3 hour Residential Building Science and Building System Design Training

Master the VT 2020 vs 2024 energy codes! Get hands-on with building science, control layers, and durable assemblies for resilient homes.

Efficiency Vermont, rk Miles, and Middlebury College co-host this three-hour technical training, providing architects and construction professionals with the critical knowledge to navigate the 2025 "dual-track" compliance landscape of the Vermont Residential Building Energy Standards (VT RBES). Following Executive Order 06-25, which allows the option to comply with either the 2020 or 2024 standards, participants will evaluate how different code pathways impact building longevity and occupant health. Through the analysis of building assemblies, attendees will examine the physics of energy movement and the role of control layers in mitigating risks such as mold growth and structural rot. The session focuses on applying practical building science to ensure that energy-efficient envelopes are designed and executed to safeguard health, safety, and welfare while optimizing mechanical system performance for a resilient built environment.

Learning Objectives

• Evaluate Compliance Pathways for Life-Safety: Analyze the technical differences between 2020 and 2024 VT RBES requirements—including insulation R-values and ventilation standards—to ensure selected compliance paths provide adequate thermal protection and indoor air quality for occupants.
• Apply Building Science to Mitigate Structural Risk: Examine the function of control layers (air, vapor, water, and thermal) within building assemblies to prevent interstitial condensation and moisture-related failures that compromise building durability and occupant health.
• Analyze Envelope-Mechanical System Interdependence: Assess how high-performance building envelopes impact the design and sizing of mechanical systems to ensure specified equipment maintains safe and consistent indoor environmental conditions.
• Synthesize Practical Solutions for Building Resilience: Utilize hands-on interaction with materials and assemblies to formulate construction details that meet energy code mandates while prioritizing long-term building resilience and energy security.

3 AIA HSW LU Continuing Education credits can be earned for attending this course

3 BPI Continuing Education credits can be earned for attending this course