Featured Blog Posts – December 2011 Archive (10)

by Don Ames,  www.detectenergy.com

Got a phone call from a Son today, he was down at the local Mall looking to exchange a shirt he got for Christmas. This is one of those times when I wish that cell phones would just go away. Why do we need to be in constant touch with everybody all the time?

"Yes son, I bought the shirt there and I don't know why I cut the tag off and I don't know what happened to the…

Passive-solar has been known to work well but certain things about our architecture fail the thermodynamic efficiency test and there are reasons why.

First is heat-transfer through conduction, the wood, drywall, sheathing all having rather high heat-transfer coefficients. Next is convection from a heat-riser which takes the warmth of the floor and moves it to the ceiling.

Until these are dealt with they cost a lot of energy, if one is trying to not require external heating for…

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a cool draft was freezing, to wake up the mouse.

The owner called a contractor with knowledge so rare,

In hopes that great comfort soon would be there. 

The children were nestled all snug in their bed,

With nary a cough or a cold in their heads.

And Momma in her Kerchief and I in my cap

Had just settled down for a long winters nap. 

When from my neighbor there a rose such a…

If someone told me they could improve the efficiency of my computer so that it operates quicker, at no extra cost to me, I can’t imagine I’d turn them away. Yet, the energy efficiency industry offers a similar option for homes and businesses and at least so far, consumers aren’t flocking to the programs.

On-bill financing gives customers the ability to finance energy efficiency improvements made to their homes and businesses at no upfront cost. Customers pay for the insulation,…

One morning I realized that I could cut down my showering time by at least one minute if I could combine my shampooing and conditioning into one step. Inspired, I went to a high-end grocery store that I will call, “Whole Paycheck” looking for what has been an illusive item for me—a combination shampoo and conditioner that really works; someone stacking items in the hair-care section told me that no such thing exists.

It’s a tough invention, since shampoo and conditioner are supposed…

Proper sizing of HVAC equipment is smaller, and smaller means more comfort.

Probably the usual thought in the HVAC industry by technicians is that the units need to be made bigger for comfort. Perhaps this comes from the idea of coming home from work, and needing a set back thermostat to do its magic, and get the home comfortable fast,…

CNT Energy just released a report with the results of the Green MLS/Better Buildings Roundtable convened this fall.

The…

Electric utilities operated under a rarified business model for decades. Their customers were captive so they rarely had to think about what motivated them to buy. New government energy efficiency mandates have changed that, and done so with an ironic twist. Now utilities must figure how to get their customers to refrain from buying.

It’s not easy persuading people to stop using something they like as much as electricity. But behavioral science is coming to the rescue – or at least…

Are Energy Efficiency programs we are participating in another well-meant hustle, or is there lasting prosperity to be had in our industry? Beyond anecdotal reports, ARRA-funded enthusiasm for excellent Energy Efficiency (EE) programs like Energy Upgrade California and Evergreen, San Jose’s “Project 500²,” are EE endeavors really…