Questions on “A Practical Perfect Wall” article – GreenBuildingAdvisor

Dear Community,

I’m planning to build a small house in western MA, zone 5. After reading “A Practical Perfect Wall” article in FHB Issue 333, it looked like a wall that we could build ourselves. However, I have a few questions. First, given that the author’s build is in northern MN, why did he choose to go with a 2×4 wall rather than a 2×6 wall with more insulation? Second, the author used a self-adhered membrane. Would taped ZIP get the same effect with less work, or is there an advantage to going with the membrane? Finally, we’ve been comparing the practical perfect wall to a double stud wall. Is it purely the author’s preference, or is there an advantage to using the practical perfect wall model over others?

Thanks in advance,

Jay