General

A sustainable future for America requires sustainable buildings. And sustainable buildings must be durable buildings. And while the mention of the word “sustainability” is usually a trigger for designers and builders to think about energy efficiency and green building materials, building durability cannot be overlooked as a critical pillar of sustainability. Simply put, a home with a fantastic thermal envelope and high efficiency mechanical systems which is also riddled with prematurely failing building materials and systems is NOT green or sustainable. Green and sustainable homes must be durable homes.

But what do we really mean by the goal of a “durable” building? For this course, “durability” is defined as the ability of a material, system, or building to maintain its intended function for its intended life-expectancy with intended levels of maintenance in intended conditions of use. Obviously this definition may take on different meanings for different groups (e.g., builders, homeowners, manufacturers), demonstrating that communication and education are also key aspects that affect durability.

Addressing durability shouldn’t be a pursuit of extremes, but rather a cost-effectiveness strategy for both initial and longer-term (i.e., maintenance, replacement) costs. Designing a home to be “ultra” durable can add so much cost it makes the home unaffordable. Erring in the other direction can result in poor performance and loss of business reputation—including homeowner complaints, unsafe or unhealthy living conditions, and excessive maintenance and repair costs.

But, “you get what you pay for!” Right? While this may often be the case, it’s important to realize that there are many design and construction practices that have zero or minimal construction cost impacts, while offering significant durability benefits. These benefits may be measured in terms of maintenance, repair, general function of the home and its component parts over time, enhanced business reputation, and customer satisfaction. Moreover, many such practices are well-known and don’t need to be re-invented, but only communicated effectively to the builder, designer, and consumer.

This course strives to reinforce both “tried and true” durability practices which apply today just like they did a generation ago (e.g., best practices for gutter sizing), along with measures that address the housing industry’s rapid evolution in terms of materials and construction practices (e.g., dew point management in high R-value walls). In both cases, the course aims to focus on practical solutions to significant, recurring durability problems.