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We have all had an idea about the place we live and a desire to improve it in some capacity. But how do we harness them for performance benefits? And can we use our experience as a framework to start engaging others in the design of beautiful and high performance homes? [continue reading]
Homebuilders impress me. I know many; they’re great people. Honest, hardworking. They have a lot of good experience and they take pride in their work. They generally do not have a college education. [continue reading]
When homeowners decide to downsize, many might question how many bedrooms they need, bathrooms they want and whether that second garage is really necessary. But when they decide to truly downsize and build a tiny house, contractors are left with far more complex decisions to make. [continue reading]
Savvy real estate investors and developers are always looking for smart ways to stand out and improve their return on investment (ROI). It’s their job to know which design features sell houses—and these days, eco-friendly home features are crucial to consumers, which has helped spur the residential solar-power industry. [continue reading]
The California Energy Commission (CEC) has awarded Build It Green (BIG) a research grant to overcome key challenges to developing zero net energy (ZNE) multifamily buildings. The goal of the CEC grant is to make ZNE construction technically and economically feasible and to accelerate ZNE’s adoption among multifamily developers. BIG and its research partners will optimize approaches to designing and constructing multifamily buildings that produce as much energy as they consume—through ... [continue reading]
My original post, “How On-Demand Pumps in New Residential Construction Can Pay for Themselves Via the New Home’s Mortgage”, generated a number of queries from readers. [continue reading]
The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2017 student design competition, which challenges collegiate teams to design, build and operate solar-powered houses that are cost-effective, energy-efficient and attractive, will take place October 5 – 15, 2017, in Denver, Colorado, Energy Department and Denver officials announced this week. [continue reading]
The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) presented three Champion of Energy Efficiency awards earlier this week at its 19th biennial Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings. The awards recognize leadership and accomplishment in the energy efficiency field. Winners are selected based on demonstrated excellence in research and development, energy policy, implementation and deployment, buildings leadership, or lifetime achievement. The winners for 2016 are: Margie Harris: For leading the Energy Trust of Oregon from ... [continue reading]
The infographic below highlights some of the the materials and methods on the cutting edge of building in the U.K., Europe, and the U.S. Some buildings already employing these methods and materials are the world famous Edge Building in Amsterdam and the Crystal in London. Enjoy a look into the future! [continue reading]
What makes solar power contagious, and can home energy upgrades spread the same way? Solar is spreading like a reinvented fire. See the dropping prices, technology improvements, and rapid growth curve in residential solar installations over recent years. Witness the rapid expansion of our work with major companies across the world to purchase solar. Observe the growing and unwavering appeal of solar in, for example, the recent decision by MGM in Nevada to pay a ... [continue reading]
