Certified Build – Our Standard

Design, Engineering & Certification

All Certified Build homes are certified through third-party raters:

  • FORTIFIED Gold for structural integrity

  • DOE Zero Energy Ready Home (ZERH) for comfort 

  • NGBS Green – Bronze minimum, with optional Silver, Gold, or Emerald for health 

  • EPA WaterSense certification 

  • Passive House Principles, with optional full Passive House certification

Rooted in Building Science & Fine Craftsmanship

Certified Build homes are grounded in the science-based approach of BSI-145: Zero Energy Ready Homes by Dr. Joseph Lstiburek, Building Science Corporation and Building Science 101 & 201 Build Show Network: Matt Reisinger, Steve Baczek, Brent Hull. This research guides all building assemblies and control strategies for Water, Air, Thermal, and Vapor management in Climate Zone 5, using the 5-10-20-40-60 rule:

  • R-5+ windows

  • R-10+ under-slab insulation

  • R-20+ basement walls

  • R-40+ above-grade walls

  • R-60+ roofs

Building Envelope: Crafting Resilience

100-Year Resilience
Engineered and constructed for a century-long lifespan using premium materials and proven assemblies for health and comfort.

Continuous Control Layers 

Continuity of Water, Air, Thermal, and Vapor strategies to ensure durability, comfort, and indoor health.

Advanced Framing Techniques

"Monopoly" framing optimized for minimal thermal bridging and air leakage, targeting <1.0 ACH50 verified via blower door testing.

Continuous Exterior Insulation

Climate-appropriate vapor profiles with insulation outboard** and high-performance cavity insulation inside.

High R-Value Assemblies for Climate Zone 5C

Follows the 60/40 rule: 60% of insulation inside, 40% outside the control layer for optimal performance.

Hybrid Insulation Strategy

  • ZIP R-9 sheathing (thermal + structural)

  • Closed-cell spray foam (ccSPF) for air seal, vapor control, & Fortified Gold

  • Blown-in mineral wool for cavity fill

  • Rockwool insulation and for fire resistance,acoustics and mold resistance 

  • Interior wall insulation in select areas for sound and thermal buffering

Passive House-Level Windows & Doors 

  • Triple- pane glazing, U-factors below 0.15 with high performance frames, highly airtight

  • European-Made Tilt-Turn Window Packages (via EAS)

    Schüco uPVC or optional aluminum frames with triple-pane CLIMATOP XN glass

    • Standard P2A laminated safety glass or optional P5A for enhanced impact, burglary, and storm resistance

    • Makrowin wood-aluminum Passive House-certified windows available in Bespoke packages

    • High-SHGC glass tuned by orientation with visible transmittance (VT) up to 0.70

    • Multi-point locking, reinforced thermally broken frames

    • U-values as low as U-0.10 to U-0.15 (R-10 to R-7.5) — up to 2.5× better than most American-sourced products

  • Andersen A-Series (Wood Interior / Fibrex + Fiberglass Exterior)

    • Triple-pane casement, awning, and picture windows

    • Stormwatch® PG70+ impact-rated options

    • Optional laminated glass for security and sound control

    • Available features: patterned glass, blinds between glass, TruScene® insect screen (50% clearer than standard), and full divided light grilles with energy spacer

    • U-values: 0.18 – 0.24 (R-5.5 to R-4.1)

    • SHGC: 0.26

    • VT: 0.47

    • 16 exterior/interior color combinations

    Marvin Elevate (Wood Interior / Fiberglass Exterior)

    • Triple-pane, impact-rated for Hurricane Zone 3+ (PG50)

    • Optional simulated divided lite (SDL) bars with spacer

    • Decorative and laminated glass options

    • U-values: 0.18 – 0.21 (R-5.5 to R-4.8)

    • SHGC: 0.20 – 0.39

Electrical & Mechanical

  • High CRI (90+) lighting from DMF or Cree

  • 400A panel, EV charger, solar-ready infrastructure

  • Zoned controls: Ecobee, Savant, or Aprilaire

Engineered Wall & Foundation Systems

  • Sage Building Components: BIM-driven prefab framing to reduce waste and improve precision

  • Superior Walls®: Precast insulated concrete foundation (R-12.5 to R-21)

  • Huber Engineered Woods: ZIP R, Advantech, Liquid Flashing, Rainscreen systems

  • Optional All Natural : real woods , CDX plywood, SIGA membranes, Rockwool Insulation ,

  • Stego Wrap 15-mil vapor + radon barrier (<0.01 perms)

  • Polyguard below grade foundation waterproofing + perimeter drainage 

HVAC & Ventilation: Balanced Comfort

Certified Build HVAC systems are engineered by Dr. Allison Bailes team at Energy Vanguard:

  • Manual J – Load calculation

  • Manual S – Equipment sizing

  • Manual D – Duct layout

  • Manual T – Airflow distribution

  • Ventilation ASHRAE 62.2 – Residential ventilation standards

System Highlights:

  • ERV System (Zehnder or Lifebreath) for balanced fresh air

  • MERV 13 to 16 filtration, with upgrade options to HEPA or UV-C

  • Stand-alone whole-house dehumidifier (Santa Fe or similar)

  • Fresh air ducted directly to living areas ran through ERV

  • Smart IAQ sensors monitor VOCs, CO₂, and humidity

Structural Systems: FORTIFIED Gold Standard

FORTIFIED Gold requires an Engineered continuous load path:

  • Anchored foundation-to-wall-to-roof

  • Enhanced roof deck attachment and sealed roof deck

  • Locked-down roof edges with impact-resistant roofing (steel, tile, or shingles)

  • Braced chimneys and gables

  • Sealed soffits and attic vents

  • Pressure- and impact-rated doors and windows

Wall, Roof, & Sub-Slab Assemblies

  • Double 5/8" CDX / ZIP System roof sheathing with vapor diffusion port

  • R-25 rigid insulation above, optional Hunter Cool-Vent panel

  • Closed-cell spray foam below deck for FORTIFIED Gold lock-in

  • Flash coat 1–2" ccSPF + Rockwool/blown-in wool in walls (R-30 to R-40)

  • Heat-Sheet R-10 basement + garage slab insulation

  • Stego Wrap 15–20 mil vapor barrier under slab 

  • Radon Active mitigation system

  • Detailing with SIGA tapes, Huber ZIP Tapes Liquid Flash, Delta-Vent SA

  •  Rainscreen for improved cladding drainage & drying 

Water Systems

  • HyperPure PERT plumbing with central manifold

  • Whole-home filtration, softener, RO at kitchen, filtered lines (Kinetico, Drop,  or similar)

  • DI rinse outlets

  • CULTEC stormwater management + 1,000–15,000 gal cistern options

  • Leak detection with auto shutoff (DROP, Flo, Phyn)

  • Inline pressure booster for high-performance fixtures

Smart Home Integration

  • Lutron Caseta or RadioRA 3 lighting control

  • Ecobee Premium, Savant, or Aprilaire HVAC control

  • Wi-Fi infrastructure (Ubiquiti), Cat6/RG6 prewire , 

  • Solar/battery prewire

  • Optional: Circadian lighting, hidden TVs, home security system, in wall speakers

Materials & Craftsmanship

  • Custom cabinetry by Pineville Wood Products – inset shaker, zero-VOC finish (Bespoke)

  • Steller Floors White Oak (Nantucket) or comparable high-end modular flooring (Bespoke)

  • Trim profiles from Kuiken Brothers or WindsorONE

  • Emtek/Baldwin hardware, brass hinges, no MDF or OSB

  • Rockwool Safe’n’Sound + closed-cell Ultra-Pure low VOC foam (GreenGuard Gold Certified)

Design Principles & Inspirations

  • Architectural Styles: Farmhouse, Georgian, Colonial, Folk Victorian, Craftsman, Tudor, select European Modern

  • Mentorship & Inspiration: Matt Risinger, Brent Hull, Steve Baczek, Dr. Joe Lstiburek

  • Accessibility: Zero-step entries, curbless showers, first-floor living

  • Faith-Inspired Legacy: Built to last 100+ years

  • Design Partners: Carl Chambers, Max Garcia (Imprint Architects), Steven Baczek

  • MEP Design Lead: Dr. Allison Bailes, Energy Vanguard

  • Wounded Heroes: each house build will cover the cost 2 to 3 Veterans functional health, hormone replacement therapy, not covered by the VA