The Three Little Pigs: Why Brick Was No Happy Ending

{"version":"0.3.0","atoms":[],"cards":[],"markups":[],"sections":[[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"The third little pig may have kept the wolf from blowing his house down, but even a strong building material like brick would not keep his house safe from environmental extremes, air and moisture infiltration and energy leakage. Nowadays, the International Residential Code (IRC) serves as a complete, comprehensive code regulating the construction of single- and two-family homes and townhomes up to three stories. The straw and stick creations of the first two pigs would definitely not meet code. The IRC provides minimum prescriptive requirements, but it also allows for many alternative design and construction enhancements that go beyond code minimums and positively impact overall performance. Designers and builders have options when it comes to meeting \u2013 and exceeding \u2013 code minimums. This presentation will explore affordable building options and their impacts on energy efficiency, indoor air quality, sound transmission, wind and water resistance, and overall durability so that Mother Nature cannot huff and puff and blow homes\u2019 performance down, leading to damage from air and moisture intrusion, reduced thermal efficiency and increased utility bills. "]]]]}