The Systems Approach To Making Your Home, Healthier, Quieter, More Energy Efficient

The component systems of a home are interrelated; changing one part without consideration of the others can create a domino effect with negative outcomes. This became apparent when the building industry increased envelope tightness only to find decreased home performance in air quality and moisture control. With knowledgeable consideration of the house as a system, changes in one part can augment the performance of other component systems and the house as a whole. Understanding the interrelations and accommodating them requires effort from the design phase through all stages of construction. The net result is a home that performs better on many fronts: energy efficiency, comfort, durability, safety, and affordability.

The Systems Approach consists of the following principles: (1) creating a continuous air barrier in conjunction with proper mechanical ventilation, (2) moisture management, (3) improved indoor air quality, (4) proper layout design & zoning and (5) appropriate heating and air conditioning system. 

Icynene, in conjunction with various building science experts, has spent a great deal of time investigating the interrelationship of building components and has come up with a series of climate specific recommendations that will truly give you a Healthier, Quieter, More Energy Efficient home. Carolina Foam Solutions has been actively encouraging the use of these recommendations in and around the Charlotte area since our inception, and has a great deal of success and experience with high performance homes.

Overall Goals With the Systems Approach:

• Create a healthier living environment 
• Minimize moisture related problems and the potential for mold growth by maintaining the indoor relative humidity in the 35-55% range
• Minimize heating and cooling related energy consumption 
• Create a more comfortable home by maintaining more even temperature and humidity levels throughout the home. Icynene's effective air infiltration control allows for HVAC management and rightsizing, delivering energy cost savings of up to 50 percent. It also reduces the intrusion of outdoor pollutants and, because it produces no harmful emissions, it minimizes the amount of indoor VOC’s to improve indoor air quality.