Craftsmanship + Performance
Building codes are becoming more complex and detailed, homeowners are demanding tighter homes, better air quality, balanced ventilation, non-toxic materials, the latest technology, and future-proof homes. It’s tough to keep track of the ever growing list of details that can all affect building performance. Velum can act as your sounding board, second opinion, or expert help when you don’t know who to turn to.
Ways we work with builders
Building Enclosure & Wall Assembly Details
Keeping track of the vapor profile of sheathings and WRBs, what tape or liquid flashing should you use, or what’s the most efficient way to control for water, air, thermal, and vapor while still staying within budget. There’s no one size fits all and every project is unique.
We can help answer those questions, compare wall assemblies with a hygrothermal simulation, and produce isometric construction drawings to make sure your team of subcontractors in the field are clear on installation details.
Building Envelope Testing
Whether you need a blower door test to pass your final building inspection or you just dried in the house and want to make sure you didn’t miss any points of air leakage, we can run a blower door test and fog the building to ensure no areas were missed in air sealing. Catching mistakes early on is much less costly than on a warranty inspection.
HVAC Design & Duct Layout
Far too often HVAC installers on a project receive a duct design that does not fully contemplate the actual framing members of the home or decisions were made in the field during framing that materially alters the duct design. A few feet of extra ductwork and some elbows may seem innocuous, but can dramatically affect the volume or air and performance in the space. We can work with architects and structural engineers up front to design the duct layout and even produce a detailed BIM model of the duct system, if requested. From there, we field verify installation and can fine tune as needed to ensure the performance meets the design.
Remodels, Historic Preservation, & Energy Retrofits
Managing the four control layers in existing buildings can be complicated. Let us help assess and design the appropriate details and material selection when rebuilding to ensure durability and performance expectations are met.