Evaluating The Installation Of A Solar Power System On Your Home
There is no doubt that a photovoltaic system is quickly becoming a viable method of generating a relatively significant percentage of your power demand. However, the capital costs of such a system are themselves, not insignificant.
French Drains – Solutions to Poor Draining Yards
If you have a sloping lot, the water running across the surface (particularly un-sodded surfaces) can cause erosion problems. The solution is to provide a controlled channel (French Drain) for the movement of the water to a retention area
Concrete – Green Building Material?
Concrete is recognized as a green building material in terms of qualification under LEED certification principles. The five ways that concrete can help support green building objectives:
ICF – Insulated Concrete Forms Structural Systems
Insulated Concrete Forms are a modular structural building system that mimics the Lego concept of pieces that fit together to make a larger structure.
New Trends In Wood Windows
Simply put windows...are what you put in the holes in your house. Think about that. Holes in your house. It seems to me that if you are going to have holes in your house, you want a very good quality window to prevent those holes from letting the conditioned air out and the cold air in and rain from destroying the interior of your house.
Concrete Basement Foundations
If your foundation was laid out wrong, or you are having problems with water or expansive soils around your foundation, you will see them manifest themselves in other areas of the structure.
Remodeling and Green Building Objectives
There are no magic bullet solutions to the myriad of problems we face regarding the use of fossil fuels, only a vast array of solutions that in toto will produce a dramatic increase in energy efficiency and sustainability that is necessary to preserve the quality of our lives.
More Featured Posts
We Are the 99% — AND the 1%
Subtitle: Design temperatures, load calculations, and oversized HVAC systems Images: We’re making progress! With the all the emphasis on energy codes and energy efficiency programs like Energy StarLabeling system sponsored by the Environmental Protection Agency and the US Department... [Read more]
The Trouble with Homes — Asthma and Poor Indoor Air Quality
Subtitle: Bad moisture management details in your home may be making you sick Images: I grew up with really bad asthma. Not being able to get enough air into your lungs, in case you haven’t experienced it, is pretty scary. I remember... [Read more]
Is the Pretty Good House the Next Big Thing? Part 2
Subtitle: A look at water use, home performance, verification methods, commissioning, and homeowner education Images: Let’s get back to the Pretty Good House concept now. Last month I wrote part 1, called Is the Pretty Good House the Next Big Thing? Related... [Read more]
How Much Air Leakage in Your Home Is Too Much?
Subtitle: Whatever your air tightness goal, ACH50 isn’t the best unit to measure it Images: Whether you want to build a new home or fix an old one, the way to ensure that you get the best performance is to do the building envelopeExterior components of a house... [Read more]
Building Science Corp. to Host a Seminar for GBA Pro Members
Subtitle: Join Joe Lstiburek for an intimate presentation on renovation and rehabilitation at his recently renovated barn Images: Green Building Advisor is pleased to announce through a special partnership with Building Science Corporation, a one-day class on building science as it relates to Renovation and Rehabilitation... [Read more]
Building Science Corp to Host a Seminar for GBA PRO Members
Subtitle: Join Joe Lstiburek for an intimate presentation on renovation and rehabilitiation at his recently renovated barn Images: Green Building Advisor is pleased to announce through a special partnership with Building Science Corporation, a one-day class on building science as it relates to Renovation and Rehabilitation... [Read more]
Is the Pretty Good House the Next Big Thing?
Subtitle: And what might one look like in a mixed-humid climate? Images: I love the Pretty Good House concept! The folks up in Maine who’ve been developing this idea in their monthly green building discussion group (Steve’s Garage) have struck a chord with a lot of us who design,... [Read more]
Who Knew the Stack Effect Could Be So Controversial?
Subtitle: Heat rises, and so does warm air Images: Recently, I wrote a little article about the stack effect to explain that the flow of air and heat is upward in winter but downward in summer. Turns out, the stack effect is a hot topic. That article has gotten 25 comments so far. When I posted it to the RESNET BPI group... [Read more]
Blower Door Testers Wanted — Scientists and Engineers Preferred
Subtitle: RESNET's new performance testing standard will require technicians to sharpen their pencils Images: OK, the title here may be a little extreme, but if you’ve taken a look at the new chapter on performance testing and scope of work in the HERS Standards, you know what I’m talking about. RESNET just... [Read more]
An AC Sizing Benchmark for High-Performance Homes
Subtitle: Fighting air-conditioner rules of thumb with a new rule of thumb Images: One of the most frustrating parts of my job as a Home Energy Rating (HERSIndex or scoring system for energy efficiency established by the Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) that compares a given home to a Home Energy Rating System... [Read more]
