Vermont Builders - Mindel Morse - members of SEON the Sustainable Energy Outreach Network

Building Science: Volume 3, Issue 8

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In this issue

  • Message from the Executive Director
  • New Training Classes
  • Dog Days of Summer
  • Conversations: Building With Glavel
  • Our Members – In Action
  • Interesting Links
  • Events
  • Thank You, Members

From SEON’s Executive Director

 

It’s August!

Strengthening Our Community Partnerships

Last month, I had the pleasure of attending the ribbon-cutting for the new Weatherization Training Center in Barre, Vermont. It’s an impressive facility, complete with an excellently equipped basement for certification training and a versatile ground floor for seminars. While there, I met with Geoff Wilcox, the center’s Director of Weatherization Training, and I’m thrilled to announce that Vermont’s Office of Economic Opportunity (O.E.O.) has agreed to become a member of SEON. This new partnership means all five of the state’s Weatherization Assistance agencies can now access SEON’s technical and leadership training programs. We are looking forward to delivering these trainings across Vermont, either at the new center in Barre or at the various agencies around the state.

“The Vermont Low Income Weatherization Program knows the importance of high-quality training and a solid knowledge of Building Science—these are needed to ensure work is done correctly and provide the intended benefits. We are excited to be a member of SEON and be able to access their excellent training and education.” Geoff Wilcox

In other news, we’re exploring a partnership with Key Bank to deliver financial literacy training for businesses in 2026. These developments highlight our shared belief that enhancing skills is key to building adaptable and resilient organizations.

Fall Training: Sharpen Your Skills 🚀

Our fall calendar is full of opportunities designed to give you a competitive edge. From mastering advanced building science principles to developing the skills of an authentic leader, our courses will help you excel in today’s industry.

  • High-Performance Building: Learn to build better, smarter, and more efficiently with our building science fundamentals course.

  • Crew Leadership: Go beyond management and learn the mentoring skills that foster a culture of ownership and excellence on your team.

  • Advanced Hands-On Training: Master the theory and practical application of continuous control layers in this popular hands-on course.

Visit our website – or read below – to see all available dates and locations!

And finally, the Board has decided on a revision of our Mission and Vision Statement.

SEON’s Revised Mission Statement

  • SEON supports the development of existing and new businesses and the workforce needed to create durable, efficient, and healthy buildings by equipping building professionals with the disciplines urgently needed to meet today’s demand for energy-efficient homes and workplaces.

SEON’s Revised Vision Statement

  • New England’s professional construction workforce is trained in high performance building techniques and builds to meet recognized energy efficiency standards in new and historic structures; all to address the climate crisis and create high paying jobs for people of all identities and backgrounds.

Whew, that’s a lot to pack in for the month of August!

Guy Payne, Executive Director - the Sustainable Energy Outreach Network - SEON
Onward and upward until next month….Guy Payne, Executive Director Sustainable Energy Outreach Network (SEON)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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)

 

Staying Cool in August.

🚿 use your exhaust fans when showering and cooking! This will help pull the hot air out of your home
🧺 hang your laundry to dry outside! If you don’t have access to the outdoors, consider purchasing clothes drying rack and placing it in a sunny window
🧊 keep air moving around the house rather than cooling yourself! This will bring down the overall temperature in your home. Pro Tip: put a bowl of ice or a frozen towel near or on a fan to help cool down the air
💨if you have a ceiling fan, make sure that it is going counterclockwise! This pushes the air downwards
► see more tips from Efficiency Vermont

Conversations: Building w/ Glavel

Glavel Part One

”Setting up this FPSF with gravel, concrete, ICFs, and sweeping insulation wings. Next up: glavel and a slab!” @OwlsHeadBuilders

“I’m curious why didn’t you use glavel instead of crushed stone? They advertise it as taking the place of both crushed stone and insulation for sub-slab applications.” @mikeiacona

”We definitely considered it, but we disturbed the site so much taking out boulders etc. that the amount of extra fill we needed made it more cost-effective to use gravel where we could.” @OwlsHeadBuilders

“🙌I love Sweeping Insulation Wings! It’s looking good up there!” @graphitestudio_
► see more at Owl’s Head Builders

Glavel Part Two

”We have a new Passive House project underway that will be nearly foam free. In addition to using Glavel, we’re also sourcing as much locally harvested lumber as possible.” @MathesHulme

“Sweet. What am I looking at rolled over the edge of the deck? And purpose?” @SquaredAwayContracting

” I believe it’s rothoblaas version of a Siga WRB. Lapping the rim for better air sealing before framing and lapping the walls with another wrb.” @AmAreWorkshop

“Yes- exterior airtight WRB lapped over, made to be tied into later to connect the layers. As we say in the industry, flappy bits !!” @MathesHulme

► see more at Mathes Hulme Builders

Our Members – In Action

Transforming 1960 into Blue Heaven
”This renovation involved transforming a quirky 1960s Cape in Manchester, Vermont into a colorful, contemporary home. In place of their previously narrow galley kitchen, the homeowners now have a spacious kitchen and dining area with ample natural light — thanks to a four-panel accordion window that opens the room dramatically to the outdoors.⁠”
► see more from Northshire Living

Unstained Hemlock After the Rain
”The #otisshouse looking dramatic after the rain… an unstained/unpainted local siding (hemlock in this case).”
► see more from Mindel and Morse Builders

A Dream by The Lake
”The Xyla is a bright, open cottage designed to blend indoor and outdoor living while maximizing solar efficiency—the perfect step toward an energy-efficient and comfortable lifestyle.⁠”
► see more at Unity Homes

A Timeless Beauty Bedroom
“Gorgeous primary bedroom design featuring floor to ceiling wood paneling, bedside sconce lighting by @studiodavidpompa and a luxurious canopy bed from Restoration Hardware.”
► see more from Wadsworth Design Build

Schematic Phase of a Design
“I’m creating a fairly detailed section of this house in the schematic phase of design – several actually – that set up a conversation with the builder about how to construct this house…
Final construction documents might eliminate the reasoning notes but perhaps not.
I will do the same for window and door installations.
I can send these to the builder for review or to preview before a meeting in which we go through this bit by bit.”
► see more from Bluetime Collaborative

 

A Cozy Home for Pests
”What you’re seeing isn’t just old insulation; it’s a clear sign your home is losing energy and comfort.
👎 Over time, fiberglass can:
• Sag or shift, leaving gaps for air to flow through
• Trap dirt as air moves through those gaps (which is the cause of the mess we see in the photos)
• Become a cozy home for pests
If your insulation looks anything like this, it’s time to upgrade. “
► see more from Farnum Insulators

A Stunning Capture
”That golden hour glow! ✨ Our SP Safety Coordinator shared this incredible shot of his family’s home, featuring Sierra Pacific Windows. We love seeing how our products enhance the beauty and comfort of real homes – that’s what Sierra pride is all about.”
► see more from Sierra Pacific Windows

The “Ahhhh!” Building Retreat
”3 days of relaxation, song, hikes, games, connection, with some learning and professional development thrown in to boot! We convened the whole HELM team (18!) at the AMC Highland Center Lodge in the White Mountains of New Hampshire to spend time together in person. As a fully remote company, these opportunities to be together are relatively rare, but so important for building community and welcoming new folks to the HELMiverse.”
► see more at HELM Construction Solutions

 

Interesting Links

 

► A warning about the need for new infrastructure and building solutions in the face of climate change

► This state just had it’s first net-zero housing development ribbon cutting.
► Like it or not – one major area of innovation is AI-powered monitoring and progress tracking on construction sites.

► This part of the industry is still very young, but there are signs of increased adoption – yeah, living building material (new products like self-replicating concrete and self-mending biocement are being developed).

► 11 Construction Industry Trends to Watch (2025-2028)
► ‘We can’t wait’: Vermont school districts seek guidance from new education law as school construction needs compound.

► Concrete that lasts centuries and captures carbon?
► Imagine if you could “print” a tiny skyscraper using DNA instead of steel.

► The Town of Putney is soliciting proposals from interested persons or firms for Construction Management Services for a phased renovation of the historic town hall and associated site work at 127 Main St., Putney, VT. Proposals are due no later than August 18, 2025 at 1:00 pm. For full details, including how to submit, visit: www.putneyvt.gov/RFP

Events

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

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

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

Project Management– HELM

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

Thank you, Members