In case you haven't heard, version 3 of the ENERGY STAR new homes program requires homes to be more energy efficient and meet higher standards than version 2 of the program. That is as it should be. Energy codes and…
Ten years ago, I was at the front end of building a green, high performance home. (That's me on the ladder connecting the two LVL ridge beams that support the structural insulated panel roof.) It was going to take only…
I've spent a lot of time in attics looking at problems with insulation, air sealing, HVAC systems, and ductwork. I've also seen why so many bathroom ventilation fans don't move much air. A typical bath fan is rated to move…
Utility companies make a big deal out of the rates they charge their customers. When they go before state public service commissions to plead for relief from demand side management measures, they like to talk about the impact of such…
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 adopted this…
The wave is spreading outward from Silicon Valley. Naturally, those of us mainlining Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn were the first to hear the news: Steve Jobs has died. The wave is spreading outward from Silicon Valley. Naturally, those of us…
Do you use hot water in your home? I thought so. You have a water heater then, right? You know, one of those things that you pump money into all the time, perhaps to the tune of $300 or $400…
Today is the last day of the HERS rater class I'm teaching in Toronto. To date, there's just been a handful of people pushing home energy ratings in Canada and sadly, they lost one of the most passionate advocates this…
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…