Postretrofit News and Analysis

Our house was built in 1951, but Michele and I have been living there since 2007. I’ve met the two previous owners. One was careful about keeping the house comfortable and efficient—the other ...

Moving Back Home to New Orleans

Author: Roger Hahn

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September 03, 2010

Project Home Again develops a replicable model for post-Katrina rebuilding. [continue reading]

Taking the Long View

Author: Leslie Jackson and Kevin Rowell

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September 03, 2010

Instead of offering merely supplies to the people of postearthquake Haiti, what if we could offer our ingenuity? [continue reading]

America is a thirsty nation. Between 1950 and 2005, the U.S. population doubled, while our demand on water supplies more than tripled. Although water is relatively inexpensive, the cost to repair our nation’s aging ... [continue reading]

California's Advanced Homes Program

Author: Steve Mann

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September 01, 2010

California is slowly moving toward net zero energy construction, defined as building structures that produce as much energy on-site as they consume. The Long Term Energy Efficiency Strategic Plan of the California Public Utilities Commission (... [continue reading]

Applied Building Science at CSG

Author: Lisa J. Rinkus

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July 01, 2010

Conservation Services Group (CSG) was launched in 1984 out of a small office in Boston’s Back Bay. Its mission was, and still is, very simple: to protect the environment and build a socially responsible ... [continue reading]

What We Can Learn from Haiti

Author: Leslie Jackson

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July 01, 2010

The most damaging effect of the earthquake in Haiti was not the ground movement itself, but that buildings collapsed. The rebuilding has lessons for us all. [continue reading]

Phoenix Rising: Lessons Learned from Katrina

Author: Roger Hahn

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July 01, 2010

Energy-efficient homes play a significant role in post-Katrina rebuilding in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. [continue reading]

Hummingbird House: Design for Everyone Part III

Author: Leslie Jackson

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May 03, 2010

This is the third part of a conversation that I had with Larry Weingarten, a water heater expert and Renaissance guy. His solar-powered structural insulated panels (SIPs) house combines ordinary materials with extraordinary design. [continue reading]