Architectural Detailing for High Performance and Healthy Buildings
Discover how Emily Mottram’s whole-building approach empowers residential designers to optimize health, durability, and energy performance by tailoring detailing and material choices to specific climate zones.

About the live course
Join Emily Mottram, known for her work on the "Pretty Good House" concept, for a session exploring the proper detailing and installation of air, water, and insulation layers within a building. Emily will demonstrate how to begin the design process with the specific climate zone and then reverse engineer decisions from there. Participants will learn to identify risks associated with poorly executed detailing and explore strategies to enhance air quality and building durability through careful material selection and detailing control layers. By viewing the structure as a whole-building integrated system, this approach highlights a practical framework for designing custom residential homes that prioritizes occupant health, safety, and welfare.
- Identify the risks associated with poorly detailed air control, water control, moisture accumulation, and insulation techniques.
- Discuss practical strategies to improve air quality and building durability through material selection and detailing control layers.
- Explain how to approach architectural detailing by viewing the building as an integrated system.
- Determine appropriate detailing decisions based on specific climate zone considerations.
Presented in partnership with the Custom Residential Architects Network (CRAN®).