Home builders and HERS raters in the US have been up in arms about the new changes with Version 3 of the ENERGY STAR new homes program. Guess what? Canada thinks we're wimps. Here's why: Home builders and HERS raters…
I spent seven years in graduate school studying physics to get my PhD. You might think that the most valuable lesson I got from that experience would have been about the nature of physical reality. I was studying the positions…
I get asked a lot of questions about windows, air conditioning, and other energy efficiency topics: What size HVAC system should I install? Is it true you can seal a house up too tight? Can I use a CFL bulb…
Seven years ago, I became obsessed with the topic of peak oil. I had to read everything about it that I could find. I was one of the first subscribers to The Oil Drum. I went to peak oil conferences.…
One of the most frustrating parts of my job as a Home Energy Rating (HERS) provider is dealing with the size of air conditioners installed in ENERGY STAR homes. My frustration has spilled over here in the Energy Vanguard blog…
A recent discussion on LinkedIn got me thinking about this question again. If you've spent any time here in the Energy Vanguard blog, you know that one of the things I do a lot is point out bad HVAC design,…
Radiant barriers are cool! Well, actually they get quite warm, but they help the space below them stay cooler when used on a roof assembly above an unconditioned attic. They can drop the temperature of an attic about 20° F.…
You'd think with all the articles I've written about bad duct installations that it'd be hard to find more to write about here. After all, I've told you about stumpy (photo left) and panned joist return ducts and what may…
I spent three days in Pittsburgh last week going through session proposals for the Affordable Comfort Conference. Every conference seems to have a different process for choosing which sessions to offer, and ACI (Affordable Comfort, Inc.) has a really interesting one.…
When I was up in North Carolina this past summer, I went to a restaurant that had the duct you see in the photo here. You may not be aware, but this duct design has a fatal flaw. Well, it's…