Now that the weather has moderated, our framing crew is going gangbusters. They started with the garage and then moved to the main house. Our steel beam provider stepped up to get accommodate our schedule – we’ve incorporated a lot of steel beams so that we can get the wide-open spans in the living spaces and basement.
Last week our LEED Rater, Mark, met with the framing crew onsite to provide their introductory training into high-performance building. It’s an opportunity for the contractors to learn about what makes a LEED home distinct and to help incorporate best practices into construction. For example, we’re very careful that our framers use only low-VOC adhesives and sealants that have met the rigorous GREENGUARD Gold Certification. These are products that have passed careful screening to ensure minimal release of VOCs and other harmful chemicals. The training was also an opportunity to introduce them to our framing techniques, which are designed to minimize waste, and to emphasize the importance of airtight construction, since a major goal of the project is to produce a very tight building envelope.
When the time comes, our other major subcontractors (HVAC, electrical, and plumbing) will also receive their training, tailored to the specific requirements of LEED and their specialty. This helps reduce confusion between trades, lets our subs see different ways of building, and ensures we continue to use LEED best practices along our path to certification.
