Building a sustainable home
August 8, 2020
Hey Boomer! Pay Your Carbon Debt!
Baby boomers have enjoyed unprecedented financial opportunity, convenience, and economic security— benefits built largely from extraction and burning of fossil fuels. The resulting impact on Earth’s climate has created the Baby Boomer carbon debt. It’s time for them to take action to preserve the climate for future generations, but there’s not much time.
Read ArticleJuly 21, 2020
Six Cities Forge Ahead with Home Energy Disclosures – How Your City Can Join Them
Leading U.S. cities are filling a crucial information gap in the residential real estate market by requiring home energy disclosures for potential homebuyers: a much needed transparency measure and consumer protection practice. This process provides buyers with an energy efficiency rating on every property listed for sale. An online resource and a support network are available for local governments that want to adopt similar energy disclosure measures.
Read ArticleJuly 19, 2020
Are Solar Roofs Ready To Go Mainstream?
On new and retrofitted roofs, you can now use aesthetically pleasing solar shingles to keep the weather out and generate renewable energy. They’re more cost-effective than you may think. We compare costs with other roof options and review pros and cons to help you decide if they are right for you.
Read ArticleJune 12, 2020
Does Your Insulation Have Low Embodied Carbon?
Zero energy homes need thick layers of insulation, but some materials have serious climate impacts. Identify the key factors that affect the carbon footprint of insulation materials and some good choices for future projects.
Read ArticleJune 8, 2020
The Smog in Your Kitchen – What the Experts Say
Experts Say Cooking with gas is hazardous to health, according to research that spans the last several decades. A recent study puts the issue in stark terms. Air inside homes can be more unhealthy than outdoor pollution even during a wild fire that fills the air with smoke.
Read ArticleJune 8, 2020
The Many Benefits of All-Electric Design
Decades of advertising tell us that gas is cheap. Even without factoring in the cost of climate change, natural gas is no longer the least expensive choice for residential use. It’s a new era of cost-effective, low carbon, all-electric homes.
Read ArticleMay 20, 2020
Four Steps to Zero Carbon Buildings
New homes and buildings will stand for decades, if not centuries. The carbon emissions embodied in the building materials and resulting from the manufacturing and construction processes must be factored into their overall carbon footprints. These four steps will get us started on the path to zero carbon.
Read ArticleApril 13, 2020
Carbon Emissions: We Broke It, We Fix It!
There’s no time to lose. We must move rapidly and decisively toward a carbon-neutral economy. Direct action is essential, but cannot happen fast enough. After you have reduced carbon in your home, vehicles, and businesses, there is still more to do. Here’s how.
Read ArticleApril 13, 2020
A Zero Carbon Building Primer
Zero energy buildings are here and growing in the market. Now it’s time to set our sights on the next step in the evolution of building design and construction: zero carbon.
Read ArticleMarch 18, 2020
The Mystery of Misapplied Mini-Splits
If you’ve ever heard that a mini-split heat pump wasn’t fulfilling its potential there is no mystery — the problem was almost certainly errors in design or installation. Here’s everything that needs to happen for a proper installation and reliable performance.
Read ArticleMarch 18, 2020
Production Builders, It’s Time to Sell Zero Energy Homes
Zero energy homes are poised to go mainstream. Large builders have the scale necessary to launch the market into this new territory. Homebuyers save and builders profit.
Read ArticleMarch 14, 2020
Make Hot Water the Modern Energy Efficient Way
Heat pump water heaters have been available for several years and are gradually gaining acceptance in new construction as well as in the replacement market. Here is guidance for the best application of this technology with an emphasis on colder climates.
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