The National Association of Home Builders’ June 2025 Design Bites presentation, hosted by Erin Hurley of KGA Studio Architects, spotlighted 10 architectural movements shaping the future of homebuilding. Among these, trends such as right-sizing, resilient design, health and wellness, and universal design directly intersect with the innovations and advantages offered by PROSOCO’s Cat 5 system and its accessory products.
Providing superior protection to optimize water resistance, air tightness and acoustical isolation of interior spaces is just the surface of what the Cat 5 system offers to practitioners looking to meet contemporary design goals. The Cat 5 system includes Joint & Seam Filler to cover joints, pinholes and other penetrations in the sheathing; FastFlash to waterproof window and door rough openings; Cat 5 to protect the entire field of the wall before exterior cladding is installed; and AirDam to provide an interior seal around windows.
Resilient Design (Trend #5) is perhaps the most obvious point of alignment. Homebuyers are increasingly concerned about climate-related disasters, and the Cat 5 system provides exceptional resistance to wind-driven rain up to 160 mph, the force of a Category 5 hurricane. Non-combustible and fluid-applied, it eliminates air leakage pathways and fortifies buildings against fire, wind, and moisture threats.
Trend 9, Health and Wellness, is another area where Cat 5 delivers. By creating Passive House-level airtightness, the system ensures that incoming air is filtered, conditioned, and intentionally introduced through mechanical systems like energy recovery ventilators (ERVs). This eliminates unfiltered infiltration of dust, pollen, smoke, and other airborne pollutants, drastically improving indoor air quality. Homeowners have reported ceasing to experience allergy symptoms, and some even find they no longer feel the urge to step outside for “fresh air” because the indoor environment is cleaner and more pleasant.
The water-resistive Cat 5 system is also breathable, rendering building envelopes vapor-permeable, so when condensation or vapor inevitably form in the interior of the wall space, that moisture can exit the wall instead of remaining trapped inside where it can develop into harmful mold and mildew.
Additionally, the system contributes to emotional wellness and tranquility (Trend 8: Emotional Connections). Tightly sealed homes block outdoor noise, creating a sanctuary of silence. In an increasingly noisy world, this serenity is a compelling emotional and functional benefit.
Trend 4, Universal Design, is also supported indirectly. The barrier’s seamless, fluid-applied nature reduces the need for complex flashing and detailing around zero-step entries and wide doorways. This simplifies the execution of inclusive design without compromising durability.
Finally, the community-minded goals of Trend 10 (Building Connections) rely on homes that work. A building envelope protected by PROSOCO’s Cat 5 system ensures that shared housing types—like townhomes, duplexes, and patio homes—remain free of leaks, drafts, and deterioration, preserving neighborhood cohesion and architectural integrity over time.
NAHB’s design vision for 2025 calls for homes that are smaller, smarter, and stronger. PROSOCO’s Cat 5 system answers that call with a proven solution that addresses durability, livability, and health in equal measure.
