The rapid evolution of our understanding of the indoor environment and home performance over the past four years has made it impossible to identify a current book for my students. The latter book does an excellent job of covering the principles, while the former does a better job on construction and design details. The college library now has a copy of the Energy Source Directory , a superb resource for locating products and equipment. I strongly encourage students to become familiar with it. Hands-on workshops are crucial to the course.
Students participate in diagnostic work and tour an energy-efficient home under construction.
Talking about blower-door testing and backdrafting never has the same impact that actually setting up a blower door does. Scheduling the construction site tour near the end of the semester provides an opportunity for students to synthesize what they have learned and to expand upon it. It also helps students to see an airtight duct system, transfer grilles, energy-efficient framing details, and ventilation systems. A course is only successful if its participants modify their approach to design and building in order to incorporate principles of energy efficiency. If builders and architects don't respond to the course, then it needs to be evaluated and improved.