At BrightBuilt Home, we design homes that look beautiful, live comfortably, and perform exceptionally. Behind every clean line and cozy room, though, is something you’ll never see—but you’ll absolutely feel: airtightness.
It’s one of the most critical—and most overlooked—aspects of high-performance design. Airtightness is central to comfort, durability, energy efficiency, and health. And in a BrightBuilt home, it’s built in from the ground up.
Let’s explore why airtight design matters, and how our systems—like ERVs and right-sized HVAC—work together to deliver whole-home performance you can count on.
What Is Airtight Construction?
Airtight construction means limiting the amount of uncontrolled air movement into and out of a home. That means stopping unwanted drafts, sealing every gap and joint, and creating a continuous air barrier throughout the building envelope—including the foundation, walls, and roof.
At BrightBuilt, our design strategies include:
Every seam is intentional. Every layer is coordinated. The goal is to prevent conditioned indoor air from escaping—and unfiltered outdoor air from sneaking in.
Why It Matters: Comfort, Efficiency, and Health
1. Thermal Comfort
A tightly sealed building envelope prevents hot and cold spots. That means no mystery drafts, no freezing floors, and no “don’t go in that room” zones during extreme weather. It also allows your heating and cooling systems to do their job better, with less effort.
2. Energy Savings
When your home doesn’t leak, it doesn’t waste energy. Airtight homes need smaller, more efficient HVAC systems—which translates to long-term savings. Our homes are often paired with air-source heat pumps, which deliver heating and cooling efficiently, even in cold climates like Maine.
3. Indoor Air Quality
A common myth is that airtight homes are “too tight to breathe.” In reality, it’s the leaky homes that can’t breathe right—because they rely on uncontrolled airflow through walls, basements, or attics. That’s where ERVs come in.
Let’s Talk ERVs
Energy Recovery Ventilators (ERVs) are the lungs of a BrightBuilt home. These mechanical systems continuously bring in fresh, filtered outside air—while exhausting stale, humid indoor air. And they do it while recovering energy from the outgoing air to pre-condition the incoming air. That means:
ERVs are especially important in airtight homes because they allow us to control the indoor environment instead of leaving it up to the weather (or the nearest crack in the foundation). We often recommend units from Venmar or Zehnder, depending on project scale, goals, and layout.
The Role of HVAC in an Airtight Home
With a tightly sealed envelope and continuous ventilation, your home needs an HVAC system that’s right-sized for the actual loads—not oversized “just in case.” We use manual J load calculations to ensure your heating and cooling equipment is properly matched to the home’s use, insulation, solar orientation, and airtightness.
Our preferred systems often include:
When your systems are working with the envelope—not against it—you get better comfort and lower energy use across the board.
Testing and Proof
We don’t just design for airtightness—we verify it.
Most BrightBuilt homes undergo at least two blower door tests: one during construction (prior to siding), and one at the end (before certificate of occupancy). These tests measure how many air changes per hour occur at 50 pascals of pressure (ACH50). Our goal is 1.5 ACH50 or better, which far exceeds standard code requirements.
What does that mean in real life? It means a home that holds heat in the winter, stays cool in the summer, and feels calm, consistent, and protected all year round.
Not Flashy. But Foundational.
Airtightness isn’t something you’ll see in a real estate listing. But it’s something you’ll feel every time you walk in the door. It’s the reason your floors feel warm, your windows aren’t fogged up, and your energy bills don’t spike when the weather changes.
And when combined with the right mechanical systems—ERVs, heat pumps, smart ducting—it becomes the cornerstone of a home that performs beautifully and lives effortlessly.
At BrightBuilt, we don’t just design for now. We design for how your home will feel and function for the long run.
And it starts with sealing the deal.
BrightBuilt Home
Thoughtfully designed. Sustainably minded. Clearly guided.
