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All Blog Posts Tagged 'reflectivity' - Home Energy Pros 2017-03-01T20:37:13Z http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profiles/blog/feed?tag=reflectivity&xn_auth=no Art Rosenfeld's Legacy tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2017-02-21:6069565:BlogPost:215220 2017-02-21T17:15:33.000Z Home Energy Magazine http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/HomeEnergyMagazine
 Art Rosenfeld, the father of modern energy efficiency, recently passed away. You may not have heard of Art, but he transformed the way you save energy.

So you want to design an energy-efficient home? You'll need to simulate the home's energy use with a model. Art pioneered the computer-based building simulation model and the procedures for estimating energy savings. These same…

Art Rosenfeld, the father of modern energy efficiency, recently passed away. You may not have heard of Art, but he transformed the way you save energy.

So you want to design an energy-efficient home? You'll need to simulate the home's energy use with a model. Art pioneered the computer-based building simulation model and the procedures for estimating energy savings. These same models enabled states and regions to enact performance-based building codes, which are now used worldwide. Without these models you couldn't be sure that the home would coast through the coldest night, and you couldn't accurately size an air conditioner. Virtually every building simulation tool in existence can ultimately be traced back to Art and his research team at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

That efficient home will need efficient appliances. Art proposed the first minimum-efficiency standards for refrigerators and other major appliances. He tirelessly expounded their virtues in Sacramento, Washington, D.C., Beijing, Moscow, and other capitals around the world. You can credit Art for pushing manufacturers to build refrigerators that now use less than a quarter of the electricity that they used at the beginning of his career, despite being larger and having more-versatile features.

Art was early to recognize the importance of reducing air infiltration to save heating energy. But how do you know whether a house is leaky or tight? Enter the blower door. Art's research program standardized the techniques for measuring air infiltration. But he quickly realized that overtight homes made for unhealthy indoor air quality. So he advocated a linked strategy of house tightening and controlled ventilation. He established an entire research program to ensure that tight homes could be healthy homes, too

Finally, efficient buildings need efficient lighting. Art recruited physicists and engineers to develop a new generation of energy-efficient lights. He's one of the reasons that bulbs nowadays draw one-fifth the power of those old incandescent heaters. As for natural lighting, Art's window research program helped develop superwindows that offer as much insulating value as opaque walls. Innovations like these allow us to have new, zero energy homes that don't look like thermos bottles.

Art was a master at evoking unexpected and unforgettable perspectives on energy policy. How leaky were America's windows? So leaky, he told us, that offsetting the heat lost through those windows required the entire output of the Alaskan oil pipeline. The electricity savings from shifting to more-efficient refrigerators he often expressed in units of avoided nuclear power plants (much to the consternation of utility executives).

Art took notice of early research showing that urban heat islands caused higher temperatures, more smog, and created the need for more power-guzzling air conditioners. In response, he and his collaborators developed new materials to reflect solar radiation. Now when you buy an Energy Star roof, it's cooler—and your home uses less AC—because of Art.

Home Energy were grateful to Art for one of our silent founders and supporters. He embedded our editorial offices in his research program on energy-efficient buildings. This enabled Home Energy staff to easily access the best building scientists (including Art).

I am personally grateful to Art because he shaped my career. Art was a professor, but more important, he was a mentor to legions of students, colleagues, and even strangers. He demonstrated that one can be both great and decent, treating everybody with respect while eagerly sharing his curiosity for all things. These are important lessons for all of us.

Will Art Rosenfeld's legacy persist? Pessimists fear that little of it will endure. I disagree. Yes, there will be hiccups, but Art's contributions will outlive temporary political shifts. And in the meantime, Americans everywhere will be saving energy and dollars, and enjoying healthier indoor and outdoor environments, all thanks to Art Rosenfeld.

- Alan Meier is Senior Executive Editor of Home Energy magazine. This blog originally appeared on www.homeenergy.org.
 Real Flame Silverton Ventless Gel Fireplace - White tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2017-02-17:6069565:BlogPost:215120 2017-02-17T20:04:33.000Z Ajmain Azraf http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/AjmainAzraf
I was looking for a best fire pit for my new home and I found this best fire pit reviews on google. They are awesome reviewer and I convinced to purchase a gel fireplace instead of a fire pit.

I do not just like this fireplace, I absolutely love it! My house does not have an…

I was looking for a best fire pit for my new home and I found this best fire pit reviews on google. They are awesome reviewer and I convinced to purchase a gel fireplace instead of a fire pit.

I do not just like this fireplace, I absolutely love it! My house does not have an in-built wood- burning or gas fireplace and for a long time I thought the only long lasting solution was to install a gas fireplace worth $5000.I also couldn't imagine having to tear my house apart to install a fireplace.

I was so happy when I heard about this Real Flame Silverton Ventless Gel Fireplace. Of course, at first I had my doubts about it just like you would for any item that you have never used and is being sold online.

However, today am really happy that I went ahead to purchase it.

The fireplace looks just exactly as pictured! To me this tops even all the beautiful electric fireplaces I have seen my neighbors with. It is far more stylish and it looks extremely nice and classy. My wife cannot stop talking about the complements she gets from our guests for having this fireplace as an added decoration to our living room.

It looks just like a built-in. It holds three cans of fuel but one is just enough for a beautiful fire. It gives off a wonderful amount of heat that keeps the house really warm. The three cans of fuel burn easily for about three hours. The only thing you should know is that the cans do not burn so well after being snuffed out. We, therefore, do not start a fire unless we have the intention of letting it burn for long enough.

Now here is my favorite part, it CRACKLES!! This adds to the realism of a fireplace with the advantage that there is no smoke and you do not have cleaning up to do. Am glad I got all these for less than $500.I did not have any problem with it from the word go. It arrived well-packaged and the installation process was very easy; I was able to put it together in less than an hour. Just as had been described, I can confirm to you that all the features are real:

1) It is made from solid wood and veneer MDF
 2) It is white
 3) It is safe
 4) It has a powerful flame

purchase includes the hand painted cast-concrete logs and complete spark screen kit, Real Flame gel is an environmentally friendly, clean-burning gel that is toxic-free and leaves no ashes, smoke or even soot behind leaving you with no mess to cleanup.

I also love the fact that environmentally Friendly Real Flame clean-burning gel is safe and tested regularly by quite a number of independent labs. The established standards of (O.S.H.A); Occupational Safety and Health Administration are well put into consideration.
 Real Flame Porter Fireplace in White Finish tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2017-02-16:6069565:BlogPost:215113 2017-02-16T21:29:59.000Z Ajmain Azraf http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/AjmainAzraf
I decided to order this fireplace after seeing the many positive reviews from people who had made purchases. I really needed a fireplace and I felt like this one would serve my needs quite well. I must say that I was not disappointed. It is far much better that I expected and it actually looks better in my living room that in the picture. I would highly recommend this fireplace to anyone. It is just perfect.…

I decided to order this fireplace after seeing the many positive reviews from people who had made purchases. I really needed a fireplace and I felt like this one would serve my needs quite well. I must say that I was not disappointed. It is far much better that I expected and it actually looks better in my living room that in the picture. I would highly recommend this fireplace to anyone. It is just perfect.

This fireplace looks very realistic. It has a way in which it brings the old-fashioned hearth into the modern context to fit into today's contemporary world. It has a clean-burning flame that is very safe. It produces adequate heat that is capable of feeling my house with great warmth even on the chilliest evenings and nights. It constantly keeps my house cozy and homey.

Just as I had read from a previous review it is true that the gel burns very easily and it leaves absolutely no mess to be cleaned up afterwards. There are no ashes, soot or smoke and this helps to maintain the cleanliness of my house. I am such a clean freak and I can only imagine how much time I would be using to clean up, time that I now just use to write articles for my food blog while enjoying the colorful flames from my fireplace. The fire exactly resembles an ordinary log fire by its bright orange, yellow and red flame. It crackles too making me love it even more.

I was a little worried about the gel because no one had written about how it works. It easily burns away slowly and lasts long enough; usually between two and a half to three hours. When I am not interested in letting it burn for so long, like on evenings when I just need to warm up my house a little, I simply put out the flame and replace the cap on the fire gel can. This helps me save it for later use.

When my package arrived, I immediately got to work. I wanted to put it together and try it; I really wanted to see it at work. It took me less than an hour to assemble because it did not have so much work. I am a woman in my late thirties and I found it very easy to build. The instructions were very precise and clear and I really enjoyed the whole process.

Now I am searching for fire pit for my patio. Does anyone here to share his or her experience. I found this article on Best Fire Pit. But I am little confused which one should I choose.
 Hiring BPI BA Professionals in Philadelphia Area tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2017-02-16:6069565:BlogPost:215110 2017-02-16T17:30:00.000Z Robert Post http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/robertpost
Please reach me if interested and we can plan a call to discuss this opportunity. This is a full time residential energy auditor position in the philly area with a national company. Email resume and contact info to: 1robertpost "at" gmail "dot" com.

Please reach me if interested and we can plan a call to discuss this opportunity. This is a full time residential energy auditor position in the philly area with a national company. Email resume and contact info to: 1robertpost "at" gmail "dot" com.
 Demand Response Programs Can Reduce Utilities' Peak Demand by an Average of 10%, Complementing Savings From Energy Efficiency Programs tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2017-02-14:6069565:BlogPost:214885 2017-02-14T23:37:39.000Z Home Energy Magazine http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/HomeEnergyMagazine
 Demand response and energy efficiency programs are complementary: energy efficiency reduces both energy use and peak demand while demand response provides additional peak demand reductions. In this blog, we use data to illustrate the importance of each, including some new data on actual savings from demand response programs.

For more than 20 years, ACEEE has been taking a close look at the energy…

Demand response and energy efficiency programs are complementary: energy efficiency reduces both energy use and peak demand while demand response provides additional peak demand reductions. In this blog, we use data to illustrate the importance of each, including some new data on actual savings from demand response programs.

For more than 20 years, ACEEE has been taking a close look at the energy savings from utility-sector energy efficiency programs. In 2015, we estimate that these programs saved about 200 billion kWh, more than 5% of retail electric sales in the United States that year (based on an analysis of data through 2014 and updated to include 2015 savings). In some leading states, the savings from these programs exceed 10% of retail electric sales already and could reach more than 20% by 2020.

These energy efficiency savings also substantially reduce peak energy demand---the time of the day and year when the demand for electricity is highest. For example, we recently reviewed data reported to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) on energy and peak demand savings for 25 program administrators (those reporting the highest total energy savings in 2015 and that together account for more than half of incremental energy savings in 2015). We found that for each 1% reduction in electric sales for a utility, on a median basis, peak demand reductions from efficiency programs are 0.66% of peak demand for that utility. If these trends hold for additional utilities and future years, it would mean that for a utility that reduces retail sales by 15%, the peak demand savings will be around 10%.

These energy savings and peak demand reductions from energy efficiency programs help reduce system costs and avoid outages. Still, many regions face challenges meeting peak demand. This is where demand response comes in. Demand response refers to the various strategies used to reduce loads during peak periods, and shift these loads to periods with lower power demand. Demand response includes a wide variety of strategies including interruptible rates, air conditioner and water heater cycling programs, and pricing programs such as peak time rebates. In a variety of prior studies, ACEEE has estimated that demand response programs can be used to reduce peak demand by 10% or more (for example see our studies on Ohio and South Carolina). These savings are above and beyond the peak savings from energy efficiency programs that we discuss above.

Now that utilities have been running demand response programs for a decade or more, we can assess how much these programs actually save. We looked at energy efficiency and demand response savings data for 2015 (the most recent year available) collected by the EIA, a branch of the US Department of Energy. For demand response, EIA collects two types of numbers – potential and actual reductions measured in megawatts (MW). Potential peak demand savings refers to the total demand savings that could occur at the time of the system peak hour assuming all of an individual utility's in-place demand response strategies are used. Actual peak demand savings are demand reductions achieved by demand response activities, measured at the time of the company's annual system peak hour. Actual savings address the fact that many utilities did not activate all demand response capability in 2015. We looked at all utilities that reported potential demand response savings of 200 MW or more – a total of 28 utilities. These 28 utilities represent 64% of the potential demand response savings reported to EIA, and 58% of the actual reductions reported to EIA.

For these 28 utilities, we found that potential demand response savings ranged from 2-27% of the utility's peak demand, with 10% peak demand savings being the average. Of the 28 utilities, 59% reported potential peak demand savings of 10% or more. Data on the top dozen utilities are reported in the figure below. Actual demand response savings ranged from 0%-24% of utility peak demand, with an average of 4%. Four utilities reported actual demand response savings of more than 10% of their peak demand. Only two utilities reported actual reductions equal to 100% of their potential demand reductions while eight of these utilities either reported zero actual savings or did not provide actual savings data. Of the 25 utilities providing actual savings data, 10 used at least half of their available potential reductions.

These data are reported by each utility to EIA and may contain errors. We did delete a few utilities for which there were obvious errors (a few utilities reported demand response savings in excess of their peak demand!). Further exploration of these data would be useful, such as a better understanding of why some utilities used most of their demand response resources and others very little. For example, utilities that are long on capacity are probably less likely to call much of their available demand response resource. Still, this initial analysis does illustrate that utilities with extensive demand response programs can achieve reductions of more than 10% of system peak if they choose to use these resources.

You can find the data on the 28 utilities with potential demand reductions of 200 MW or more here.

Steven Nadel is the executive director of ACEEE.

This blog was reprinted with permission. You can find the original post here.
 Energy Solutions for a Resilient Future: Q&A with Josh Notes of greeNEWit tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2017-02-08:6069565:BlogPost:214658 2017-02-08T21:36:54.000Z Home Energy Magazine http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/HomeEnergyMagazine
 Home Energy publisher Tom White recently spoke with Josh Notes, co-founder and managing partner of greeNEWit. Among many other accomplishments, greeNEWit was recognized by the EPA with a 2016 ENERGY STAR Contractor of the Year Award for its outstanding efforts to increase the adoption of energy-efficient products in homes.

greeNEWit, an ENERGY STAR partner since 2009, was honored for helping…

Home Energy publisher Tom White recently spoke with Josh Notes, co-founder and managing partner of greeNEWit. Among many other accomplishments, greeNEWit was recognized by the EPA with a 2016 ENERGY STAR Contractor of the Year Award for its outstanding efforts to increase the adoption of energy-efficient products in homes.

greeNEWit, an ENERGY STAR partner since 2009, was honored for helping improve home comfort, energy efficiency, and safety while lowering residential energy bills.

Q&A with Josh Notes

Tom White: Tell me about your motivations for forming greeNEWit in 2008. A lot has changed in both the housing industry and home performance.

Josh Notes: I was a young, hungry entrepreneur in a couple of different business fields. Once I went to business school at University of Maryland, I really started focusing in on real estate. Specifically real estate that was primed for adaptive reuse or improvements of neighborhoods.

I spent many days driving to the city of Baltimore and really learning about poverty and neglected populations that were only 15 minutes from where I grew up. That experience really helped shape our entry point for greeNEWit because we were acquiring houses that were projected to be worth $30 to $50,000. But when the market tumbled, it ended up being more like single-digit thousands of dollars. We had legal bills that were in excess of the equity in the building. It really was a life lesson in a bubble and it affected all parts of a community. Fast forwarding, I owned a bunch of real estate that was dilapidated in a city that would be hardest hit because it has some of the most at-risk members of our society. Out of that, myself and few business partners formulated the idea that there was money locked in buildings through energy waste. That's where the birth child of greeNEWit came from. As we drove through the cities of Baltimore and Columbia, there was value locked in people's attics and basements. Then we went out and got educated as building science experts and really allowed our vision to turn into a reality.

We didn't quite understand how complex the industry would be even for a small industry, but also how important.

TW: Where do you see the growth for your company?

JN: We see growth in two business models: residential and commercial. All the multifamily is included in that. We have taken a comprehensive approach to the energy solution that starts with the existing building shell. Once that is upgraded, stabilized, and maintained, we shift towards renewables and resiliency, which is really the topic that we're hoping to focus on. How sustainable is the community without resilience? Solar plus storage provides, from a power perspective, a resilient shield. Critical systems can be kept up and maintained in case of an emergency, which is when you would usually need it the most.

Resilient homes is where greeNEWit is heading but we're still getting there the old-fashioned way of one house, one building at a time. We're looking at the entire profile and now painting the picture of what that could look like, while getting a gauge from the customer on how far they are looking to go, from an efficient and sustainable home to a resilient one.

TW: What is the learning process moving from single family into multifamily and commercial?

JN: It's effectively created a second business. We operate all of our overhead under one roof. The time for cash conversion is different, the financing options are different. The way the buildings are collateralized and value is different. The root of it is the asset of real estate. We've tried to really become experts in not just the energy of commercial buildings but understanding what it's like to own them and how that could affect the changes from owner to manager to tenant.

TW:  Part of the Home Performance ENERGY STAR award was for your expertise in working with air-conditioning professionals to connect them to the program, and partnering with subcontractors to support their completing more than 100 home performance projects.

JN: We've found there are quality HVAC partners out there, but only a small percentage of HVAC contractors that were aware, engaged, or have attempted home performance but they are not focused on it. And from their own regard, not successful at it being worth their time, but they believed in it. We have tried to remove that burden of operational success, in exchange for marketing, and sharing profits downstream in an equitable way. So, effectively, every town, city, smallville, has an HVAC partner that's hopefully approaching that market with a sustainable mindset that they're reducing energy and they're helping people in the hottest times, the coldest times of the year to be more comfortable.

TW: How are you finding interest in the market on going from home performance to smart homes? How are you seeing people engage with home automation devices?

JN: I've seen that emerge more as a Fitbit for the home gadget-driven kind of techie. It hasn't aligned with the "My kid is cold and that's why I'm doing this," person who spends $5,000 or $10,000 on a retrofit, as opposed to $300 to monitor the temperature in that room, but doesn't do anything to fix it. We're kind of jumping past tech gadgets for the purpose of just knowing, and really getting more into the ones that people are willing to pay more for that provide an extra shield around the home.

Learn more:

www.greenewit.com

www.energystar.gov/campaign/improvements

This blog originally appeared on www.homeenergy.org.
 Top Safest Ways To Remove Crawl Space Mold tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2017-01-30:6069565:BlogPost:214208 2017-01-30T21:20:46.000Z Adam Swain http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/AdamSwain
Living in a home with a crawl space can be an adventure some times. And those of us that do have a crawl space know all too well the costly problems that a crawl space can bring. One of the worst of all crawl space problems is mold growth. Crawl spaces can be a breeding ground for mold. The main reason for this is because of the fact that many crawl spaces are prone to moisture and water. Reducing or eliminating…

Living in a home with a crawl space can be an adventure some times. And those of us that do have a crawl space know all too well the costly problems that a crawl space can bring. One of the worst of all crawl space problems is mold growth. Crawl spaces can be a breeding ground for mold. The main reason for this is because of the fact that many crawl spaces are prone to moisture and water. Reducing or eliminating excessive moisture and water in the crawl space can go a long way in helping reduce your chances of mold growth. But if you are one of the unfortunate homeowners who already has mold growth, you might be asking yourself what the best possible method for removing it is.

Most crawl space mold remediation services are not only costly, but they tend to also be performed by using an array of potentially harmful chemicals. In fact some of these mold remediation techniques require homeowners to vacate their house during the process and can even leave long lasting odors in the upstairs living areas. But removing crawl space mold no longer has to be so costly or so dangerous. There is a relatively new process for removing crawl space mold that eliminates much of these health concerns for homeowners. This safer, greener process of removing crawl space mold is called the Carolina Protocol. The Carolina Protocol utilizes a non-toxic application that is applied to the mold growth. The application used is an 8% hydrogen peroxide and 92% water mixture.

How Does It Work
 The 8% hydrogen peroxide mixture that is applied to the areas of mold growth works by destroying the mold growth itself through a process known as oxidation. To understand oxidation one needs to simply think back on the last time they applied hydrogen peroxide to a cut or scrape. If you remember doing this then you should remember seeing some type of bubbling action take place after applying hydrogen peroxide to the cut. This bubbling action is the bacteria in the cut being destroyed by the hydrogen peroxide or in other words being destroyed by oxidation. Although the hydrogen peroxide used on the cut is of a much less strength, the same process that destroys the bacteria in the cut is the same process that destroys the mold growth. These process cuts down on not only cost, but also reduces the harmful impacts that other methods use. Although there are usually a few additional steps that include HEPA Vaccums and cleaning, the overall time, cost, and health concerns associated with crawl space mold removal are greatly reduced.

Adam Swain
 SwainCo. Crawl Space and Basement Repair
 Five Former Solar Decathletes Who Became Entrepreneurs tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2017-01-30:6069565:BlogPost:214194 2017-01-30T17:41:27.000Z Home Energy Magazine http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/HomeEnergyMagazine

[This blog was reprinted with permission from the Solar Decathlon Blog.]

It's no surprise that many of the top-notch students who have participated in the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon go on to have successful careers in architecture and engineering. Some become…

[This blog was reprinted with permission from the Solar Decathlon Blog.]

It's no surprise that many of the top-notch students who have participated in the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon go on to have successful careers in architecture and engineering. Some become collegiate professors, software engineers, analysts, energy consultants, and much more. We even have a newly elected official among our ranks—Chris Kennedy of the University of Colorado Boulder 2002's first-place team—who won Colorado's 23rd District State House race last month.

Given that more than 30,000 students have participated in the Solar Decathlon around the globe, it would be impossible to highlight all of the incredible things former decathletes have gone on to do in their careers. Still, it would be a shame not to mention several of the innovative entrepreneurs that have grown out of the competition. That's why we chose a handful of individuals who are founders, co-founders, or CEOs of their own companies to feature in this blog post.

Addison Godine, Founder and CEO of livelight

Once a key team member of the Middlebury College 2011 Solar Decathlon team, Addison went on to become the founder and CEO of livelight in Boston, Massachusetts. This company is working to develop a construction system that combines efficient prefabricated housing modules with a site-built "exoskeleton" to create a new model for urban housing that working people can afford.

Allison Kopf, Founder and CEO of Agrilyst

The project manager for Team California's Solar Decathlon 2009 entry is the founder and CEO of Agrilyst, a farm management and analytics platform for indoor farms. The company's SaaS platform tracks and analyzes all farm data in one place, enabling growers to optimize plant performance and reduce operating expenses. Agrilyst won the highly coveted Disrupt Cup at TechCrunch Disrupt SF in 2015 and was named one of FastCompany's Most Innovative Companies in 2016. Allison was recently named the Association for Vertical Farming's 2016 Changemaker of the Year.

Cole Hershkowitz, Founder and CEO at Chai Energy

Before launching Chai Energy, Cole led California Institute of Technology's Solar Decathlon 2013 team to a second-place finish in the Engineering Contest. Caltech's house featured a first-of-its-kind, gestural home control system equipped with Machine Vision and 3D maps to allow homeowners to turn off appliances with a simple point of the finger. His latest venture gives homeowners the ability to reduce their utility bill by leveraging smart meter data, analytics, and a great user experience.

David G. Schieren, CEO SunPower by EmPower

As the CEO of EmPower, David leads a company that installs high-performance solar energy and battery systems for homeowners and businesses. David and EmPower co-founder Gregory Sachs engineered, installed, and operated a solar hydrogen fuel cell and battery power plant for the New York Institute of Technology's Solar Decathlon 2005 team. Since then, their company has gone on to install more than 1,500 solar PV systems for New Yorkers. EmPower also hosts an annual Solar Student Competition for local high school students. To date, this student competition has awarded more than $8,000 in scholarships.

Derek Ouyang, Lecturer at Stanford University and the Nueva Upper School, Founder at Cloud Arch Studio

Derek was part of Stanford University's effort to compete in Solar Decathlon 2013 (check out his impressive TEDx talk here). After earning a dual bachelor's in civil engineering and architectural design and a master's in structural engineering, Derek began working on sustainable solutions for the built environment through teaching and practice. He teaches a project-based learning course at the core of a new Sustainable Urban Systems graduate program at Stanford, as well as an Introduction to Architecture class at a local high school. Derek also started his own design company, which engages a global network of designers and engineers in community-focused projects such as sustainable resources, affordable housing, and creative placemaking.

These past decathletes turned entrepreneurs—and their peers—are worth knowing about, connecting with, and being inspired by. You can browse more than 500 professional profiles associated with the competition by searching LinkedIn for Solar Decathlon. Also follow us on Facebook or Twitter to continue hearing about the great things solar decathletes are sure to accomplish in the future.

- Alexis Powers

Alexis Powers is a senior web project manager and social media strategist with Confluence Communications.

 Fireplaces: The Different Types and Uses tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2017-01-30:6069565:BlogPost:213997 2017-01-30T06:35:12.000Z Alfie Davis http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/AlfieDavis
The word "fireplace" conjures up images of an extension of the living room wall; one which houses a space where a stack of wooden logs slowly burn and crackle while giving out a steady stream of heat which is greedily soaked in by the inhabitants of that room. Quite naturally, the fireplace is a characteristic of homes which exist in colder climates, such as many parts of Canada. So naturally, images of a wood-burning fireplace is guaranteed to transport one back to childhood…

The word "fireplace" conjures up images of an extension of the living room wall; one which houses a space where a stack of wooden logs slowly burn and crackle while giving out a steady stream of heat which is greedily soaked in by the inhabitants of that room. Quite naturally, the fireplace is a characteristic of homes which exist in colder climates, such as many parts of Canada. So naturally, images of a wood-burning fireplace is guaranteed to transport one back to childhood when one feasted on British classics authored by the likes of Dickens, Wells, Austen and Wodehouse, among others. There is, however, more than just the wood-burning variety of fireplaces. You have, for instance, the gas burning fireplace, ethanol fireplace and electric fireplace. These are the basic broad divisions, and each one of them has multiple sub-divisions. Information courtesy: The Original Flame. All of this is written down below in complete detail:

Wood Burning Fireplace: As mentioned in the introduction, the wood burning fireplace is what comes first and foremost to mind while picturing a fire-place. However, 'wood burning fireplace' is not a homogenous category. It boasts of these sub-types:

The Traditional Open Hearth: These have traditionally been made from brick and mortar (sometimes stone or marble). Although this is possibly the most popular one in the history of fireplaces, it is fairly expensive and difficult to build. A really deep open-hearth fireplace is really time-taking; especially the opening and the chimney. This is also not the best kind of fireplace that there could be when you want a really warm living room.

Enclosed Fireplaces: This is the diametric opposite of the open-hearth fireplace, as is very evident from the name itself. The most prominent feature of this fireplace is a huge see-through glass panel which would enable you to enjoy the flames of the fire as it simmered and crackled. In this design, the heat is insulated to a large extent so that it stays in the room rather than escaping up the chimney.

Fireplace Inserts: Here you add more wood to the fireplace through 'inserts' which are fitted into the structure of the fireplace.

 Gas Burning Fireplaces: Fireplaces which run on gas generate much more heat in comparison to the ones which run on wood. This, in fact, has been the most prevalent logic peddled by gas fireplace suppliers while selling customers their ware. And owing to the fact that they're not as construction-intensive as wood-burning fireplaces are, they are much less expensive. The sub-types for this variety are as follows:

Built-in Fireplaces with a Direct Vent: Here, you can actually see the leaping of large yellow flames which gives out the feel of a wood fireplace. The main advantage of this kind of fireplace is that with it, you can make do without getting a chimney constructed. You can even stick in a pipe and use it as a vent for the smoke generated. And this is a kind of chimney that can be installed in any room.

Fireplaces without Vent: These are, as the name suggests, have no vents. These are built-in fireplaces indoors which have no need for any chimney. These are the easiest to install; even easier than the ones with the direct vents.

Ethanol Fireplaces: Contemporary in design and remarkably easy to install, ethanol fireplaces are all the rage in today's world. And the best part about them is that you can always find a design which would be perfectly compatible with every kind of interior decoration and colour scheme. They are perfect if you seek clean burning that's also completely devoid of any odour. It is also the most eco-friendly of all fireplaces. Without further delay, we're going to jump straight into the collection of sub-types:

Wall Mounted Fireplace: This is a kind of portable fireplace which can be put up anywhere you will for it to be displayed. And because of this 'hanging' feature, it can be of excellent use as a substitute for fine painting or any other kinds of art which are frequently used as wall hangings. When hung the correct way, it can be a substitute for a television when it comes to a centrepiece of a room.

Fireplace Conversion: This is where you make use of an existing fireplace and convert it into an ethanol-burning one. All you have to do is slide in an ethanol insert which can sport either a contemporary or a traditional look.

Tabletop Fireplaces: Tabletop fireplaces sport a variety of sizes, so that they can be used in a large variety of settings. These are easily portable, and they are much like the wall-mounted fireplaces with the only difference being that they have to be put down or placed upon a plain surface.

Electrical Fireplace: These are the most cost-effective options out of the ones listed on here. Here you could easily choose to turn the heating switch on or off while still maintaining a fireplace-like ambience. Below are the two different kinds of electric fireplaces:

The Mantel Variety of Electric Fireplace: These have the facade of a wooden fireplace, the old, yesteryears, nostalgia-invoking kind. But in stark contrast to an actual open-hearth fireplace, this requires very little venting or chimney. Thus with this you get the best of both worlds.

Fireplace TV Stands and Centres of Entertainment: A few companies are known to make furniture which come combined with a built-in fireplace.

And with that, we end our list of the various types of fireplaces in the market till date.
 CPV and PV combinated module tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2017-01-27:6069565:BlogPost:214082 2017-01-27T01:38:39.000Z EDDIE CHUNG http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/EDDIECHUNG

 CPV module that insert PV cell in dead space out of focal point may be a perfect area to enhance module overall efficiency over 40% developed by Hanul Solar Energy in Seoul.

Applicable to a monsoon environmental condition that would generate either concentrated sun or…

 CPV module that insert PV cell in dead space out of focal point may be a perfect area to enhance module overall efficiency over 40% developed by Hanul Solar Energy in Seoul.

Applicable to a monsoon environmental condition that would generate either concentrated sun or not.
 Energy Star Contractor of the Year Award Q&A: AZ Energy Efficient Home tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2017-01-20:6069565:BlogPost:214149 2017-01-20T21:25:34.000Z Home Energy Magazine http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/HomeEnergyMagazine
 Each year, EPA honors a select group of organizations that have made outstanding contributions to protecting the environment through superior energy efficiency.

Contractor of the Year is awarded to Home Performance with Energy Star participating contractors who exhibit outstanding professionalism, build strong customer relationships, and apply building science solutions to improve homes.

We were…

Each year, EPA honors a select group of organizations that have made outstanding contributions to protecting the environment through superior energy efficiency.

Contractor of the Year is awarded to Home Performance with Energy Star participating contractors who exhibit outstanding professionalism, build strong customer relationships, and apply building science solutions to improve homes.

We were able to speak to one of the winners of this award from AZ Energy Efficient Home whose company boasts the following accomplishments:

Developed partnerships with HVAC and solar companies to widen the service offerings available to customers while maintaining focus on the fundamental objective to make homes more efficient.

Were on the forefront of technological advances, including adapting the Home Performance XML data standard (HPXML) and participating in multiple user acceptance testing initiatives for Arizona Public Service including; EnergySavvy software, third-party energy audit modeling, building characterization, and a static pressure study.

Achieved exceptional customer satisfaction and quality of work. They report zero failures within the program.

Average approximately 28 million British thermal units for Home Performance with ENERGY STAR.

Business Profile

Years in business: 7
Nonprofit or for-profit? For profit
Average number of home energy audits completed per year: 270
Average number of home performance jobs completed per year: 90
Average home performance job size: $9,000
Required staff certifications: BPI Building Analyst, Healthy Home Evaluator, Manufactured Housing & LEED

Q&A

We spoke with AZ Energy Efficient Home's president Jonathan Waterworth, who started the company in 2009 after learning about the Building Performance Institute (BPI) while achieving his LEED accreditation. AZ Energy Efficient Home was one of the first companies in Arizona to provide home performance services, and is now the longest participating company in the state.

Macie Melendez (MM): Is this the company's first industry award?

Jonathan Waterworth (JW): Yes, the 2016 Energy Star Contractor of the Year Award is our first award and it is very special to us for the fact that it's validation for all the great work we have provided our customers and the hard work our employees performed for the past six years.

MM: What do you think makes your company stand out?

JW: I feel what makes us stand out is our customer service and delivery of performance. We ask our employees to treat our customer's home like it is their own and to leave it cleaner than we found it. Our customers are always complimentary of our employees and that is an indication of success.

MM: What advice do you have for other companies in our industry?

JW: Give your personnel the ability to achieve their best and put the customer first.

MM: What one thing do you think is crucial to the home performance industry's success?

JW: We have to have the participation from sponsors with strict quality control and high expectations so that we as contractors can continue to push the envelope while maintaining a high standard of performance.

MM: What does success look like for your company in 10 years?

JW: Success for us will be providing the continued level of customer satisfaction and performance while providing more services for our customers as the knowledge and technology in our industry expands.

- Macie Melendez

Macie Melendez is Home Energy's managing editor.

This blog originally appeared on www.homeenergy.org.
 Rock Wool Insulation for Floor of High Performance Tiny House tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2017-01-12:6069565:BlogPost:213470 2017-01-12T10:30:00.000Z Chris Laumer-Giddens http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/ChrisLaumerGiddens

VIDEO: Foundation and Floor Framing for High Performance Tiny House, Florida

In August of 2016, we posted a video describing the design and construction of the foundation and floor framing of our High Performance Tiny…

VIDEO: Foundation and Floor Framing for High Performance Tiny House, Florida

In August of 2016, we posted a video describing the design and construction of the foundation and floor framing of our High Performance Tiny House in Florida. Since then, we have made a lot of progress. We've also prioritized the design and construction of an off-grid, "zombie proof" homestead, and its permaculture farm, in the mountains of North Carolina, which kept us from sharing our experiences and shedding our knowledge on the blog! Alas, here is an update. Welcome to today's post!

WHERE WE LEFT OFF AT THE TINY HOUSE...

Whether you're seeing the video for the first time, or not, you heard me talk about insulating both the cavities and continuously on the outside of the sheathing. What I hope you picked up on, in the video, is that to achieve that continuity with the sheathing, we built the floor in sections, and upside down.

If we had set the floor joists on the masonry foundation wall, first, the sheathing would have been interrupted by the double sill plates on top of the masonry. This detail would have been much more complicated to deal with, but still doable.

By keeping the sheathing continuous, on the outside of the structure, we maintain continuity of our control layers, which gives us a "perfect" enclosure. And, by having continuous insulation, that has the appropriate hygrothermic (drying potential) and thermal properties, on the outside of the sheathing, we've protected the structure from exposure to the elements. This helps prevent LOTS of things that cause building failure (e.g. Rot, Mold, Freeze, Thaw, etc.), not to mention keeps us comfortable inside the house (This is a very good thing).

Image 1: Perfect Building Enclosure - Continuity is an absolute necessity to maintain a perfect enclosure.

ROCK WOOL INSULATION WORKS FOR FRAMED FLOOR, WALL AND ROOF/CEILING.

I've mentioned before why I like building with rocks. While it's not practical to use rocks for everything in the structure of the home, rocks could be the best ways to insulate. From the drying potential, as illustrated in the video below, and described in this blog post from July 2016, to the R-Value that increases as the temperature drops, to the fact that rocks don't burn, there are fewer and fewer reasons to NOT insulate with rocks.

VIDEO: ROXUL Comfortboard Drying Potential

After finishing the floor framing, we were ready for insulation. We started by insulating the cavities with 6" Batts (R-26.4 max at colder temperatures), and then installed the continuous 2" rigid (R-8.8 max at colder temperatures) rock wool insulation on the outside of the sheathing. As I mention in the "perfect enclosure" blog post, the walls and the roof were insulated the exact same way. Four (4") to six (6") inches of cavity insulation, with two (2) inches of continuous rigid insulation on the outside.

In a later post, I will explain the many reasons why using ONLY continuous exterior rigid insulation, with absolutely NO batt insulation in the cavities, is absolutely the most effective and simple way to insulate a building. HANDS DOWN. For now, we'll talk about using rock wool insulation batts in the cavities, too.

Here are pics from the installing the rock wool insulation batts and rigid board, before, during and after, at the High Performance Tiny House (Florida).

Image 2: 6" (TH) x 16" (W) x 48" (L) batts, with R-Value of 26.4 (at colder temperatures) were used in the floor and roof/ceiling cavities. We installed 4" batts, with R-Value of 17.6 (at colder temperatures), in the wall cavities.

Image 3: Rock wool insulation batts are unfaced, and maintain rigidity well when not handled more than necessary.

Image 4: Making sure there are absolutely no gaps or compression when installing insulation batts must be done, without exception, to achieve the maximum thermal resistance potential, and to maintain durability of the assembly. Gaps between the insulation and framing, or between individual batts, can lead to trapping or passage of unwanted moisture, as well as decreased thermal performance. Where the batt meets the sheathing is one of the most challenging, because you can't see it. But, that doesn't mean it can't be done right. Follow instructions!

Image 5: Carefully setting each batt in each cavity.

Image 6: Installing the batts vertically against the rim joist, will maintain continuity of the thermal layer with the exterior wall that will be built directly above. Continuity is KING! Trimming the insulation is done easily with an insulation knife, or in this case, a hacksaw.

Image 7: Leaving 1/4" to 3/8" of insulation above the top of the joist will ensure that the insulation will remain in contact with the subfloor sheathing, without reducing R-Value through compression.

Image 8: Looking down at the cantilevered corner of the framed floor. The vertical insulation continues around the perimeter of the structure.

Image 9: The batts are friction fit in to each cavity, and make a nice "blanket" of woven rocks.

Image 10: Because the joists are 2x10, there will be a gap between the top of the insulation and the bottom of the sub-floor. This works because continuous air, vapor and thermal control layers (sheathing and insulation) are outside of the bottom of the joists, instead of on top. This gap was not allowed in earlier building codes, but is now acceptable because it's understood to perform very well. This gap is within the thermal envelope, and part of the conditioned space.

Image 11: Continuous two-inch (2") rigid rock wool insulation on the outside of the continuous sheathing that's attached to the bottom of the floor joists, which is an all-in-one air, vapor and water control layer (ZIP System Sheathing). The insulation completes the assembly's critical control layers, by controlling heat (thermal). On the other side (top) of the continuous sheathing is where the rock wool insulation batts are installed (see Images 2 - 10).

For more on designing and building high performance homes, whether they're tiny or "zombie proof", be sure to read more of this blog, and follow along.

Thank you,

Chris Laumer-Giddens
 Multifamily houses retrofit- steam heating system boost. tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2017-01-12:6069565:BlogPost:204282 2017-01-12T06:30:00.000Z Igor Zhadanovsky http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/IgorZhadanovsky

Problem scale. Significant, untapped opportunities exist to improve the energy efficiency of the nation's multifamily housing stock, which accounts annually for more than 100 million tons of carbon emissions and approximately $22 billion in energy expenditures [1]. Most multifamily rental properties were constructed before modern building energy codes were adopted, and existing utility incentive and rebate programs often overlook the…

Problem scale. Significant, untapped opportunities exist to improve the energy efficiency of the nation's multifamily housing stock, which accounts annually for more than 100 million tons of carbon emissions and approximately $22 billion in energy expenditures [1]. Most multifamily rental properties were constructed before modern building energy codes were adopted, and existing utility incentive and rebate programs often overlook the multifamily sector in deploying energy efficiency incentives and rebates. These factors combine to produce an aging building stock that has received comparatively low investment from utilities to conduct energy efficiency improvements. Harnessing opportunities to improve energy efficiency in the multifamily housing sector can provide significant benefits to multifamily residents, property owners, and local communities.

Steam heating is used heavily in multifamily houses - of the 16.7 million multifamily housing units nationwide—defined as five or more units—2.5 million are steam heated [2].

A 2009 NYSERDA survey of 63 arbitrarily-selected existing multifamily buildings found 46 (73%) to be heated with steam boilers, and six additional buildings (9.5%) heated with purchased steam, for a total of 82.5% of the buildings heated with steam. Of these 52 steam-heated buildings, 32 have 2-pipe distribution (62% of steam-heated buildings) and 10 have 1-pipe distribution (19% of steam-heated buildings). Most of these buildings are 20 years older or more, but the tradition of steam heat is so strong, that even relatively new buildings, as recent as five years old, have been found to be designed and built with steam boilers [3]. 2013 report on multifamily houses in Chicago region indicate portion of steam heat ~50% [4].

Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships 2014 report on multifamily properties indicated that "… in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic region, the small multifamily housing sector accounts for approximately 2.1 million occupied housing units out of a total of 26 million total housing units". 69% and 39% of these buildings were built before 1980 and 1960 correspondingly, so similar statistic of ~50% or higher can be expected for steam heating throughout Northeast and Mid-Atlantic of US [5].

Steam heating retrofits – tentative solutions

Genuine drawback of steam heating is uneven heat distribution and overheating –it's a reason why steam heated buildings typically pictured with open windows. Attempts to balance steam distribution system using air vents [6, 7] and Temperature Regulating Valve (TRV) [8] were not successful. Recently introduced "smart' radiator cover address room overheating rather than the whole heat distribution problem [9], another disadvantage is switching from radiation to convection heating by air which is significant loss in efficiency and comfort.

Building envelope method is supported heavily by government incentives, but return of investment can exceed 100 years [10]. Furthermore, it's not unusual that homes are damaged as a result of improperly installed insulation and windows - doing the right thing the wrong way may be worse than doing nothing at all [11].

Today steam heating conversion into hot water heating considered the best practice. The lessons learned from successful steam to HWH retrofit project were summarized as follows: "Over the years, many of us in the New York City multifamily energy efficiency world have talked about how cool it would be to convert steam-heated buildings to hydronic heating. The problem is not one of will but one of money. Changing the boiler is not the big deal—it's the heating distribution system that is the challenge. … Plenty of these conversions have been done in the last 20 years in buildings that were gut rehabs. These jobs did not always get the best boilers, or insulation in the walls, but they did get a more efficient heating distribution. The real challenge was to convert a building with steam heat, with tenants in place [12]."

Short history of vacuum heating

Back in the 1900s the conversion of single-pipe steam heating into vacuum heating on average saved 35% on fuel bills [13]. LEED Gold Empire State Building is still heated by original vacuum heating system of 1931, like many others less noticeable. How many of modern heating systems will be around in 2100? 2150?

The main idea of vacuum heating is pulling water vapor from boiler into radiators by vacuum at 5-10 psi pressure difference instead of pushing air via air vents on radiators by steam at 1-2psi. In old vacuum systems for this purpose each radiator was connected to vacuum pump in a basement. In order to prevent hot vapor entering into vacuum pump, special valves were used on radiators in single-pipe systems, and steam traps on condensate return line from each radiator in two-pipe system. Those fault prone specialty valves/steam traps became Achilles' heel of vacuum heating. Failure of a single one out of a hundreds causes vacuum pump overloading and deteriorate the system performance.

Hot water circulators entering into the market in 1920th reduced piping size and installation cost of hydronic systems. Vacuum heating lost the market to hydronic mostly because of maintanence cost, i.e. steam traps problems, but remains a system of choice for high-rise buildings where hydronic require mechanical floors every 15-20 floors for pumping stations.

NextGen vacuum heating

Conversion from steam heating into new vacuum heating system can provide the level of improvements similar to old results; but without steam traps it is simpler, easier, cheaper and require much less maintenance . Technology is not as trendy as solar or heat pump, but it is more practical. The approach is analogous to the fine tuning of the motor in a car instead of trashing it and buying Hybrid or Tesla.

In the winter of 2013-14, a pilot retrofit of a single-pipe steam heating system confirmed fuel gas savings for different systems used to heat the same apartment –Table 1. Energy efficiency of the original single pipe steam system (~100 years old boiler, piping and radiators) was compared to the same boiler connected to new flat panel radiators by copper/plastic lines; the same comparison was carried later on new regular steam boiler. Up to 50% in savings was demonstrated by the retrofit into a vacuum heating system and in a winter of 2014 -15 results were confirmed [14-18].

Although potential savings are quite attractive, replacing radiators and plumbing still looks risky for owners of steam heating buildings. Therefore, a study was carried out on "vacuum boost" of a single-pipe steam heating system using the existing boiler and with minimal retrofit cost and changes to the existing piping/radiators. This may allow your "old clunker" to surprise you for a long time ahead with energy efficiency and the forgotten comfort of radiant heating. The study was carried on the same boiler/single-pipe steam heating system/apartment of 2013-14 setup on second floor of two-family house. The boiler starts in a vacuum and continues to fill the system with steam until the pressuretrol cut-in setting is achieved (2 psig). It oscillates further at a positive pressure between pressuretrol cut-in and cut-out settings. When the thermostat switches the boiler off, the vacuum pump maintains a vacuum in the system for another 1.5 hours to pull more heat from the boiler. In Figure 1, the annual HDD and heating cost data are presented for both floors, starting from the winter of 2012-13. Because no changes were made to the original single-pipe heating system on first floor, it is used as a base line to compare results. The heating cost for the first floor is used as a base level to estimate the effects of the heating system retrofit on the second floor. The heating cost data, presented in Table 2, are used to estimate potential savings from "vacuum boost" of steam heating. When both apartments were heated by steam, the heating cost ratio was 1:1.19. When system was retrofitted into a two-pipe vacuum heating system, the ratio dropped to 1:0.64, which correspond to an energy efficiency increase of 46.4% ((1.19-0.64)/1.19). These results were achieved with a new boiler/radiators/piping. During the 2015-16 winter, the retrofitting of a single-pipe steam system on the second floor apartment into a steam system with a "vacuum boost dropped the ratio to 1:0.81, which corresponds to an energy efficiency increase of 32.0% ((1.19-0.0.81)/1.19). Assuming that the effect of upgrading the boiler is 16% (please, see Table 1), the effect of the

"vacuum boost" is in the range of another 16%. Please note that the calculated ratios were not affected by changing fuel gas prices.

Results discussion

 Water lost from the new vacuum system was negligible – 1-2 gallons in winters of 2013-14 and 2014-15 (water in vapor form was evacuated by vacuum pump along with air). It turned out that water lost from the "vacuum boost" steam heating system was even less, - the same water level was kept in a boiler throughout the 2015-16 winter. pH = 8 was found in routine water analysis. The less time the vacuum pump is on, the less water loss there is. Ideally, no water will be lost from a leak tight system.

Radiators replacement. SIRA modern cast aluminum flat panel radiators were tested as a space saving, economical alternative to old cast iron ones. Pictures and IR images (40 minutes after the boiler cold started in the morning) of an old cast iron and new cast aluminum radiator are shown in Figure 2, - top and bottom, correspondingly. Cast aluminum radiators are modular (five sections were added to a standard size of twelve sections in a picture), and warranted for up to 20. The difference in IR images is quite transparent in favor of SIRA radiators

Retrofit complexity. Notorious vacuum system problem of steam traps malfunctions and painstaking maintenance can be eliminated by "vacuum boost" concept. Retrofit of an existing vacuum system would be the easiest with minor changes to piping and controls. Applying a "vacuum boost" for a two-pipe system would still require adding a vacuum pump and some changes to plumbing. Expected saving are between 32 and 46, more savings might be achieved in bigger project where effect of uneven heat distribution is more significant.

Further projects.

I'm looking for steam heated multifamily house to be retrofitted into a "vacuum boost" heating system. The least difficult/expensive project would be carried out on an "old style" vacuum heating system followed by two-pipe heating system, and a single-pipe heating system with easily accessible piping.

Project audit, management, financing (with no upfront cost to owner), design and execution may be available through US and Canada.

Contact email@example.com with any questions or interest.

References:

Andrea Krukowski, Andrew C. Burr "Energy Transparency in the Multifamily Housing Sector Assessing Energy Benchmarking and Disclosure Policies" Institute for Market Transformation December, 2012

MULTIFAMILY PERFORMANCE PROGRAM Case Study – Existing Buildings Steam Boiler System Replacements

Ian Shapiro "Water & Energy Use in Steam-Heated Buildings", ASHRAE magazine 2010,

Jayne Choi, Peter Ludwig, and Larry Brand "Steam System Balancing and Tuning for Multifamily Residential Buildings in Chicagoland" Partnership for Advanced Residential Retrofit, August 2012

Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships "Increasing Energy Efficiency in Small Multifamily Properties in the Northeast: Recommendations for Policy Action" April 2014

Energy savings in one-pipe steam heating systems fitted with high-capacity air vents. Final report NYSERDA--94-15 ON: DE95001889

Steam System Balancing and Tuning for Multifamily Residential Buildings, PARR 2011-12

M. Bobker, E.R. Kinsler "Balancing apartment building heating with thermostatic radiator valves", Piping/heating/air conditioning seminar

NATIONAL CLEAN ENERGY BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION, US DOE

Martin Holladay "The High Cost of Deep-Energy Retrofits"

Michael Anschel "The Folly of Deep Energy Retrofits: just chasing rainbows?"

Dan Rieber "179 Henry Street A Case Study in Converting from Two-Pipe Steam to Hydronic Heating"

Dan Holohan "The lost art of Steam Heating"

Technical Assistance Study. Vacuum Steam Heating NGRID report, 2014

Igor Zhadanovsky "Pilot retrofit of steam heating system into Vacuum Heating System (VHS)" Presentation for ASHRAE conference, Seattle 2014

Igor Zhadanovsky "Vacuum Steam Heating: Past, present ... future?" IDEA magazine 4Q2014

Dan Holohan "A new look at vacuum heating", P&M magazine 2015

Igor Zhadanovsky "Vacuum heating integration with District heating system" Presentation for IDEA conference, Boston 2015

SIRA DIE-CAST ALUMINIUM RADIATORS

 New Case Study: Arizona Leverages Industry Standards to Improve Home Performance Program tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2017-01-10:6069565:BlogPost:213671 2017-01-10T23:30:00.000Z Home Energy Magazine http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/HomeEnergyMagazine
 For most American households, a 5-30% savings on energy bills is possible by making home energy upgrades typically identified in a home energy assessment. State and local governments, utilities, and nonprofits across the nation offer programs that allow home owners to upgrade their home to reduce energy use. Through the Better Buildings Home Upgrade Program Accelerator, DOE is working with partners that offer…

For most American households, a 5-30% savings on energy bills is possible by making home energy upgrades typically identified in a home energy assessment. State and local governments, utilities, and nonprofits across the nation offer programs that allow home owners to upgrade their home to reduce energy use. Through the Better Buildings Home Upgrade Program Accelerator, DOE is working with partners that offer these programs to help increase the number of services offered to homes across the country while minimizing costs associated with managing and operating home upgrade programs.

Accelerator partners Arizona Public Service (APS), an electric utility, and FSL Home Energy Solutions, a Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program sponsor, have successfully demonstrated that more customers can be served, while decreasing the cost of program management by improving two key areas:

Contractor satisfaction & support – Participating contractors are required to submit paperwork demonstrating that they successfully completed a home upgrade. To make this task easier on contractors, APS and FSL allowed contractors to choose the energy assessment software that worked best for their businesses. To create a seamless data collection and transfer process from individual contractors and their various software to the program's IT platform, the program leveraged industry standards BPI-2200 and 2100 - the home performance extensible mark-up language (HPXML) data dictionary and data transfer standards.

Quality of energy upgrades – To reduce variability in contractor work quality, APS and FSL turned to the Standard Work Specifications, developed by DOE's Weatherization Assistance Program and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. These specifications define the minimum acceptable outcomes for any weatherization or home performance task to be effective, durable, and safe. Building on these standards, the program streamlined technical field guidance on individual upgrade improvements for contractors and for the program's quality assurance process.

By using these two industry standards, Arizona Home Performance with ENERGY STAR improved their program for contractors and customers, while also improving their cost-effectiveness and freeing up resources to allocate elsewhere.

Read this case study for more on how the Arizona Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program's lowered administrative labor costs for quality assurance by 50% while increasing contractor satisfaction with the program by 50%. Click here for more information if you are interested in joining the Home Upgrade Program Accelerator.

- Amanda Chiu

Amanda Chiu is a senior analyst at SRA International Inc., a CSRA Company.

This blog originally appeared on the Better Buildings Solution Center website and is reprinted with permission.
 ADU/Tiny House acceptance for local building code in California for 2017 tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2017-01-05:6069565:BlogPost:213525 2017-01-05T15:54:34.000Z Steven Lefler http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/StevenLefler
ADU%20Memo%20Final%20Clean%20Corrected%20Dec%2020.pdf

ADU%20Memo%20Final%20Clean%20Corrected%20Dec%2020.pdf
 Asbestos Shingle Nailpoint Debris tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2017-01-05:6069565:BlogPost:213527 2017-01-05T15:30:00.000Z Joseph Burley http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/JosephBurley
A recent study (I have a copy, trying to find a link to full report) found that installation of asbestos shingles on the outside of the home caused the nailpoints to drive asbestos debris inside the wall cavities of homes. Blowing insulation into the walls caused a release of fibers into the air of the home exceeding safe levels.…

A recent study (I have a copy, trying to find a link to full report) found that installation of asbestos shingles on the outside of the home caused the nailpoints to drive asbestos debris inside the wall cavities of homes. Blowing insulation into the walls caused a release of fibers into the air of the home exceeding safe levels.

https://nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/project_weather_0.pdf

Do home energy pros check for asbestos hazards before beginning a project?

asbestos shingles in an attached sunroom
 High performance Modular Home featured tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2016-12-28:6069565:BlogPost:212837 2016-12-28T16:14:10.000Z Steven Lefler http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/StevenLefler
http://www.buildwithpropane.com/News-and-Incentives/Tankless-water-heaters-make-net-zero-achievable/

http://www.buildwithpropane.com/News-and-Incentives/Tankless-water-heaters-make-net-zero-achievable/

 Ohio's Most Efficient Rental tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2016-12-22:6069565:BlogPost:213108 2016-12-22T18:00:00.000Z Luke Langhals http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/LukeLanghals

Image 1: The 100K project was designed to have a widely open concept. The home includes 2 bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms. The 850 sq ft floor area allows for an open interior feel with maximum utilization of every inch.

Ohio's Most Efficient Rental…

Image 1: The 100K project was designed to have a widely open concept. The home includes 2 bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms. The 850 sq ft floor area allows for an open interior feel with maximum utilization of every inch.

Ohio's Most Efficient Rental

By: Luke Langhals

When Athens, Ohio based environmental building advocate Jason Morosko and his business partner Jeremy Morosko, set out to rebuild a simple double wide rental property; they began with the idea of combining energy efficiency with affordability. Jason wanted to replace the outdated structure with an upgraded home - combining energy efficiency benefits alongside profitable rental investment. Jason's groundbreaking career in the field of energy efficient ventilation has given him many opportunities to work with North America's most progressive builders. However, the overlying question has always held true; Can super insulated construction be achieved below $100 per square foot? Can these healthy, durable, and nearly zero energy homes be built with affordability in mind and how can we prove that Passive style construction is meant for everyone. MANY people argue that super-efficient construction is really meant for the rich….it is not designed for the lower class and it cannot be achieved by homeowners with construction budgets below $100 per square foot.

Every new home must factor in many parameters when beginning construction. Site layout, budget, design, etc. However, what if we factor in a 75% reduction in energy use – but WITHOUT changing the budget? Most people would call this impossible -- but the simple addition of building science can make any home energy efficient. Jason chose to follow the Passive House methodology for his newest project. He had previously built his own Passive House and worked on many others during his 15 plus years as UltimateAir's chief engineer (who manufactures ventilation systems for energy efficient projects). The Passive House design involves super insulated walls, roof, and floor. Creating a thermos like building envelope which increases resident comfort and lowers the structures heating/cooling needs. Next step is adding triple pane windows rather than the "flimsy" code required windows. These superior windows prevent cold drafts from reaching occupants and rarely feel cold to the touch (even when the outside temperature is far below freezing). After the home is significantly air tight, a quality ventilation system is installed. Installing an Energy Recovery Ventilation system allows Jason to insure fresh air is pumped into all bedrooms in every SEASON! Dirty air is also continuously removed from the kitchen and bathroom locations. The addition of an ERV unit produces an interior condition which is fresh, healthy, and comfortable. The combination of super insulation, quality windows, and recovery ventilation leads to a heating/cooling load which is 90% lower than standard construction.

Image 2: The exterior of the home includes 4" of rigid foam insulation underneath the exterior metal siding. This is paired with 6" interior wall studs which are filled with Blown in cellulose. 10" of total wall insulation!

In the end, we are now lucky enough to be able to see a shining example of affordability combined with energy efficiency. Every new home in North America COULD be constructed to this standard…. if only homeowners would become more educated in the construction methods that are readily available. Here we can view a real example of an affordable net zero ready home; with total energy bills averaging below $50.00 per month!

Image 3: The interior is designed to be open and freely customizable. The project used many windows connecting occupants to the natural environment and wood finishes to provide a natural feel.

Project Website Link: http://sustainablepath.us/modular/
 Portland, Oregon Passes Landmark Policy to Disclose Energy Performance to Homebuyers tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2016-12-20:6069565:BlogPost:212804 2016-12-20T23:00:00.000Z Home Energy Magazine http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/HomeEnergyMagazine

On December 14, 2016, the Portland City Council unanimously adopted an ordinance requiring home energy scores for single family homes listed for sale. This innovative new policy will help Portland create jobs for its…

On December 14, 2016, the Portland City Council unanimously adopted an ordinance requiring home energy scores for single family homes listed for sale. This innovative new policy will help Portland create jobs for its home performance contractors and assessors, reduce carbon emissions, and help the city's consumers save money on energy. The Home Performance Coalition (HPC) collaborated with the Home Performance Guild of Oregon (HP Guild), Earth Advantage, and other stakeholders to support the Ordinance's passage.

HPC is an alliance of like-minded organizations working together to ensure all homes are healthy, comfortable and energy efficient. HPC's project research strengthens the residential energy efficiency industry. Portland's new Home Energy Score Ordinance (HESO) will provide information to home buyers on the home's energy performance so that they can make more knowledgeable decisions about the full costs of operating homes prior to purchase. HESO will help drive consumers toward local residential energy efficiency programs, such as Energy Trust of Oregon and Enhabit, which incentivizes investments in home improvements that lower utility bills, reduce carbon emissions, and increase comfort, safety, and health for home owners.

Buying a home is the largest investment many of us will ever make, but "most houses are sold without consideration of the home's energy performance," said David Heslam, the Executive Director of Earth Advantage, a Portland-based nonprofit organization that participated in the city's policy development process. "The scale of this policy represents a great opportunity for local real estate and lending professionals to consider it every time a home is put on the market, make it part of their daily activities, and allow home buyers and sellers to make the most out of home performance."

"Home energy use ratings provide visibility into the amount of energy a home uses and the monthly costs of that energy," said Don MacOdrum, Executive Director of the HP Guild. "We believe it is a consumers right to know who much energy a potential new home will consume. We also believe it is essential that new home owners understand their home's energy performance when they move in, just as they are getting ready to make major upgrades in their new investment".

Historically, information on a home's energy performance has not been available to home buyers. However, over the last several years, as consumer interest in energy efficiency as a valued feature of residential properties has grown, HPC, Earth Advantage, the HP Guild of Oregon, as well as other organizations, have been working with realtors and appraisers to make information about home energy efficiency readily available for property listings. This includes the development of labels and scores as well as standards and information technology (IT) solutions that allow for quicker and more automated transfer of home energy data to the real estate community. HESO marks a major step forward on providing consumers with the information they need to make informed decisions on home purchases.

For more information on HPC's efforts on home energy labeling research please visit: www.homeperformance.org. HPC's current activities include:

As part of the Department of Energy's Home Energy Information Accelerator (HEIA), HPC is working with leaders in the energy efficiency, real estate, and appraisal industries to update and expand the use of BPI-2101-S-2013 Standard Requirements for a Certificate of Completion for Residential Energy Efficiency Upgrades, commonly referred to as the "Home Performance Certificate."

 The Home Performance Certificate is a Building Performance Institute standard, managed by HPC, which provides a clear, easy-to-understand description of the home energy upgrade, including predicted energy savings or other performance indicators, such as Home Energy Score. The Certificate is designed to be used as a reference document by real estate agents, appraisers, and other professionals during the home sale process. It is also aligned with the Real Estate Standards Organization (RESO) Data Dictionary and the Appraisal Institute's Residential Green and Energy Efficient Addendum to allow energy efficiency programs or other third parties to quickly and more cost-effectively share reliable information with the real estate and appraisal industries.

HPC has also collaborated with the Appraisal Institute and the Building Codes Assistance Project to adapt the two-page handout, Appraised Value and Energy Efficiency: Getting it Right, to the resale market. The new version, which will be released to the public shortly after the new year, features information for homeowners on the value of documenting the energy efficiency features and performance of a home for appraisers and lenders. The handbook also provides links to a number of resources for contractors, including links to Home Performance Certificate and the Residential Green and Energy Efficient Addendum, to help them document efficiency upgrades for appraisers.

The new year promises to be an exciting time for HPC as we continue to work with our partners to make home energy efficiency visible in the real estate transaction.

- Julie Carcino and Joe Cullen

Julie Caracino is the Home Performance Coalition (HPC)'s Director of Research & Standards and Joe Cullen is HPC's Director of Policy & State Outreach.
 Charting a Course to Healthier, High-Performance Homes tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2016-12-20:6069565:BlogPost:212801 2016-12-20T23:00:00.000Z Home Energy Magazine http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/HomeEnergyMagazine

A home is intimately tied to the health and wellbeing of its residents. It is where people go to take care of themselves and seek comfort. People in the United States spend approximately 70% of their time at home, which means that ensuring homes are a healthy refuge is vitally important.…

A home is intimately tied to the health and wellbeing of its residents. It is where people go to take care of themselves and seek comfort. People in the United States spend approximately 70% of their time at home, which means that ensuring homes are a healthy refuge is vitally important. Evidence in a new, groundbreaking DOE report, Home RX: The Health Benefits of Home Performance, shows that home performance upgrades can improve the quality of a home's indoor environment by reducing the prevalence of harmful indoor air pollutants and contaminants.

Until recently, however, no systematic review of this evidence had been conducted, limiting full understanding of the link between home performance and health. New research by the Energy Department sought to close this gap by documenting the full array of health benefits for homeowners and their families stemming from home performance improvements and green renovation practices. Ranging from general health improvements to measurable reductions in asthma symptoms and other respiratory illnesses, these benefits complement the energy cost savings and comfort improvements frequently produced by home performance upgrades. In some instances, the health benefits associated with home performance were shown to reduce both healthcare utilization and costs.

Home Performance and Health

Some of the home performance improvements considered in the report include those provided as part of the Energy Department's Weatherization Assistance Program, such as air sealing, insulation, lighting, and adequate ventilation. Also considered were common green renovations as well as additional home performance upgrades supported by the Energy Department's Home Performance with ENERGY STAR (HPwES) program, including ventilation upgrades, moisture control, window replacements, and allergen-reduction repairs. It was presumed that measures installed for the purpose of achieving verified health benefits would be compliant with industry standards and subject to third party quality assurance. Therefore, the potential health consequences of improper design, inadequate installation, insufficient maintenance, or equipment failure were not investigated.

Research into the overlap of home performance and health is still nascent, and more research is necessary to build on and reinforce existing findings, but there is substantial evidence to support that well-designed and implemented home performance projects can result in real and valuable improvements to the indoor environment of a home, potentially yielding positive health benefits for homeowners and their families.

Moving Forward

This paper is just one part of the Energy Department's broader Health and Home Performance Initiative. This paper will serve to advance about the market for the health benefits of home performance, including how these benefits can be better articulated both within the home performance industry and in policy. The purpose of the Initiative is to support the energy efficiency industry's engagement with the healthcare sector to find ways to account for the benefits of home performance work and to make it more accessible to populations of people who want and need these services. The next step for the Initiative will be to engage with stakeholders to develop a roadmap to facilitate industry's incorporation of health benefits of home performance into their work. Workshops are slated for conferences in January, March, and May. To learn more about the Health and Home Performance Initiative, and to be involved in development of the roadmap, email firstname.lastname@example.com.

This blog originally appeared on the ENERGY STAR website and is reprinted with permission.
 Use Glass in Interiors to Make Your Home Look Chic tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2016-12-15:6069565:BlogPost:212192 2016-12-15T08:12:04.000Z Alfie Davis http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/AlfieDavis

Decorating the interiors of your home can be a little tough. There are many things that you must pay attention to, if you want your home to look gorgeous. There are many designs and styles to choose from, and it can be overwhelming when it comes to making a choice. In case you are looking for a trend which…

Decorating the interiors of your home can be a little tough. There are many things that you must pay attention to, if you want your home to look gorgeous. There are many designs and styles to choose from, and it can be overwhelming when it comes to making a choice. In case you are looking for a trend which is both 'in' and is easy to do, you must think of installing glass.

Installing glass might sound simple but it instantly adds glamour to your home and gives a luxurious look. Use of glass in interiors is a trend that has been around for a long time and has evolved to become one of the most sophisticated and stylish designs of today. Let's discuss how you can use glass in your home in order to achieve the dream look that is both beautiful and effortless.

Windows and Doors

Glass doors and windows are a rage now. This is because they are a good way to make your home energy efficient and bring in some natural light. More natural lights and a glass that helps in maintaining comfortable temperature, make a home more liveable. Glass windows also restrict sound transmission into homes. An expert of Randburg Glass says," These days home owners are choosing glass windows and doors because it has many benefits. Glass windows help in saving energy bills and increase the level of comfort." He also added," Low E or low emission glasses help to keeping the home warm in cold weather and cool in hot weather."

Glass Top Tables

From living room to dining space, glass top tables can be used anywhere you want to. They help in enhancing the aesthetics of the room in which they are used. Tables that have glass tops are easy to clean and thus, make maintenance really easy. All you have to do is wipe it clean from time to time.

The other advantage of using glass tops for tables is that it pairs well with both wooden and metal bases. A dining table with a glass top is very versatile and goes well with different colours and interiors. A transparent glass is a good way to create the illusion of space or add an airy feel to the place. These tables look good with both traditional as well as contemporary decors. In fact, if you have a table you can just get a glass top over it and you can change the look of your home with this small DIY idea.

Glass Walls and Glass Ceilings

You can use glass to create a separation between two spaces like your living room and dining room. This way a separation can be created between two spaces while they also stay connected. It will also give a great look. Glass walls or a glass roof is a great way to bring in the great view of the landscapes outside. A glass wall or roof in a space like a lounge, living room or even dining room looks spectacular.

Apart from the above mentioned spaces, glass can be used in the bathroom to make walls around the shower; it can also be installed as railings or terrace or stairs, and it can also be used to create glass floors. Using white or lighter pastel colours will give your home the fantastic look that you have always dreamt of.
 DOE Completes New Consensus-Based Air Conditioner Standards tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2016-12-14:6069565:BlogPost:212298 2016-12-14T17:38:46.000Z Home Energy Magazine http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/HomeEnergyMagazine
 The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published new minimum energy efficiency standards for residential central air conditioners and heat pumps today. The new standards, which are based on a negotiated agreement, will reduce air conditioner and heat pump energy use by about 7%, translating into hundreds of dollars in electricity bill savings for consumers over the life of their equipment.

A federal…

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published new minimum energy efficiency standards for residential central air conditioners and heat pumps today. The new standards, which are based on a negotiated agreement, will reduce air conditioner and heat pump energy use by about 7%, translating into hundreds of dollars in electricity bill savings for consumers over the life of their equipment.

A federal advisory committee working group concluded the negotiations and signed the term sheet on which the new standards are based last January. The working group included representatives of manufacturers, contractors, distributors, state government, utilities, and energy efficiency advocates.

The standards' compliance date, 2023, was a key element of the negotiations because manufacturers wanted to align changes to the minimum standards with the expected phase-down of current refrigerants. Today's most common refrigerant used in central air conditioners and heat pumps – R410A – will be phased out under the terms of the recently concluded Kigali agreement, a global agreement supported by both manufacturers and environmentalists designed to eliminate the most environmentally-harmful refrigerants. Likely replacements for R410a include R32 and R452B.

A new test method for measuring the energy efficiency of central air conditioners will take effect at the same time as the new standards. The new test method will yield efficiency ratings that are more representative of field performance.

On a national basis, the standards will save 3.2 quads of energy, or about 340 billion kWh cumulatively from products sold over thirty years. DOE estimates consumers will save between $2.5 billion and $12.2 billion in total.

The new standards will supersede those currently in effect, which also were negotiated among stakeholders. The existing standards vary by region for air conditioners, and the new standards maintain the regional approach. Heat pumps will continue to have a single, national standard.

Based on DOE's analysis, manufacturers can meet the new standards with improved heat exchangers, better outdoor fan motors, and other design improvements. Switching to new refrigerants will also boost efficiency, helping manufacturers to comply with the new standards. Products with efficiency performance significantly above the new standard are already on the market today, providing additional savings opportunities for consumers and programs such as those run by utilities designed to save even more.

Many of the largest energy-saving DOE standards completed in the last year have been based on similar consensus agreements, including the recent standards for roof-top air conditioners (which will save more energy than any other standard in DOE history) and pending standards for swimming pool pumps which are expected to be published soon.

- Andrew deLaski

Andrew deLaski is the Executive Director of the Appliance Standards Awareness Project. At ASAP, he coordinates national advocacy efforts related to federal efficiency standards and advises state policymakers and advocates interested in state level energy efficiency standards policy.

This blog originally appeared on www.homeenergy.org.
 Emergency Heating Situation Leads to Further Efficiency Upgrades in Morgan Park tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2016-12-09:6069565:BlogPost:212081 2016-12-09T15:16:21.000Z Amber Vignieri http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/AmberVignieri
 In early November 2015, the boiler failed in building manager Chiaka Patterson's 12-unit multifamily building in the Morgan Park area of Chicago. As winter was quickly approaching, Mrs. Patterson worried about her tenant's comfort and safety. She reached out to Community Investment Corporation (CIC) to assist her with…

In early November 2015, the boiler failed in building manager Chiaka Patterson's 12-unit multifamily building in the Morgan Park area of Chicago. As winter was quickly approaching, Mrs. Patterson worried about her tenant's comfort and safety. She reached out to Community Investment Corporation (CIC) to assist her with financing the replacement. CIC approved her for an Energy Savers Loan and referred Mrs. Patterson to us to perform an energy assessment.

Our energy analysts promptly performed the inspection as the project involved an emergency heating situation. Elevate Energy provided recommendations for cost-effective improvements to reduce utility bills and property maintenance costs, and connected Mrs. Patterson with qualified contractors to complete the improvements. Mrs. Patterson reviewed bids from these contractors and selected Fewer Boiler, Inc. to perform the replacement. Within a matter of days, tenants had heat again and no longer needed to rely on electric space heaters.

As a result of the assessment, Mrs. Patterson decided to move forward with other recommended measures including roof cavity insulation and attic air sealing performed by Minnich Insulation. During this process, a roof leak was discovered that was also addressed.

"I am very pleased that Elevate Energy has been so instrumental in evaluating my energy consumption at all my buildings and helping me figure out how to best conserve energy through different conservation methods," said Mrs. Patterson. "The staff was great to work with."

The improvements to the building are expected to save Mrs. Patterson 29% percent annually on natural gas costs.

Read a full case study here.

Interested in reducing operations and maintenance costs for your multifamily building? Learn more about our multifamily program and apply here.
 Are low-E glass windows good to install on desert homes? tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2016-12-08:6069565:BlogPost:212137 2016-12-08T17:53:28.000Z Joshua Fletcher http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/JoshuaFletcher
Energy Efficient Windows That Lower Energy Bills

The technology used in windows continues to deliver energy efficiency upgrades to home performance. One reason is because of its constantly improving solar and thermal performance with advancements such as solar control low-emissivity, or low-e coatings. So, what is low-e glass? And is it a good thing to use in hotter climates like the desert or the tropics? Let's dive into both of those questions here.

 Low-e coatings…

Energy Efficient Windows That Lower Energy Bills

The technology used in windows continues to deliver energy efficiency upgrades to home performance. One reason is because of its constantly improving solar and thermal performance with advancements such as solar control low-emissivity, or low-e coatings. So, what is low-e glass? And is it a good thing to use in hotter climates like the desert or the tropics? Let's dive into both of those questions here.

 Low-e coatings have been developed to minimize the amount of ultraviolet and infrared light that can pass through glass without compromising the amount of visible light that is transmitted. Ultraviolet light is what causes things to fade from sunlight. While infrared light, or heat energy, is transmitted as heat into your home and then radiates off warm objects such as the walls and windows themselves and makes it so hard to keep a consistent comfortable temperature inside a space.

What is low-e?

When heat or light energy is absorbed by the glass in your windows it is either reflected away or absorbed and transmitted by the glass surface. A materials ability to emit energy is what's known as emissivity. Materials that are highly reflective have a low emissivity because they do not absorb and radiate heat energy, things that absorb and radiate heat, such as dull, dark colored materials have a high emissivity. Low-e windows naturally reflect the solar energy and keep it out of your home, which is a good thing. But that energy has to go somewhere… and if your windows reflect that energy directly onto something like a lawn, or your vehicle. If that happens, your lawn, plants, or car paint may get scorched. So, we have to be smart and think through all the details before installing low-e coatings onto our windows.

All windows are going to radiate heat depending on their emissivity and the temperature of their surface. It's why double and triple pane windows are so popular because the insulating properties of both reduce the temperature of the interior window and wall surfaces. Radiant energy is one of the important ways heat transfer occurs with windows. Reducing the emissivity of the window glass surfaces also improves a window's insulating properties.

How does low-e work?

This is where low emissivity or low-e glass coatings come into play. Low-e glass has an extremely thin, transparent coating – even thinner than a human hair – that reflects heat. During the winter, when the heat energy inside your home tries to escape to the colder outdoors, the low-e coating reflects the heat back inside and reduces your heat loss through the glass. The opposite happens during the summer. The heat trying to come through your glass from the outdoors is reflected off the glass and kept outside. And the space between your double pane or triple pane windows help to keep the surfaces cooler, or warmer during the winter. As a result, low-e windows and energy efficient windows work together to keep your rooms comfortable.

There are two types of low-e coatings to choose from: passive low-e coatings and solar control low-e coatings. For warmer climates, you want solar control low-e coatings because they keep the sun's infrared heat energy out, making air conditioning more efficient and ac costs lower. While passive low-e coatings are good for very cold climates because they allow some of the sun's heat energy to pass through the window and help heat the building during the winter, but still keep the interior heat energy inside.

Conclusion

Low-e windows can be extremely beneficial to keep your desert home cool in the summer and warm in the cold winter months. But only install low-e coatings on walls that receive direct sunlight during the summer months' peak hours; and on walls that are not above anything a.) valuable b.) living, aka plant life or c.) will fade. Because when that solar heat reflects off of your windows it'll radiate all that energy directly below your window and onto whatever's below it. It'll create dead spots in your lawn, kill plants, or destroy the hood or your vehicle. Consult with an expert, like the pros at Stellar Glass Works, to work with you and be honest in their evaluation of your home and what you need. Install low-e where it's beneficial, double-pane windows where you can, and triple-pane windows when needed.

Choosing the right windows and coatings will play an important role in the overall performance of a window and can significantly affect the overall heating, lighting, and cooling costs of your home.

For more information on replacement windows and glass upgrades, Stellar Glass Works is located in Phoenix, Arizona and serves the entire valley. For a quote on your window installation call (602) 679-8346.

Stellar Glass Works Address
 Chic New Trends in Kitchen Renovation tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2016-12-08:6069565:BlogPost:212132 2016-12-08T05:44:22.000Z Alfie Davis http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/AlfieDavis

The kitchen is one of the most functional areas of the house. If you are a new home owner or you are renovating your kitchen, you need to know what the ongoing trend is in kitchen remodeling. Are you wondering what the new recipe of chic kitchen decor is? Modern minimalism is…

The kitchen is one of the most functional areas of the house. If you are a new home owner or you are renovating your kitchen, you need to know what the ongoing trend is in kitchen remodeling. Are you wondering what the new recipe of chic kitchen decor is? Modern minimalism is here to stay. Minimalism has taken over the world and now they are spreading on to the kitchen. The new trend is to keep the décor simple and stylish with modern customization. This type of modern upgrade will give your kitchen an elegant and charming look. Let's check out some of the trends that will make your kitchen the talk of the town.

Modern Cabinetry

If you actively search on the internet, chances are that you have already seen the pictures. Modern and custom cabinets not only look visually appealing but also make the kitchen extremely functional. Appliances, ingredients, utensils and other stuff go straight into the compartments. Therefore, your kitchen doesn't look messy at all. Custom cabinets with modern technology are easier to operate and give the homeowner full control over the kitchen. A designer from K&N Sales informs," Custom cabinets with modern technology are a trend all over the United States. The demand for these cabinets is more than in Houston alone. We get lots of enquiries every day. Home owners only want custom cabinets these days."

Built-in's

Cabinets organize everything to put it out of sight and bring out a simple look. Homeowners have taken this to a next level and want everything to be built-in. This way you don't have to change every small appliance in your kitchen, unless it is broken. If an appliance looks dull and is decreasing the beauty of kitchen, you can store them in the appliance garage. Refrigerators, ovens, dishwasher and other major appliances are also built-in, which are designed by cabinet designers. Your kitchen will appear to be more spacious and it will be much easier to move around.

Wood is good

Wood never goes out of style. From kitchen islands to cabinets to pantries, you are free to decide the amount of wood and the places where you want to use it. It is a simple way to create a statement. You can use different colors, wood species and laminates as well, if you don't like the traditional finishes. White is a new trend nowadays; many home owners use white as the only color in their kitchen, and create contrast with tiles or expensive stones.

This brings us to the next two trends in the world of kitchen renovation and that are- tiles and stones

Stones

If you have been active on Instagram or Pinterest, you might be aware of their popularity. Expensive stones are being used in home decoration to enhance the look of the house. If fact it is a foolproof method to give your kitchen a luxurious appeal. Natural stones like marble, quartz, granite, etc. are all you need. Place them on your countertops or backsplash and your kitchen will look spectacular.

Tiles

Unique looking tiles, especially ones that are handcrafted, can add a splash of beauty to the kitchen. This also helps in breaking the monotone of the look, in case; you have used single color in your kitchen.

These are some of the great ways to get an haute kitchen in the town and make it a center of attraction for your guests. Your kitchen will be at its minimalistic best.
 Addison Homes Wins Pinnacle Award for Best Achievement in Energy Efficiency tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2016-12-07:6069565:BlogPost:212303 2016-12-07T16:30:00.000Z Michelle Usher http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/DianeJackson

Addison Homes was amongst the home building industry's best and brightest honored with a 2016 Pinnacle Award during the 13th annual Celebration of Excellence. Presented by the Home Builders Association of South Carolina, Pinnacle Awards recognize the state's builders and remodelers who have achieved the hi

ghest standard of quality craftsmanship, innovative problem-solving and customer satisfaction.…

Addison Homes was amongst the home building industry's best and brightest honored with a 2016 Pinnacle Award during the 13th annual Celebration of Excellence. Presented by the Home Builders Association of South Carolina, Pinnacle Awards recognize the state's builders and remodelers who have achieved the hi

ghest standard of quality craftsmanship, innovative problem-solving and customer satisfaction.

Greenville SC builder Addison Homes won the 2016 Pinnacle Award for Best Achievement in Energy Efficiency for the net zero energy model home in Trailside.

HBASC handed out 17 awards in five categories – New Home Construction, Remodel Projects, Energy Efficiency, Subdivision/Community and Sales & Marketing. Addison Homes was awarded the Pinnacle Award for Best Achievement in Energy Efficiency.

"We are committed to pushing the envelope when it comes to high-performance building," says Addison Homes President Todd Usher. "We built the first mainstream Zero Energy home in Greenville – a home capable of producing as much electricity as it consumes – and it's gratifying to see this project recognized amongst our peers."

Addison's award-winning project is the model home in Trailside, Greenville's first all-solar community where every home is certified to the U.S. Department of Energy's Zero Energy Ready Home standard for energy savings, comfort, health and durability. The model home is also the first in the Southeast to qualify for Active House – a European designation of optimal daylighting, indoor air quality and resource efficiency.

This project also earned HBA of Greenville's Southern Home & Garden Bridge Award for Green Building and the U.S. Department of Energy's Housing Innovation Award.

The Home Builders Association of South Carolina will feature Pinnacle Award winners in an upcoming issue of S.C. Builder Journal. In addition, the projects will be highlighted on the S.C. Department of Commerce and the S.C. Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism websites to emphasize the craftsmanship of South Carolina's residential builders.

Here is the complete list of 2016 Pinnacle Award winners:

Best Achievement in Energy Efficiency — Addison Homes, HBA of Greenville

Best Achievement in Green Building — Central Signature Homes, HBA of Oconee

Best Subdivision/Community — Saluda River Club, BIA of Central SC

Best Website Design — Brighton Builders, Hilton Head Area HBA

Best Website Design — Group 46

New Home Construction ($200,000 to $499,999) — Avery Construction, HBA of Greater Spartanburg

New Home Construction ($500,000 to $749,999) — CVS Builders, HBA of Greater Spartanburg

New Home Construction ($500,000 to $749,999) — Arcon Architect & Builders, HBA of Oconee

New Home Construction ($750,000 to $999,999) — Brighton Builders, Hilton Head Area HBA

New Home Construction ($1,000,000 to $1,499,999) — Fairview Builders, HBA of Greenville

New Home Construction ($1,500,000 to $1,999,999) — Ridgeline Construction Group, HBA of Greenville

New Home Construction ($2,000,000 to $4,999,999) — Gabriel Builders, HBA of Greenville

New Home Construction ($2,000,000 to $4,999,999) — The Berry Group, HBA of Oconee

New Home Construction ($2,000,000 to $4,999,999) — Stoneledge Properties, HBA of Greenville

Remodeling Project ($149,999 and less) — Stein Renovation & Design Group, Charleston HBA

Remodeling Project ($150,000 to $249,999) — Remodeling Services Unlimited, Member of the BIA of Central SC

Remodeling Project ($150,000 to $249,999) — Stein Renovation & Design Group, Charleston HBA

Remodeling Project ($500,000 and more) — Brighton Builders, Hilton Head Area HBA

Remodeling Project ($500,000 and more) — Ellis Construction Company, Hilton Head Area HBA
 Natural Gas is Becoming Less Attractive tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2016-12-05:6069565:BlogPost:212034 2016-12-05T17:30:00.000Z Home Energy Magazine http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/HomeEnergyMagazine

The United States and Canada have been fortunate to have access to natural gas for space heating, water heating, and other applications. Over the decades, gas supplies have been both reliable and affordable. We also believed that natural gas was clean and environmentally friendly, and was therefore reasonable as the fuel of choice. Sadly, this situation is changing; natural gas is becoming less attractive.

What has changed? First, research has shown that natural gas…

The United States and Canada have been fortunate to have access to natural gas for space heating, water heating, and other applications. Over the decades, gas supplies have been both reliable and affordable. We also believed that natural gas was clean and environmentally friendly, and was therefore reasonable as the fuel of choice. Sadly, this situation is changing; natural gas is becoming less attractive.

What has changed? First, research has shown that natural gas is not as environmentally friendly as we thought. Direct combustion of natural gas in homes generates CO2 (a lot of CO2), and there's no way the United States can meet its climate goals without reducing its use. That's almost old news (even if we haven't yet begun to deal with it), but the latest research has found that leakage during extraction, transmission, and storage of natural gas is much greater than was once believed. New monitoring techniques suggest that 25% more methane is lost through leaks than estimates made only a few years ago. Methane—the primary constituent of natural gas—has a global warming potential about 25 times that of CO2, so this upward revision is significant on a national (and global) scale. Last year's catastrophic blowout at the gas storage facility in Aliso Canyon, California, resulted in emissions equal to 20% of the state's total 2015 CO2emissions (including those from cars and power plants)! That accident also created immediate local health problems, well ahead of future healthproblems caused by climate change. Deferred maintenance and aging infrastructure of the gas networks are likely to create more such accidents, ranging from the nearly invisible to the spectacular.

Another strike against natural gas is that it is easier to achieve healthy, efficient homes when no combustion takes place indoors. This makes the home easier to seal and balance. Once it is no longer necessary to remove combustion products, ventilation systems only need to cope with the relatively simpler tasks of dehumidification and providing fresh air.

The catastrophic Aliso Canyon methane leak resulted in 20% of California's total CO2emissions in 2015. (Earthworks)

Natural gas is also becoming less of a winner on the consumption side, especially compared to electricity from renewable sources. The best electric alternatives to natural gas, while still more expensive, are becoming more efficient and technically appealing. Heat pumps, the principal method of supplying heat from electricity, continue to improve and supply heat at ever-colder outside temperatures. The latest generation of electric stoves—once disdained by chefs—now offer controllability and other features that make them competitive with gas units. The laggard has been the electric clothes dryer, heat pump versions of which are only now appearing on the market.

In global climate negotiations, natural gas is sometimes called a transition fuel—that is, a transition from coal to carbon-free alternatives. That may still be true, but the numbers are not as overwhelmingly favorable as we once thought. But even as we realize the downsides of natural gas, it is becoming cheaper and therefore more attractive economically. These contradictory signals are bound to confuse consumers. Policy makers, building scientists, utilities, and regulators will need to develop clear recommendations to the building community as natural gas ceases to become the obvious fuel of choice.

- Alan Meier

Alan Meier is the senior executive editor of Home Energy magazine. This editorial was originally printed in the Winter 2016 issue.
 A Healthy Home and a Healthy Bottom Line tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2016-12-05:6069565:BlogPost:211887 2016-12-05T17:00:00.000Z Jim Gunshinan http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/JimGunshinan
There has been a lot of interest of late in the weatherization and broader home performance community in putting a value on the health benefits of weatherization. We've come a long way in the last several years and have reached, I think, some strong consensus that the health benefits of weatherization and home performance retrofits are real and valuable. This means that making healthy housing a part of your business plan makes good sense.

E4TheFuture is a nonprofit organization…

There has been a lot of interest of late in the weatherization and broader home performance community in putting a value on the health benefits of weatherization. We've come a long way in the last several years and have reached, I think, some strong consensus that the health benefits of weatherization and home performance retrofits are real and valuable. This means that making healthy housing a part of your business plan makes good sense.

E4TheFuture is a nonprofit organization working to advance safe, efficient energy solutions with a focus on residential customers. The organization published a white paper in November that summarizes scientific study and makes a solid argument for adding increased occupant health to weatherization and home retrofit work scopes. Key findings in the white paper include the following.

Occupants can experience fewer asthma symptoms and respiratory related ED visits after EE.

Occupants report better physical and mental health after EE.

Programs delivering EE with added home repairs and client education can produce more significant improvements in asthma symptoms and indoor environmental conditions.

Improvements in occupant health are strongest among vulnerable groups: lower income households and residents with pre-existing health conditions linked to housing risks.

Whole house ventilation strategies using heat or energy recovery ventilators (HRVs or ERVs) can reduce asthma and respiratory symptoms in children with pre-existing risks. Such strategies are increasingly being considered in EE programs.

Homes receiving EE can experience increases in radon or formaldehyde; ventilation systems may offer the potential to reduce radon in such homes.

The full white paper, "Occupant Health Benefits of Residential Energy Efficiency" is available in PDF for download here.
 Ways to Give Your Kitchen a Beautiful Makeover tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2016-12-05:6069565:BlogPost:212107 2016-12-05T09:53:22.000Z Alfie Davis http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/AlfieDavis

The kitchen is a crucial part of the house. Your kitchen is used throughout the day either for cooking or storing food items and ingredients. Thus, it needs to be very functional with great design and the best use of space. You must make your kitchen well designed, spacious and functional because you will…

The kitchen is a crucial part of the house. Your kitchen is used throughout the day either for cooking or storing food items and ingredients. Thus, it needs to be very functional with great design and the best use of space. You must make your kitchen well designed, spacious and functional because you will spend a lot of your time in this part of your house.

Living in a populous city like Houston often means you have a restricted kitchen area. Kitchens might end up looking too small, if they are not designed properly. If you think your kitchen is a little too congested and non-functional, or it looks dull and outdated, it is the time to give your kitchen a makeover. There is no need to invest a huge amount to upgrade your kitchen. Let's check out the ways you can beautify and upgrade your kitchen.

Add some texture

If you want to uplift the visuals of your kitchen or you want make your kitchen appear more spacious, you can play with materials and texture. Different materials and textures enhance the visual aesthetics of your kitchen and add an illusion of space to the kitchen. Lighter colored wooden cabinets go well with equipment that has metal finish. If you have a Kitchen Island you can customize it with wood that matches your cabinets.

Add cabinets

Cabinets are a good way to improve storage space in your kitchen. An expert designer from Cabinets&Designs says "Custom cabinets are a good way to improve the looks of a kitchen. New age customizable cabinets help in making kitchens more useful. The cabinets are available in different styles and colors, which enhance the overall look of the kitchen." He also adds "Home owners who have smaller kitchens can make them more spacious by the strategic use of cabinets."

Cabinets are not optional but essentials when it comes to kitchen decoration. They help in organizing the kitchen and making your tasks easier.

Think color

Adding color to your kitchen is a good way to enhance its beauty. While color choices totally depend on you, you should follow certain tips. If your aim is to give the illusion of space in your kitchen, expert designers suggest that you use single color all over your kitchen. White is a very beautiful color that can make your kitchen look elegant and spacious.

You can use pastel blues or pinks to create the similar effect like you do with white. A combination of two or more colors can help in creating a chic and bold look. You can play around with warm colors as well to give a bit of liveliness to your cooking space.

Blending old and new

Traditional designs are detail oriented, while modern styles are eye-catching. You can get the best of both worlds by mixing both styles. Classic designs like apron-front sinks, traditional wooden cabinets and wooden islands will blend well with modern appliances.

Add furniture

If you have a kitchen island, consider getting some chairs or Windsor stools. You can place a rug as well to add an element of surprise.

Creative lighting

Generally, people invest very little time on kitchen lighting. Lighting can give your kitchen an impressive look. If you have got custom cabinets like Wood-Mode Houston cabinets, some experts suggest that you use antique lightings to add elegance to the kitchen.

You can get your kitchen on fleek by using the above mentioned tips. Your kitchen will be a focal point for those visiting your home.
 Setting the PACE for Consumer Protection tag:homeenergypros.lbl.gov,2016-11-23:6069565:BlogPost:211350 2016-11-23T14:00:00.000Z Kelly Vaughn http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profile/KellyVaughn

Residential PACE (property assessed clean energy), an innovative solution for financing energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, is being led by a set of industry mavens seeking to realize the promise of this public–private partnership. Specifically, industry stakeholders have come…

Residential PACE (property assessed clean energy), an innovative solution for financing energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, is being led by a set of industry mavens seeking to realize the promise of this public–private partnership. Specifically, industry stakeholders have come together to create a set of consumer protection standards that ensure homeowners reap the full benefits of PACE while safeguarding against predatory behavior in this nascent market.

 Just last week, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) published new program guidelines that further codify such standards. The path to these policies, and the risks they mitigate, are outlined in Rocky Mountain Institute's new insight brief, Driving Growth and Mitigating Risk: Standards for Residential PACE Programs.

 WHY PACE?

PACE helps homeowners overcome two major barriers to financing home energy performance improvement: first, the availability of up-front capital to pay for efficiency measures (such as lighting, HVAC upgrades, or the installation of solar photovoltaics), and second, the uncertainty of payback on such measures (given that the average U.S. homeowner owns their home for 15 years, according to the U.S. Federal Reserve).

 In states with active residential PACE programs, homeowners can finance 100 percent of project costs. Loans are repaid for up to 20 years by means of an assessment added to the property's tax bill, meaning that PACE financing stays with the building upon sale and can be transferred from one owner to the next. Some PACE providers offer financing up to 30 years, constrained by the expectant life span of financed projects.

 Since the DOE's issuance of the "Guidelines for Pilot PACE Financing Programs" in 2010, 31 states have passed PACE-enabling legislation, and the number of states with active PACE programs (commercial and residential) has grown to sixteen (as of July 2016).

 PACE AND THE NEED FOR CONSUMER PROTECTIONS

As the market for PACE financing grows, the local governments that authorize it and the private companies that typically provide it are focused on protecting consumers, who most often learn about PACE from an HVAC, roofing, window, solar, or other installer of PACE-eligible measures.

 "We continue to hear concerns about whether or not homeowners will get in over their heads with PACE loans—similar to how they can with a credit card," said Martha Campbell, a manager with RMI's Buildings program. "What consumer protections do is prevent homeowners from over-leveraging their property, and help ensure that the homeowner will be able to make the additional payments without putting their commitments to their other financial obligations at risk."

 Because PACE projects can be such a substantial commitment for homeowners, it's incumbent on all parties involved in a PACE-funded project to follow to the highest standards of consumer protection to ensure the best outcomes, because PACE impacts local governments that sponsor programs, homeowners, and—in most cases—an existing mortgage lender.

PUTTING PROTECTIONS IN PLACE

With the continued momentum and expansion of PACE, parties at the state and national levels have taken the initiative to set and implement best-in-class consumer protection guidelines. The DOE's "Guidelines for Pilot PACE Financing Programs" served as the basis for early best practices established in 2014 by PACENation, an organization focused on promoting PACE by providing leadership and support to a growing member base (then operating as PACENow).

 In August 2015, President Obama committed the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Federal Housing Administration (HUD/FHA) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to provide guidance on critical design elements for residential PACE programs. The FHA released its Mortgagee Letter in July 2016, which sent a strong message that helps solidify the nature of PACE liens in relation to first mortgages—a contentious issue that had impeded broader adoption and scaling of residential PACE across the country.

 PACENation—in collaboration with industry leaders—developed and released Consumer Protection Policies Version 1.0 earlier this year. The policies were adopted by the California Statewide Communities Development Authority and the Western Riverside Council of Governments—both of which heavily informed California's PACE policies—and now serve as an industry standard.

 "The industry needs to be aware that consumer protection standards that work already exist," said Campbell. "More and more states will consider residential PACE thanks to increased DOE support and new Federal Housing Finance Agency guidelines, which can benefit from clarity around what risks these standards can mitigate in the market. Driving consensus on best-in-class guidelines can improve confidence and inject more capital into programs."

 Today, more consistent consumer protection standards upheld across local communities and states will help ensure the successful growth and scaling of residential PACE programs, while protecting the integrity of PACE as a public–private partnership. Standardization of operations across jurisdictional boundaries will reduce the need for customization and enable consistency, which will allow PACE programs to continue to streamline their operations, and thus provide lower costs to participating homeowners.

 RMI and PACENation's newly published insight brief, Driving Growth and Mitigating Risk: Standards for Residential PACE Programs, builds on past successes to detail a set of perceived risks around PACE, and how they can be managed through consumer protection policies.

 "We applaud the efforts of PACE industry stakeholders in developing robust program guidelines and independent audit processes, and support the industry's goal for these guidelines to be the standard across state and local governments," said Campbell. "Thanks to early leaders, we have a toolkit that can enable the standardization and coordination necessary to enable PACE financing to gain traction nationally."

 Download the insight brief here.

Image courtesy of iStock.