Our house turns 10 years old this coming spring. Like any property, the house has had its share of maintenance issues. Every fall and spring, we survey the house and look for issues that could cause problems such as water damage or foundation issues. Listed below are five home maintenance items that we […]
Energy Efficient Home Design: The Harpoon House, Tiny but Practical
I love efficient houses. Harpoon House is a 704 square foot 3 story house in Portland, Oregon. It is a certified LEED Platinum house and was built green and efficient without sacrificing the comforts you would expect in a small house. Before you gasp at the small size of the house, note that the average […]
Wood Burning: Dangerous to your Health. Find Out Healthier Solutions.
When it is freezing out, what is the first thing you want to do? I bet you want to sit in front of a roaring wood fire and warm up. In fact, many US households depend on wood to heat their homes. Currently, there are 12 million wood stove and 243,000 hydronic heater (outdoor wood boilers) […]
Green Design + Efficiency Married in Solar Decathlon Austria Home
The solar decathlon is one of the most innovative competitions in green building design. College teams vie for the award to build the most efficient solar home within prescribed parameters including cost. Two year ago, I toured several of the houses at its Washington DC location and was amazed at the teams’ out of […]
Top 5 Fall Home Maintenance Tips Before the Winter Smackdown
Fall is a great time to look inward at the guts of our homes. Old man winter will be coming. For some, quicker than others. Here are my top 5 “do it now” tune ups before the weather turns against us.
Smart Window Film by Heliotrophe that Block Heat and Light
Windows are one of the least energy efficient elements in a building. Heliotrope Technologies seeks to change the “smart window” technology market to increase energy efficiency through the transmission of heat and light with the use of its specialized film.
Energy Efficient Dryer Vent: Love Your Dryer Again.
Don’t you hate that blast of cold air from your dryer in the winter? Me too. So much so that a couple of years ago, I wrote about how much I loved my beloved energy efficient dryer vent. This baby nips the cold in the bud and saves me some green on my energy bills. […]
Sensor Building Solution by Seldera Helps Building Owner Take Control
Building performance is must as energy costs continue to increase. In fact, the American Council of Energy Efficient Economy predicts that $250 million dollars will be spent over the next decade on commercial and industrial building energy upgrades. Newcomer Seldera’s Building Dynamics wireless sensor system could be the answer for building owners struggling with performance woes. The Company offers a light […]
