Scientific Method
By Dan Briody
Green Home 2011 Annual Issue
MIKE TROLLE KNOWS THINGS ABOUT HOUSES THAT VERY FEW PEOPLE KNOW.
He knows how much heat a flat-screen television throws off. He knows how much heat the toilet flushes of a family of four will suck out of the air. He knows the insulating properties of every conceivable material you might use to build and insulate the walls of your house. In short, Trolle, the founder of BPC Green Builders, knows the modern science of building. And along with his brother Chris, he is building some of the most energy efficient homes ever seen in this part of the world, including the only two LEED-certified Platinum homes in Fairfield County. “Building a good house has become a highly technical subject,” says Trolle. “The days of one generation of carpenter/builder teaching the next on the job are over. Today you have to hit the books. You have to study and understand the science of building.”
Trolle’s passion for building efficient homes is plainly evident. He is a tireless advocate for green building, and he evangelizes the subject to anyone that will listen. In this respect, he is not interested in maintaining a competitive advantage over other green builders. He just wants people to know that there is a better way to build. BPC’s building philosophy is very straightforward. The three imperatives are: Build air-tight; super-insulate; and eliminate thermal bridges. All three imperatives are closely related in that they are all ways of controlling the movement of air, heat and moisture around a house. For example, BPC goes to great lengths to ensure that its homes don’t allow conditioned air to escape through joints, windows, walls or roofs.
Reprinted with the permission of Green Home 2011, a Morris Media Group Custom Publication.
