Felt

A tar-impregnated paper used for water protection under roofing and siding materials.

Floor Joists

Horizontal structural members used to carry the floor and ceiling loads.

Header

A horizontal structural member used to support other structural members over openings such as doors and windows.

House Wrap

Engineered materials designed to keep out liquid water and prevent air infiltration while allowing water vapor to escape from inside the home.

Insulation

Material used to restrict the flow of heat, cold, or sound from one surface to another.

Sheathing

A covering placed over exterior studs or rafters that serve as a base below the exterior finish materials.

Siding

Material, such as boards or shingles, used for surfacing the outside walls of a frame building.

Sill

A horizontal wood member placed at the bottom of walls and openings in walls.

Solar Orientation

Consideration of the solar orientation of a building based on the relative position of the sun in order to purposely increase or decrease the amount of light or heat transferred to the building.

Source Reduction

Reducing waste by changing patterns of production and consumption.

Stud

The vertical framing member in frame wall construction.

Subfloor

The structural floor joined to the joists that support the finish flooring.

Sustainability

Meeting the needs of society in ways that can continue indefinitely into the future without damaging or depleting natural resources.

Top Plate

A horizontal structural member located on top of the studs used to hold the wall together.

Truss

An assembly of structural members joined to form a rigid framework, usually connected to form triangles.