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I've pulled up a random "YouTube star" "building my dream house in california" video and that looks all the world like a single glazed window, in 2018: https:/

I've pulled up a random "YouTube star" "building my dream house in california" video and that looks all the world like a single glazed window, in 2018: https://youtu.be/OWglKkE-0a8?t=2m17s https://youtu.be/OWglKkE-0a8?t=2m17s It also seems to be a wooden construction.. so frankly I don't know what to think. I'm sorry if this seems like very unconventional evidence but then going from building codes to what people are actually building out there is a whole different story, and then you didn't actually provide any data, either. Though you are spot on with the ridiculously oversized buildings, like a 3 door garage that is so intimately integrated into the structure you're climate controlling it year round.

kenhwang 8y ago
California uses a lot of wood because of wood's seismic resistance properties.
hippich 8y ago
modern wooden frame houses with good insulation are very efficient at keeping heat/moisture where it needs to be kept. I am in the process of building new house and recently had same research - build like we used to build house where I am from (eastern europe, brick and mortar) or use something everybody is doing. turned out that this stick frame structure with foam insulation is actually much more efficient. Attached garages are typically is separated from the rest of the house conditioning space. I do insulation of the garage, but only because I plan to work there. Plus water heater I am installing is actually heat pump, so it should cool garage down a bit.
function_seven 8y ago
The wall between the garage and the house is considered an exterior wall, and is insulated the same as the other ones. Wooden construction does not inhibit insulation. Probably the opposite. It's easier to insulate the voids between studs than it is to insulate a masonry structure. Plus, "stick" building is almost a requirement for seismic reasons in California. As far as the windows are concerned, I can't tell from the video if they're single glazed or not. Seems crazy to me to do any new construction with those.
- Beldin 8y ago
  Around here, they build a stone wall, then add a layer of insulation against it, then build a brick wall against that. That layer of insulation had been mandatory since at least mid-80s, and requirements for thickness have increased a few times since. It's true that they're are houses with low energy labels, but from mid-80s on houses already have a C level - and that's default, with further improvements possible by owners. Currently, minimum allowed label for new buildings is A. But we're already slowly moving to "zero-rated": solar panels supply needed energy (on average, over a year).
  - function_seven 8y ago
    Having a stone wall on the inside of the insulated barrier is great for adding thermal mass to the inside. Having all that masonry inside probably helps regulate the temperature nicely. I suspect it's more expensive to do it that way than to use wood studs and batting between them. (Of course it depends on the region you're building in. Wood is cheap in North America, maybe not so much in other parts of the world?) And because earthquakes are also plentiful in California, we don't want our walls to be too heavy. Tensile strength is more important, as well as flexibility.
bitbckt 8y ago
Modern framing includes construction with "California corners" for a reason - it allows for more efficient placement of insulation. The framing techniques used in a modern building are far stronger and more energy efficient than you seem to think.

kenhwang 8y ago

California uses a lot of wood because of wood's seismic resistance properties.

hippich 8y ago

modern wooden frame houses with good insulation are very efficient at keeping heat/moisture where it needs to be kept. I am in the process of building new house and recently had same research - build like we used to build house where I am from (eastern europe, brick and mortar) or use something everybody is doing. turned out that this stick frame structure with foam insulation is actually much more efficient. Attached garages are typically is separated from the rest of the house conditioning space. I do insulation of the garage, but only because I plan to work there. Plus water heater I am installing is actually heat pump, so it should cool garage down a bit.

function_seven 8y ago

The wall between the garage and the house is considered an exterior wall, and is insulated the same as the other ones. Wooden construction does not inhibit insulation. Probably the opposite. It's easier to insulate the voids between studs than it is to insulate a masonry structure. Plus, "stick" building is almost a requirement for seismic reasons in California. As far as the windows are concerned, I can't tell from the video if they're single glazed or not. Seems crazy to me to do any new construction with those.

Beldin 8y ago
Around here, they build a stone wall, then add a layer of insulation against it, then build a brick wall against that. That layer of insulation had been mandatory since at least mid-80s, and requirements for thickness have increased a few times since. It's true that they're are houses with low energy labels, but from mid-80s on houses already have a C level - and that's default, with further improvements possible by owners. Currently, minimum allowed label for new buildings is A. But we're already slowly moving to "zero-rated": solar panels supply needed energy (on average, over a year).
- function_seven 8y ago
  Having a stone wall on the inside of the insulated barrier is great for adding thermal mass to the inside. Having all that masonry inside probably helps regulate the temperature nicely. I suspect it's more expensive to do it that way than to use wood studs and batting between them. (Of course it depends on the region you're building in. Wood is cheap in North America, maybe not so much in other parts of the world?) And because earthquakes are also plentiful in California, we don't want our walls to be too heavy. Tensile strength is more important, as well as flexibility.

bitbckt 8y ago

Modern framing includes construction with "California corners" for a reason - it allows for more efficient placement of insulation. The framing techniques used in a modern building are far stronger and more energy efficient than you seem to think.