performance

Smartwin™ windows and doors are engineered to deliver exceptional performance across multiple metrics that matter to homeowners. The performance advantages of smartwin™ products begin with their innovative design and construction:

• Superior thermal efficiency: With deeper frames and advanced triple-pane glazing, smartwin™ products provide insulation values that far exceed standard US and European windows.
• Minimal air infiltration: The precision engineering and multi-point sealing systems of smartwin™ windows dramatically reduce air leakage, creating more comfortable living spaces and reducing energy costs.
• Enhanced sound attenuation: The triple-pane glass configurations in smartwin™ windows deliver significantly higher STC (Sound Transmission Class) ratings compared to conventional double-pane windows, creating quieter interior environments.

A Complete Window and Door Solution

Smartwin™ offers a wide range of high-performance fenestration options:

• Tilt-turn Windows: Wood/aluminum clad windows with versatile operation modes
• Entry Doors: Secure, high-performance entrance solutions
• Balcony Doors: Tilt/turn functionality for flexible ventilation options
• Lift-Slide Doors: Smooth operation for large openings and a threshold track option called FASTrack that enables a flush to the floor installation.  

Craftsmanship Beyond Compare

What truly sets smartwin™ apart is the attention to detail and craftsmanship that goes into every product. Made in the USA by Advantage Architectural Woodwork, each smartwin™ window and door represents the perfect marriage of Old World craftsmanship and cutting-edge technology.

Smartwin™ vs. Conventional Windows

When comparing smartwin™ to mainstream US manufacturers like Anderson, Pella, and Sierra Pacific, or even standard European products like Mira, several unique differences become apparent:

Frame Depth and Design

Smartwin™ windows feature significantly deeper frames with more insulation, creating a thermal barrier that conventional windows simply cannot match. This increased depth plays a crucial role in preventing thermal bridging and heat loss.

Advanced Spacer Technology

The spacer systems used in smartwin™ glazing units are engineered to minimize condensation and maintain the integrity of the window seal over time. This represents a major advantage over conventional windows, which are much more prone to condensation issues, potentially leading to mold and rot along the window frame.

Superior Air Tightness 

The multi-point sealing technology in smartwin™ windows creates an airtight barrier that dramatically outperforms the sealing systems found in standard US windows. This translates to better energy efficiency and improved comfort, especially during extreme weather conditions.

Condensation Resistance

The extremely low potential for condensation, far exceeding the Passiv Haus hygiene requirement, reduces the potential for mold and rot issues, which is significantly greater with standard Euro and US manufactured windows. Smartwin’s™ frame depth and superior insulation values dramatically reduce this risk, protecting your investment and your health.

The Sustainability Advantage

Beyond performance and craftsmanship, smartwin™ products represent a commitment to sustainability. Their exceptional energy efficiency means lower carbon emissions over the lifetime of your home, making them an environmentally responsible choice that aligns with today’s focus on reducing our carbon footprint.

Passive House Certified Performance

Smartwin™ leads window technology with Passive House A+ grade certification, confirming its status as a top-tier product in the global market.

Made in the USA

Perhaps one of the most compelling aspects of smartwin™ is that these world-class windows are manufactured right here in the United States. By choosing smartwin™, you’re not only getting superior products but you are also supporting American craftsmanship and manufacturing excellence.

Experience the smartwin™ Difference

Want to learn more about how smartwin™ can enhance your new home with superior performance, comfort, and style? Contact us today for more information about these exceptional products.

Stay tuned for our next blog post, where we’ll take a deeper dive into the specific smartwin™ product lines and how they can be customized to meet your unique needs.

When Josh Oqueli of Bonsai Design Build set out to create his new office and home space on Stout Street in historic Curtis Park, he wanted to showcase how high-performance building principles and striking architectural design could coexist beautifully. The result is a testament to how modern sustainable building practices can enhance both comfort and aesthetics.

Drawing from his extensive experience as both an Architect and builder, Oqueli incorporated passive house principles throughout the project while maintaining bold design elements, including a stunning 19-foot accordion door system on the northwest façade topped by an expansive window array that spans the entire width of the building.

“Comfort is huge for us,” Oqueli explains. “We build energy-efficient homes for our clients, and we wanted to apply those same high-performance principles to our own space.” The project showcases how Bonsai Design Build practices what they preach, implementing the same sustainable building science they recommend to their clients.

Partners in Passive House Design

Working closely with AE Building Systems, a trusted partner for over a decade, Bonsai developed a comprehensive building envelope strategy. The wall assembly features 2×6 construction with R-19 batt insulation, enhanced by R-10 zip-r exterior insulation/sheathing. The Alpen Tyrol window package, carefully selected in collaboration with AE Building Systems, achieves impressive R-6 to R-7 values, significantly exceeding standard window performance and code.

The air sealing details demonstrate Bonsai’s commitment to excellence. Using SIGA Majrex for interior air sealing, the team meticulously addressed every potential air leakage point. As a result, they were able to achieve a remarkable 1.3 ACH50 in the final blower door test, despite the inherent challenges presented by the architectural accordion door system.  As a general rule of thumb, bifold or accordion-style doors are unfortunately fairly leaky.

Comfort & Function in Mechanical Systems

The mechanical systems reflect the project’s forward-thinking approach. Ducted mini-splits with exposed ductwork create an industrial-chic aesthetic while providing efficient heating and cooling. An Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV) ensures superior indoor air quality, underlining the project’s focus on occupant health and comfort.

“We spend 90% of our time in buildings, and too often, they’re neither healthy nor comfortable,” Oqueli notes. “But it doesn’t have to be that way. When homes are built right, they can be both healthy and comfortable while minimizing environmental impact.”

The long-standing collaboration between Bonsai Design Build and AE Building Systems played a crucial role in the project’s success. “Todd at AE has been instrumental in helping design the window package,” Oqueli shares. “Having access to their knowledge and American-made products from manufacturers like Alpen has been invaluable.”

This project exemplifies how thoughtful collaboration between designers and building experts can create spaces that are both environmentally responsible and architecturally striking. The Stout Street project in Denver stands as a great example of modern sustainable building practices, demonstrating that energy efficiency, occupant comfort, and bold design can work in harmony.

For AE Building Systems, working with forward-thinking firms like Bonsai Design Build represents the future of sustainable construction – where high-performance, building science, and innovative design combine to create spaces that are not just beautiful but healthy, comfortable, and environmentally responsible.

To learn more about incorporating high-performance building elements into your next project, contact AE Building Systems and learn how we can help you create a home that helps you meet your biggest goals.

When it comes to creating stunning, energy-efficient spaces that seamlessly blend indoor and outdoor living, Alpen High Performance Products continues to push the boundaries of innovation. Their latest announcement has us particularly excited: the new 9-foot tall Grandline Sliding Glass Doors that combines taller sliding doors with better wind-load ratings and superior energy performance.

Reaching New Heights

For architects and homeowners pursuing Passive House certification or simply seeking the pinnacle of sustainable design, these new doors represent a remarkable achievement in building technology. The expanded height options – now reaching an impressive 9 feet – create dramatic visual impact while maintaining Alpen’s renowned thermal performance.

Strength & Views

The engineering behind these doors is particularly noteworthy. Designed to handle panel widths up to 52 inches and withstand wind speeds up to 120 mph, these sliding doors don’t just look spectacular – they’re built to last. Each panel can accommodate up to 40 square feet of glass, offering unprecedented opportunities for panoramic views and natural daylighting strategies in sustainable design.

Flexible Design

Available in 2-panel, 3-panel, and 4-panel configurations, these doors offer flexibility for various architectural applications. The bi-parting option is particularly appealing for projects requiring grand entrances or expansive outdoor living spaces. Complementing these doors are new handle options, including the sophisticated Signature 40.94 and Contemporary 40.70 styles, available in a range of finishes to match any design aesthetic.

Energy Efficiency

What sets these doors apart is their ability to deliver both form and function. While the views are expansive, the doors maintain exceptional energy efficiency – a crucial factor for projects targeting Passive House certification or net-zero energy goals. The larger glass areas maximize natural light penetration, potentially reducing artificial lighting needs while creating spaces that feel more connected to the outdoors.

For architects and builders working on high-performance projects, these doors represent an exciting opportunity to create striking visual statements without compromising on energy efficiency or structural integrity. Whether you’re designing a mountain retreat with panoramic views or a modern urban dwelling, these doors offer the perfect balance of performance, strength, and aesthetics.

Ready to elevate your next project with Alpen’s new 9-foot Grandline Sliding Glass Doors? Contact our team at AE Building Systems today to learn more about incorporating these innovative doors into your sustainable building design. It’s no secret that we love the Alpen products and what this company stands for. They’ve been an amazing partner over the years for so many of our own customers, so whenever we see something worth celebrating like this new product, we get excited! 

Our team can help you select the perfect configuration for your specific needs while ensuring optimal performance for your high-performance building project. Whether it’s this new Alpen Grandline door, or another door solution, we’ll walk you through the major considerations you should be thinking about on your own project. 

There’s a little taste of Europe coming out of northwest Kansas and it comes in the form of fenestration! Advantage Architectural Woodwork (AAW) is a friend of ours here at AE Building Systems and we love seeing the amazing windows and doors they create. Working with them is a unique opportunity to get superior design and superior products that many don’t even realize are right in our region!

Who is Advantage Architectural Woodwork?

AAW is a small, family-owned operation but they’re doing some really BIG things in the world of architecture. As one of the only American made sources for European fenestration products, they offer something that is often not seen in the United States. They produce some of the highest performing and highest quality windows and doors you can buy in the world today like lift/slide doors, tilt/turn windows, and swing doors. And it’s just a hop, skip, and a jump from us in Colorado! 

AAW is run by Bob Holloway who embraced a love for woodworking at age 14 and pursued it into college. After graduating with a degree in Wood Technology, he attended a workshop on European window and door design, which featured technology superior to anything commonly available in the United States. He brought this knowledge to his home and wood shop in Kansas. Bob and his team have partnered with Smartwin, a German company, and are now premier producers of the highest-performing wood and wood-clad windows and doors made to passive house standards you can find today.

Passive House Windows: Elevating Performance and Sustainability

While European-style fenestration can offer some really beautiful designs and sleek looks, the real beauty is found in the energy efficiency! AAW is on a mission to build awareness of the use of energy-efficient windows and doors to make an elevated and more sustainable living experience. All of this is in line with Passive House design, which is so common in Europe, and has just as many benefits here in the States. AAW’s products actually not only work to meet the standards, but also exceed the criteria required for low-energy building. 

Our team has had the pleasure of working with Advantage Architectural Woodwork on multiple occasions. We’ve worked with them on projects with Smithworks out of Crested Butte, Allen-Guerra Architecture out of Frisco, Design Build Steamboat, and Bauen Build out of Boulder. We love seeing sustainable, energy-efficient design in practice, especially on projects in our own region. 

Interested in learning how to incorporate these top-tier windows and doors in your next project? Talk to our team to learn more about your options and if working with the team over at AAW is a good option for you!

Get more from Advantage Architectural Woodwork:

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We learn from an early age how important walls are. From fables like The Three Little Pigs to building towers with our blocks, we learn pretty quickly how important the walls can be. As we get older, we don’t always think about these powerful structures in our daily life, but we sure are grateful when they do their job! In the world of Passive House design, the walls do an even bigger job and it’s why we think about walls a lot around here at the AE Building Systems team, especially when it comes to making sure they operate well! 

We pulled together our top rules of thumb for smart wall design that works FOR you and not against you in your goals to keep your home smart, sustainable, and standing for the long haul. 

1. Keep Air Out! Air carries moisture, so it’s a general rule to keep as much air out of the interior of your wall as possible. Air-tight design in wall assemblies helps protect walls from moisture and condensation building up inside the wall. As a result, you avoid a ton of headaches down the road! 
2. Walls should dry to the exterior. Anytime you can push moisture to go outside, do it! Get the vapor to dry to the exterior so that it can dry out and evaporate to the environment instead of inside the home. That’s because moisture moves to where it is dry and it is usually drier outside than it is inside. We cook, shower, breathe, etc. adding moisture to the interior of the home.
3. Continuous Insulation is your friend! Continuous insulation (CI) helps move the dew point outside of your wall assembly. Put the thicker insulation, or higher r-value insulation, closer to the exterior. Some continuous insulation is vapor closed so be aware of the consequences of CI. Most foam products are not vapor-open. Some low-density EPS has a small perm rating and mineral wool boards are a great option when using a thinner layer of continuous insulation. Mineral wool has a fairly significant perm rating. 
4. Consider the climate. In Colorado, where the climate is more dry, you can sometimes get away with drying to the interior if it’s necessary. This works better when we are not actively humidifying the space. 
5. Zip-R Perm Rating. Zip-R homes have a thinner insulation layer and it does not move the dew point out of the wall assembly in much colder climates like Colorado’s. Zip-R sheathing is a simple all-in-one structural panel with built-in exterior insulation with integrated moisture, air, and thermal protection. Zip-R is a somewhat newer product so the jury is still out on how these walls hold up. 

Do Walls Breathe? 

Rot, mold, and all sorts of fun stuff can build up when moisture gets inside our walls. As a result, air tightness is critical for your wall assembly and you can never get your walls too tight. Walls do not need to breathe. They need to be vapor open to allow moisture to escape. Not only that, but energy loss and interior comfort levels are directly affected by your wall construction. 

We actually can learn a lot from a cactus when it comes to moisture and wall assemblies. The cactus “skin” has essentially two perm ratings. The cactus absorbs vapor through its skin at night, and in the daytime when temperatures rise, that same skin prevents the moisture from escaping. The skin of the cactus allows moisture to migrate inward, but not outward.

SIGA has learned the answer to keeping walls dry by incorporating the unique characteristic of the skin of the cactus to collect and store water. In our buildings, we want the opposite to happen — prevent moisture from getting into our walls and allow it to migrate out. SIGA’s product, Majrex, does just that.

If you take these considerations into your wall construction, you’ll be going in the right direction. Of course, you can always geek out on this more and we love talking walls with our customers and partners! Talk to our team about how you can make your walls more tight and more effective!

In the Limelight with “Heart of a Building” & the Avenson Residence

Lights, camera, action! AE Building Systems got a glimpse of the limelight with Heart of a Building and one of our clients. We can’t tell you how excited we were to hear that our client, John Avenson’s home, is featured on the regional PBS show. Not only that, but our very own Todd Collins was interviewed for a small part of the show to talk about some of the work we contributed to the project and our passion for sustainable products and construction.

John Avenson has an extensive passion for sustainable construction that stems back to age 9 when a tour guide explained how the Colorado Indian Cliff Dwellings were dug on the side of the cliff to maximize the winter sun heating up the spaces. From then on, green building was a part of life for John. 

The Avenson Residence is a single-family, detached home built in the 1980’s, originally built as a research house by the Solar Energy Research Institute – now the National Renewable Energy Lab in Golden, CO. John actually contracted and built this home to surpass building codes of the time. Since then, Avenson has continued the work to make this home more sustainable, while also using it to educate others. Being part of Heart of a Building was a natural collaboration for John and this residence! 

AE’s Involvement:

Air tightness was a huge focus for this project. If air is getting into your walls, so is moisture, potentially causing mold, rot, and more. Air tightness is also critical to prevent energy loss. We provided SIGA products for the air barrier on the Avenson Residence, as well as Alpen Zenith 925 / 1025 windows. John was a fun client to work with because he gets into all these products just as much as we do! And, it’s a great honor for us to work on such an amazing home where energy efficiency was so important. 

More to Energy-Efficiency Explore!

John has been intentional every step of the way. The house includes a CERV to help manage and optimize his ventilation after making his home as airtight as possible. He  has continuous insulation made up of 6” to 8” of Polylso. He also utilizes a Rock Box for thermal energy storage. The Avenson Residence is full of Passive Solar approaches from the original build and also Passive House approaches from retrofit over time. Energy efficiency is literally at every turn and it’s fun to dive into all he’s put into this home. Not only that, but he’s also considered how his landscaping affects the energy loads on the home. He’s literally thought of everything! 

Want to get more about this amazing project? 

• Check out the Heart of a Building show. 

• Learn more about the Avenson Residence episode! 

• Watch Todd’s interview with Paul K from Heart of a Building! Airing in October 2024! 

If you are retrofitting your existing home to be more energy efficient, know that you have options! Some of our clients are building new homes from scratch, but more often than not, our clients are retrofitting an existing home. Energy efficiency is all about improvement. We can all improve a little bit with each project! Contact our team to learn more about the Avenson Residence and how you can design, construct, and retrofit your space to be more energy-efficient!

How to select the best windows based on operation type, performance data, and wall assembly

Not all windows and doors are created equally. So, it’s important to understand the needs for YOUR specific project. What works for one project won’t necessarily be optimal for another. Those of us who care a lot about building performance pay very close attention to this kind of thing because we know windows and doors are a huge weakness in the building envelope. However, most homeowners perk up when they think about high energy bills and the fact that their investment in high-performance windows and doors can make a big impact on those savings in the long run. Windows are the No. 1 source of heat loss in a new home, about three times higher than all air leaks of the house combined (including air leaks at the windows). Optimizing your window selection can be a big deal for any project! 

First – Optimize Your Glazing

Single, double, triple, or even quad pane … A couple of manufacturers have also experimented with 5 panes, exotic gasses, as well as Vacuum Insulated Glass Insulated Glazing Units (IGUs). Once you get into triple pane, depending on the gas, the depth of the overall IGU, and the spacers used to separate the panes of glass, the IGU will generally outperform most window and door frames and sashes. Single and double pane IGUs generally do not outperform window and door frames and sashes. While going to quad pane is an option and it performs better than triple pane, generally the best price/performance scenario is triple pane glass. However, quad pane can be necessary in situations where higher performance objectives are desired or required. 

Second – Optimize the number of windows, mulled units, and their orientation

The orientation of a building and the windows on each elevation will impact the performance of the overall building.  Incorporating larger windows instead of lots of smaller windows helps to minimize the frame material and as mentioned above, the IGU with triple pane glass will outperform the frames.  Often, simulated divided lites (SDL) are used to make windows and doors look like there are multiple small panes, but are just one large IGU. They are simulated muntins and ideally they do not have grids between the panes of glass. Those grids between the glass are generally thermal bridges. 

Optimize Your Window Type

Selecting the right style or type of window is vital as well. Different types have better overall performance compared to others. 

The most airtight window types:

• Casement
• In-swing and tilt-turn
• Hopper (inward tilting)
• Fixed (aka picture window) – * These are often cheaper with a better seal and better energy performance compared to any type of window that is operable. 

For doors:

• Swing doors with multipoint locking
• Lift-slide – sliding doors

Windows and doors that do not perform as well:

• Single- and double-hung windows
• Traditional horizontal sliders
• Pivot, bi-, and multifold, accordion, pass-through windows, etc.

Consider Your Location

A window or door’s location in the wall assembly can have a big impact on energy efficiency. For example, “outie” and “innie” installations place the window frame closer or farther to the elements and direct light (heat). Each of these placements have different finish details to consider related to how they sit within the wall assembly and the finish details should be something you think about upfront instead of as an afterthought. Also, a simple note around the direction of the wall you’re placing windows on can make a big difference. This feels fairly simple, but many designers get rolling with what looks good and forget they just loaded a west-facing wall with a ton of glass that causes tremendous overheating in the summer months. 

Digging Deeper

Emu has done a lot to evaluate windows and goes into a lot of detail around how to minimize energy loss. Most losses occur through the glass, window frame, and at the connection to the wall. Emu shares specific things you can do to optimize performance of your windows. They also cover Smartwin and Alpen windows for high-performance ratings. Looking to upgrade your windows and want to optimize a project for the long run? Contact us to learn more about Advantage Architectural Woodwork and their products. We love walking contractors and homeowners through the features and benefits, but more than that, we love discussing what will work best for YOUR specific project. We know not every window works in every situation, and we geek out over finding people the optimal window and door solution!

Retrofitting your existing home – replacement?  

You can reconfigure your current openings in ways you might not have considered.  One of our clients replaced their windows with fairly simple changes.  This client hadn’t opened a couple of their windows for years and we suggested that if they don’t expect to open them in the future, to make the more complex assemblies into a large single fixed unit to save money, improve performance, and improve their view.  They also changed a fixed unit into an operable one to improve the cross ventilation in their home. While they made other changes than just these, the results were exactly what they were looking for.  We also tuned the solar heat gain of the glass to reduce overheating and they were delighted with the end result. Making your home more “livable” is part of the deal.  

Other helpful resources by AE: 

Anatomy of a Window: Basics for High-Performance Windows

The Yeti is in the Details: Window Spacers

Options for Large Windows in High Wind Load Areas

How To Prevent Window Thermal Bridging

The Key Differences in Window & Door Design from Europe to the United States

Saying “buh-bye” to the gas line is a lofty dream for many of us as we work toward a more sustainable lifestyle. If you can go a more sustainable route, why wouldn’t you? However, the barriers to going all-electric can be a little daunting, especially if you’re new to the concept. The utility companies certainly haven’t made it any easier for homeowners, either. So, today, we want to share some of what we’ve learned along the way in our research and in the firsthand experience of AE Building System’s very own Todd Collins in his own home.

Your Three Main Options: 

As you consider cutting ties with your gas company, you have three main options to consider: 

1. Cap it at your home. When you cap it at the house, you will continue to pay a connection fee and other small fees to the utility company, because there’s still a connection in place. You may want to go this route if you are concerned that you may have a need for natural gas in your home in the future. An HVAC technician can cap things at your home for you, but keep in mind you may want to call and talk to your gas company to see what fees you can expect. 
2. Cap the gas and remove the meter. This option is where you not only cap off the connection at your house, but you also reach out to the utility company to cap the gas at the meter, and remove the meter entirely. Typically, you get a final connection bill and at least in Todd’s case, he never got a fee for the service to cap and remove the meter. In this situation, there is still technically a gas line to the house and if gas is needed in the future, you can have it reconnected fairly easily, but likely at a cost which is unknown. 
3. Cap lines and remove the gas line. This is the most invasive option, which includes digging up a gas line from the house to the street. This can be very expensive as you may need heavy equipment and also pay for labor to remove the line (one of our clients was quoted over $6,000 to get her gas line dug out!). People typically consider this option if they are worried about natural gas leaking into the ground and making its way into the atmosphere. While ridiculously expensive, this is also the most environmentally appropriate approach.

Collins Residence: Their Experience

If you’ve been following our blog, you know that Todd Collins and his family have been working for a long time to retrofit their tri-level home to be as sustainable as possible. They had already eliminated gas in the kitchen by switching to electric induction and convection cooking appliances. They had a big passion for lowering their carbon footprint, while improving the safety of their home with less gas. Gas cooktops can add significant hazardous pollutants to the indoor air. The added benefit of lowering monthly bills was also a nice perk in the process! 

After replacing their furnace and water heater with heat pumps that don’t rely on natural gas, they decided to cut ties with their gas lines a few months later. They went with the option to cap the gas at the house as well as remove the meter. In their experience with Xcel in Colorado, they were charged a final gas bill for usage months earlier when they capped the gas inside the house, but were not charged any fees for capping the gas outside the house and for removing the meter. That said, other utility companies may have fees, so it’s always good to ask some questions first. 

One thing that was interesting during the process, Todd’s HVAC person, Bill Lucas of GB3, got a permit with the City of Golden. When the inspector came out to make sure everything was installed to code, the inspector made the comment “Well, I guess you don’t need carbon monoxide detectors anymore.” That never occurred to Todd, but it is true. The risk of carbon monoxide poisoning due to gas combustion within the house was eliminated – another benefit. 

As we’ve seen firsthand with the Collins Residence, and heard through stories of our clients, cutting services with a utility company can come with surprise fees. We always recommend asking questions upfront about fees, timeline, and potential future fees down the road. Do your research upfront so you have fewer surprises in the process. We’ve also seen that this process is worth the effort: lower energy bills, healthier homes, and more sustainable energy usage! If you’re considering cutting ties with your gas line and want to chat more, we’re always happy to share more details or information we’ve learned along the way! 

Check out our other resources on this topic:

• Going Extinct: Saying Goodbye to Fossil Fuels and Hello to Net-Zero-Energy
• Goodbye Gas Line: How the Collins-Ruddy Residence Reduced Their Reliance on Natural Gas
• Grid Electrification in our Backyard: How Golden, Colorado is Raising the Bar for Sustainability

The Rose Residence is truly a beautiful bloom within the local community of Boulder, Colorado! This unique home was built with sustainability in mind from the bottom up. So much heart and soul has gone into the Rose Residence, and AE Building Systems was honored to support the team/homeowners with gorgeous high-performance windows to help cap off their project! 

The Rose Residence is a gem within the city limits of Boulder, boasting one of the few full-acre properties in their neighborhood. They are a young family with three boys, but they also embrace the hobby farm lifestyle with two Nigerian Dwarf goats, chickens, cat, large garden, berry patch, and amazing tree house. The garden and animals actually influenced some of their design decisions to situate the main house within the lot and give more privacy where it was desired. This home and studio was built with family in mind, but also the practicality of a home office and hobby farm life in mind, with tile floors, mudrooms, and plenty of space! The house was designed by Rose-Leigh Design and built by Blue Mountain Design + Build. The owner, Laura Rose, designed all of the exterior details and the interiors. 

Sustainable at the Heart

The Rose Family really felt a high-performance home was simply the right thing to do on a personal and environmental level. The house also boasts a wall assembly starting with SIGA Majvest and Wigluv on the sheathing for airtightness.  Next is 1.5” Rockwool Comfortboard, Delta Dry Stucco + Stone, diamond lath and finally concrete & limestone finish. While this design presented some challenging puzzles to incorporate Rockwool near the exterior, they were able to accomplish a truly unique AND high-performing wall assembly. The home requires very little heating! 

Along with these energy-conscious design decisions, the house includes a whole-house ERV tied to a heat pump air handler and a heat pump water heater. They have also invested in solar panels and a whole-house battery backup system to support their current home, which is already very air-tight and energy-efficient. 

High-Performance Makes Sense

High-performance windows from Alpen made perfect sense for this project and it was an honor to support this project. The windows filled a large space within the living room (5.5’x8’) and the homeowners wanted a solution that would support the energy efficiency that runs throughout the entire house. As a customer of AE Building Systems, they loved working with a local company, but also a local product! They liked that Alpen is produced locally, for environmental reasons, lead time, and turnaround time for any potential issues. Not only that, we were able to take them on a tour at Alpen and show them the process and features of the product they were purchasing! 

If you’re wanting to source high-performance windows, you’re in luck! We have local access to arguably the best price/performance window products out there. We’ll walk you through your options and can provide you with a tour of the Alpen facility in person! It’s a great way to get up close and personal while making your home the highest performer on the block! 

A little off the beaten path in Hastings Mesa, Colorado, you’ll find a residential gem amidst views of the San Juan mountains. Just about 30-40 miles outside of Telluride sits Hastings Mesa, and is the location of a recent project highlight our team at AE Building Systems had the pleasure of working with. BTB Construction and Consulting, led by Brad Wallis, was an integral part of the passive house design and pushed for sustainable building strategies on this project. The architect, Justin Wallis (Brad’s son), and the homeowners were also integral in making this home as energy efficient as possible. 

BTB Construction & Consulting’s Sustainable Approach

BTB Construction and Consulting has been designing and building Passive House-inspired custom homes in southwest Colorado for ten years. Brad has more than thirty years of experience building custom high-efficiency structures. When he found the Passive House design criteria, he was hooked. 

Brad is passionate about Passive House design and believes it’s the path forward for all new construction in both the micro and macro worldviews. Designing with energy efficiency as the primary goal from the start is the best methodology. It’s much easier to design with energy efficiency from the beginning. While retrofitting can be helpful, it’s often expensive and difficult to do (you can see one retrofit project that’s close to our hearts here at AE Building Systems).

In the past, building design in the United States was driven by the premise that energy is cheap and unlimited, both of which are false and unsustainable ideals. Brad asks any of his clients to read the book “Not So Big House” by Sarah Susanka before they begin designing the home. People should seek better energy design and reduced size in their homes to reflect their real needs, not as a status symbol for wealth. Brad hopes to get the whole team (contractor, architect, and homeowner) all on the same page about the direction before they dive in. 

“The best compliment I can get is when a client says their new home is warm, very comfortable, and feels like home from the first day.” – Brad Wallis

The Hastings Mesa Home 

The Hastings Mesa House is a mountain haven with 360-degree mountain views on 40 acres. Due to the regional needs, the homeowners were concerned about preserving and maintaining comfort. The wall assembly was designed with a double wall 2×4 framing to create a 12” deep wall cavity. The wall assembly was filled with a blended system of on-site foam, as well as netted high-density infill, which brings the walls to R-58. The house was also designed with large Alpen windows on south and east-facing elevations to maximize daylight and solar gain, while also maximizing the views. 

The house has an HRV system, which includes bathroom returns. They also have a recirculating range hood. BTB also utilized Siga Fentrim to help with air sealing. Radiant floor heat is a favorite of Brad’s, and the homeowners agreed! 

During construction, the project was delayed due to access in the winter season. The team finished the highly-insulated shell of the house before winter set in, but needed to keep the house at 50 degrees Farenheit to get through the winter. The propane heat system worked marvelously. By snowshoeing into the property, Brad and his team checked on the project periodically to ensure the heat was still running. They were pleasantly surprised to find that minimal propane was needed to actually keep the structure heated to the 50-degree temperature needed! The house’s insulation was performing so well that it was able to maintain this temperature relatively easily despite frigid winter temperatures ranging between 11-32 degrees Fahrenheit throughout the winter! 

The upfront cost to build with the Passive House approach was roughly 10-12% higher, but the homeowners can expect to recoup these additional costs within 6-7 years due to the energy savings. 

Passive House Design Works!

Whether you are building in the heart of the mountains, or you’re closer to foothills and plains, sustainable design IS within reach. Projects like this Hastings Mesa home are reminders that Passive House design works in extreme conditions, and can be done in a way that still truly makes a house feel like a home! 

If you are considering a new build or a retrofit, contact our team at AE Building Systems to learn more. We can walk you through air tightness and window and door options for your situation! 

One of our long-time product partners, Alpen High Performance Products (Alpen), has been making headlines recently, and we couldn’t be more excited! Alpen recently shared news of receiving a substantial grant of $5.8 million from the United States Department of Energy (DOE). This funding is part of a broader DOE initiative, allocating $275 million to seven companies to enhance domestic supply chains and expedite clean energy manufacturing. Alpen also announced they are welcoming a new CEO, Andrew Zech, as longtime leader Brad Begin moves to the chairman role. Both of these announcements signal new changes for the company as they make moves to grow and scale!

DOE Grant Recipient

This DOE grant is a testament to Alpen’s dedication to manufacturing high-performance windows and doors. They’ve worked steadily for years to provide the best in high-performance glass, so it’s refreshing to see them receive such a great honor in the form of this grant! The New York Times reported that the DOE’s program plans to distribute $275 million to seven projects in its initial round, with expectations of attracting approximately $600 million more in private investment. 

Alpen anticipates the creation of over a hundred new jobs as a result of this funding, providing enhanced opportunities for Alpen’s diverse workforce. Alpen also announced the opening of a new facility in Vandergrift, PA, to better serve the eastern half of the United States and allow for increased capacity. Alpen aims to continue leading the way in comfort, efficiency, and environmental sustainability.

The Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains’ (MESC) report indicates that Alpen’s production is expected to increase tenfold, generating well-paying jobs through investment in automation while significantly reducing customers’ energy consumption and heating/cooling costs.

“The capabilities unlocked by the DOE grant are staggering. It advances our goal of making the clean energy revolution a good thing for American communities and companies and jobs. The investment will create substantial job growth not just for Alpen but for other companies that supply Alpen.”

– Andrew Zech

About Alpen:

For over forty years, Alpen has been dedicated to transforming the built environment in the United States by designing cutting-edge windows, doors, and architectural glass. They build some of the most energy-efficient window and door products in North America and the world – AND they are right in our backyard. Alpen calls Louisville, CO, home and has provided a unique opportunity to the AE Building Systems’ customers and contractors. Their entire team has always been so supportive of our customers.

AE Building Systems & Alpen:

We’ve been proud partners of Alpen for over 10 years! With a true passion to provide top-of-the-line products and sustainable windows, Alpen was a natural choice for our team. With this new announcement, we’re thrilled to see how they grow and expand, making sustainable and energy-efficient windows even more accessible for our customers. 

If you have questions about your window options, our team would be happy to walk you through the possibilities and help you make the best-educated decision for your next project! Contact our team to walk through any questions or ideas you want to explore! 

Two years ago, we watched in horror as the racing winds spread the Marshall Fire faster than anyone could imagine. The location made it all even worse as we saw entire blocks of homes go up in flames. With any tragedy, we all want to help but we often forget about the needs after the dust settles a little bit. However, for the families affected, the journey is a long one, and to this day many families are still in the process of rebuilding. 

At AE Building Systems, we’re proud to be a small part of the rebuild story in Louisville, CO for the Marshall Fire. We are actively working with several builders for products. We’re also actively talking with homeowners to answer questions. And just as the fire came through fast and furious, the rebuild efforts are moving fast too. 

Better Than Before

When you’re faced with the need to rebuild, in many cases you have a blank slate to start over. We all have ideas of what we would do differently in a home, and in this case, many homeowners now have the opportunity to make those ideas a reality. Many want to source products to help cut down on their energy costs, while getting a quality product. We’re seeing many homeowners who just want things done right this time around, especially when it comes to their windows and doors. So many homeowners had just been putting up with builder-grade products in their home, but now are making the priority to get high-quality windows to make their home operate and perform as well as it can. 

More Resilient

Being ready for anything is the name of the game, and so there’s been an interesting focus on rebuilding something that is resilient and that will last. No one wants to go through this again. There’s a clear focus around building homes that can withstand the elements while being fire resistant in the future. The focus on rebuilding has been centered around elements like air-tightness, simple home shapes, enclosed eaves, covered porches/decks, and attention to fuel bridges. Another major consideration is the windows and doors used in construction that can hold up better in extreme heat like nearby fires. Safety AND sustainability have become a bigger player in the conversations. 

There are many resources for architects, builders, and homeowners, and the topics range from designing a more healthy home (air quality!) to a resilient home, to rebates and incentives, and help finding your team! 

Sustainable

Recent climate crises have put sustainability at the forefront of everyone’s minds. Events like the Marshall Fire show us how quickly fires can get out of control in climates like Colorado. We all know we can do our part in sustainability. These rebuilding efforts are a great opportunity to lean into these sustainable goals. 

Incentives

There are many rebates and incentives available to those rebuilding from the Marshall Fire. They range from equipment rebates, to solar, to other home system rebates and more. It’s worth looking through the links below to view all of the various rebates that could be an option for your rebuild. Many of these allow a home to be built better, and more sustainable than before! 

Resources for those affected by the Marshall Fire:

• Boulder County Rebuilding Better

• Home Builders Association of Metro Denver – Marshall Fire Resources

At AE Building Systems, we’re passionate about building homes that are safer, healthier, and more efficient. But, we’re also passionate about empowering architects, builders, and homeowners to make smarter choices. That starts and ends with education. If you’re in the process of rebuilding from the Marshall Fire, or working on a project in general, we want to help you understand what you’re purchasing and why. You should have full confidence in your decisions and we are happy to help. Please contact us as you’re making decisions!

Sustainable Building Events You Won’t Want To Miss

Wanting to get involved in the local conversation around building and sustainability? At AE Building Systems, we’re very active in local and regional conversations, and we believe strongly in the importance of knowing what’s happening in the industry. Education is key, and involvement helps move the needle. Since we have a pulse on so many of the amazing events and resources in this sustainable construction space, we wanted to share some of the best upcoming events as we look into the last half of 2023. 

Four Can’t-Miss Events This Fall

Greenbuild Conference + Expo

Greenbuild’s fall event features their decades-long legacy and longstanding commitment to the green building movement. Their focus is in transforming the built environment to serve, prepare and protect our communities. Greenbuild features four days of fantastic content, innovative speakers, and quality networking. 

September 26 – 29, Washington DC

Learn more

PHN Conference

The Passive House Network Conference is here in Denver this year! As a result, it feels like an exceptional opportunity to experience this renowned conference without the extra work of travel. Join like-minded professionals who all care about expanding the Passive House movement for a more sustainable future. They are featuring 30 sessions over 2.5 days with the most up-to-date industry insights from leading expert professionals. Many sessions also provide AIA and PHI learning credits.

October 3 – 6, 2023, Denver, CO

Learn more

2023 Rocky Mountain Natural Building Conference 

The RMNB Conference is headed back to its roots in Boulder, where the association was originally founded. The event will feature classroom-style presentations and round-tables, “mainstage” keynotes, and outdoor workshops and demonstrations. They also are looking forward to rouse of some natural building projects, as well as time to explore the great city of Boulder. 

October 20 – 22, 2023, Boulder, CO

Learn more

PhiusCon 2023

Hot and humid climates are a huge focus this year, and Houston is a great place for PhiusCon to host! The need for efficient, reliable buildings designed with the grid in mind has never been greater, especially in humid climates. PhiusCon 2023 will be a great opportunity for local practitioners, developers and policymakers to be equipped to build more grid-friendly, healthy communities. Join in to meet local professionals while learning about this regional climate need! 

November 7 – 10, Houston, TX

Learn more

What other events are on your radar? We’re always looking to learn, as well as be part of the conversation. Drop us a comment about where you’re headed this year to be part of the sustainability conversation!

Todd’s Involvement On Golden’s Community Sustainability Advisory Board

One thing you’ll notice when you get to know the AE Building Systems team is that Todd Collins cares A LOT about sustainable design. He lives and breathes it. So, it’s no wonder he has spread that passion for sustainable building and design into his community interactions where he lives. This time on our blog, we are sharing a personal angle from Todd. We hope you enjoy hearing about his passion and the why behind what he does!

My journey is probably like so many others out there: you find something you’re passionate about and it slowly infiltrates your entire life. I’ve always had an interest in architecture and passive solar design, even though I studied computer science in college. After college, I ended up in sales and marketing roles and later went on to meld some of these interests and sales experience to help build what is now AE Building Systems. I love it! I get to geek out on sustainability and passive house design concepts day in and day out – AND get to help others do it too! 

When we had kids, I started thinking more about the built environment and also started thinking about future generations. I started realizing how so much of what we do is setting them up for failure down the road. Instead, by focusing on performance and climate change, we can work to make things better for future generations. 

As a longtime resident of Golden, Colorado, I started getting involved in the local conversations around sustainability. I started as a member of the Planning Commission (PC) and functioned as a sustainability expert as it relates to buildings. Eventually, I was asked to participate on the Community Sustainability Advisory Board (CSAB) and PC  joint committee in developing the new sustainability code. Having now transitioned to CSAB only, one of my primary focuses is to help complete the new sustainability building code. 

CSAB Considerations

As a member of this joint committee for CSAB, I’ve had a unique perspective on the topic and have been able to understand the issues from varying angles. The City of Golden also hired an outside consulting firm that ran three meetings with approximately 20 participants each to get community feedback. We looked at the energy situation from different perspectives to really work toward a solution that focuses on achieving the goals of a 2019 ordinance passed by the City Council that largely aligns the City with the Parris Accord and the State of Colorado goals. .

One of the more significant constraints is the fact that Golden is a small municipality with limited resources and we knew the processes involved to change and manage the new code could be costly. We also knew there were industrial, or process energy, situations that posed difficulties. So, we focused our attention on facilities where energy is being used to operate the building (including lighting, plug loads, heating and cooling, etc.). 

We also looked at zero, zero-ready, Passive-House, NBI, and other performance-based designs to help mold our energy code recommendations. One big focus of these new codes is a reliance on all-electric and is related to GHG emissions. At the same time, we realized that all-electric isn’t a perfect solution, as some energy production is still using fossil fuels. While Xcel is reducing the percentage of energy produced by fossil fuels, code changes like these will actively reduce that percentage as well. 

Prescriptive vs. Performance:

Our joint committee decided on a performance-based direction due to the fact that performance is modeled. Therefore, the responsibility for doing a model would be placed on applicants vs. the municipality. This reduces the city’s burden for resources to move the code along quickly. We do know there may be some situations that require a more prescriptive requirement in addition to the performance approach. For example, reflective roofs and the heat island effect may need to be addressed down the road. 

Where are we now? 

The current path is still all-electric, NZE and on-site renewables and for all construction types – residential, multi-family and commercial.  In February of 2023, City Council requested additional community feedback, which included three more meetings to discuss challenges with developers and the built community. There have been concerns about buildings over three stories, as well as some for industrial/warehouse buildings and affordable housing. We also know there are some hurdles related to solar access.  The City does not protect solar access rights. In summary, the City has a fair bit of work to do to build out a variance/exception process and to build out the criteria for these scenarios. 

There are still a lot of questions to answer, but I’m excited to be part of the process to help our community move toward more sustainability! 

-Todd

Note: The views and opinions listed above are specific to Todd Collins and do not necessarily represent official views of the City of Golden. 

The high-altitude hamlet of Golden, Colorado is making waves with its initiative to mandate all-electric building construction in 2024. This new construction requirement is aligned with the city’s climate action goals, which aim to achieve 100% renewable energy for heating by 2050. In doing so, Golden is setting the example for other towns and cities as they embrace grid electrification and less reliance on fossil fuels. 

Grid Electrification

Electrification refers to the process of replacing technologies that use fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas) with technologies that use electricity as a source of energy. Many local jurisdictions in the region, including Golden, are taking a hard look at how to retrofit their existing infrastructure to move away from fossil fuels and how to set codes and regulations for future construction. 

Building a Roadmap

The city has already adopted the 2021 national building codes and has identified several initiatives to pursue renewable energy in line with the Paris Agreement. However, the city council is taking another step further. They have directed staff members to continue working on a roadmap but with additional research and public meetings to resolve concerns about a proposed requirement for all New Construction for now.  This requirement includes all-electric, net-zero with on-site renewable generation, that some community members see as problematic.

The efforts to eliminate natural gas from buildings are gaining traction in local communities. Many Colorado jurisdictions are still undecided about whether to ban natural gas or other fossil fuels for space and water heating. Some have decided to lay the groundwork for all-electric without actually raising that bar. In contrast, Crested Butte was the first jurisdiction in the state to ban natural gas for new development, except in special cases like restaurants and certain commercial uses. Golden is gathering intel on all of these use cases to set a roadmap for their guidelines. 

The Golden Challenge

Golden faces a unique challenge as the city is largely developed, which limits new construction primarily to infill or replacement of existing buildings. In the last five years, Golden has had no more than 17 new single-family houses in any given year, and the maximum for one year was eight commercial buildings. Theresa Worsham, the sustainability director for Golden, emphasized that “each community’s needs are likely going to be different, and its decarbonization plans need to be similarly different.”

Four Strategies Toward Electrification & Sustainability

Golden has adopted four strategies to achieve its goals:

One strategy is to require owners of commercial buildings of 5,000 square feet or more to track their emissions. The state now has a similar requirement for buildings 50,000 square feet or more. The idea is to get building owners and managers to understand their emissions, with the potential for instituting programs in the future that may seek to reduce emissions. Among the city’s goals, adopted with the Paris Agreement, is to squeeze energy use in all buildings by 15% through efficiency measures.

The second strategy is to commit the city to further research during 2023 and beyond about how to convert existing buildings toward net-zero all-electric in the coming years. This strategy did not receive much attention during the city council meeting. 

The third strategy is to find ways to address building retrofits. Ken Jacobs, a former member of the sustainability board, suggests that the most effective policy would trigger the net-zero requirement if the remodeling is extensive enough to require new heating systems.

The last and most prominent strategy is the proposed requirement for on-site renewable generation. While it might easily be possible to import all of Golden’s electricity from distant wind and solar farms, the groups concluded that the city has a moral responsibility to generate electricity locally. This also has the advantage of furthering the city’s interest in resilience. The proposed regulation would require that on-site energy storage be deployed or off-site solar via solar gardens located in Golden. The last resort would be to purchase renewable energy credits for renewable energy systems located in Colorado.

A Complex Challenge

It sounds like a great idea, but when you dig into the nuts and bolts of executing requirements like these, you start to see where it becomes a challenge. For a town like Golden, which is largely developed and landlocked, you can easily understand the limitations for access to solar fields or physical space to produce its own energy. There are often added costs to newer technology and infrastructure, as well as new questions and concerns no one has had to think about yet in building code requirements. And, the question of what to do with existing buildings is a challenge as well, posing many to consider if a dual source between fossil fuels and electrification can coincide. 

It’s simply a complex problem. 

Even though it is complex, towns like Golden are willing to tackle it! The benefits of sustainability are obvious, especially when they align with the town’s values. Building an energy ecosystem focused on electrification also allows for greater resilience when one energy source is lagging due to cloudy days, skyrocketing fossil fuel costs, or other hiccups that cause disruption in the energy source availability. 

It’s fun to see a local municipality taking on the challenge! The hope is that other towns in Colorado, and the region, take on the challenge as well. As a result, we’ll see better management of our earth’s resources, greater sustainability, greater resiliency, and greater awareness of how electrification can benefit a community. We’re excited to see how this plays out in our own backyard here in nearby Golden, Colorado!

Passive is passive, right? 

When someone talks of passive designs, they are pretty much the same, correct? 

While both Passive Solar Design (PSD) and Passive House (PH) may sound similar, they are actually two distinct approaches to design and construction. They often get lumped in the same category, and people can confuse the two easily. They have many similarities and share a few goals and approaches, but they are not exactly the same. Let’s break down a few of the qualities of each. 

Passive House Approach:

A Passive House (or Passivhaus) focuses on a few core principles:

1. Airtightness: Goal is to build a building as airtight as possible to prevent heat loss through drafts or thermal bridging.
2. Thermal Boundaries: Goal is to have continuous insulation around the outer perimeter of the building to create a defined thermal boundary. 
3. HRV Usage: Use a heat-recovery ventilator to allow fresh air into the home without the need to open windows. 
4. High-Performance Windows & Doors: Special attention goes into the selection of windows and doors to ensure minimal heat loss at these openings. 
5. Thermal-Bridge Free: While eliminating thermal bridges entirely is likely not possible as there are some tricky areas, the energy modeling accounts for all thermal bridges in the building and minimizing them is critical for meeting PH certification requirements. 

Passive House Design’s approach is focused on heat losses rather than solar gain, and while it may take solar positioning and thermal gains or losses based on the house’s orientation into consideration, that is just part of the equation. Passive House design is focused on minimizing temperature swings for improving comfort within the house. Passive houses don’t rely on the sun to get to their energy-efficiency goals. The solar piece might be like the cherry on top to help a house perform efficiently. 

Passive Solar Approach: 

Passive Solar Design is focused on leveraging the sun to heat and cool a home. The orientation of the home becomes extremely important. Often described as the “glass and mass” approach, the focus is largely on positioning large amounts of glass toward the South to maximize the sun’s warmth, as well as incorporating significant thermal mass to store the sun’s heat which can be released from that thermal mass for hours later. That said, Passive Solar Design considers more than just orientation and thermal mass.  While less important, PSD also considers zoning, shading, insulation, ventilation, and convection concepts. 

Passive Solar Design homes are often designed to operate with minimal (or without any) mechanical cooling or heating, as much as the climate allows. These homes may incorporate airtightness, but that is not the most important focus of the design, as compared to Passive House design. 

Related, But Different: Passive Solar vs. Passive House Design

Based on a quick look, it’s easy to see that both design approaches have a similar goal of creating a more passive approach to energy efficiency and overall comfort in a home. The execution and the core focus, however, are extremely different. Passive Solar is focused on leveraging the sun and mass to achieve this goal, but so much of this approach is based on limiting factors with weather/solar availability, inconsistencies in temperatures, and a less calculated approach. 

Passive House Design focuses on calculated steps to achieve an optimally efficient home with minimal thermal bridging, air leakage, and heat loss. The Passive House Design can more accurately predict the comfortability of a home based on the design, while still accommodating for whatever temperatures are waxing or waning outside. Passive House Design doesn’t discount passive solar concepts (e.g. Mass and Glass) but instead incorporates them within their design as part of optimizing the whole design as a system of systems. 

It’s important for homeowners and designers to understand the subtle differences here. While Passive Solar Design paved the way, in many respects, for the Passive House movement to emerge, Passive Solar often falls short of meeting energy-efficiency goals for homeowners. 

At AE Building Systems, we lean more into the Passive House direction because it IS so much more comprehensive for homeowners who want to build with efficiency in mind. We also see Passive House Design working better in our region here in Colorado where intense sun from a bluebird day can make some PSD homes a hotbox, forcing residents to turn on their air conditioning on a cold day, which is counterproductive! The shoulder seasons of fall and spring when the sun is still lower in the sky can also be quite difficult to regulate. 

Thinking of building a home that is a little more passive, and works FOR you in the long run? Start by talking to our team about how to pursue your goals. We can help point you in the right direction on products, ideas, designers, and more! 

Combine a little bit of personality and A LOT of passion for sustainability and you get an amazing home! The Poindexter/Kavan Project is living proof of this, and we’re thrilled to be a small part of this home’s story. We can’t wait to share this amazing project with you. 

About Amanda and CJ:

Amanda and CJ are a unique couple in that they both have solid construction backgrounds, as well as big passions for sustainability. When you combine their knowledge and passion together, you get amazing energy around a project! 

Amanda has a degree in Construction Management from Colorado State University and has worked for years with her father building homes and learning the trades. She’s worked as a Project Manager for multiple general contractors and finally settled into her own business with Full Circle Construction Services. She also currently consults with the Town of Basalt and runs their Sustainable Building Regulations and helps to implement and enforce the IECC through plan reviews and inspections. Amanda is a HERS Rater, LEED AP, BD+C, an ICC B5 Inspector, and an all-around bad-ass. 

CJ also has a construction background with a degree in Construction Management from Colorado State University and grew up with construction in his blood from his father, who was a home builder. CJ has worked as a Project Engineer for larger commercial contractors in the past. He’s owned his business, Fulcrum Enterprises, for the past 15 years and it has evolved from landscaping and remodeling to currently working as a subcontractor/Project Manager for a land development construction management firm and picks up side projects in construction for fun. 

We think it’s safe to say they are a “power couple” with a passion for building in lasting and energy-efficient ways.

Keys to This Project

Sustainability: Just take a look at their backgrounds and you know it’s a common thread throughout the entire house. However, it wasn’t just a “nice to have” kind of thing; they took it seriously. The net-zero build was a huge priority for them and drove many of the keys in their design. 

All-Electric: The building is all-electric, allowing the energy usage to be offset with onsite solar. Also, Amanda and CJ were able to take advantage of the “Power Plus Program” offered by their local utility, allowing them to install five Tesla batteries. The solar charges the batteries during the day and the house is able to use power from the batteries when the sun goes down. Not to mention, they’ll have power if any outage were to occur. Key word here…resiliency! 

Orientation: The orientation was absolutely key on this project, and the couple says they lucked out to be able to find a lot that not only allows for great orientation (south-facing solar gain and PV orientation), but also one that has a killer view! 

Simple Design: They knew a simple shape was going to be the easiest to keep airtight, so they started with a rectangular shape design. Interesting fact: they didn’t have much of a budget for an architect, so Amanda learned Sketchup to map out the design. The layout was designed by cutting pieces of construction paper to play around with how to arrange the rooms. 

Wall Design: They originally had multiple wall assemblies in mind, but finally settled on a double-wall design due to construction ease. It fit the bill for their budget, while allowing for a high-insulation design without thick exterior continuous insulation. 

Window Design: The couple was intent on a lower u-value and wanted to also support a local business, so they turned to AE Building Systems and Alpen products. The window specifications (and price!) were right on target. They even went and visited the factory to see the product up close, and ended up going with the Tyrol tilt/turn design. It was also a minimal cost to upgrade all of the windows to “tempered,” so they did that to help if there was ever a forest fire in the area. 

Vented Roof Assembly: The couple wanted a vented roof assembly, so they turned to raised heel trusses and blown-in cellulose throughout the home (R40 in the walls and R60 in ceilings!). 

Ventilation: Amanda and CJ did all of their own ductwork, so the system was kept as simple as possible. They went with the Zehnder ERV, allowing every room to have a fresh air supply and every kitchen/bathroom to have an exhaust. The entire system is balanced with an amazing energy recovery rate of 85% in the core! 

Mechanical: The home is heated and cooled with Mitsubishi Hyper Heat mini splits. A non-ducted design was used and there are four zones. In the winter, the Hyper Heat system allows the system to operate at full capacity down to single-digit temperatures and the system is able to operate down to a temperature of -22°F. A heat pump hot water tank was also utilized. 

Air Sealing: This home is close to the 0.60 ACH50 goal and once they finish off their basement, they’re confident they’ll hit that number. Air tightness was one of their top goals, and dictated so many of their decisions from construction techniques down to materials. 

Was it a perfect project from start to finish? Far from it, but the photos speak for themselves: this couple knocked it out of the park! It’s not only a gorgeous home but a high-performing home. We’re confident they’ll make many great memories here, not to mention all of the amazing memories that went into designing and building the home. 

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“AE was great! They were so responsive, spent hours with us to give us a tour of the factory before we ordered any windows/doors, and followed up on any and all loose ends that we may have. Thank you!” 

Amanda and CJ were a joy to work with and we’re so glad they had a great experience with our team as well. All of us at AE Building Systems are passionate about sustainability and quality regional products. If you want to geek out over net zero building tactics like Amanda and CJ did, we would love to geek out with you too. 
Want to see even more from this project from start to finish? Check them out on Instagram: @yeticoolerhouse and at their website www.yeticoolerhouse.com.

What do you get when you cross a sustainably-minded contractor with a home in deep need of an energy overhaul? You get the LaDuke Residence remodel, and the final product is truly something to admire. Jonathan LaDuke has a passion for green building, and as a contractor by trade, he oversaw this remodel on his own home to help bring it up to a higher energy standard. If you are in the Gunnison area, look Jonathan up if you need assistance with your home or building. 

The house was originally built in 1982 as an all-electric envelope house. The ceiling’s radiant heat was starting to fail and not operating efficiently. However, the house had potential! And Jonathan knew it. The passive solar gain gave the house amazing potential to operate more efficiently, so Jonathan moved to pursue a net zero energy house. 

With Jonathan’s experience as a contractor and extensive knowledge in energy efficiency, he knew he could get the house to where it needed to be. He’s a founding member of an insulation and air sealing company, as well as a certified thermographer. He uses an infrared camera in energy auditing and troubleshooting building science issues. Jonathan definitely knows about energy efficiency! 

As a contractor, working largely in energy efficiency, it felt natural to put his money where his passion lies. Pursuing net zero energy on this house felt like the right thing to do, and an effective use of budget with the long-term in his sights. 

Project Features

Jonathan focused on some key areas of the home to make it function well and reduce energy loss throughout the home. The quantitative analysis was important data to guide his decisions but ultimately the way he wanted to “feel” living in the house was a considerable driving force as well. Here are some of the highlights:

• Wall Assemblies: All wall assemblies have thermal breaks built into the design by way of Zip-R Panels or double interior walls. R- values range from R-42 – R-60 in the walls with hybrid closed-cell foam and dense-pack cellulose. The roof thermal envelope is an R-70 with loose-fill cellulose.
• Air Infiltration Mitigation Techniques:  All two or more sistered framing members were caulked for air sealing measures and all windows were extensively air sealed with window foam and/or caulk, as well as any thermal envelope penetrations.
• High-Efficiency Windows: Alpen Tyrol 625, with the help of AE Building Systems, were used throughout the project, offering higher efficiency and lower thermal loss than the previous builder-grade windows. 

We all want visually beautiful homes, but it is equally important to have a highly functional house that is energy efficient and has healthy indoor air quality. These details are often overlooked and the fashion of our homes eclipses the healthy function of our homes. Always consult professionals in energy efficiency when making building decisions. At AE Building Systems, we’re always available to help consult on the top products to use on your next project. The LaDuke Residence Project is a great example of remodeling and retrofitting a home to increase energy efficiency, and still loving the home you’re already in. 

Love the Home You’re In: LaDuke Residence Remodel

What do you get when you cross a sustainably-minded contractor with a home in deep need of an energy overhaul? You get the LaDuke Residence remodel, and the final product is truly something to admire. Jonathan LaDuke has a passion for green building, and as a contractor by trade, he oversaw this remodel on his own home to help bring it up to a higher energy standard. If you are in the Gunnison area, look Jonathan up if you need assistance with your home or building. 

The house was originally built in 1982 as an all-electric envelope house. The ceiling’s radiant heat was starting to fail and not operating efficiently. However, the house had potential! And Jonathan knew it. The passive solar gain gave the house amazing potential to operate more efficiently, so Jonathan moved to pursue a net zero energy house. 

With Jonathan’s experience as a contractor and extensive knowledge in energy efficiency, he knew he could get the house to where it needed to be. He’s a founding member of an insulation and air sealing company, as well as a certified thermographer. He uses an infrared camera in energy auditing and troubleshooting building science issues. Jonathan definitely knows about energy efficiency! 

As a contractor, working largely in energy efficiency, it felt natural to put his money where his passion lies. Pursuing net zero energy on this house felt like the right thing to do, and an effective use of budget with the long-term in his sights. 

Project Features

Jonathan focused on some key areas of the home to make it function well and reduce energy loss throughout the home. The quantitative analysis was important data to guide his decisions but ultimately the way he wanted to “feel” living in the house was a considerable driving force as well. Here are some of the highlights:

• Wall Assemblies: All wall assemblies have thermal breaks built into the design by way of Zip-R Panels or double interior walls. R- values range from R-42 – R-60 in the walls with hybrid closed-cell foam and dense-pack cellulose. The roof thermal envelope is an R-70 with loose-fill cellulose.
• Air Infiltration Mitigation Techniques:  All two or more sistered framing members were caulked for air sealing measures and all windows were extensively air sealed with window foam and/or caulk, as well as any thermal envelope penetrations.
• High-Efficiency Windows: Alpen Tyrol 625, with the help of AE Building Systems, were used throughout the project, offering higher efficiency and lower thermal loss than the previous builder-grade windows. 

We all want visually beautiful homes, but it is equally important to have a highly functional house that is energy efficient and has healthy indoor air quality. These details are often overlooked and the fashion of our homes eclipses the healthy function of our homes. Always consult professionals in energy efficiency when making building decisions. At AE Building Systems, we’re always available to help consult on the top products to use on your next project. The LaDuke Residence Project is a great example of remodeling and retrofitting a home to increase energy efficiency, and still loving the home you’re already in. 

Change happens slowly and in small ways, with every single purchase and every decision we make. As consumers, we each have opportunities to make decisions and at AE Building Systems, we’re at the core of these small, everyday decisions that are making a real difference in our world. But, another way change happens is when we see regulations and laws change. 

The process of making real change for the better has so many other applications outside of sustainability and doing right by our earth. However, we’re beyond thrilled to see recent changes in municipalities throughout the state of Colorado regarding energy efficiency. These are signals to us that change is finally coming on things that used to be mere suggestions now becoming a requirement.

Creating a New Normal

We don’t always think about it being a big deal, but small changes to building codes can actually make a big impact. Simple requirements force everyday decisions to higher standards, and in the case of these energy-efficient trends, the higher standard means a lighter carbon footprint across the board. In the past, some of these building decisions might have been a nice idea, but when push came to shove or budgets got tighter, the energy-efficient measures might have been the first thing to go. However, when they’re a requirement, there’s simply no room to question it. With each new code change to be more energy efficient, you start to see a better carbon impact across the board. 

Changes On All Levels

As we’re based in Colorado, we pay close attention to the local municipalities and those in our immediate vicinity. We’ve seen municipalities including Denver, Boulder, Golden, Fort Collins, and others increasing their energy-efficient codes across the board. However, on a national level, we’re seeing significant increases in code requirements as well, including New York City and Boston. And, Passive House Design plays a larger role in these municipalities because it easily meets, and often exceeds, the new code requirements. 

However, these changes are not just happening here in North America. In fact, the global push for energy efficiency has been largely attributed to the Paris Agreement, established in 2015. The agreement is focused on addressing climate change with goals to reduce greenhouse emissions, support developing countries’ efforts, and collaborate together. While the United States was part of this unifying group originally, the 2020 administration pulled the US out of the Agreement. US involvement or not, the Paris Agreement has had a major influence on the carbon impact on the globe and we’ve seen countries make significant changes in just a few short years. Others have followed suit, realizing that energy efficiency has major benefits from so many angles. This global initiative has put climate concerns and energy efficiency as a top priority for many governments, and as a result, we’re seeing the effects even in our local municipalities! 

How do we enact even greater change? 

While there’s much to celebrate, there’s still a huge opportunity to do better by our planet. Here are just a few ways to continue the journey toward better energy efficiency and lower carbon impact to the earth: 

1. Vote with your dollars: Put your money where your mouth is and invest in energy-efficient systems and products when you build your next project. It’s worth it! 
2. Vote with your vote: Think about sustainability when you’re casting your ballots and work to elect officials who care about sustainability initiatives. 
3. Share the wins: Talk with friends and family about the progress communities are making toward being energy efficient, and even any wins you’ve experienced on your own end. Don’t preach, but be willing to share. 
4. Research: The more educated you are on energy efficiency, the better decisions you will make. Don’t rely on others to simply spoon feed you the highlights. Be a smart consumer and resident, and learn how you can support energy-efficiency initiatives that might be happening in your own backyard. 

We get excited over here about building codes, especially when they support energy efficiency. We also love seeing the ripple effect of what these codes do for the local carbon impact. As an integral supplier of energy-efficient products, we know how important these building codes can be toward a bigger, more energy-efficient future! 

Green geeks united this summer at Emu Building Science’s 2022 Passive House Open Days! What a great event, and amazing that this event will be coming back again later this fall! 

Emu started creating a Passive Haus Days Tour to celebrate local Passive Home designs and construction. Similar to other home tours, attendees can sign up and tour the homes on the list. Emu’s tour is specifically focused around Passive House Construction and seeing the work in action. It helps give people a vision for what could be a reality in their homes and helps make passive construction strategies more mainstream and accessible to homeowners. 

AE Building Systems was excited about the Summer 2022 tour by Emu, specifically because our team was part of multiple homes on the tour, including the Fisher Residence and the Kirsch-Stroupe Residence.

Fisher Residence (Milhaus)

This Fort Collins home is the modern farmhouse you always dreamed of. AE Building Systems was proud to support this resident, who was also the architect and builder, with Smartwin, Alpen windows and doors, and SIGA weather/air barriers. 

Read more about this project and the amazing design! 

Kirsch-Stroupe Residence

Sustainably-minded homeowners drove the desire for Passive House practices, and the result is simply stunning. AE Building Systems was honored to contribute to this project with SIGA exterior air barrier (Majvest, Wigluv, Fentrim 430), SIGA IS 20 for window details, and SIGA Majrex/Rissan for the interior air barrier materials. 

Read our full profile on this resident in Tabernash.

Donath Lake House(s)

These Fort Collins spec homes were constructed by Black Timber Builders, and the Donath Lake Community is the only single-family community of Passive House Certified Homes in the nation! We know the folks at Black Timber Builders well, and they have a reputation for excellence. Walking through these lake houses was a real treat! While these homes were largely pre-sold, they were spec builds, and the possibilities with Black Timber moving forward are simply endless! 

Ogden St. Complex

This multi-family certified passive house in Denver is an innovative look at sustainable design for multi-family construction. It has a sleek, modern design, infusing new life to the block, and is Colorado’s first multi-family passive house! This appeals to a different market of homeowners who are looking for multi-family construction but also want sustainability. The project also achieved a 0.28 ACH50 with a firewall, which many professionals didn’t think was possible. The project is literally paving the way for future construction performance in Denver! 

Interested in checking out another event like this? Emu’s upcoming Passive Haus Open Days is coming up on November 11-13! Follow them on Facebook to find the registration details when they’re released. 

You CAN Have it All: Form & Function Unite in Crested Butte – Smithworks Restorative Lake House

You know what gets us really excited? It makes our day to see sustainable products in action for real families. That’s why we’re thrilled to share the Smithworks project with you today! 

The Smithworks Team

Smithworks has a reputation for excellence that dates back to the 1990s. Smithworks is led by Don and Elizabeth Smith, who are both local residents of Crested Butte. They love being part of crafting the local community with excellence in design and craftsmanship. This passion for design and innovation has led the duo on a journey to build stunning homes in the Crested Butte area. Environmentally-friendly products and building methods are the standard for them, and they have a huge focus on building homes that harmonize with the scenic mountain backdrops. 

Smithworks – Crested Butte Project (Restorative Lake House)

While each home has its own unique look and feel, Smithworks puts a few common features into each home that center around sustainability. Below are a few of the project features for this remodel project:  

• Net Zero: This home is a climate-resilient, all-electric home that boasts a net zero carbon footprint. Between energy-efficient construction practices and other features like solar panels, this house remodel had a major focus on sustainability. 
• Wall Assembly: Great attention was taken to the fenestration details and air sealing details in the wall assembly to ensure this house is as solid and airtight as possible. They built extremely thick walls with the existing 2X4 and then a TJI “quilt” with cellulose insulation throughout the entire assembly. 
• Air Infiltration Mitigation: Because this house was a retrofit, the construction team resheathed the primary framing with ZIP and then added TJIs to the exterior. They then filled both cavities with cellulose. 
• Blower Door: The team achieved a blower door test of 0.26 ACH50. They joke (and it’s probably true) that this house is the tightest house in the Gunnison Valley. 
• Smart Ventilation: Interior air quality was a major priority on this project. The CERV2 was utilized on this project, providing the highest level of smart ventilation for the home. The CERV2 sensors automatically measure and maintain excellent air quality in your home. It also helps with energy recovery in the home, which is going to be an ideal bonus for a home in this mountain valley. 
• High-Performance Openings: Smithworks employed the Advantage Smartwin© windows and doors for ultimate energy efficiency and performance. Smartwin© products are one of the best performing products currently in the world. The temperature swings in this mountain town are no match for these windows and doors, and the residents will feel how stable the interior air temperature stays as a result of these high-performance windows and doors. 
• Unparalleled Design: This house functions well from an energy-efficiency standpoint, but the house is also a work of art! It fits into the landscape so well, accentuating beautiful vistas, embracing the mountain lifestyle and aesthetic, and has a ton of little moments throughout where the detail is simple, yet sophisticated. Smithworks excels in providing that high level of design, but with a house that is sustainable, solid, and ready to last for generations. 

Working Together

“We received good customer service from AE Building Systems that you just don’t get with other companies.” – Don Smith

Smithworks has a great relationship with the AE Building Systems team. We’re proud to support local Colorado contractors with not just sustainable building products, but with customer support as well. We pride ourselves in going above and beyond to make the products right, and give as much product knowledge as possible. We’re proud to support great products like the CERV2 and Smartwin© windows for residential projects. We’d be happy to help anyone considering these kinds of projects for your next project. We LOVE answering questions to help you find the right solution for you!

Projects like these are good reminders and proof that you can build not only energy-efficient homes, but also ones where there is comfort, health, and high performance too. On top of that, this type of design can be extremely beautiful while being so functional and sustainable. You CAN have it all, and the Smithworks Crested Butte residence here is a prime example! 
Get more on this project from the Smithworks’ project overview!

We bet you have thought about air quality a few more times since 2020 than you ever did before! The recent pandemic has made so many of us aware of the particles in the air we breathe that can make us sick. Those of us in Passive Home design have always been aware of air quality and how we can make the air we breathe inside of our spaces as healthy as possible. It’s always been front and center in our design approach. That’s why we focus so much on Energy Recovery Ventilators in our conversations with customers and partners. 

Energy Recovery Ventilators (ERV) are a vital piece of equipment for passive or high-performance homes. Most existing homes are super leaky and get plenty of “fresh” air through the holes and cracks in the building envelope. Newer homes are getting more and more airtight and need more fresh air. ERVs are designed to provide ventilation that removes stale air and sometimes humidity, while delivering fresh air into the home. That “stale” air contains CO2, humidity, and toxins. We breathe, creating humidity and CO2, and cook, creating humidity and toxins. That new couch with the new couch smell – well – that smell is usually not good for you. The smell is generally toxins off-gassing from the materials the couch is made of. 

At the very core, ERVs have blowers and a heat exchanger. Their primary objective is to improve indoor air quality by bringing in fresh air. In the winter months, ERVs help recover warm air that may have otherwise been lost, especially in leaky, older homes that get plenty of fresh air through the holes and cracks in the building envelope. ERV systems capture some of the warmth from the exhaust or stale air stream and transfers that warmth back into the fresh air stream it’s pulling from the exterior. Likewise, in the summer months, ERVs help keep the heat out and the cool in by reversing the process. They put the “warmth” coming in via the fresh air stream into the exhaust air stream. In doing so, ERVs improve the HVAC system efficiency of a home as a primary benefit! 

What’s the Difference Between an ERV and an HRV?

When you start looking into ventilators, you will see the acronym for Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV) pop up. At first glance, it may feel like ERVs and HRVs are the same. The primary difference is ERVs manage or transfer humidity where HRVs dump the humidity, especially during the colder months when it’s pretty dry and we benefit from the humidity. The entire discussion around whether you should have an HRV or an ERV is changing. The variables historically included the size of the home, average humidity, and whether it is a heating or a cooling climate which is defined by heating/cooling degree days. It is our understanding that ERVs are the current direction in general, especially with high-performance, airtight homes.   

Ducting

With ERV systems, the ducting is a vital piece of the process. While some units do a lot of sophisticated work, the design of the ducting is crucial for success with all types of ERV and HRV systems. 

Here are a few key guiding principles for duct design:

• If possible, keep ducting as short, fat, and straight as possible to minimize static pressure and air turbulence. Static pressure makes it harder for the blowers to do their job and the system wears out sooner as a result. Go deeper into the math on duct design! 
• Set up dedicated ducts for an ERV in new construction. In retrofits, existing ducts can be leveraged as well. There are some important considerations on where to tap into those ducts.
• Insulate Fresh and Stale air ducts as much as possible. R-8 or better is the general recommendation. These are the ducts that go to the outside wall and bring in the fresh air and exhaust the stale air. Also, these ducts shouldn’t terminate right next to each other on the wall. They should be at least 10 feet apart.
• Return ducts are generally for polluted and humid areas – kitchens, baths, or even laundry spaces.
• Supply ducts generally go to the living areas and bedrooms.  
• Consider a sound dampening option with insulated flex or a silencer, especially in high-performance homes. Blowers and airflow generate some sound; generally, high-performance homes are super quiet. Our feedback from clients has been the “ERV is making noise” and silencing ducts help reduce the noise.

ERVs We Love

Our team is a big fan of Build Equinox’s CERV 2, which uses a high-efficiency heat pump to exchange energy(heat) between incoming supply and outgoing exhaust air. The CERV 2 measures and manages indoor air pollutants, CO2, and humidity. It brings in fresh air only when you actually need it. It also has an efficient inverter drive heat pump, which performs the heat exchange. The heat pump assists the primary HVAC system with heating and cooling. Built with the user experience in mind, their color touchscreen controller is easy to read and simple to use, and you can even manage the system remotely! 

Your ventilation system is likely the most important system in a Passivehaus design. We care about air tightness for a home, and we care about good air quality as well, especially for the Passivehaus. As a result, you can’t afford to just phone in this part of the process. That’s why we encourage our customers to talk to their HVAC expert, like BrightSense, to help you create the optimal design with product selection and ducting design. Please note that your HVAC expert should also be able to help you confirm your flow rates with a duct blaster. 

While we aren’t HVAC design experts ourselves, the AE Building Systems team knows a lot about the CERV2 system and many of the nuances you should have on your radar. We’re always here to help point you in the right direction and think through the various angles on your own project! 

The immediate place our minds go when it comes to improving the performance of a wall is to insulate. That seems to be the easiest and simplest approach to improving performance and energy efficiency. But, what if we told you the glazing is where you really get the bigger bang for your buck? Would you be surprised? 

Most people are, and note we are assuming more standard residential construction and assumptions include 2X framing and batt insulation. Construction with steel studs, concrete, continuous insulation, thermal bridging, etc. alter the results in different ways.

A window is essentially a thermal “hole in the dike,” and insulation in walls above certain R-Values becomes less and less helpful when looking at the overall performance of the wall – window included.  

Okay, so we can all get behind the idea that insulation in the walls is a good thing, and surely it’s effective for energy-efficiency. Is it not a pretty bold statement to say that glazing is MORE effective? 

Hang on with us…

Gazing at Glazing Options:

We have single pane glass, which keeps out the elements and is worthless in terms of thermal performance. We don’t see these in modern construction, especially in sustainable, energy-efficient projects. 

Many homes have dual-pane insulating glass, which is two glass panes with a low-e coating, separated by a small sealed air space. When inserted with a gas like argon, it increases its insulation. You can see maximum performance ratings up to about R-4 with most options landing around R-3.5. 

Other windows feature triple-pane insulated glass, which increases that dual-pane concept by an extra pane and an extra insulated chamber. Triple-pane (the glass IGU specifically) can be up to 50 percent heavier, difficult to handle, and require stronger supports. However, you can get insulating properties up to R-10 center of glass (COG). 

On standard walls, we might be lucky to see an R-20 effective R-Value, but in many commercial curtain wall systems, “high performance” can often be categorized as an R-4 wall. A simple look at the numbers above shows the very high-level understanding that if you go the route of energy-efficient windows, you can achieve similar, if not better, performance than a curtain-wall system. In residential wall assemblies like 2×6 construction, effective R-Values run R-10 to R-14 as there is thermal bridging in the 2×6.  This is a whole different topic and we’re going to stick to a basic wall R-value.

Okay, high-performance windows are great, but couldn’t you just beef up the insulation to compensate for lesser-performing windows? 

Let’s do some math:

Let’s suppose a facade is 75% wall and 25% glazed. The wall part is R-20, and the window is at R-3. In this situation, the thermal performance of the overall wall with windows is roughly R-8.3. 

Now, if you double the performance of the wall portion to R-40 (keeping the window at R-3), the R-value for the overall wall (windows included) is slightly better at just R-9.8, so not much difference compared to where we started.  You’d think that 100% increase in wall R-value would yield more than an 18% improvement in the overall wall – windows included. 

BUT, what if we changed out the windows and doubled their performance to be R-6 (and kept the wall portion at R-20)? If you do that, and re-run the calculations, you actually get an overall wall performance of R-12.6! At 53%, that’s a pretty high percentage increase. 

Oh… by the way… going to R-40 walls and R-6 windows takes the overall wall R-value to R-16.5, and R-40 walls and R-9 windows takes the overall wall to R-21.5. However, R-60 walls and R-3 glass is around R-10.5 Glazing is truly the weak link in our wall assemblies.   

Watch this video by Todd going into more detail on frame types, triple vs. quad panes, spacer options, and ​​gas types.

While it feels counterintuitive, going for the high-performing windows actually moves the needle further than beefing up insulation in the wall itself. Curious about what kind of high-performance windows are right for your project? Talk to our team about maximizing your overall R-values. We LOVE sharing our knowledge to help you make the right decision for your next project! 

This project has R-7 to R-9 fenestration products and approximately R-40 walls.

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Project Highlight: Kirsch-Stroupe Residence near Winter Park

What do you get when you cross motivated homeowners, with sustainable builders, and an interest in Passive House design? This special combination is the bones for a truly special residential project up in Tabernash, CO near Winter Park for the Kirsch-Stroupe Residence. This project is a collaboration between Matt Kirsch and Kerri Stroupe, Bishop Built, and other Passive House Partners. The results so far are amazing!

As we write this article, the house is still in process. (We can’t wait to see the final product!) However, because it’s in process, we can see so much of the careful work being done to make this house as sustainable as possible with Passive House best practices. It’s been pretty fun to see the work that goes in, in order to make the final product work and run efficiently. 

The Players:

Homeowners

Ultimately, the desire to pursue sustainable and efficient Passive House strategies has to be a core value for the homeowners, especially in a difficult climate like Tabernash (one of the colder areas of Colorado). Matt and Kerri had a deep desire to live in an energy-efficient home and have an ongoing passion for a more sustainable lifestyle. 

Contractors

Zane Bishop, of Bishop Built, has been an integral part of this project and stepped up to the plate! As the contractor, he has the obvious role in making the building a reality. Bishop Built has been building homes since 1982 and has a reputation for premium craftsmanship, clear communication, and full accountability. However, Zane also took Emu’s Passive House Training Class, which meant that not only was this a great construction plan for the home (also a part of Emu’s Pilot Program), but it is a sustainable one as well. This is huge for the Granby/Winter Park area as the Bishop Built team raised the bar in what local contractors can, and do, offer!

Partners

Our team at AE Building Systems had a small role in this project, as a supplier for SIGA products.  As a belt and suspenders approach, the project leveraged both the Majrex interior system and Majvest exterior system to help achieve Passive House airtightness levels. We also were available to support the Bishop team and answer any questions that arose around the products. While our part feels small, our emotional investment in the success of this project has been huge. And, we’re so thrilled for the Kirsch-Stroupe’s to enjoy their Passive House soon!

Another great partner on this project is Front Range Fenestration. They installed the windows and are great for window installations in the Rocky Mountain region. We’ve worked with them for many years and loved being on the team together for this Kirsch-Stroupe Residence!

Project Features:

While there are countless areas where this project has leaned into efficient practices, a huge focus has been on air sealing and insulation. This is a common thread on any Passive House project. As you can see in the photos, this part of the construction was not just a quick blip, but an intentional focus. For example, double-stud walls allow for increased insulation and reduced thermal bridging. In addition, SIGA products were utilized heavily to provide airtightness and reduce air infiltration.

Project Flow:

Any construction project needs forethought to ensure that the project flows properly. We’ve seen supply chain issues in the past couple of years that continue and have been a significant concern into 2021. When you’re considering a Passive House project, you need to make sure you’re managing timelines and milestones even more. Sequencing was a major consideration and every aspect had to be considered months ahead of time. Communication with subcontractors on the schedule was a huge puzzle to solve and manage, but so far has been a success. 

Find this project intriguing? You might be dreaming about a passive, sustainable home in the future and we want you to know that, yes, it’s possible! Beautiful homes that fit these efficient building standards ARE possible and possible here in Colorado. If you’re dreaming about that future home, talk to our team! We can help educate you, as a consumer, on what materials (like SIGA which was on this project) are helpful to consider. 

If you’re a builder and want to offer more sustainable and efficient Passive House building options for your clients, make sure you talk to our team as well. We nerd out daily on the latest and greatest approaches available. We love to pass on that knowledge. Not only that, but also check out EMU’s Passive House Trainings and consider leveling up your own knowledge on these innovative building strategies. 

Follow Bishop Built on Instagram:  @bishopbuilt 

Follow EMU on Instagram: @emubldgscience 

More construction and detail shots:

Smokey the Bear teaches us to help prevent wildfires, but Passive House Design and ERVs help teach us what to do to PROTECT indoor air when a wildfire is already happening! Those of us out west are no strangers to wildfires. They’ve become a regular topic of conversation in the summer months, and can be a crucial focus when living in the mountains. We often think about fire mitigation with trees and bushes, or having go-bags ready and a plan in place for evacuation. However, we don’t always think about how to protect the air we breathe when we’re living with wildfire smoke. And, when it happens, it’s something we simply can’t avoid. 

“Climate change has been a key factor in increasing the risk and extent of wildfires in the Western United States. … Once a fire starts—more than 80 percent of U.S. wildfires are caused by people—warmer temperatures and drier conditions can help fires spread and make them harder to put out.”

Normally, we think about incorporating outdoor air to improve indoor air quality. But when a wildfire is occurring, the outdoor air quality is often much worse. 

We have to think a little differently about how to maintain quality air indoors… 

A Few Breathing Basics For Better Indoor Air Quality During Wildfires:

1. Stay indoors as much as possible when wildfires are running rampant. In this case, indoor air is going to be more healthy than outdoor air. 
2. Keep windows and doors shut as much as possible. 
3. Wear a mask if you DO need to go outside. The US EPA recommends an N95 or P100 respirator mask with a NIOSH label.
4. Window air conditioners should not be used during wildfires, unless their outdoor air intake can be closed.
5. Consider a portable air cleaner to complement air sealing and filtering measures during a wildfire.
6. Focus on airtightness. Leaks and openings are ways contaminated air can get in. This is where the Passive House design is a huge benefit. Many build this way for energy savings, but in this case, Passive Houses have a leg up on traditional construction in that they prevent contaminated exterior air from coming in. Listen in on a roundtable discussion where experts discuss how Passive House strategies can help.
7. Use an ERV to help recirculate and preserve the quality of indoor air. This last tip seems a little confusing if you know how ERVs typically operate. We dig in deeper below!

Should We Use An ERV During Wildfires?

One big question we get is if ERVs are helpful when wildfires are happening. ERVs pull air from the outside in, so at first glance, this seems like something you’d want to avoid. However, experts say it’s actually still good to run the ERV. We need oxygen, and need to keep CO2 levels down. When we have too high of CO2, it can impact cognition, loss of consciousness, and even death. 

Filters Used to Stave Off Wildfire Smoke

With the CERV2, the MERV 13 filters are considered sufficient to filtrate outdoor air – even during wildfires. The MERV 13 filters are much better than the MERV 8 filters, which are generally found in most ERVs. There is no need to add an additional filter to the inlet on the ERV during this season. What many people DO consider is changing to carbon or Colorfil filters to absorb additional odors and VOCs while smoke and ash are prevalent.

Automatic vs. Manual Ventilation

Operationally, when a wildfire is occurring, users can disable the VOC sensor from triggering ventilation and therefore would only be triggered by the CO2 sensor. If the smoke is extreme, or lasts for longer periods, you could also disable the automatic ventilation and manually ventilate with the system. For example, if it’s less smoky in the mornings, you might manually vent the system for an hour or so and then shut the ventilation off for the remainder of the day. With the CERV2, you can do this with your phone, tablet or computer and from afar. You don’t have to be home to adjust the controls. The main operational change to make would be to disable the VOC sensor from triggering ventilation and only go by CO2. During extreme smoke periods you may want to totally disable ventilation and then just manually trigger ventilation periodically. The pollutant sensors keep reading when disabled, so you will still see your IAQ data to know when to ventilate.

Recirculating Air to Maximize Indoor Air Quality

The CERV2 allows you to recirculate air. When you’re dealing with poor outdoor air quality, it’s important to recirculate indoor air as much as possible. This will continue to filter the inside air, further filtering any air that originally came in from outdoors. 

Wildfires and Passive House Principles 

The most effective strategy against particulate matter during a wildfire is an airtight building envelope. We achieve this by building with Passive House strategies as well as the strategic use of a CERV2 unit. Over the years, we’ve seen so many benefits to constructing home systems this way, but the recent wildfires, and the resulting poor air quality, make for an even stronger argument to focus on Passive House design for your next build! 
What else have you done to protect your home and air quality during wildfire season? Reach out or comment to let us know. And, don’t miss the conversation over on Instagram around this topic and more around sustainable, energy-efficient construction!

Building a sustainable building envelope is easy…until you add in openings. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to make efficient building envelopes in a snap? But that’s not how life works. We need doors and windows and vents and openings in order for a building to function. So, alas, we have to deal with holes in the building envelope that complicate our lives, especially when we’re working to build with Passive House practices in mind. But with each hole we make in a building, we need to pay attention to ensure there is minimal air infiltration.  

Why Should You Care?

Every hole in a building envelope is an area of extreme complexity. It becomes an area where you have to focus structural attention to ensure that it functions properly, but it also becomes a juncture for energy (heat) and air to escape. When it comes to Passive Home tactics, we care about this a lot because these junctures are usually where most of our inefficiencies come into play. Therefore, we need to make sure we pay special attention to these areas to ensure that we can maintain an efficient, effective structure. 

We don’t care just for the sake of being more efficient, but also because if not done correctly, it can lead to future problems. Thermal bridging can occur when openings are not managed properly, causing condensation, warping, and other long-term effects that can damage a structure.

Top Culprits for Air Infiltration Issues:

[And What You Can Do!]

Bath Vents: 

Bath vents are often overlooked and forgotten about as they serve an important, but often invisible role. The mix of moisture management from showers, coupled with the fact that it’s a hole to the exterior elements, means this can be a significant energy loss location. 

For a more Passive House approach consider using:

• An ERV for bath ventilation instead of bath fans.
• The CERV2 to evacuate bathroom air with booster switches. 

Dryer Vents:

Clothes dryer vents are another big culprit when it comes to air infiltration and inefficiencies. This necessary vent can cause some major issues considering the appliance is often NOT in use. 

For a more efficient approach:

• Use a condensing dryer instead of a traditional vented dryer. Never heard of them? You can get a good explanation of this approach to drying clothes and how it differs from traditional vented dryers here. 
• Install a CERV2 to pull air from a drying closet, making for a more efficiently managed venting system.

Range Hoods:

Another big spot where air quality can get iffy inside the home is in the kitchen around the range. Gases and toxins in the air from cooking can be harmful if left to linger in the home, so proper ventilation is vital. 

For a Passive House Approach:

• Leverage the CERV2 and ducted range hoods to help evacuate air from the kitchen. 

Lights:

We don’t always think about lights being an air infiltration trouble spot, but lights can be openings in the envelope where air can leak. 

For a more efficient option:

• Use LED puck lights instead of traditional (leaky) can lights.
• Choose air-tight can lights whenever can lights are absolutely necessary.

Plumbing Stack Hole:

When we think of plumbing, we think of water not air, but the plumbing stack can be a huge culprit for air infiltration. The venting holes, usually in the roof, require flashing and regular maintenance to ensure they are not leaking. Since they’re on the roof, it’s not uncommon for debris to clog these, causing more air quality issues and lack of actual venting. 

For a Passive House Solution Instead:

• Consider using Studor Vents, or Air Admittance Valves (AAV) 

What else can you do? 

It’s impossible to avoid having some holes in your building envelope. So wherever you have openings, it’s vital that you have focused attention to how the openings are constructed. Bring in expert opinions on Passive House Construction to see where you have opportunities (Like the CERV2, for example) to be more efficient and smart in your systems. Another important step you can include in the construction is using SIGA Tape for high-quality air sealing. 

Ultimately, the best approach to managing air infiltration at openings and holes is with a proactive approach. The more legwork you do up front, the fewer surprises down the road and the more efficient your building envelope will be. If you’re working toward a Passive House design, focusing on air infiltration is an important item that needs to be on your checklist. We’re here to help on your next project. Make sure to hit up our team to see how you can improve the air quality in your upcoming Passive House project! 

Ready to breathe easy? Air quality has become more and more of a focus in recent years.  It has more than just mental benefits; air quality has a direct correlation with our physical well-being. Those of us in the construction industry have known this for years, but recently with COVID-19, the world is now aware of how your indoor air can affect your health. 

Dwelling Inside

People often think about air pollution being an outdoor issue, but indoor air quality is actually a larger threat to health. The EPA states that indoor air can be up to two to five times (sometimes 100 times) more polluted than outdoor air. In the United States, people spend about 90 percent of their day indoors, 70 percent of that in a residential home. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) actually calls indoor air pollution the #1 pollution problem in America.

Allergies

75 million people in the United States have a medical diagnosis of allergies and asthma or both! Indoor air pollutants like pollen, mold, and other contaminants can affect air quality. Internal sources include combustion and make-up air for appliances, bath ventilation and general infiltration through unsealed openings. It is among the country’s most common, but overlooked, diseases. 

Allergens can be mitigated through careful home design, thoughtful construction material selection, quality construction tactics, and other lifestyle choices. The use of wireless sensing equipment, automated pollution monitoring, strategic ventilation systems (CERV2), and high-efficiency (MERV) air filtration systems can remove up to 99.6 percent of airborne allergens. 

Proactive Construction

At AE Building Systems, we work with our customers to provide effective construction materials and systems to build homes with good air quality. That’s why we love the CERV2. This ventilation system offers high-efficiency ventilation, while removing contaminants from the indoor air circulation. Our focus is always on proactive systems for healthy, sustainable spaces! 

Below is a testimonial from one of our customers who used the CERV2 in their recent project: 

“Both my wife and I work from home and suffer from pollen allergies. We wanted to minimize the health issues allergic reactions cause us both. To do that we integrated a computerized energy recovery ventilation system, CERV2, from Build Equinox into the home’s HVAC system. When we built our new home we integrated smart ventilation and air quality monitoring into the home’s HVAC system.

After moving into our new home, we were delighted to discover that our allergy symptoms disappeared. We slept better, had better brain function, less illness’, were free from sneezing and inflammation. It was transformational.

New homes are built very tightly and sealed from air infiltration. They do not “breathe” like older construction. Many areas, including Denver, require passing with a blower door test score of 3.0 or better prior to issuing a certificate of occupancy. A home with a blower door test score of 3.0 or below is a very tightly built home and needs ventilation to maintain quality indoor air.  

We chose the CERV2 for a number of reasons. It is a smart ventilation system. It continually monitors for volatile organic compounds and carbon-dioxide (VOC’s and CO2). When user set thresholds are exceeded for these pollutants it automatically begins ventilation. The ventilation process filters the air through 2 separate Merv 12 air filters. The 2 Merv 12 filters remove almost all airborne contaminants.”

-Craig Tessem, Colorado

If you’d like to learn more about how to promote healthy indoor air quality, talk to our team to learn more about the CERV2 and other products that prevent air pollution and help you create a space you can truly breathe easy in!

You know that feeling when you try on your old Letterman Jacket, or the jeans from ten years ago? It feels GOOD to fit into the same size, right?! That same feeling is what we get when we fit triple pane windows in the same standard size of a double pane window and get even more performance! 

Okay, okay… maybe that’s a stretch. BUT, it’s the truth. Alpen’s new Thin Glass technology now makes it possible to get even higher performance out of our windows without significant increases to size and weight of the windows. That’s a BIG DEAL when it comes to constructing high performance and passive houses!

What is Thin Glass?

Alpen is excited to share about their new Thin Glass design with the world and we’re excited to share it with our customers too. This new product is changing the face of high-performance windows and offering great solutions for building projects. Alpen uses a triple-pane window, which utilizes thin glass as the center pane. Historically, double pane windows were really seen as the industry standard, and utilizing thin-film helped increase the performance. However, using a thin glass pane, Alpen is able to increase the R-value while maintaining the same industry-standard thickness of the window. The new style only increases the weight by 12 percent, and allows for possibilities for a quad-pane option that only adds 17 percent.

What Makes Thin Glass So Great?

Thin Glass is proving to be an innovative product for so many applications, but let’s take a brief look at the big benefits:

• The use of thin glass for the center panes provides some of the most energy-efficient windows on the market today. Superior U-factors, increased condensation resistance (CR) and increased visible light transmission (VT)!
• The cost is currently the same as using thin-film, yet with improved performance.
• Tested and verified by the National Fenestration Rating Council.
• Multiple glazing options available.
• Crafted in the United States at local facilities with specific manufacturing space dedicated to Thin Glass production.
• Paired with Quanex Super Spacer for even greater performance! 

Thin Glass & Thin-Film: Cousins in the Industry

Thin Glass is a comparable product to Thin-Film, both made by Alpen and both great options. Thin-Film has been Alpen’s go-to for many, many years, and will still be available for many of their top lines like Zenith and Tyrol. Suspended film still provides excellent insulation and R-values, while providing the lightest high-performance windows available. Thin Glass and Thin-Film are like cousins in the same family:  providing the same functions (at a comparable price) but are slightly different.

Thin Glass is set to shake up the world of high-performance windows. Customers are always looking for the best performing window options, regardless of the climate, and innovation like this sets the bar high. Whether you’re working toward a truly Passive House model, or just looking for a more efficient solution, Thin Glass technology in windows like Alpen’s is a great option! Check out Alpen’s product lines over on our website.

We’re always trying to work smarter, not harder, right? So, that begs a BIG question in construction of why we have worked so hard to heat and cool houses for so many years! So much of our modern mechanical systems and building design ignores very simple ways to heat and cool a space. Instead, if we focused on utilizing passive ventilation practices, our homes would work more FOR us rather than making our systems work for them.

What is Passive Ventilation?

Passive Ventilation often refers to the natural process of creating airflow by working with natural properties of heat rising, and pulling cooler air through lower windows. This is known as the stack effect and is achieved with the use of high windows that allow warm air to escape, and lower windows that pull in cooler outdoor air. The natural rise of hot air and pulling the cool air up through a space makes for a passive ventilation pattern in a space. 

There’s a lot more going on than just hot air rising. There’s a lot more going on than you might first think. When air inside a building is warmer than the outside air, the warmer, less dense air will rise. Depending on the season, the way wind approaches a structure, the height of the structure and number of floors, and other minute factors, the pressure is going to differ. As a result, buildings that utilize the chimney effect of passive ventilation are often nicknamed “breathing buildings.”

Residential AND Commercial Use

Passive Ventilation has been used for years upon years without even putting a ton of mathematical calculation to the process. One example you’ve probably seen is when older homes often had transom windows in bedrooms above the bedroom door. This was a simple example of how historical home designs understood the need to ventilate an individual room and help the hot air escape when needed, and to close it to trap in heat in the alternate seasons. Proper placement of windows or even skylights on upper levels of homes can then be a great way to let the warmer air escape the home and create a natural flow of air. 

For example, in Colorado where we are located, many homeowners are able to live comfortably without air conditioning by utilizing these techniques specifically at night. Night flushing can allow cooler air to enter a home with lower level windows and force hot air out with second or third level windows or vents. Since our temperatures cool down significantly in the evening, homeowners can flush out the hot air that has built up throughout the day from the building’s structure. Materials like brick and concrete take longer to absorb heat throughout the day, which can also help stabilize the internal climate on a hot day. 

Passive Ventilation is a great answer for not only homes, but for larger buildings as well. The main method is to provide ventilation stacks within the building that ideally have a method of flow control in order to adjust as needed. Sometimes these systems benefit from having a backup mechanical ventilation option as well to make up for times when there is overventilation or underventilation. 

Is the Stack Effect the Answer Everywhere? 

While utilizing the Stack Effect can be a really smart solution for so many spaces, there are definitely some scenarios where it’s not ideal. One example is in colder weather or colder seasons. In these scenarios the heat is a desirable component for a home and pulling hot air up and out actually has a negative effect. High temperature difference between the building interior and exterior can result in overventilation and unwanted building heat loss.

Another scenario where this is not ideal is with high rise buildings, where the higher up the “chimney” of the building, the greater the pressure. The pressure was so significant when skyscrapers were first introduced, the revolving door was invented because the pressure in the building prevented normal doors from opening. 

As mentioned above, sometimes a mechanical system may be installed to help regulate the internal pressure and temperatures. So while passive solutions are often a great way to save on energy costs, it’s not a perfect solution for every season of the year and every location. That said, the energy savings that CAN be gained by employing a passive ventilation system can be significant and one that makes a lot of sense. 

If you’re wanting to work WITH nature, employing the stack effect could improve your project greatly. Our team is always here to help you maximize your options and consider how windows and intentional openings in your home may not only add to the aesthetic nature of your home, but also help you with smart ventilation as well. Drop us a message to discuss!

Modern Farmhouse With a Passive Twist: Profile on Greg Fisher’s Millhaus

Long before the modern farmhouse was a trendy term on HGTV, an architect had a vision for design that had a connection to nature, history, sustainability, and all-around innovative design. Greg Fisher, architect based in Fort Collins, Colorado, embraced the concept with his home/office, which has become known in the Passive House community as an example of innovative design with sustainability at heart. 

The Millhaus

Millhaus is a Passive House project that combines Greg’s personal home, as well as an architectural office that was named for its history as a mill, and the nod to Passivhaus design. Built on the property of a former cherry mill, the 3200 sq. ft. structure became a collaboration between traditional, gabled design, modern aesthetics, and Passive House principles. The house marries traditional materials native to the original structures of the mill with more modern materials like steel. Greg’s project truly personifies his belief that “aesthetics can be part of Passive House.”

One-of-a-Kind Features

It’s not every day that you run across a home that utilizes these features:

• History: The property has a long-standing history as a cherry mill. This is a factor that added story and soul, and a starting point for Greg to launch his design. In fact, the kitchen pantry is modeled after the tool crib from the mill. Greg has plans to enclose that here soon, but at the moment it is just an open-shelving section of the home. 
• Unique Walls: The wall cladding on this house is actually tree bark shingles (a cradle to cradle product). Talk about a connection with nature! 
• Breathing Easy: Greg incorporated high-quality ventilation solutions to promote energy efficiency and healthy indoor air quality.  
• Fully Grounded: The home features a two-ton ground source heat pump, which contributes to a more passive approach to heating. The tax rebates aren’t a bad incentive either! They also combined that with radiant floor heating. 
• High-performance Living: This home features a blower door test value of ACH50- 0.44. The lower the ACH50 values, the tighter the building. Greg’s home ultimately is extremely air tight, maintaining temperature and climate throughout. 
• Goodbye Dry Skin: Unique to Passive air-tightness, combined with the use of an ERV in the house means that the house is kinder on the skin, especially in the dry climate of Colorado! 

Passive House Products:

Greg’s nod to the Passivhaus design in naming his project “Millhaus” does not go unnoticed to those of us in the Passive House construction community. This project is a fully certified Passive House project. His project features some amazing products:

• Advantage Smartwin: Throughout the home, fixed, tilt/turns, and swing windows, as well as lift/slide doors were used. They feature Euroglass and offer high-performance design at the openings. They focused heavily on the window to wall ratio and measured that carefully to work with the orientation and sunlight. 
• Alpen 925 Series Windows: While Advantage windows were used primarily, there are a few locations where the Alpen 925 Series Windows were used. We’ve used these in so many projects and love not only the quality, but the maximum performance they deliver. 
• SIGA Air/Weather Barrier: Millhaus features the use of both Majrex interior system and Majvest exterior system for achieving the Passive House required air-tight standard.
• Sequencing:  Emu Building Science (Enrico and Mariana) provided sequencing assistance for the Majrex interior application. [Watch for a more in-depth examination of the power of sequencing on our blog!]

The Millhaus is a true example of how great design can meld with sustainable principles. If you want a Passive House design, you can still have an interesting and well-designed home. We love the innovation we’re seeing come out of this movement, and we love helping our clients make innovative decisions for their next project. Talk to our team today and start brainstorming about how great design can truly be passive too!

Bonus!

We have the privilege of being able to hear directly from Greg Fisher about his amazing project. You can hear his approach and more details about the home on the BS+ Beer show’s interview  from Dec 11, 2020 – Millhaus: A Mild Climate Case Study

Expanded Capabilities with Alpen’s New Manufacturing Facility

Shopping local and supporting local businesses has become a big concept in our world, and as a small business ourselves, we love that so many people want to support local businesses like ours. It’s even more exciting when we can also support local businesses in the products we offer, which is why we’re so excited about Alpen High Performance Products! (And, with their recent move to a new facility in Louisville, Colorado, they’re literally right around the corner!)

Alpen is a U.S. based window and door manufacturer that offers some of the most energy-efficient fenestration products you can get today! They have over 40 years of experience, which has led them to be an industry leader. We’re proud to carry their products, equipping our customers to build energy-efficient buildings. 

Alpen recently moved to a new facility in Louisville, Colorado (voted a top city in the U.S. to live!) as part of their long-term growth plan. This new facility is 59,000 square feet and is nearly 40 percent larger than their previous facility. 

Consolidation

They’ve now combined their glass (IGU) fabrication, frame fabrication, and paint divisions all under the same roof. They’ve also created space for a larger shipping and receiving dock and updated offices. What a difference this will make for faster communication, better understanding of the various processes, and ultimately a better result for our clients! 

Automation

One of Alpen’s investments within this new facility is machinery to automate manufacturing processes. They’ve invested heavily in automation machinery and equipment in fiberglass cutting and drilling, uPVC welding and paint functions  – something their old setup did not include. 

Greater Capacity

The increase in space and streamlined production allows for Alpen to run even more efficiently. The new facility also provides for increased IGU production, which can now be manufactured in the same space! They have also increased their production capabilities for fiberglass frames, plus improved paint booths and plasma prep on finishes in this new space.

Quality Control

Having every department under the same roof allows for greater quality control. The Alpen team has added staff and improved training, tightening their quality control procedures. Alpen has also put a tremendous amount of focus and energy into the fiberglass paint and painting process they will be using moving forward.

Showroom

The Louisville facility also has room for a new showroom that is in the works. Given the proximity of the new facility to many of our clients, we’re excited to be able to showcase the latest products and offerings from this leader in energy-efficient windows and doors! One of Alpen’s new products includes the WinSert window insert! More information will be coming regarding this exciting new product for energy retrofits.

Certified Excellence – Continued

The new facility is also exciting because Alpen is the first US manufacturer to be PHIUS certified, and the first North American manufacturer to be dually certified by both PHIUS and PHI. Alpen will continue to manufacture these high-performance fenestration products in their new facility.

What does this mean for us?

This facility upgrade means better communication, enhanced quality control, greater throughput, and shorter lead times resulting in improved products moving forward. All of this means a better experience for our customers. The fact that we’re just a hop, skip, and a jump away from this new facility makes it even more fun for us to develop and grow our long-standing relationship with Alpen. 

We’ve been selling Alpen products, like the Tyrol and Zenith lines, for around seven years. We’re excited to see the new innovation that comes out of this brand as they move forward. More than that, we’re excited to offer our customers a great experience as a result of this new facility and the great team over at Alpen. 

Curious to see how Alpen windows and doors can support your next construction project? When this 800-pound gorilla called COVID is under better control, we will look forward to scheduling a factory tour.  In the meantime, please chat with our team to see how you can get the very best in energy efficiency from not only our local company, AE Building Systems, but also from a local manufacturer, Alpen High Performance Products! 

Please contact AE Building Systems by calling 720.287.4290 or emailing info@aebuildingsystems.com.