The GBA Conversation: The Building Scientist's Home—a Conversation with Allison Bailes – GreenBuildingAdvisor

The GBA Conversation

Allison Bailes discusses the successes, mistakes, and ongoing improvements in his Atlanta home—from a poorly installed spray-foam attic to heat pumps, balanced ventilation, radon mitigation, and basement remodeling.

Building scientists spend a lot of time helping others solve problems. They diagnose comfort complaints, investigate moisture issues, improve indoor air quality, and design better-performing homes. But what happens when the house belongs to the building scientist?

For the latest episode of the GBA Conversation, I sat down with Dr. Allison Bailes, founder of Energy Vanguard, author of A House Needs to Breathe … or Does It?, and a longtime advocate for better building performance. Rather than discussing codes, research, or industry trends, we focused on Allison’s own home—a 1961 house in the Atlanta area that has become an ongoing building science project.

Every house has problems

Like many existing homes, Allison’s house came with its share of challenges. Some were expected, while others only became apparent after he began digging deeper into the assemblies and systems.

One of the first areas we discussed was the attic. Although the roof assembly had been insulated with open-cell spray foam years earlier, Allison discovered the installation quality left much to be desired. In some locations, the foam was far thinner than intended, allowing significant air leakage to remain. Combined with other construction and maintenance issues, the attic became a lesson in the importance of quality control and verification.

That theme surfaced repeatedly throughout our conversation. Whether discussing spray foam installation, HVAC systems, or remodeling work, Allison emphasized that even experienced professionals can get into trouble when they assume work has been completed correctly. As he put it, one of the biggest lessons learned from his own home has been the value of following up and verifying that work is done as specified.

Heat pumps without backup heat

The conversation also explored Allison’s approach to mechanical systems. After replacing the home’s aging gas furnace and air conditioner, he installed Mitsubishi inverter-driven heat…