All Blog Posts (708)

When I attend a conference I can always tell which sessions I find most inspirational by the amount of notes I take. While attending the annual Behavior Energy and Climate Change (BECC) conference on Monday of this past week in Sacramento, the note test proved itself once again. Hands down, I found the most inspiration from the afternoon Spotlight Panel titled “Hollywood, Media and Messaging.”

To be fair, I was excited about…

What do you call a former construction worker that knows how to dance the tango? Chris Dorsi. Okay, so maybe it’s not the best punch line, but it is certainly interesting. And that’s not the only thing we learned about Dorsi in the following interview.

Currently gearing up for regional conferences to be hosted by his newly founded company Habitat X in Portland and San Francisco, Dorsi is focused on combining professional training with…

All,



How much electricity is need to roast a Thankgiving turkey & the rest of the holiday cooking extravaganza?



Monitoring baseline data from the Phased Deep Retrofit project being done by Florida Solar Energy Center for U.S. Department of Energy allows us to answer that question. Thanksgiving cooking in our 30 home, all electric sample averaged 2.76 kWh, 2.03 kWh more than it did on the Thursday before Thanksgiving (0.73 kWh)



Note that in the…

High initial costs can discourage homeowners from making large investments in energy improvements such as new heating equipment or insulation. Our Community Energy Services (CES) residential program tries to remove this barrier by helping identify available rebates as well as offering financing options such as low interest loans. Homeowners who complete a CES home visit qualify for a…

Growth of the Solar Industry

The growth of the solar industry may soon face the reality of not having enough skilled workers to satisfy demand, suggests a recent report by The Solar Foundation and the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP). Despite a dragging economy overall, installed solar capacity has increased dramatically in the past few years. In 2011 alone, the cumulative installed solar capacity in the United States nearly doubled from 2,095 MW to…

Great article.  I think Courtney Moriarta may be one of the brilliant original designers of Comprehensive Home Performance:

Home Energy Magazine - Home Performance with Energy Star :: Home Performance with Energy Star - Looking Back to See the Future 

Hopefully the current obsession with "cost effectiveness" will soon be replaced with focus on Comprehensive…

Two years ago Software Advice predicted that electricians would be one of the best-suited construction trades to capitalize on the growth of green construction. It appears that prediction is coming true. Since 2005, the green construction industry has grown from close to three billion dollar industry to one worth roughly $48 billion.…

Five very full days in Orlando at NAR Annual 2012 creates a full slate of new ideas, opportunities and new thinking about old obstacles. Here are my Top 10 ideas and…

Power from the People by Greg Pahl is yet another release in the “Communitiy Reslience Guide” series.

The book focuses on tangible information, which can guide communities, regions, and individuals into a stable future.

Pahl first focuses on the myriad problems that we face today. With rising energy costs come increased food costs, increased cost of living, and the ultimate breakdown…

     When using ACCA's Manual T for register selection, there are several basic rules that are followed regarding location. Most guidelines revolve around room air circulation and stagnant air, as well as the equipment application (heating only, cooling only, or combination). Application is the largest determining factor when it comes to return air locations.

      For heating only applications, a low return duct is ideal to bring back the coldest air otherwise stagnant in the room.…

Recently, the Obama government has sanctioned relief funds for people affected by the super storm Sandy as part of its LIHEAP or Low income Home Energy Assistance Program. According to the reports, around 284,000 homes have been affected in the catastrophe. The total financial loss estimated so far amounts to $88 billion. As a…

In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, people are asking themselves what they can do to lessen their reliance on centralized systems for their electricity, heat and transportation needs. As climate change brings the potential for more intense and frequent extreme weather events, the desire for alternative energy options is becoming more…

The most terrified I've ever been was was the time I got called to do a home energy audit of the haunted house-as-a-system down the street. I still shudder when I think of that night. Yes, it was nighttime. The caller who hired me, a woman with a sultry voice, said that was the only…

If you're planning on coming to the Habitat X Conference at Skyline College in San Francisco, you'll get to study alongside some of the most well-respected people in the industry.

On Monday December 10th, Ann Edminster will join us to discuss the shift in…

Are you going to GreenBuild 2012?

If so, you'll be in good company. The 11th annual gathering of all those involved in 'building green' into the national fabric looks set to be the biggest yet – with 35,000 architects, facility managers, educators and green innovators expected to talk, walk and network their way around the Moscone…

Last Friday I had the opportunity to attend a webinar put on by Energy Circle titled “Hurricane Sandy and the Home Performance Industry: How Do We Respond?” Peter Troast, CEO of Energy Circle, shared that when he woke up on Friday, he felt the need to start a bigger conversation—thus a webinar was born. For being a last-minute idea, the webinar was a huge success with a lot of response, which serves as yet another testament to the great people of this industry.…

Reposted from i.e., the Center for Energy and Environment's Innovation Exchange blog -- http://mncee.org/Innovation-Exchange/ie/

In previous posts, I’ve explained how to incorporate smart phones and apps into energy audits (here and …

 Most of us know already that the price tag of electrical energy, fuel, natural gas, wood together with other energetics are continually increasing. For that base we must always ask ourselves can our house budget stand with so many expenses. Each single investment involves some amount of cash, however this isn't the end and besides investing every single single day by day or every year by year we pay for electrical bill, natural gas, wood, etc. Keep in mind that even with solar energy…