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My Energy Upgrade California—The Numbers Are In
Jim Gunshinan
Here are the final numbers for my Energy Upgrade California home retrofit. Table 1. Air Leakage (CFM50) Test-in air leakage Test-out air leakage 1,850 1,530 Table 2. Duct Leakage Test-in duct leakage *Test-out duct leakage 22% 10% *Note: The duct leakage is a percentage of the rated flow of the air handler. The measured air flow at the return grill was somewhat lower, so the percent leakage was actually higher. According to the EnergyPro software used in the Energy Upgrade California (... [continue reading]
NIST Test House Exceeds Goal
Mark Bello
The net-zero energy test house at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in suburban Washington, D.C., not only absorbed winter's best shot, it came out on top, reaching its one-year anniversary on July 1 with enough surplus energy to power an electric car for about 1,440 miles.* [continue reading]
Strategies To Keep Millennials At Their Peak Performance In a Home Performance Company
David Byrnes
Let me first start by confessing my guilt. Guilt for being bored easily, guilt for wanting praise, even if it is a pat on my own back for an achievement, and guilt for being a millennial. On the other hand, I enjoy working in teams and I encourage frequent communication between all team members from administration staff to auditors, sales staff and crew members to improve our workflow. [continue reading]
Gauging "Readiness" Helps Make a Clean Sweep in Michigan Communities
Danielle Sass Byrnett
Ever wish you had a crystal ball to tell you which neighborhoods would make the best market for your energy efficiency offerings? One Michigan residential energy upgrade program may not be able to tell the future, but it helped contractors come in and sweep neighborhoods with the most potential for upgrade business. [continue reading]
Call to Action: Make Clothes Dryers More Energy-Efficient to Save Consumers Up to $4 Billion
Noah Horowitz
NRDC released a Call to Action yesterday to help reduce the $9 billion worth of energy used by our clothes dryers, which few people realize are one of the largest energy users in our homes and represent 2 percent of our nation’s entire electricity consumption. [continue reading]
Finding Buried Treasure at The National Healthy Homes Conference (NHHC)
Allen Rathey
The National Healthy Homes Conference (NHHC)—brought to you by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Rebuilding Together, and media clout from the HGTV and the DIY Network is a gold mine of information. NHHC’s six program tracks embraced 130-140 educational sessions and workshops featuring experts with dozens of nationally recognized organizations presenting a wealth of information, including actionable steps for: Communities, homebuilders, designers and remodelers Environmental, ... [continue reading]
Better Buildings Neighborhood Program Partners Upgrade 100,000 Buildings, Save Homeowners and Businesses $730 Million on Energy Bills
Danielle Sass Byrnett
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced this week that, through the Better Buildings Neighborhood Program, more than 40 state and local governments have supported thousands of professionals upgrading more than 100,000 homes and other buildings through its Better Buildings Neighborhood Program. These upgrades will save families and businesses more than $730 million in estimated lifetime energy savings on utility bills. What’s more, everything program partners learned about program design, marketing and outreach, financing, workforce ... [continue reading]
Success through Quality Management: Introducing BPI GoldStar Contractors
Leslie McDowell
Today BPI announced the launch of the BPI GoldStar Contractor program, a companywide credentialing program that recognizes and rewards home performance contractors committed to the principle that quality is profitable and can set them apart in the marketplace. The program rolls out in tandem with a consumer outreach campaign to educate the public on the exceptional quality of BPI GoldStar Contractors. [continue reading]
Energy Upgrade California—Up Close and Personal Part 3
Jim Gunshinan
Here is the latest from the 10 Maple Lane Retrofit Project. Met with Bill Stewart on Monday and signed an agreement for: Wall insulation Vapor barrier on crawlspace floor Duct repair and some air sealing I also asked them to move the filter to the return grill so that I don’t have to crawl around in the attic to change the filter every few months. And we may replace our very noisy bathroom fan ... [continue reading]
Interview with Van Jones: Rebuilding the Dream in Detroit, Part 3
Tom White
[This is the third in a three-part inteview with Van Jones, who delivered the keynote address in Detroit, Mich., on April 30, 2014, to attendees of the ACI National Home Performance Conference. The full interview is posted in three consecutive blogs. Click here to read Part 1. Click here to read Part 2.] [continue reading]
