Conversely, the materials inside the walls, and the integrated systems of the building envelope, are mostly out of view, out of mind, and left largely out of conversations and decisions about offers and sales. The home shopping and buying process is the epitome of judging a book by its cover what gets noticed and factored into market prices are the things seen on the surface, both outside and inside the home. Most of the key features of a building envelope are hidden from view after construction is complete, and most homebuyers do not value many upgrades at their installed cost, or for their ability to potentially reduce energy bills. The real economic (market) value of a home is only as much as a potential buyer is willing to pay for it, and since most homes are purchased on credit (with a mortgage), this requires appraisals that drive loan amounts and terms, and sales prices. To first ground this issue in current social and economic realities, there are an interesting set of incentives in the building, buying, appraisal, and financing processes that strongly impact building envelope decisions. When is enough enough? What systems and approaches offer the best financial return on investment? How do the various elements of the building envelope interact? What are the most responsible environmental choices? While the sheer number of options and combinations is nearly infinite, our analysis of many specific and integrated systems led to a few broad principles that can more simply and understandably guide choices. The number of different materials and systems available in the building envelope, and the combinations of elements, is enormous this makes choices difficult, especially determining where to stop upgrading and how to package elements and systems together. Homeowners naturally want their significant investment to perform well on many metrics, including longevity, durability, comfort, effective control and retention of energy use within the home, and overall value. The building envelope provides both structural integrity and protection against outside elements it is a key component of sustainable housing, and it involves the bulk of work and cost in new construction. As the metaphorical term implies, the building envelope refers to the outer shell of the building it comprises the roof, walls (including windows and doors), and foundation (including ground floor), and it serves two primary functions.
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