Building Science News for Builders

Building Science: Volume 4, Issue 7

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Building Science: Volume 4, Issue 7

SEON’s Sustainable Energy Outreach Network Newsletter

In This Issue

From SEON’s Executive Director

It’s July,

Not every month needs a blockbuster announcement. Sometimes it’s just best to focus on our members!

The building science community is at its best when people are simply doing excellent work—building better homes, mentoring the next generation of tradespeople, solving problems on job sites, and strengthening Vermont’s housing stock one project at a time.

This month’s newsletter is about celebrating that work. It may not always make the front page, but it’s the kind of steady craftsmanship and commitment that defines this community.

Thanks for being part of it.

Onward and upward until next month,
Guy Payne
Executive Director

Our Amazing Members

A Porch Worth Lingering On

Some projects stop you in your tracks—not because they’re flashy, but because every detail feels intentional.

Our member
Shelterwood Construction
recently shared its award-winning Black Metal House, where architecture, craftsmanship, and high-performance building come together beautifully. From the dramatic screened porch to the remarkable sightline that carries your eye through the home and into the surrounding Vermont landscape, every element feels purposeful. It’s a wonderful reminder that exceptional homes aren’t simply built—they’re carefully composed.

Building Performance from the Outside In

Our member
SEED Design/Build
recently celebrated an exciting milestone: the shell is complete on this beautiful timber-frame home in Guilford, Vermont.

Behind its clean lines is an impressive collection of high-performance features, including triple-pane windows, wood-fiber exterior insulation, a vented rainscreen, and a standing-seam roof—all working together to create a home that’s built for comfort, durability, and efficiency.

It’s another great example of how thoughtful building science can be wrapped in timeless craftsmanship.

Crafted from the Forest It Calls Home

Our member
Sustainable Design
is helping bring a remarkable new structure to life at Merck Forest.

Every beam in the new small-animal barn was harvested right on the property, with timber carefully selected, milled, and crafted into a traditional timber frame.

Projects like this remind us that sustainable building isn’t just about energy performance—it’s also about using local resources, honoring craftsmanship, and creating structures that belong to the landscape. We can’t wait to see the finished barn welcome visitors for years to come.

Where Building Science Meets Tradition

One of our members,
Graphite Studio,
is helping breathe new life into Camp Billings, a beloved Vermont camp with more than a century of history.

As the project nears completion, kitchen equipment is being installed, floors are finished, and the final details are coming together—all with one goal: preserving the spirit of the camp while thoughtfully updating it for generations of future campers.

We can’t wait to see this special place filled with the sounds of another Vermont summer.

Supplying the Future

A successful building project isn’t just about who designs it or who swings the hammer. It takes engineers, contractors, excavators—and dependable suppliers who keep every phase moving forward.

Our member
Wright Builders
is helping support the new Double Edge Theatre Community Design Center in Ashfield, Massachusetts.

We love seeing our members play an important role in projects that will serve their communities for years to come.

Look… Just Look

Every now and then it’s worth revisiting a project that reminds us why good design lasts.

Fifteen years after its completion,
Robert Swinburne’s
project still feels remarkably current. The proportions, the restraint, the craftsmanship, the connection to the landscape—it’s the kind of work you can keep coming back to.

Some architecture simply stands the test of time.

Building-Efficiency Reforms Move from Policy to Practice

On July 1, Vermont’s H.718 officially took effect, shifting the conversation from legislation to implementation.

Act 181 Planning Moves Forward: These maps will influence where housing can qualify for streamlined permitting in the future.

Interesting Links

Events

Practical Principles for Dehumidification System Design

This session equips design professionals, engineers, and contractors with the essential knowledge needed to design, control, and troubleshoot HVAC dehumidification systems across a wide range of standard and specialized commercial settings.

Date: August 6, 2026
Location: Online


NESEA 2026 Pro Tour Series

— Summer

NESEA’s summer tours continue showcasing real-world high-performance projects across New England:

  • Net-Zero Nonprofit Headquarters — Southern NH
    August 21, 2026
    All-electric, low-carbon commercial construction strategies.
  • All-Electric LEED High School & Tech Center — Burlington, VT
    September 4, 2026
    Large-scale institutional electrification and high-performance design.

Thank You, Members