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Our Approach

High Performance Luxury Homes

Modern Edge is changing the way luxury homes are built by utilizing proven construction science techniques and performance-based construction technologies.

Science behind High Performance Homes

Building Science is a discipline that aims to comprehend how buildings interact with their surroundings and how to construct energy-efficient, durable, and comfortable structures for the occupants. It involves integrating various fields such as architecture, mechanical engineering, and materials science to optimize the building's performance. Building science encompasses studying the building envelope, HVAC systems, indoor air quality, lighting, and other areas. At Modern Edge, we utilize proven building science methods and construction technologies to prevent potential building failures and provide exceptional living spaces with maximum comfort, health, and quality while minimizing their operational impact on the environment.

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Building Performance Analysis: Positive Energy

Our Approach to Designing and Constructing High Performance Homes

At the core of our high-performance home design and construction approach lies the dynamic synergy between performance goals, metrics, and features. We take a holistic approach, considering every aspect of the home's performance to achieve optimal functionality and efficiency. Our well-defined performance goals ensure a focus on delivering a living space that excels in comfort, health, durability, and environmental sustainability while preventing building failures. Through specific performance metrics, we assess critical factors like solar load, indoor air quality, temperature, humidity control, and power consumption. Armed with this data, we refine our strategies and make informed decisions to optimize performance outcomes. Implementing a comprehensive range of performance features and strategies, such as energy-efficient insulation, advanced HVAC systems, high-performance windows, and sustainable materials, we create homes that truly stand out in terms of functionality, efficiency, and overall performance.

High Performance Ecosystem

Performance Goals
Performance Metrics
Performance Features
high performance home
This web concept above reinforces the idea that buildings function in a similar way to ecosystems. The number of performance features incorporated in a building have a direct and measurable impact on its overall performance. Additionally, the more performance features that are integrated, the greater level of control one has over the building's performance level. Each additional feature added to the building design results in an increase in the expected performance level. In other words, the more performance features that are applied, the better the building's performance will be.

Explore high-performance features and technologies we recommend for every home

Building Envelope Optimization
Construction process that involves carefully applying water and airtight barriers around a home's exterior walls to prevent moisture damage, as even the smallest leaks can have huge impacts over time. It also improves HVAC equipment performance and energy efficiency by creating an airtight building envelope.
Ventilated Façades
(aka rainscreen assembly) construction process that creates an air gap between the exterior façade and building envelope. This process protects the building from damage by allowing water drainage and humidity evaporation within the cavity. When utilized with an optimized building enclosure, it mitigates material failures and enhances HVAC equipment performance and energy efficiency due to natural ventilation of cladding materials.
Thermal Bridge Reduction
A thermal bridge is a point where heat escapes a home. It occurs when heat passes through a material with higher thermal conductivity than the surrounding materials. Continuous exterior insulation, thermally broken windows and doors, and advanced framing techniques significantly reduce thermal bridging and improve a home’s energy efficiency and thermal performance.
Thermally Broken Windows and Doors
are designed and built to prevent heat loss and condensation by providing an uninterrupted thermal barrier between the interior and exterior of the home. By using innovative materials and construction techniques, thermally broken windows and doors greatly improve home comfort and energy efficiency.
Specialized Ventilation and Heat Recovery Systems
are essential for preventing smells, air pollutants, CO2, and humidity from accumulating in tightly sealed buildings. We recommend using energy recovery ventilators, which transfer heat from one medium to another, to provide "balanced ventilation" and bring in fresh air without losing all the energy in the exhausted air.
High Performance HVAC
Utilizing high performance heat pump technology for cooling and heating and comfort-based design solutions like continuous dehumidification results in considerable energy, emissions, and cost savings while providing increased user thermal comfort, and contributes to improved indoor environmental air quality.
Advanced Lighting Strategies
The home takes advantage of natural lighting in our homes through optimized placement of expansive glass windows and doors decreasing energy usage and enhancing aesthetics.
Smart-Home Automation
We install programmable thermostats, lighting control, shade control, vacation and away mode setting features to optimize building performance and energy efficiency through automated monitoring and smart-device enabled control. We also pre-wire for existing and future technologies.
Next-Generation Homes:

Where Energy Efficiency Meets Luxury

Our team of experts understand how building materials, insulation, ventilation, and other systems interact to create an energy- efficient, comfortable, and durable home. From advanced insulation and ventilation systems to high-efficiency heating and cooling systems, every element of our high-performance homes are carefully selected to ensure maximum energy efficiency, sustainability, and comfort. With our commitment to applied building science, we're creating modern luxury homes that are not only beautiful and functional but also environmentally friendly and built to last.

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Proud Members

As proud members of both GHBA and TAB, our business endeavor involves actively engaging with local and regional professionals in the construction industry.

Greater Houston Builders Association
Texas Association of Builders