Learn how homes marry performance and sustainability to become resilient sanctuaries. Most homes need power to remain habitable. However, there’s an increasing design trend among architects—especially on the East Coast with frequent storm-related power outages—that builders and remodelers should monitor closely. It’s called passive survivability, and it’s the standard for today’s most energy-efficient homes. Passive survivability reduces a home’s environmental impact while still providing for basic human needs when utilities are out. After the storm passes, the home’s features work to keep the inside comfortable. What are the main ingredients of passive survivability? Let’s take a look. 1) Super-efficient home envelope Highly efficient envelopes help homes retain so much energy that heating or cooling requires less than a conventional HVAC system. This involves a combination of proper insulation and air sealing that starts with code-mandated structural features such as tie-downs to resist uplift and sheer panels to help the frames…

As temperatures continue to rise, passive homes provide much-needed comfort. The hope with every home we build is that it will remain comfortable and livable for generations. The truth is that our global climate has other plans. As local weather intensifies due to global warming, passive home building is growing in popularity for its structural resilience and sustainable design. What is passive building? Passive building is a methodology that prioritizes long-term comfort and sustainability. According to the Passive House Alliance US,[1] homes in this category maintain comfortable indoor temperatures during summer and winter seasons while reducing carbon emissions and improving indoor air quality. Net-zero homes—homes that produce as much energy as they consume—are a product of passive building. Common features are energy-efficient windows and doors, an airtight envelope to prevent outside air from coming in, high-performance insulation to minimize heat transfer, superb ventilation, and a renewable energy source such as…

The modern farmhouse trend is having a renaissance. Brought to you by JELD-WEN Modern farmhouse is shaping up to be one of the most popular home design trends. Its unique blend of comfort and simplicity captures the warmth of traditional farmhouse and has taken on an open-for-interpretation blueprint with classic and contemporary elements. Why is modern farmhouse making a comeback? There are a few reasons. It celebrates transitional architecture Transitional architecture strikes the perfect balance between classic and contemporary to create a cool yet welcoming aesthetic. In modern farmhouses, the exterior is traditional, with accents of dark color on the windows and doors as a nod to modern design. Where traditional farmhouse windows have colonial grilles with three columns and at least four rows, modern farmhouse windows have fewer grilles to let more light in. The interior is where the contemporary comes out with asymmetrical layouts and open floorplans. Shaker-style…

Brought to you by JELD-WEN Farmhouse style has come a long way from the farm, yet hundreds of years later, the basic elements of the style still hold in modern interpretations. It’s all about the details, and there’s a world of possibilities for anyone to create their own farmhouse dream home. Here are three integral design elements that distinguish the farmhouse style.

Brought to you by JELD-WEN It’s not unusual for product innovations to establish a foothold in the luxury niche before re-engineering brings pricing for a wider market. That’s what’s happening now with long-span glass wall systems. The newest long-span sliders are bigger, easier to operate, more weathertight, and more affordable. Insatiable Demand Demand for indoor/outdoor spaces with big openings is no longer limited to Sun Belt states. According to a January 2019 BUILDER article, one out of every five Toll Brothers homes nationwide includes “an indoor-outdoor living program feature.” More than one-third of the company’s New Jersey buyers opt for them. Long-span sliding glass wall systems meet the demand for integrated indoor/outdoor living areas. They transform a wall of glass into a clear opening, making the backyard a seamless part of the living room or the patio and grill area part of the main kitchen. Lower Prices Courtesy: JELD-WEN That growing…