"Ben, the German highway system concept actually started BEFORE Nazi Germany during the…"
The Coming Energy Implosion
I got this idea from my good friend Mike Nelson, the Obi-Wan Kenobi of solar in Washington state, who predicts that new technologies and behavior changes are coming together in ways that are going to dramatically cut our total energy consumption. I got a glimpse of that future when I visted the "Plus-Energy" buildings during a solar fact-finding trip to Germany in 2008. Plus-energy buildings are the homes, office buildings, manufacturing plants (Solar-Fabrik) and cutting edge research facilities (Fraunhofer ISE) that consume less energy than their solar roofs produce. They were able to do this because the small amount of energy that they consume is used very very efficiently.
When are we going to see huge energy reductions in our everyday lives in the U.S.? This forum's users already have the knowledge and skills to dramatically reduce the energy consumption of new and existing homes. In other areas, consider how much energy desktop computers use compared to the energy consumed by an iPad or a MacBook Air (90-130 watts versus 3-8 watts). What if this same level of energy efficiency were applied to large server farms? How many residential air conditoning units in Texas are mounted in extremely hot/unisulated attics? Improved motion sensor and enhanced daylighting controls combined with LED lighting could dramatically reduce the energy needed to light our homes, offices, parking lots and streets. Improved irrigation pumping and scientific approaches to agriculture and residential landscaping is another area that has tremendous potential to not only save energy, but also preserve our water resources.
I'm hoping that this discussion will help others envision a brighter and more hopeful future. I'm sure that there are many other examples that people can think of that will dramatically lower our energy consumption, while also improving our quality of life. I look forward to hearing your stories and ideas.
Views: 643
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by James White on
-
This sounds like an excuse to do nothing. My friend Marcelo da Luz, who built a solar car and set the world distance record by driving it 23,000 miles around North America, told me that we are all hypocrits waiting for the government to solve the problem or blaming the government when it does not solve the problem. The only way we are going to change things is if WE become the change we want to see in the world. Marcelo, who is a flight attendent, not an engineer, built his solar car and called it the Power of One, because he believes that it only takes one person to change the world..... YOU!
-
-
I believe that dramatic energy savings could occur if the Empire State Building glazing replacement strategy was applied to millions of existing homes and apartments to replace the sliding portion of their sliding glass doors with R-7 (quad pane) windows. Glazing manufacturers/retrofitters could use economies of scale to focus on retrofitting the most common existing sliding glass door dimensions. Sliding glass doors are particularly inefficient because a heater vent is typically installed right in front of them that blows hot air directly on the window. To make matters worse, this hot air is usually trapped by a curtain that covers the door. It's like trying to heat the inside of your car with the window defrost. Glazing retrofitters and manufacturers may also be able to reuse the existing sheets of glass that are removed from the sliding glass doors to make new quad pane windows like they did in the Empire State Building.
-
Permalink Reply by Bob Blanchette on -
The problem becomes payback time, even with economies of scale. IMHO it would be much more cost effective to replace the leaky sliding doors with French doors.
-
-
It takes very little time to replace just the sliding portion of a sliding glass door. Whereas replacing the entire sliding glass door assembly with French doors would require removing and replacing the entire door frame. There is no telling what you will run into once you tear things back to the door's rough opening.
-
Permalink Reply by Bob Blanchette on
-
The crime is in the leaks around sliding glass doors, not the glass itself. The installation and material costs going from 2 pane to 4 pane would have too long of a payback time. Relocating the heating vent could be cost effective depending on accessibility.
- ‹ Previous
- 1
- 2
- Next ›
Home Energy Pros
Home Energy Pros was founded by the developers of Home Energy Saver Pro (sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) and brought to you in partnership with Home Energy magazine.
Latest Activity
Stan Kuhn replied to Patrick Michaelyan's discussion Hot Upper Stories"You note overheating on the south side (naturally.) Assuming the typical roof overhang of…"
Patrick Michaelyan replied to Patrick Michaelyan's discussion Hot Upper Stories"Thanks a lot Ed. And thanks to all who have added their two cents.
I think I know where to take…"
Ed Minch replied to Patrick Michaelyan's discussion Hot Upper Stories"We have successfully treated this same problem in perhaps 1000 of this same house in the…"
Craig Savage commented on Craig Savage's video
What is a Heat Pump Water Heater
"Hello Tom
We are working with A.O. Smith, GE and Stiebel Eltron on a Building America task to…"
Tom Delconte commented on Craig Savage's videoWhat is a Heat Pump Water Heater
"Craig: I was serious, since my propane price jumped from .98 to 1.85! according to everyone the GE…"
Ben Jacobs replied to Jose Macho's discussion Why Are Energy-Saving Home Inprovements Down??"I think that government support for good ideas results in major benefits over the long haul.
Please…"
Craig Savage commented on Craig Savage's videoWhat is a Heat Pump Water Heater
"Hello Tom
Not sure if you are being sarcastic, but a serious answer would be that GE is selling…"
Tom Delconte commented on Craig Savage's videoWhat is a Heat Pump Water Heater
"Craig: do you have a diagram of one that will run longer than one year? They don't really seem…"
Cory Chovanec replied to Bachi Brunato's discussion Boxing and Insulating Around Non-ICAT Cans"All good points brought up. My advice is not to leave the lights. When you said halogen I think…"
Jon Haehnel replied to Jose Macho's discussion Why Are Energy-Saving Home Inprovements Down??"The first 2 answers by Tom and Sean jive with my thinking and experience. Thank you Don for…"
Tom Smith replied to Patrick Michaelyan's discussion Hot Upper Stories"The most bang for your buck will come from airsealing the attic plane and sealing the…"
© 2013 Created by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
