Remember that science class where you learned about the three forms of heat flow: conduction, convection, and radiation? Well, class, let's make it real today. You insulate your walls, floors, and ceilings to limit the amount of heat your home…
Ten years ago I was building a green home. It had passive solar features, was built out of structural insulated panels, sent all the greywater out to the back yard to water fruit trees, and was going to be super…
Yesterday I received an email and letter from Steve Ziessler, president and CEO of Guardian Building Products. In it, he apologized for their heavy-handed approach to expressing their displeasure with seeing their fiberglass batts pictured in an article on poor…
[UPDATE: 11/8/11 I received an apology today from the president and CEO of Guardian. More about that in the follow-up post.] See that photo? It's one of the reasons that I received a nasty letter from Guardian Building Products, a manufacturer…
This is the time of year when I start really appreciating hot water. We're getting a little bit of chilly weather, and those hot showers feel really nice in the morning. But that hot water† that reaches me in the…
Hey, Californians, look out. You're not number 1 anymore. Nope. You're number 2 now. In their annual assessment of how the states are doing with energy efficiency, the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) has pronounced Massachusetts the…
BOO! Not scared? OK, well let me take another hack...uh...I mean, tack. Here are 8 things related to energy, HVAC, or building science that should scare the heck out of you...or at least irritate you once you understand them. Bonus…
I hear a lot of people call themselves building science geeks, energy nerds, home performance dorks, HVAC dweebs, weatherization wonks, and policy poindexters. (It's true! Some of them are imaginary people in my mind and some are aliens, but they…
I love the look and idea of this new thermostat called the Nest and want to install one as soon as I can. It's gorgeous. It's simple. And it's smart. I love the look and idea of this new thermostat…
Recently I came across a LEED certified house that had cardboard return ducts. They were all inside the building envelope, but it seemed clear to me that they could lead to problems. Even if the home builder or HVAC contractor…