‘Stressed’ spelled backwards is ‘Desserts’
The day of Pre-Stress Test began at 6:30am, when we arrived at studio to make some last minute touches to the presentation and perfect our detail drawings. The melancholy skies and impending thunderstorms were solemn omens of the review to come. By mid-morning, we were joined by David Hinson and Justin Miller, who we hoped would give us constructive feedback about the energy efficiency analysis we had done so far and the problems we had yet to solve before breaking ground in May.
As you may have guessed, they did not disappoint!
Because he and his students are currently building a Passiv Haus version of Buster’s Home (20Kv21) in Opelika, Alabama, David Hinson provided our team with some invaluable construction advice. David showed us process images of his studio’s work and sketched out details he’s become incredibly familiar with, especially with regard to foundation assembly, which his team recently completed. Also proficient in all things Fortified Building Standards, David pushed us toward reaching the Fortified Gold, which is the ultimate insurance-cost-saving goal.
Justin Miller, a veteran of all things related to environmental controls, gave us some tips on our energy modeling software and challenged us to consider the necessity of ideal shading when it comes to the siting of our Revised Home. He also quizzed us on where our air barriers should be, and gave us great ideas for adding clarity to our detail drawings. When we’re ready to think about our HVAC systems, we’ll definitely consult with him again in order to best consider air changes, humidity control, and system types.
Though we had been stressed out and anxious before the review, we felt encouraged and excited afterwards. There’s still a lot more to do, but we’re now more confident that we’re going in the right direction.
Sweaty, sweet, and yours,
