Brendan Kavanagh
Username
Brendan Kavanagh
Proposer First Name
Brendan
Proposer Email
brendan@byggmeister.com
Proposer Last Name
Kavanagh
Proposer Company/Organization
Byggmeister Design Build
Proposer Phone
(978) 505-7174
Proposer Job Title
Project Manager & Performance Manager
Boston 2023 Areas of Focus
Proposer Additional Info
Previous professional experience was as the program manager at CLEAResult for the Home MVP pilot program & before that I was a project manager in the building performance consulting group at CLEAResult/CSG
Proposed Session Description
In cold climates the current code does not allow the use of dense packed cellulose alone in unvented roof assemblies, however this has been common practice here in New England for a long time. This is a particularly common approach in retrofit work however with the increased focus on embodied carbon there is now interest from new construction projects as well. Building Science Corp has researched this approach and concluded there are noticeable moisture risks when dense packing all the way up to the ridge, however it also suggested that increased drying potential near the ridge might be able to manage the moisture risk sufficiently. We will present monitoring data from 3 recent retrofit case studies and discuss future implications.
Diversity and Inclusiveness
I don't believe our session addresses these issues at all.
Learning Objectives
Understand what insulation strategies are and are not currently permitted by the building code for unvented roof slopes and the reasons for the limitations.
Evaluate what roof situations could be good candidates for using only dense packed fibrous insulation in unvented sloped assemblies.
Be prepared to decide whether or not they would be in support of proposed code amendments to allow more widespread use of this insulation strategy.
Evaluate whether these strategies could be implemented in their practices.
Has this session been presented before?
No
Additional Comments
No, however Kohta will be presenting information he has presented upon at previous NESEA boston conferences in the beginning of this session as background before we present the new data and conclusions.
Session Format
Presentation followed by facilitated discussion or breakout groups
Session Format Details
Facilitated discussion, breakout groups probably won't work too well.
Recommended Length
60-minute session
90-minute session
Strongest Content Connection - Boston 2023
Comments about your speaker roster
Kohta presents most years at this conference and always has good content/insight.
Brendan would be presenting at this conference for the first time however he is a comfortable public speaker and has been attending the Boston NESEA conferences since 2012.
Anything else you'd like to tell us about your session proposal?
Kohta and BSC have been supporting Byggmeister in conducting these case studies and it will be our first time presenting the data from these case studies as we wanted to wait until we had 2 years of good data.
Reviewer 1
Heath, Anna
Reviewer 2
Heath, Anna
Curator
Heath, Anna
Proposal #
150
Session #
701
Committee Decision
Accepted
Presenters
Full Description
We will be presenting monitoring data on 3 projects with 2 years of post insulation operation tracking temperature, relative humidity, and % moisture content of roof sheathing in dense packed slopes and attics of Massachusetts retrofit projects. We believe the data shows that a vented attic space above unvented sloped roof assemblies dense packed with cellulose reduces the risk of moisture accumulation and associated issues. This conversation could lead to increased support for a current MA code amendment proposal (number 12-3-2018) or future code amendment proposals that would codify this approach. This would reduce restrictions on low cost retrofit work and increase the potential applications for low embodied carbon insulation materials like cellulose in new construction and remodeling work as well. This session relates to the conference theme in that we feel this is and has been a safe and scalable solution to insulating homes with low cost and carbon materials, however it's application has been limited by the current code language.