Climate Design Basics

A house not just a shell. It is a system - a manipulated environment that attempts to control the movement and amount of heat, air, light, sound, sights and even feelings. How you deal with building dynamics can greatly affect energy consumption, durability, indoor air quality and comfort.

Remember: You must design and build the home for the climate you're in. Houses designed for northern climates will not work in hot-humid Louisiana.

Every component of a building has an effect on how the system performs. Many building failures are caused by changes in building components that offer improvements in some characteristics without compensating for how they change the air or moisture dynamics. That’s why a basic understanding of some key building science principles is so important. These principles hold true regardless of the product or system used and are an essential tool in evaluating emerging technologies or methods.