There is an incredible amount of work "behind the scenes" (ceiling and walls) in a zero energy home. From properly run and secured wiring and plumbing, to precise installation of rigid metal ductwork (seams sealed with mastic and insulated with R8), paying attention to details, such as sealing around electrical work boxes and careful application of drywall. Insulating interior walls with R15 Rockwool will give the house a cozy feeling while providing more privacy between rooms.

Please see descriptions for each photo below.

The garage has 5/8" fire code drywall installed and taped in preparation for the kitchen, laundry and bathroom cabinets by Crown Point Cabinetry in New Hampshire. The custom cabinets were delivered fully assembled and wrapped in blankets. They are, by far, some of the best quality cabinets available locally in the Northeast. They are well made and beautifully finished, and will last a lifetime or longer. 

BTW, the garage is air sealed and insulated to the same standards as the carriage house, with R53 in the walls.  The energy efficient Panasonic fan in the ceiling will put the building at a negative pressure, keeping vehicle-related VOC's out of the living space. With the car removed, the added supplemental wall heater will warm the space, which adds flexibility for future gatherings and projects.

The photo of the blower and pallets of cellulose depict 115 of 219 bags that were blown into attic.  219 bags = 20" of Greenfiber Sanctuary cellulose = R70.
** A note for folks considering use of this product:  The manufacturer's calculation chart is off by about 90%. No kidding. After the garage was insulated, we needed to recalculate utilizing real numbers to meet our target. 

Although stairways to heaven, I mean attics, are lovely and handy dandy, they are big no-no's when building an air tight home. Why? Because they leak. And air leaks in homes result in energy losses, among other undesirables. Our attic access is covered by a composite decorative faux (non-venting) gable end vent (Fypon), and includes a ladder inside the attic space for easy access.  

Our choice of wall insulation is Rockwool; it is sound proof, water proof, rodent proof, and  fire retardant. (Our energy rater reminded us recently of a seminar where a flame is pointed directly at the product for the entire day with no signs of burning.) It has less dust and irritants than fiberglass, and is cut with a bread knife when installed. We used the product for the first time when building our zero energy home in 2015, and can verify its effectiveness.  The exterior walls of the carriage house consist of a sandwich of R15 + R23 + R15 = R53. The 2x4 interior walls will also be insulated with R15 for added privacy and comfort.  

The insulated envelope is one of the most important systems in a building. Proper air sealing and insulation are necessary. Regardless of the product used, air sealing and insulation must be meticulously installed in order to protect the building from moisture intrusion, which can lead to mold, rot and indoor air quality issues.

The photos depict half the quantity of insulation used in the building. Many thanks to Quality Hardware in Hudson Falls for acquiring the product for us, at a reasonable cost.

Look closely - -  (hint: j-block above the temporary garage door) - - and you will see "melrose", CertainTeed Monogram's newest color. More "color" coming soon.

When running electrical cable and PEX tubing home runs, it is important to begin with a detailed plan on paper. The service panel and PEX manifold were designed, draw and labelled prior to installation. The service panel area allows for future installation of additional equipment, such as EV charging. Neatness and safety count. All cables were properly secured with cable stackers and staples; nail-on plates were used outside of the plenum in the ceiling. Every wiring circuit was verified for continuity prior to insulation. All PEX tubing was threaded through pipe insulation from the fixture to the manifold and pressure tested.

Interior framing is always exciting. It's when the building interior design begins to take shape. It is also when all of the carefully planned, measured and placed rough plumbing is reconciled. In the case of the carriage house - - all good! 

Not a fancy topic, but a necessity in properly vented homes. The 4" pipes have been painted black and almost disappear on the black roof. 

The custom proper vents on the east and west eaves consist of 1/2" foil-faced polyiso foam board, supported by 2x2 nailer, and located 1/2" down from the roof deck. These custom proper vents prevent "wind washing" of the attic insulation (coming soon), which will be blown in cellulose. This application allows 2" of free airflow between attic insulation and the roof deck creating a "cold roof", which eliminates condensation on the underside of the roof decking and icicles hanging off the eaves.

The carriage house and garage sheathed and taped ceiling serves as an air barrier between the conditioned (living) and unconditioned (attic) space.  It will also serve to support a heavy insulation load in the attic (approximately 20" of cellulose or R70+).