Northshire Living construction and building in Vermont

Building Science: Volume 3, Issue 9

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In this issue

From SEON’s Executive Director

It’s September!

Fall is in the air, and we’re officially in September! As we head into a new season, it’s the perfect time to focus on building your professional legacy.

Elevate Your Skills, Elevate Your Impact

A strong legacy is built on a foundation of continuous growth. This fall, we’re offering a new lineup of courses designed to give you the competitive edge you need to thrive in a fast-changing industry. Our goal is to help you master advanced skills and become a true leader.

  • Building Science Fundamentals: Go beyond the basics and learn how to construct better, more efficient, and smarter buildings.

  • Authentic Leadership: Move past traditional management and learn the art of mentorship to cultivate a team that takes true ownership of their work.

  • Continuous Control Layers: Get hands-on with the practical application and theory behind control layers in our most popular training course.

Ready to take your career to the next level? Head over to our website – or read below – to see all available dates and locations!

Some Heartfelt Thanks as We Head into Autumn
I also want to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude to our Board of Directors. Their dedication and hard work have been instrumental in our progress, and we are incredibly thankful for their tireless efforts in guiding our organization.

And of course, thank you to our members. Without your support, your stories, and your dynamic projects, none of this would be possible. You are the driving force behind everything we do, and we’re honored to have you as part of our community.

Guy Payne, Executive Director - the Sustainable Energy Outreach Network - SEON
Guy Payne, Executive Director Sustainable Energy Outreach Network (SEON)

Onward and upward until next month,

Guy Payne
Executive Director

 

New Fall Training Classes

  • Basics of High Performance Building

    • September 9 & 16, 2025 (Two-part training)

    • October 22 & 29, 2025 (Two-part training)

    • November 5 & 19, 2025 (Two-part training)

    • November 12 & 19, 2025 (Two-part training)

  • Crew Leadership: Mentoring Skills to Develop and Retain Your Workforce

    • October 7 & 15, 2025 (Two-part training)

    • November 11 & 18, 2025 (Two-part training)

    • November 13 & 20, 2025 (Two-part training)

    • December 11 & 18, 2025 (Two-part training)

  • Water, Air, and Thermal Continuous Control Layers

    • December 9 & 16, 2025 (Two-part training)

 

Uncovered Treasures on the Construction Site

HEADLINES from 1940
Baked Beans: 2 for 23 cents; Lamb Legs, 23 cents a pound; Desires Alcoholic Gayety at Football Game; Officer Recovers Stolen Pigeons; England condemns Russia’s action but cannot help Finland due to own war; and, finally, the British sheep arrive safely!
“While tearing down walls and updating the flooring, we stumbled upon a collection of newspaper clippings dating back to the 1940s. These clippings have given us a glimpse into the history of the building and the community it’s been a part of for nearly a century. We’re honored to be able to play a small part in preserving the building’s history and making it a functional and beautiful space for future generations.”
Check out more from Owl’s Head Builders

Our Members – In Action

Long Houses (and life)
”I think the number one idea is that it is easier to zone a small to medium size house if it is stretched out… An 18 foot wide house can be constructed very simply and perhaps lends itself to owner/builder projects without a large crew to rely on. It’s also nice to not work on siding 35’ up on staging.”
Bluetime Collaborative Long Houses in Construction
► see more from Bluetime Collaborative

Sweet Little Timber Ash Frame Cabin
”We put up this sweet little ash timber frame for a cabin in the woods. It was a reasonably shady spot to spend some hot days, and very satisfying to get started on this fun project!”
Apple Tree Builders Construction in Vermont
► see more from Apple Tree Builders

Sunshade Trellis and Kiwi Vines
”High-performance home with sunshade trellis and Kiwi climbing vine. Home designed by EcoLogos, built by Earthshare Construction. Passive House inspired.⁠”
Earthshare Construction in Vermont
► see more at Earthshare Construction

Graphite Studio meets Mathes Hulme
“This all-electric, high-performance home in Vernon, VT, is as playful as it is practical. Working closely with Mathes Hulme Builders and PV Squared, we focused on energy efficiency with triple-glazed windows, an ERV, and heat pumps, ensuring comfort in every season while treading lightly on the planet.”
Mathes Hulme Builders Construction in Vermont
► see more about Mathes Hulme (and thank you Graphite Studio)

Genius Bathroom Setup
“Our typical bathroom setup. 3/4 Advantech to make for a flat and stiff backer for Kerdi board plus grab bars, etc. can go wherever they need to down the road.”
Mindel and Morse Builders and construction in Vermont
► see more from Mindel and Morse Builders

A Perfect Fall Spot for a Sleep
”This client’s primary suite had an awkward layout, a tiny bathroom, and more closet space than was really needed in a weekend home – so we stole the closet space to create a beautiful primary bath, moved the entrance to the bathroom and built in these wardrobes with nightstands and a custom bed frame to give them a space that suits their needs perfectly. 📷: Alex Vincent “

Northshire Living construction and building in Vermont
► see more from Northshire Living

Interesting Building Science News Links

 

► Multiple Spanish speaking tradesworkers on the jobsite did not receive the proper safety training in their native language

► The enormity of the challenges in terms of the deficit of housing, just requires all of us to work together.
► Concrete That Lasts Centuries and Captures Carbon? AI Just Made It Possible

► Hire, Train, Retain: Proven Construction Hiring & Retention Strategies

► The Truth About Succession Planning: Why Most Construction Companies Get It Wrong
► Future Foundations: Retaining and Attracting Next-Gen Construction Talent

► Waste to Foundation: Transforming Construction Waste Into High-performance Material

 

Events

Fine Home Building Summit 2025

A two-day thought leadership event dedicated to the evolution of residential design, construction, and business practices.

September 18-19, 2025 / Beverly, MA

Estimating Essentials – HELM
Tuesdays, 3:00-4:30pm EST
4 weeks, September 30 – October 21, 2025

Mass Timber+ 2025 Conference

Join WoodWorks for a conference focused on the design, engineering, and construction of commercial and multifamily wood buildings, including insights on integrated and offsite construction.

October 8-30, 2025
Boston

Wagdy Anis Symposium on Building Science 2025

This symposium explores the power of data and modeling for optimizing building enclosure retrofits to improve energy performance and reduce carbon emissions.

October 9, 2025 / 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Boston, MA

Building Healthy Culture: Collaborative Leadership – HELM

Wednesday, October 15, 2025
2:30-4:30 PM EST

Pre-Construction – HELM

Tuesdays, 3:00-4:30pm EST
4 weeks, October 28 – November 18, 2025

New England Home Performance Conference & Trade Show

Join us this fall for our two-day regional event, featuring the latest updates for home performance and weatherization professionals.

November 10-11, 2025
Newton, MA

Project Management – HELM

Tuesdays, 3:00-4:30pm EST
4 weeks, November 25 – December 16, 2025

Thank you, Members