This Thermal House - the Basics of EcoRenovation - Page 2

AC_Hacker · 02-03-13, 04:19 PM

I was looking for something else, and came across this course fro MIT, apparently free, called, "Introduction to Building Technology".

I came upon it while searching for some graphics, and was struck by the quality of the images, which led me back to HERE.

It looks like on-line materials about the course, but could be useful

But free info from MIT, such a deal!

Looking through it, there don't seem to be any lecture files, but there is enough other material that it could still be useful.

-AC

Exeric · 02-03-13, 05:07 PM

Hi AC,

I just glanced through the course notes, specifically chapter 7, moisture control. And they have a whopper there. It shows that a vapor retarder should be on the warm side of the walls. That's just wrong.

I agree with SF on this. Who wants to be wrapped in plastic. All moisture is retained within the enclosure then, kind of like being in a wetsuit. Yuck. Bad info is just being handed down from generation to generation on this subject and when someone points it out all you hear is crickets chirping. Why doesn't anyone question these unexamined assumptions?

EDIT:

Here's a good article that talks about all the myths about the required use of vapor retarder and also the very few times and places they are needed:

http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/...vapor-retarder

02-03-13, 04:19 PM	#11
AC_Hacker Supreme EcoRenovator Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 4,004 Thanks: 303 Thanked 723 Times in 534 Posts	Free MIT course materials: Introduction to Building Technology I was looking for something else, and came across this course fro MIT, apparently free, called, "Introduction to Building Technology". I came upon it while searching for some graphics, and was struck by the quality of the images, which led me back to HERE. It looks like on-line materials about the course, but could be useful But free info from MIT, such a deal! Looking through it, there don't seem to be any lecture files, but there is enough other material that it could still be useful. -AC __________________ I'm not an HVAC technician. In fact, I'm barely even a hacker... Last edited by AC_Hacker; 02-03-13 at 04:26 PM..

02-03-13, 05:07 PM	#12
Exeric Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: California Posts: 274 Thanks: 19 Thanked 37 Times in 28 Posts	Hi AC, I just glanced through the course notes, specifically chapter 7, moisture control. And they have a whopper there. It shows that a vapor retarder should be on the warm side of the walls. That's just wrong. I agree with SF on this. Who wants to be wrapped in plastic. All moisture is retained within the enclosure then, kind of like being in a wetsuit. Yuck. Bad info is just being handed down from generation to generation on this subject and when someone points it out all you hear is crickets chirping. Why doesn't anyone question these unexamined assumptions? EDIT: Here's a good article that talks about all the myths about the required use of vapor retarder and also the very few times and places they are needed: http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/...vapor-retarder Last edited by Exeric; 02-03-13 at 05:38 PM..