Category Archives: architecture

Home Energy Audit – You can’t save energy until you know where you are using it

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Trying to save energy (re: money) without knowing where you are using it is like assembling something without reading the instructions. Sometimes it works but most times it doesn’t.

 

http://www.homeenergy.org/show/article/id/1541/viewFull/

 

Getting to the Bottom of Home Energy Use

BY TODD HOENER

 

In 1949, according to DOE’s Energy Information Administration (EIA), residential electricity consumption was 5% of total residential energy consumption. By 2009, it was 40%. This rise is attributable to many factors—appliance and equipment saturation, innovations in electronic technology, larger houses, and greater disposable income, among others. According to DOE, end-use electricity consumption will continue to grow as a percentage of total household energy consumption. As electricity consumption grows, so does base-load household electricity consumption—that year-round electrical load upon which seasonal electrical loads, like air-conditioning and space heating, are stacked. Water heating, refrigerators and freezers, lighting, laundry and kitchen appliances, electronics and entertainment devices, pumps, and miscellaneous plugged-in loads are common base-load end uses. All additional electricity use—from occasionally used devices, tools, or equipment; visitors; short-term construction jobs; and so on—is consumed on top of base-load use. And the fervent appetite for new and as-yet-unimagined appliances and electronic devices is expected to climb. Growth is why base-load end use is an important topic.
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More next week.

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Automated Residential Systems – Here is a good example

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Again these type systems are not for lower or working class families. They need basic energy conservation techniques and ultimately to be moved off the grid. But for those who can afford it this is pretty cool.

http://www.magnumenergysolutions.com/resident.php?top_menu_id=1

Venergy home is a complete home automation solution. The Venergy system allows homeowners to control all the lights in their home from a series of self-powering switches, Thermostat HVAC control, and electronics connected to the Venergy outlet. In addition the home owner has complete home automation through the Venergy software for entertainment, security alarm, cameras, real time smart energy monitoring and much more!

New Home Construction or Retrofit Benefits:

Reduce build costs in new construction with the Venergy new home 16 channel controller, which eliminates the need for switch legs.

100% whole house dimming, which results in dramatic energy savings and extended bulb life with the Venergy new home controller

Because all switches are 100% movable, homeowners can change switch locations any time they want or need to.

Terminate Standby power to electronics with the Venergy outlet.

Know to the kHw or penny how much energy your home is consuming with the Venergy Smart Monitor.

Turn on lights, control temperature, monitor your home while out of town with your iPhone, Blackberry or web browser and the Venergy software interface.

The Venergy home automation solution is a simple retrofit or new construction system which provides the home owner with basic or advanced control as they desire.

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An Explosion Of Middle Class Energy Services – Not for the poor

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By the way, I do not mean this as a critic. As income rises so does energy wastage. They have bigger house and bigger stuff all the way around. So damping this residential sector is critical. But this requires some money.

http://www.ecologices.com/

Slash Your Energy Costs!

The healthy, energy-efficient home of the future is here today! EcoLogic Energy Solutions is proud to offer the most advanced spray foam insulation systems for residential and commercial construction. We offer over four different types of spray foams, including soy-based, to meet your needs. Through the use of spray foam insulation, EcoLogic transforms an ordinary house into a modern day, high-performance home. The results speak for themselves. A home or building insulated with spray foam is up to 50-70% more energy efficient than a similar structure using fiberglass insulation!

EcoLogic has assembled the most experienced, knowledgeable, and professional team in the region. We are committed to helping people save money, live in a healthy and comfortable home, and reduce their impact on the environment. We follow through with our commitment by donating a portion of our pre-tax profits to charities dedicated to helping safeguard our environment.

Whether you are a homeowner, architect, builder, or contractor we invite you to explore our site and give us a call at 203-889-0505.

Save money on residential heating and cooling

We are proud to provide rating services to qualify new homes for the ENERGY STAR® label. ENERGY STAR qualified new homes are substantially more energy efficient than homes built to the minimum code requirements. Even in states with more rigorous energy codes, the U.S. EPA ensures that ENERGY STAR remains the symbol for truly energy-efficient performance. These homes are good for businesses, consumers, and the environment.

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More tomorrow.

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Residential Solar Down To A $1.57 Per Watt – Cool breeze

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At least that is what the folks at SunWize claim.

http://www.sunwize.com/aboutsw/sunwize-solar-energy-index.php

SunWize headquarters and East Coast distribution facility in Kingston, NY

What Can SunWize Do For You?

From manufactured specialty modules to prepackaged units to site installed systems to an extensive component inventory, SunWize meets your power needs using photovoltaic (PV) technology. Our solar electric systems supply reliable power where and when you need it. We design our products and systems for maximum efficiency and minimum on-site construction time and operation costs.

Products

Our pre-assembled systems are complete, fully integrated power supplies designed to meet the requirements of your project. All systems are easy to order, factory assembled, and simple to install and commission. We design custom systems and products to satisfy specific load and environmental requirements. SunWize, the premier solar electric distributor in the USA, also supplies a large selection of solar modules and balance of system components to its network of solar dealers and installers.

Solar Energy Design Services

For over 25 years, PV has been used extensively as a distributed power source for industrial equipment located “off the grid”. PV systems are powering a variety of loads, such as microwave and fiber optic repeaters, instrumentation, RTU/SCADA, cathodic protection, rural telephony and traffic safety. Since many of these projects include a variety of requirements and special considerations, we offer the following project services:
– Site Analysis – Specification Preparation
– Personnel Training – Turnkey Installation
– Installation Supervision – O&M Manual Preparation
– System Commissioning – O&M/Service Contract

West Coast Solar Distribution FacilitySunWize West Coast distribution facility in Rancho Cucamonga, CA.

SunWize Offers Reliable Solar Energy Solutions for Electric Power

SunWize Technologies, Inc. is backed by the reputation and financial stability of its parent company , one of the world’s oldest and largest trading companies with 864 subsidiaries in over 91 countries. Read the .

SunWize Facilities

Our engineering and manufacturing activities are housed in a 30,000 square foot (2,787 sq. M.) facility in Kingston, New York (photo at left) that also serves as our corporate headquarters, main distribution facility and the center of operations for the Industrial Power Group. The building is designed for the indoor outfitting of large telecommunication shelters and walk-in enclosures, independent of weather conditions.

Our Kingston facility also contains a comprehensive research and development laboratory facilitates new product development offering our customers more solutions to remote power problems. The Custom Solar Module lab was specifically designed for our proprietary manufacturing process.

In 2008, SunWize moved the Distributed Power Group headquarters to San Jose, California where it currently conducts it’s Product Distribution, Residential Systems and Commercial Systems operations. The Residential Power Systems Division, headquartered in San Jose, currently focuses on providing design, engineering, and installation services for residential and small commercial customers in California and Oregon and operates five regional offices. The Commercial Power Systems Division provides similar services to large commercial, government and industrial customers nationwide, with projects over 50kW.

In December 2007, SunWize acquired the former GenSelf Corporation – the largest solar electric installer with offices in the Coachella Valley and is currently headquartered in Tustin, California. The Residential Power Systems Division has also recently expanded its operations into Oregon. The first branch is located in Philomath near Corvallis, and serves the Interstate 5 corridor between Eugene and Portland and throughout the Willamette Valley.

For the convenience of our customers, we also maintain a 71,000 square foot (6,596 sq. M.) distribution warehouse in Rancho Cucamonga, California (photo left), providing same day shipping on the West Coast. We retain nineteen sales offices in the United States, and offices in Canada to support our solar customers in North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. We offer our customers in Latin America a Spanish language catalog, and dedicated field office.

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More tomorrow.

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Residential Energy Services – The Green Home way

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This site offers a lot of features. Most of the cover page is one of those fancy slick every changing happy pictures type power point presentations so I will spare you that, but they have a lot of really useful information so:

http://www.greenhomesamerica.com/

Save money and live more comfortably by increasing the energy efficiency of your home.

We make improvements to your entire home so you can:

  • Reduce your energy bills
  • Increase the comfort of your home
  • Breathe healthier air indoors
  • Help the environment!

Learn how we did it for 10,000 other families

Cash Incentives Available

We assist with all paperwork and help identify all applicable rebates

Learn more about government incentives

One Call… We Do It All!

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Residential Energy Services – This Resnet site is pretty cool

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Sorry I had to put this website up piece meal, but it is so photo and graphic intensive that all I could manage is bits and pieces. As with all the posts this week I can not verify the veracity of these folks but they do seem comprehensive and have the customers best interests at heart.

 

http://www.resnet.us/

RESNET professionals have
specialized energy efficiency training. 

RESNET: A name you can trust!

Make Your Home More Energy Efficient

Call: 760-806-3448

Looking for a: 
RESNET professionals have
specialized energy efficiency training. 

 

ENERGY AUDITS & RATINGS
  • Find Raters and Auditors
  • » Search for Certified Energy Raters and Auditors

 

ENERGY EFFICIENT BUILDING & RETROFITS
  • Find Contractors and Builders
  • » Search for ENERGYSMART Contractors & Builders

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Sorry I could not capture the last 2 videos. You will just have to go to the site and watch them.

Why Should I Have My Home Rated? 

Watch Now
Why Hire EnergySmart Contractors?

 

Why Hire a Certified Rater?

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More tomorrow.

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Residential Energy Services – Trying to get back to our roots

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This blog was really set up to parallel CES’ interest in the residential energy market. But I have ended up for one reason or another writing about nuclear disasters, the oil spill in the gulf last year and religion among other things. So this is an attempt to try to get back to our roots today.

http://www.residentialenergyservices.com/Home.html

Phone:  (440) 835-5735

Fax:  (440) 835-5780

Email:  info@residentialenergyservices.com

  2. RES is now a certified LEED Verifier! RES is now certified to support your efforts toward Green building design. Click here to read more about the LEED Green Building Rating System™ and how your home or project can become LEED certified today. LEED_Verification.html

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  3. Home Energy Audits
  4. Residential Energy Services is an experienced consulting and analysis firm providing an accurate, effective, and user-friendly approach to improving your home’s energy consumption.  After a scheduled home energy test we provide the home owner with a Home Energy Evaluation Report of prioritized energy saving recommendations.  The homeowner can then decide what improvements they can make themselves and what may need to be addressed professionally through a third-party contractor.
  5. For more information on our Home Energy Audit Services, including our service area, pricing, and the Home Energy Audit process click here or on the link at the top of the screen.
  6. Builder Certification
  7. At Residential Energy Services, we also provide Energy Star Certification services to builders in the residential new construction industry.  A contract can be arranged to provide scheduled testing of new projects upon their completion.  For more information or to discuss the benefits of Energy Start Certification in new construction, please call us at (440) 835-5735.

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And on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Residential-Energy-Services-Co-LLC/200562656621626?sk=info

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More tomorrow.

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Residential Energy Services Around The Country

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http://cec-mi.org/structures/services/residential-energy-audits/

Home » Structures » Services » Residential Energy Services

Residential Energy Services

The average Michigan household spends more than $2,000 annually on energy bills. But with Clean Energy Structures’ assessments and tools, we can help you achieve lower energy bills, greater comfort and increased property values.

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Infrared Analysis

Infrared imaging is a powerful tool to detect insulation gaps, air leakage, and other hidden energy losses. This tool is most effective when combined with blower door testing. A full report including infrared and reference images with detailed captions will be provided.

Efficiency Verification + Contractor Coordination

Clean Energy Coalition can assist you as you implement energy efficiency upgrades in your home. Once you have completed a home energy assessment, we will make recommendations for specific, vetted contractors that will best fit your project. Our trained energy analyst will evaluate the installations and performance of these energy-saving upgrades and provide a report detailing the changes made in your home.

*$75 DTE Energy Rebate available

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Construction Consultation

Our trained staff will consult with you as requested to help make your residential construction project as energy efficient as possible.

Service Contact Information

Nick Helmholdt
Structures, Project Manager
734.585.5720 x13
nick@cec-mi.org

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More tomorrow.

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Green Highways – We end the week at LID

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Apparently there have been some changes in the recent months at this organization but it is easily one of the coolest green sites I have been to in awhile. It is great to be around an organization that talks nothing but green planning. It’s like being in the future.

http://www.lowimpactdevelopment.org/about.htm

Low Impact Development Center
Follow us on twitter

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About Us
imageThe Low Impact Development Center was established in 1998 to develop and provide information to individuals and organizations dedicated to protecting the environment and our water resources through proper site design techniques that replicate pre-existing hydrologic site conditions.

Organization Profile

Balancing growth and environmental integrity, the Low Impact Development Center (LID), Inc. is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization dedicated to research, development, and training for water resource and natural resource protection issues. The Center focuses on furthering the advancement of Low Impact Development technology. Low Impact Development is a comprehensive land planning and engineering design approach with a goal of maintaining and enhancing the pre-development hydrologic regime of urban and developing watersheds. This design approach incorporates strategic planning with micro-management techniques to achieve superior environmental protection, while allowing for development or infrastructure rehabilitation to occur. This innovative approach can be used to help meet a wide range of Wet Weather Flow (WWF) control and community development goals.

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More next week.

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Green Roads Choked By Contractors – The past always repeats itself

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This is a guest post. I concur with it. I can’t post the whole thing here because it is a little long. Please go to the website listed below and read the rest.

http://www.softwareadvice.com/articles/construction/green-roads-construction-are-constractors-our-roadbloc-1070711/

Green Roads Construction: Are Contractors Our Roadblock?

by Derek SingletonERP Analyst, Software Advice
Jul 07, 2011

The buzz of innovative ideas on how to build cheaper, greener roads is all around us. These ideas range from using scrap construction materials and rubber tires to using recycled glass to reduce our reliance on asphalt. While these brainstorms are laudable, they’ve yet to prove themselves in a total life-cycle analysis.

The green construction practices that have a demonstrated track record can’t gain traction because of an archaic contractor bidding process. And herein lies the problem. A problem that we can no longer afford to ignore given the sheer cost and impact of our highway system.

“Our roads are everywhere. Anywhere you turn, you’re automatically on a road. We can’t get away from them. We step outside of our house and we’re on a road. If we go to a National Park, we take a road. People don’t realize this but [building roads] is one of the highest impact things we do.” – Shane Stathert, Think Green Roads

The need for lower impact roads is a pressing economic issue. Each year, we spend roughly 7 percent of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on transportation infrastructure. For fiscal year 2010, that amounted to nearly $1 trillion. A key input to these costs is the amount of asphalt we use. But the costs don’t end there.

A typical two-lane mile stretch of highway uses roughly 25,000 tons of crushed stone, which is what makes aggregate (the base layer for roads) one of the most mined materials in the world. Then there’s the CO2 emissions. The 32,300 lane miles of road the United States paves every year emits millions of tons of CO2. Here’s a conservative estimate.

Constructing a single-lane mile of road emits 1,200 tons of CO2. If we assume every mile of road built is single-laned (yeah right, not in America) then building our roads emits 38,760,000 tons of CO2 every year. That’s the same as the annual energy use of 6 million homes. Seriously, 6 million, stop and think about that for a second.

Needless to say, these exorbitant costs – both fiscal and environmental – left many in the industry wondering: how can we reduce expense and still maintain the quality of road construction? Thus, the green road construction movement was born.

Recycled Materials: A Reliable Aggregate Alternative?

With 94 percent of paved roads covered in asphalt, the first obvious target was determining how excessive use of asphalt could be reduced to minimize economic and environmental impacts. One idea that’s gaining a lot of attention in the green construction movement is the use of recycled materials for aggregate.

The logic is simple: pick a material with a good consistency that would normally sit in a landfill, grind it up and you’ve got an aggregate substitute or aggregate base. Popular fillers and aggregate replacements include rubber tires, roofing shingles and even glass.

Using recycled material for aggregate in this way not only saves money, but it also makes use of a material that would otherwise remain unused. A single lane mile of road constructed with rubber tires will use roughly 2,000 tires and save as much as $50,000. It also diverts rubber tires from landfills where they’d otherwise pile up and present a fire hazard or act as a breeding ground for disease-carrying mosquitoes.

But putting what would otherwise be considered trash into our roads raises a healthy amount of skepticism. What happens when the roads break apart? Is it safe for plastics, rubber and used construction material to be exposed to the elements? What if these wash into our water system?

There is a dearth of research on the environmental costs of using such recycled materials for aggregate or mixing them with asphalt. And using recycled rubber is one of the most promoted ways to green a road today. Both the Green Highway Partnership and National Asphalt Association tout recycled rubber as an environmentally safe and viable alternative.

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More tomorrow

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