According to Nagan, the top four areas of concern in homebuilding are combustion safety, indoor air and moisture control, building durability, and occupant comfort. If you address each of those factors, you automatically wind up with a high-performance, energy efficient building. Energy efficiency is the icing on the cake. In reality, tight is good, but someone needs to follow up with a user-friendly mechanical ventilation system. Nagan pointed out that because they are tighter than they used to be, houses can experience pressure differentials relative to the outside.
Pressures can affect the drafting of combustion equipment like fireplaces or water heaters.
Before ground is even broken Nagan helps builders and homeowners predict future costs of practically every detail in the house. When Nagan visits a building site, he checks for potential problems. On this day, he points out open space around a bathtub enclosure that could result in a cold draft over the winter. You'll find his enthusiasm infectious. Nagan takes glee in the simple fact that these concepts exist.