More Effective Insulation in Ceilings, Walls, and Floors Insulation with high R-values and more effective installation techniques are both very important in cold climate homes. In the ACHP Fair House, computer analysis helped to optimize the placement and installation of the insulation materials used throughout the home. While some leakage is inevitable, the air leakage in this ACHP home equals less than one square foot. Each retarder seam laps and is sealed to the next, and is also sealed around outlets, switches, and plumbing. Quite a number of advances have been made in this area.
Many appliances now use only one-third the energy used by appliances available a few years ago.
In heat loss terms, windows are holes in your home. Therefore, the better your windows are, the better your home will perform. The ACHP Fair House has windows that cut heat loss to half that of standard double pane windows. These windows, in combination with proper home ventilation, will virtually eliminate interior icing and condensation, even at subzero temperatures. It is important, though, that air move throughout the home at an even rate.