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The Gulyas residence in Bloomington, Indiana was one of the first homes in Indiana to receive LEED for Homes Platinum certification. Through the use of passive house techniques and additional sustainable design strategies this project easily met and surpassed the criteria for LEED. A home energy metric measuring energy per square foot calculation and spreadsheet was created by Allison Bailes III, PhD, to help effectively measure electric and gas usage in a house. AES used ... [continue reading]
Adoption of Passive House building principles is accelerating worldwide. The climate of the various countries where Passive Houses are being built has to be considered carefully for this unique type of design. Fraunhofer-Institute for Building Physics (IBP) has developed, in cooperation with the Passive House Institute US (PHIUS), the WUFI® Passive design software for Passive Houses in North America. The Fraunhofer IBP’s hygrothermal analysis software WUFI® Plus was the basis for ... [continue reading]
There's no doubt that the weatherization world post-ARRA funding is going to be one of challenges. But, when you think about it, the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) wasn't without them even with a plethora of funding. That's why during this morning's opening conference session at the annual National Association For State Community Services Programs (NASCSP) event in Atlanta, Georgia, board president of NASCSP and managing director of the community services and ... [continue reading]
Only a small percentage of older persons live in quarters that are really suited for them. That’s the view of Elektro+, a German association that seeks to market products of the electric industry. The company has some tips for seniors who are planning to build or remodel. [continue reading]
State & Local Energy Report recently released the documentary film, Filling the Gaps: The History of the Weatherization Assistance Program. Produced in partnership with the National Association for State Community Service Programs, it tells the complete story of the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP). Through interviews with the pioneers of WAP, the film shows how a modest plan to put people back to work grew into a sophisticated, technologically driven program that's played a major ... [continue reading]
The latest cover (right) of Home Energy features a photo of a man named Scott Willingham. Scott is pictured while working as part of the Veterans Green Jobs program, which trains veterans to work in the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), as well as other green jobs. [continue reading]
Whether you're working with a homeowner on an energy efficient remodel or simply trying to find ways for them to save money on their energy bills, introducing them to a low flow toilet can be an easy and effective way to meet their needs. Yet, with over 1,000 models on the market today, picking the right one for your client can be challenging. Consider the following questions before you install. [continue reading]
Solar Universe Network, a top five consumer solar company in California, recently announced a strategic partnership with Sunrun that will make affordable solar accessible to more American homeowners. Consumers in six states can now opt for Sunrun’s solar service through Solar Universe’s vast network to avoid the high upfront cost of installing solar. [continue reading]
Recently the California Energy Commission (CEC) put window film on the fast track to get it into the new building code—to be effective in 2014. As the first state in the nation to place window film in the next building code, California has officially recognized window film as a legitimate, cost-effective energy saver. [continue reading]
What’s happening in Japan? Quite a lot according to the 2012 Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings, Tuesday night plenary speaker, Andrew DeWit, Professor in the School of Policy Studies at Rikkyo University. Professor DeWit described nothing less than a battle taking place upon the ruins of the Fukushima power plants, between sustainability and crushing debt; same-old same-old, and the new green economy. [continue reading]
