As I sit here on Memorial Day thinking of my cousin Daniel, who was killed in the first Iraq war in 1991, and all the many others who gave their lives in support of the United States, my mind is…
I'm torn. Since I first dived into the ENERGY STAR Version 3 guidelines, the new HVAC requirements have pulled me in two directions. On the one hand, as someone who's been calling for change in the HVAC industry, I see…
I just don't get it. OK, I do get it, but it drives me crazy. It's not just that it drives me crazy, though. This is just plain stupid. I just don't get it. OK, I do get it, but…
Putting spray foam insulation on the roofline of both existing homes and new homes has been growing in popularity over the past decade. But, is it always the best way to treat the building envelope? When does it make sense…
Back in the summer of 2003, I was finishing up the green home I'd started building in 2001. One of the last pieces we had to complete was the greywater system, and we'd already put a lot of work into…
I've written a lot about HVAC (Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning) companies in the Energy Vanguard blog, and a lot of what I've written is pretty critical. I've ruminated about why they won't do things right, gone on a tirade…
If you've ever had to dive into the details of the green building and energy efficiency programs for homes, you've experienced the operational definition of the word 'complexity,' along with a bit of 'confusion,' too, I'm sure. I know I…
I was checking some REM/Rate files for our HERS raters yesterday, mostly submitted for ENERGY STAR homes. I've come to expect Manual J heating and cooling load calculations submitted along with the files to be less than perfect. Mostly, I…
In my last four HVAC Design jobs, I've specified ductless mini-split heat pumps. I have four more such jobs underway now. In my last four HVAC Design jobs, I've specified ductless mini-split heat pumps. I have four more such jobs…
Do you have floor joists in your crawl space that look like the one to the left? In case you can't tell how bad it really is, just click on it to see a bigger version. When you do, you'll…