In the Fall/Winter of 2009-2010, the Maine Indoor Air Quality Council will be hosting two complete series of its popular Residential Construction Trainings. These programs are designed to educate residential building professionals on construction practices that minimize the risk of indoor air quality problems in new homes. The programs have been updated in 2009 to include references to the Maine Uniform Building and Energy Code, so that Maine building professionals can understand how the concepts presented in each of these trainings is, or is not, addressed by the new Codes.

Thanks to our partnerships with generous supporters and sponsors, these high quality, building science trainings will be free to anyone wishing to attend. Pre-registration is required.

Proper site work and foundation construction are as critical to the overall quality and healthfulness of a home as the building shell that is constructed above grade. As a result, a builder’s job begins before the very first shovel of dirt comes out of the ground, not after the foundation is completed. The physical processes at work below grade--processes related to temperature, water, moisture, and air--can cause a variety of problems that not only affect occupant health, but may also compromise the building structure. And, mistakes made in site drainage and foundation construction are the most difficult and costly to fix. External factors further highlight the need for the program: reduced insurance coverage for mold and moisture related claims; high asthma rates; high radon contamination rates; increasing consumer awareness of the health and safety issues of indoor environments; and client dissatisfaction that can lead to litigation.

Simply put, a new home’s building shell is comprised of the structural elements that separate the inside from the outside: walls, roofs, windows, doors. The shell’s function, however, is anything but simple. It has to protect its occupants from rain, wind and snow. It has to control the flow of energy and heat between indoors and outdoors. It has to control the flow of air and moisture. It has to provide light and a mechanism to enter and exit. It has to provide a means for pollutants and contaminants to flow out of the building. It has to create an environment that is comfortable indoors, when conditions outdoors are not. And, it significantly determines the affordability and energy consumption of a home. This program presents practical techniques building professionals can achieve all of these goals and still provide healthy IAQ.

Friday, March 5, 2010 - Mitchell Center, University of Southern Maine, Gorham
No registration fee, but pre-registration required: 
visit www.efficiencypros.org to register